WCW, or World Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that existed from 1988 to 2001. It was owned by Ted Turner, then AOL Time Warner. The formation of this group was confusing.

WCW was a former member of the National Wrestling Alliance. It was purchased by Turner in 1988 from Crockett Promotions, which were several different NWA territories. Turner then named it NWA World Championship Wrestling.

WCW became a separate group in 1991, when the NWA would not recognize the creation of a WCW World Heavyweight Title.

In 1996, WCW became the hottest promotion in North America with the groundbreaking New World Order vs. WCW Feud, which was credited to WCW president Eric Bischoff. However, the feud became old and business soon fell off. Bischoff was removed from power in 1999.

In 2000, Bischoff and a group of investors, called Fusient Media Ventures, tried to buy WCW, but no deal could be put into place. WCW was then sold to World Wrestling Entertainment which signalled the end of WCW.

See also List of WCW Wrestlers