For the first time since the “Monday Night Wars” began five years ago, I turned on WCW Monday Nitro. When the show began, I expected to see Ric Flair, or Sting, or even Booker T – instead – I saw Vince McMahon.

For the final time, WCW Monday Nitro was on TNT. For the final time, WWF Monday Night Raw and WCW Monday Nitro were on at the same time against each other. For the final time – wrestling fans had to flip from one channel to the other to watch both shows – and for the first and final time – both networks were showing the same thing.

What has happened tonight is the equivalent of buying a Whopper at McDonald’s – or putting a dollar in a Coke machine and getting a Pepsi. Tonight, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling became one – while the owner of the ECW commentated the whole thing.

This is a night that each and every wrestling fan dreamed of for decades. This is a night that no one ever thought would happen. This is a night that each and every wrestling fan would have given their right arm for – to see a split screen of RAW and Nitro – and flip the channels and see the same thing.

Personally, the last time I was this excited was when Hulk Hogan turned on the fans at Bash At The Beach in 1996 – at that time – that was the most single handedly historic moment in the history of professional wrestling. At that very surreal moment, the legend, the man – the hero – Hulk Hogan, turned his back on the fans and became the leader of the nWo. When I saw that live – I thought nothing at all could top that – I was right – until I saw Vince McMahon on WCW Monday Nitro.

To be honest, I still have not fully absorbed the impact this will have on the world of professional wrestling. After tonight, the wrestling world that we have known since wrestling was on two networks at the same time is no more. For the first time, all three federations are under the same roof – and for the first time – to the wrestling fans – for which it stands – it is one nation – under Vince.

To think that Vince McMahon went from a young man in a powder blue suit to the owner of all three major wrestling federations is a feat that no one else could have accomplished. To go from the owner of a regional promotion to a certified billionaire is something everyone should tip their hat to. To go from losing in the ratings to the WCW for almost 100 straight weeks to buying them outright shows why the name McMahon is synonymous with professional wrestling – and having the very last few moments of the very last WCW Monday Nitro show not the WCW stars – but Vince and Shane McMahon is a clear example of why every wrestler in the business now works for the McMahon family.

A year ago, fans flipped between RAW and Nitro every Monday while watching ECW on TNN every Friday – and now – they’re all the same company. A year ago – you would never hear the letters W-W-F on WCW or vice versa. A year ago – every wrestling fan in the world dreamed, begged – and prayed that one day, the WWF, WCW and ECW would put aside the competition, the ratings – and the egos and put on one big show. And one year later – we saw it live.

And now, as the last WCW Monday Nitro goes off the air for the final time, each and every wrestling fan sits back today and ponders the future of the wrestling industry of tomorrow – while saying goodbye to the wrestling industry of yesterday. For today – each and every wrestling fan might actually see Goldberg meet Triple H, or the Rock meet Big Poppa Pump – or even Sting meet The Undertaker. For today, each and every wrestling fan will go to sleep tonight and wake up to a world of one federation, a world of one true world wide wrestling federation, a world where all three wrestling federations exist, but as one company. One company that has endless possibilities. One company that brings all three wrestling federations together as one company that abolishes the barriers that eliminates the boundaries that kept the WWF, WCW and ECW apart. One company that has millions – and millions of wrestling fans waiting with baited breath for the pay-per-view of pay-per-views that fulfills the dreams of those “never will happen” matches – and the one company that is owned by the true first family of wrestling – the McMahon family.

Thank you Vince – I can hardly wait.