The match was World Championship Wrestling 's answer to the World Wrestling Federation 's Royal Rumble . Like the Royal Rumble , the ''World War 3'' match was held at the Pay-per-view event that shared its name. In 1999 , it was replaced by Mayhem .
The rules for a World War 3 match were not dissimilar from the rules for a Royal Rumble match. There were two major differences:
- The WW3 match is played out in three rings, each holding twenty men.
- All sixty men start the match at the same time.
The rules for the World War 3 match were the following:
- All sixty men were randomly assigned a specific ring before the match began.
- The match began with ''all'' sixty men, in three rings, when the bell rings.
- A competitor must knock their opponent over the top rope of the ring, and ''both'' feet must touch the floor of the arena in order to eliminate said opponent from the match. This rule was amended in 1998 to allow for eliminations if a person leaves the ring in any way, in addition to counting pinfalls and submissions.
- When thirty men remained, they moved to the central ring and the match continued. This rule was amended in 1998 so that the competitors had to move to the central ring once forty men had been eliminated.
- The last man standing in the ring was declared the winner.
Depending on the year, the winner of World War 3 was given a different prize. Randy Savage , the winner of the inaugural World War 3 in controversial fashion, was awarded the vacant WCW World Heavyweight Championship. In 1996 , The Giant was given a WCW World Title shot 'in the near future,' while Scott Hall was given a WCW World Title shot at Uncensored the following year. In 1998 , Kevin Nash was declared the number-one contender to WCW World Champion Bill Goldberg and was given a title match against him at Starrcade the following month.
:::Held at Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia
- WCW TV Champ Johnny B. Badd pinned Diamond Dallas Page in 12:35.
- Big Bubba Rogers pinned Jim Duggan in 10:08 in a "taped fist" match.
- Bull Nakano & Akira Hokuto beat Mayumi Ozaki & Cutie Suzuki in 9:16 when Nakano pinned Ozaki.
- WCW US Champ Kensuke Sasaki pinned Chris Benoit in 10:00.
- Lex Luger beat Randy Savage in 5:28 via submission.
- Sting beat Ric Flair in 14:30 via submission.
- , Steve Armstrong , Arn Anderson , Johnny B. Badd , Marcus Bagwell , Chris Benoit , Big Train Bart , Bunkhouse Buck , Cobra , Disco Inferno , Jim Duggan , Bobby Eaton , Ric Flair , The Giant , Eddie Guerrero , Hulk Hogan , Mr. JL , Chris Kanyon , Brian Knobbs , Kurasawa , Lex Luger , Joey Maggs , Meng , Hugh Morrus , Maxx Muscle , Scott Norton , One Man Gang , Paul Orndorff , Diamond Dallas Page , Buddy Lee Parker , Brian Pillman , Craig Pittman , Stevie Ray , Steven Regal , Scotty Riggs , Road Warrior Hawk , Big Bubba Rogers , Jerry Sags , Ricky Santana , Kensuke Sasaki , Shark , Fidel Sierra , Dick Slater , Mark Starr , Sting , Dave Sullivan , Kevin Sullivan , Super Assassins #1 & #2 , Booker T , David Taylor , Bobby Walker , VK Wallstreet , Pez Whatley , Mike Winner , Alex Wright , James Earl Wright , The Yeti , and Zodiac . Although Randy Savage won the bout and thus the title, it should be noted that Hulk Hogan was never actually eliminated from the bout. He was pulled out of the ring from under the bottom rope by The Giant, and it had gone unseen by the referees. Seeing Hogan outside the ring, the refereees assumed that he had been eliminated and thus awarded the bout to Savage. Hogan would protest the next night, showing the video clip of the exact moment the Giant pulled him out of the ring, but the clip suddenly shorted out before the moment Hogan was pulled from the ring was shown.
:::Held at Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia
- Último Dragón def. Rey Mysterio, Jr.
- Chris Jericho def. Nick Patrick
- The Giant def. Jeff Jarrett
- Harlem Heat def. Jacques Rougeau and Pierre Ouelette
- Sherri Martel def. Robert Parker
- WCW Cruiserweight Champ Dean Malenko def. Psicosis
- WCW Tag Team Champs Scott Hall and Kevin Nash def. Meng and The Barbarian and The Nasty Boys
- , Marcus Bagwell , Barbarian , Chris Benoit , Big Bubba , Jack Boot , Bunkhouse Buck , Ciclope , Disco Inferno , Jim Duggan , Bobby Eaton , Mike Enos , Galaxy , Joe Gomez , Jimmy Graffiti , Johnny Grunge , Juventud Guerrera , Eddie Guerrero , Scott Hall , Prince Iaukea , Ice Train , Mr. JL , Jeff Jarrett , Chris Jericho , Kenny Kaos , Konnan , Lex Luger , Dean Malenko , Steve McMichael , Meng , Rey Misterio, Jr. , Hugh Morrus , Kevin Nash , Scott Norton , Pierre Ouelette , Diamond Dallas Page , La Parka , Craig Pittman , Jim Powers , Robbie Rage , Stevie Ray , Steven Regal , Renegade , Scotty Riggs , Roadblock , Jacques Rougeau , Tony Rumble , Mark Starr , Rick Steiner , Ron Studd , Kevin Sullivan , Syxx , Booker T , David Taylor , Último Dragón , Villano IV , Michael Wallstreet , Pez Whatley and Alex Wright . The Giant was at this point in time a member of the nWo, and later demanded his title shot which was guaranteed by the win. He was kicked out of the nWo for it, but did eventually got his title shot.
:::Held at Palace Of Auburn Hills near Detroit, Michigan
- Meng and The Barbarian def. Glacier and Ernest Miller
- WCW TV Champ Perry Saturn def. Disco Inferno
- Yuji Nagata def. Ultimo Dragon
- WCW Tag Team Champs The Steiner Brothers def. Steven Regal and David Taylor
- Raven def. Scotty Riggs
- Steve McMichael def. Alex Wright
- WCW Cruiserweight Champ Eddie Guerrero def. Rey Mysterio Jr.
- WCW US Champ Curt Hennig def. Ric Flair
- , Brad Armstrong , Marcus Bagwell , The Barbarian , Chris Benoit , Bobby Blaze , Ciclope , Damien , El Dandy , Barry Darsow , Disco Inferno , Jim Duggan , Dave Finlay , Héctor Garza , The Giant , Glacier , Juventud Guerrera , Chavo Guerrero, Jr. , Eddie Guerrero , Harlem Heat , Curt Hennig , Prince Iaukea , Chris Jericho , Lizmark, Jr. , Lex Luger , Dean Malenko , Steve McMichael , Meng , Ernest Miller , Rey Misterio Jr. , Hugh Morrus , Mortis , Yuji Nagata , John Nord , Diamond Dallas Page , La Parka , The Public Enemy , Steve Regal , The Renegade , Randy Savage , Silver King , Norman Smiley , Louie Spicolli , Rick Steiner , Scott Steiner , Super Calo , David Taylor , Ray Traylor , Ultimo Dragon , Greg Valentine , Villano IV , Villano V , Vincent , Kendall Windham , Wrath and Alex Wright
:::Held at Palace Of Auburn Hills near Detroit, Michigan
- Wrath def. Glacier
- Stevie Ray def. Konnan
- Ernest Miller and Sonny Ono def. Perry Saturn and Kaz Hayashi
- Billy Kidman def. Juventud Guerrera to win the WCW Cruiserweight Title
- WCW TV Champ Chris Jericho def. Bobby Duncum, Jr.
- , Chris Benoit , Bobby Blaze , Ciclope , Damien , El Dandy , Barry Darsow , The Disciple , Disco Inferno , Bobby Eaton , Mike Enos , Scott Hall , Héctor Garza , The Giant , Glacier , Juventud Guerrera , Chavo Guerrero, Jr. , Eddie Guerrero , Van Hammer , Kenny Kaos , Kaz Hayashi , Horace Hogan , Barry Horowitz , Prince Iaukea , Chris Jericho , Chris Kanyon , Billy Kidman , Konnan , Lenny Lane , Lex Luger , Lizmark, Jr. , Lodi , Dean Malenko , Steve McMichael , Ernest Miller , Chip Minton , Rey Misterio Jr. , Scott Norton , La Parka , Buddy Lee Parker , Psicosis , Scott Putski , Stevie Ray , Renegade , Scotty Riggs , Perry Saturn , Silver King , Norman Smiley , Scott Steiner , Super Calo , Johnny Swinger , Booker T , Tokyo Magnum , Villano V , Vincent , Kendall Windham , Wrath and Alex Wright
- WCW U.S. Champ Diamond Dallas Page pinned Bret Hart
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