Rodman and Malone: From the NBA to WCW, the rivalry that shook the ring

Dennis Rodman and Karl Malone: From NBA Rivalry to the WCW Ring

In June 1998, the history of basketball and professional wrestling intertwined in an unexpected way. The rivalry between Dennis Rodman and Karl Malone, NBA stars, transcended the courts and moved to the world of World Championship Wrestling (WCW). It all began in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals, where the Chicago Bulls faced the Utah Jazz. During the match, Rodman and Malone starred in an incident that anticipated their future collaboration in wrestling. The two players tangled on several occasions, which generated speculation about a possible plot in the WCW.

“We compromised the NBA Finals,” stated Mark Madden, a wrestling journalist.

Mark Madden

The connection between Malone and the world of wrestling already existed. Diamond Dallas Page, a renowned wrestler, met with Malone and they began a friendship. Page suggested the idea of a tag team match against Rodman and Hulk Hogan, a proposal that excited Malone. Rodman’s involvement in WCW intensified. The player appeared on the Nitro show alongside Hogan and Bret Hart, generating great expectation. However, his presence in wrestling also generated controversy, especially due to his absences from the Bulls’ training sessions.

Rodman was part of a segment with Hogan, Bischoff, and Bret Hart where he activated pyrotechnics from the corners of the ring. Later, Rodman joined Hogan and Bischoff in a VIP box. To close the episode, Hogan and Rodman attacked Page with chairs. Rodman’s situation in WCW caused a stir. His agent, Dwight Manley, confirmed that the player had permission to appear on Nitro, but not to miss Bulls training sessions. Rodman was fined by the NBA and the team. WCW took advantage of the situation to promote the match between Rodman and Hogan against Malone and Page at the Bash at the Beach event. Turner Sports boss Harvey Schiller was unaware of the plans, which created a delicate situation. Bischoff spoke with Rodman and Malone before the game, asking them not to affect the outcome, but to take advantage of any opportunity to show their rivalry. The result was a change in the dynamic between the players, as confirmed by Manley. The sports commentator Bob Costas criticized Rodman and Malone’s participation in wrestling, but the event was already underway. Wrestling had been integrated into a game that included Michael Jordan, one of the most important figures of the 1990s.