Guy Evans' "NITRO: The Amazing Climb and Unavoidable Fall of Ted Turner's WCW

Ty Atkins: The 1990's was a golden time if you were a wrestling fan and sadly, an era that we likely won't see again. Vince McMahon's WWF (now WWE) went unopposed as the leaders of American professional wrestling until a cable TV mogul decide to take him head on.

Nitro: The Incredible Rise and Inevitable Fall of Ted Turner's WCW (2019) by Guy Evans is a chronologically and meticulously detailed account of World Championship Wrestling's ascension to the top of the head-to-head ratings and then the drastic and calamitous collapse, all from the those that were there throughout. I'll tell you now though, this is for wrestling fans (particularly those of us who remembers the thrillingly entertaining shows that this feud produced at the time) but there is enough fascinating corporate tales that matches the battles in the ring and many great interviews from those on both sides of the camera. Ted Turner, against all advice from his underlings, used his cable stations (and financial might) to take on McMahon at his own game - and nearly won and it's demise is both dramatic and saddening.

This book is quite simply the best ever written on this historic era in sports...

United Kingdom on Nov 09, 2023

Richard j Chapman: I was very hopeful for this book but it was not what I expected. Most of the information is well known and it seemed to lose its direction in several chapters. It felt like this book could have provided so much more but fell flat. The stories about the rise and fall were basically the same as if you watched the video. I did learn a few things but nothing shocking or really unexpected. If you know absolutely nothing then this book is good. Otherwise just watch the videos on peacock

United States on Oct 17, 2023

Rooney: "NITRO: The Incredible Rise and Inevitable Collapse of Ted Turner's WCW" is a gripping and comprehensive exploration of the turbulent world of professional wrestling during the heyday of World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Written by wrestling historian Guy Evans, this book offers a ringside seat to the incredible rise and eventual downfall of one of wrestling's most iconic promotions.

The standout feature of this book is its meticulously researched and detailed account of WCW's journey. Evans delves deep into the behind-the-scenes machinations, corporate politics, and larger-than-life personalities that shaped the promotion's trajectory. It's a backstage pass to an era of wrestling that captivated millions of fans worldwide.

The book vividly captures the charisma and audacity of WCW's top stars, from the nWo's rebellious antics to the larger-than-life personas of figures like Hulk Hogan, Sting, and Diamond Dallas Page. Wrestling fans will appreciate the insider stories and anecdotes that provide insight into the lives and minds of their favorite wrestlers.

Evans doesn't shy away from chronicling the missteps and controversies that ultimately led to WCW's...

United Kingdom on Sep 16, 2023

Meetal TailorMeetal Tailor: A must read for any 90s wrestling fan! The level of detail, insight and analysis that has gone into compiling this book is simply outstanding! Guy Evans has done a fantastic job!!

United Kingdom on Sep 02, 2023

bsm86: i enjoyed reading this book

United Kingdom on Aug 30, 2023

Will Cawkwell: Loved this book! It covers all aspects of WCW's rise and fall. Not only do we get the perspectives of the wrestlers, we also get high level executives from Turner and AOL, as well as writers and bookers.
From the financial side, the in-ring drama, backstage politics, TV ratings to members of Turner's own staff who wanted wrestling off their networks. This has it all

United Kingdom on Aug 26, 2023

Daytona: I was just out of high-school ready to spread my wings and fly and WCW was winning the Monday Night Wars.
When I got back home I watched Vince McMahon and Shane McMahon arguing over who now owned WCW.
What I wanted to was what happened at WCW to get to this point.
For years I heard rumors or scraps of truth never getting the entire details.
This book answered them all for me.
If you are a die hard wrestling fan and have followed wrestling for most of, or all of your life I strongly recommend this book

United States on Dec 27, 2022

Billy V.: I had read many books on the supposed inside activities of WCW and the plethora of reasons that allegedly lead to the demise of the company but it was always written by folks with some kind of bias towards the key players of WCW such as Eric Bischoff, Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and others.

I had never heard of Guy Evans prior to this book and when Eric Bischoff, who despite admitting he doesn't always come off favorably in this book, urged listeners of 83 Weeks to go get this book despite how bad he may look at times, I was immediately intrigued. Most people won't admit something is good if they get dragged around during it.

I don't regret a single moment of reading this book and you won't regret a moment of it either. The level of work and detail that is put into this book by Guy Evans is unmatched for my personal experience of reading books on the history of professional wrestling.

United States on Dec 20, 2022

Gordon Bombay: On March 26, 2001, I was eleven years old. I was an avid wrestling fan (particularly of WCW), but not an internet user. I was caught completely by surprise when Vince McMahon appeared on Nitro. Over the ensuing years, I tried to follow along, but eventually lost interest in pro wrestling. As an adult, I still find the industry fascinating even if I don't watch the weekly shows or follow the storylines. One thing always bothered me, though: what exactly happened to WCW? Yeah, there were "documentaries," interviews on YouTube, clickbait articles, etc, but all the accounts and stories differed. Then I snagged NITRO by Guy Evans after hearing all the good things about it. This book lives up to the hype. Despite everything else I was reading at the time, I couldn't put down this book.

Yes, as others have mentioned—there's a lot of information from the boardroom, a look at corporate decisions, etc. However, it becomes clear very quickly how all of that is important and adds up. Every piece of info in this book is relevant and paints a great picture of what happened, with many anecdotes along the way. And it's not just words of others, there are documents, evidence, etc. I found...

United States on May 27, 2020

Dr. Death: This is it! Finally, a well written and thoroughly researched book on what really happened behind the scenes at Turner's infamous wrestling extravaganza that actually got too big and started to believe it's own storylines. I can clearly remember when I first saw Georgia Championship Wrestling airing on WTBS back in the day; it was like a breath of fresh air! Two guys actually wrestling, not just jobbers getting beaten up, and storylines that were believable and interesting. After growing up with the WWWF's product for my earlier years, I wanted to see characters that seemed authentic and real. I can remember seeing Ole Anderson wrestling with his partner Arn, and howling with delight as they both worked on their opponent's leg, leaving the man limping after a furious bout. And seeing Ric Flair for the first time was a true delight; no one could work the mike like he could, cutting incredible promos that set the place on fire! In Guy Evans book, he tells us how GCW morphed into WCW and how Eric Bishoff came in and took charge with a bottomless checkbook. At first things were on a roll but then some major egos got involved and then before you knew it, it was us the fans that...

United States on Jul 31, 2019