Revolution (professional wrestling)

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The Revolution was a professional wrestling heel stable in World Championship Wrestling led by Shane Douglas.

[edit] History

The Revolution was formed by Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Shane Douglas, and Perry Saturn in August 1999. When the group first came together, as faces, it was with the idea that they were a group of younger wrestlers who had felt slighted by WCW management, never giving them the chance to be stars, while always giving older, more established wrestlers the top spots.

The concept held some truth, and in reality, the stable was actually made of up close friends. During a house show on September 11th at the Baltimore Arena, days after the death of WCW referee Mark Curtis, Shane Douglas, Chris Benoit, and Dean Malenko shared heartfelt words about their friend and dedicated the show to him.

In October of that year (after Vince Russo became head writer), the M.O. of the group changed to one that was anti-America and anti-government. This was established with Benoit taking a microphone, looking toward the entrance stage, and stating that they were "tired of the politics going on in the back." This blurred the line between storyline and real-life in regards to how WCW was being managed.

The group even went so far as to create their own flag and claim to have left the United States and formed their own government. Their theme music had a guitar and percussion sound very similar to Marilyn Manson's "The Beautiful People" but with perhaps a more proud and rebellious nature.

Benoit and Malenko left the group in October only to have Malenko turn on him in a setup where Malenko had never really left The Revolution. The Revolution then added Asya and feuded with the Filthy Animals. The Revolution kidnapped Torrie Wilson and put her freedom up in a match against the Animals which the Animals won.

In January 2000, Malenko and Saturn left WCW along with Benoit and Eddie Guerrero in a dispute with management and formed The Radicalz in the World Wrestling Federation. It is said that Douglas, too, would have left for the WWF if not for personal issues with the Kliq. Nevertheless, this ultimately put an end to The Revolution, and their departure from WCW is widely considered the death knell of the company.

[edit] Championships/Accomplishments

Benoit was the WCW United States Heavyweight Champion when The Revolution formed.