Were These Wrestling Superstars Members Of The nWo?
- by Andrew Pollard
- – on
- in Sports
Back in July 1996, WCW's Bash at the Beach PPV saw the wrestling business forever changed. With Scott Hall and Kevin Nash having invaded the company, the wrestling world was shocked see the whiter-than-white Hulk Hogan turn on WCW and join this nefarious duo to form what would become known as the New World Order.
The nWo would soon play a major part in the ratings battle dubbed the Monday Night Wars, with the stable and their presence making WCW must-see TV for many fans. As more and more names began to join the group, you simply HAD to watch WCW each week to see who would be next to be added to the group.
Now, while that initially made for great TV, it eventually got to the point where the nWo became a watered-down, tired concept that wasn't quite as elite as it once dubbed itself. As the years went on, the main nWo stable would split into nWo Hollywood and nWo Wolfpac - and then came the nWo Elite, nWo B-Team, nWo Japan, nWo 2000, and even nWo celebrity members.
Safe to say, by then the concept had been well and truly milked dry, but then you could've guessed that once Horace Hogan was brought into the fold.
So, out of these 35 superstars, which ones ever became members of any of these various incarnations of the legendary New World Order?
Was Chris Benoit Ever In The nWo?
Obviously, the career of Chris Benoit has been forever tarnished by the heinous acts of his last few days. Still, as purely an in-ring talent, Benoit was always thought of as one of the greatest to ever lace up a pair of boots before his legacy was ripped to shreds by his final acts. In that career, of course, the Edmonton-born grappler spent some time in WCW, famously leaving the company for the WWF when he was the World Champion. Did Benoit ever join the nWo, though?
Was Konnan Ever In The nWo?
Despite making some serious waves in Mexico and having the odd match or two in other US promotions, it wasn't until landing in WCW in 1996 that Konnan really became a huge star on a global level. And no, the ill-judged Max Moon stint in the WWF doesn't count. The charismatic Cuba-born grappler became a staple of World Championship Wrestling in the late '90s, and he'd regularly appear for the company up until it was sold in 2001. Did he ever join the nWo, though?
Was Ted DiBiase Ever In The nWo?
As The Million Dollar Man, Ted DiBiase became one of the most instantly recognizable wrestlers in the world during the late '80s and into the '90s. Along with his memorable, attention grabbing gimmick, DiBiase could more than back it up in the ring, with his effortlessly smooth style marking him out as one of the very best in-ring talents of his generation. Of course, like many talents, he'd eventually wind up in WCW as the years went on, but was he ever a part of the nWo?
Was Chris Jericho Ever In The nWo?
These days, Chris Jericho is regarded as a true all-time great, with his accolades ranking up there amongst the very best the business has ever seen. When it comes to championship gold, Jericho really has been there and done it, and he's viewed as one of the last true survivors of the territory days of wrestling. And in a career filled with so many matches in so many promotions, Jericho, of course, spent some years in WCW - but did he ever join the nWo, though?
Was Sting Ever In The nWo?
Through thick and thin, The Stinger was WCW through and through. While others bounced between the WWF and WCW, Sting remained loyal to World Championship Wrestling right through until its dying days when the company was purchased by Vince McMahon in 2001. In fact, he was with WCW before it was even known as WCW, first joining the company in the Jim Crockett Promotions days. In all of his years in WCW, though, did this icon of the company ever join the nWo?
Was Lex Luger Ever In The nWo?
When you think of wrestlers synonymous with WCW, one of the names that instantly springs to mind is Lex Luger. For so many years, Ric Flair, Sting, The Steiner Brothers, and Luger were regarded as the poster boys of World Championship Wrestling. Of course, all of those names would eventually wind up in the WWF/WWE at some point down the line, but they still managed to be closely associated with WCW. However, during The Total Package's WCW career, did he ever join the nWo?
Was Bryan Clark Ever In The nWo?
After a stint as Adam Bomb in the WWF, Bryan Clark would turn up in WCW in 1997 as Wrath; a masked martial artist who was introduced in the hope of capitalizing on the popularity of the Mortal Kombat video game series. By the time he dropped the gimmick and started going by his real name, Clark was soon teaming up with Brian Adams as the formidable KroniK tandem. While Adams had been part of the nWo at times, did Clark ever do the same?
Was Rey Mysterio Ever In The nWo?
Despite going on to become a three-time World Champion in the WWE, poor Rey Mysterio was often seen as nothing more than a cruiserweight performer - or "vanilla midget" according to Kevin Nash - during his time in WCW. For Rey, though, his time in WCW saw him given a global platform to showcase his impressive, innovate ring work, and he made the most of what opportunities he was given. Did Mysterio ever become part of the New World Order, though?
Was Raven Ever In The nWo?
When it comes to wrestling minds, Scott "Raven" Levy is often cited by many wrestlers as being one of the smartest men in the game. As anyone who listens to Levy's Raven Effect podcast these days will know, he's an intelligent cat with a whole lot of charisma. In a career that saw several stints in all of the big promotions of the day - WWE, WCW, and ECW - Raven was famous for having his own Flock at one time. Did he ever become an nWo member, though?
Was Scott Norton Ever In The nWo?
Where the hulking Scott Norton is concerned, his early days saw him successfully compete in arm wrestling tournaments across the globe. His start in pro wrestling came in 1989, and it was his time in Japan in the early '90s that really saw him make a name for himself. Like so many, Norton would eventually spend several years competing in WCW as the decade closed out. During that time, though, did he ever become a member of the New World Order?
Was Randy Savage Ever In The nWo?
Oooooooooh Yeeeaaaaah! Dig it! We can all agree, one of the most distinctive, iconic wrestlers of all time is clearly "Macho Man" Randy Savage. From his raspy voice, to his erratic mic work, to his intense in-ring style, and to his extravagant outfits, the Macho Man was as cool as the other side of the pillow. Of course, while he burst on to a global stage with his time in the then-WWF, Savage was one of the first big names to jump to WCW in the 1990s. Did he ever join the nWo, though?
Was Dean Malenko Ever In The nWo?
Dean Malenko's in-ring career actually started way back in 1979, but it wasn't until a year-long stay in ECW and his subsequent WCW debut in 1995 that Malenko really started to be seen by a wider audience. Nicknamed The Iceman, Malenko was a calculated technician of the highest order, and his clinical style would see him end up in the WWF in 2000 as part of The Radicalz group. Did his WCW tenure ever see him become a part of the nWo, though?
Was Ric Flair Ever In The nWo?
Wooooooooo! A true icon of World Championship Wrestling and the wrestling business as a whole, Ric Flair is regarded by many of his peers as the flat-out, hands-down greatest wrestler the business has ever seen. In amongst the plentiful championship belts that The Nature Boy won during his career, he was also famously the crown jewel of the famed Four Horsemen stable. As well as his time as a Horsemen, however, did Naitch ever become a member of another stable, the nWo?
Was Stevie Ray Ever In The nWo?
When the nWo was finally brought to the WWE in 2002, Booker T would famously become one of its members after Scott Hall departed the company. Of course, Booker's nWo membership didn't last all that long, and the stable itself was soon ultimately scrapped altogether. During the group's WCW heyday, though, did Booker's Harlem Heat brother, Stevie Ray, ever join any of the various incarnations of the famed New World Order?
Was Disco Inferno Ever In The nWo?
Sure, it may have been an absolutely ridiculous gimmick to be lumbered with, but Disco Inferno is certainly one of the most memorable performers of WCWs golden days of the Monday Night Wars. Granted, he was no Sting, Hogan, Flair, or Savage, but everybody remembers Disco Inferno and his hip-shaking, finger-pointing ways. In a WCW career that lasted from 1995 up until the company was bought out by the WWF in 2001, did Disco ever join any of the incarnations of the nWo?
Was Jushin Liger Ever In The nWo?
Now while the nWo was a huge, game-changing stable initially, the concept was ridiculously watered down as the years went on, with various different incarnations and variations of the group appearing far too often and with far too many members. One such offshoot group was, of course, the nWo Japan group which was launched in late 1996 and would feature appearances from the likes of Kevin Nash and Scott Hall amongst Japanese performers. Was the legendary Jushin "Thunder" Liger ever a part of the nWo at any stage, though?
Was The Great Muta Ever In The nWo?
As mentioned, one of the first real, genuine offshoots of the New World Order was the introduction of nWo Japan in late 1996. Mixing Japanese talents with North American wrestlers - and even having appearances from big nWo names such as Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Syxx - the group was a big favourite of many. Of the Japanese talents to have any involvement with the New World Order, though, did the iconic, legendary Great Muta ever join the ever-expanding nWo?
Was Perry Saturn Ever In The nWo?
Perry Saturn first grabbed many grappling fans' attention as part of The Eliminators with John Kronus in the USWA and more prominently in ECW. From there, Saturn would move to WCW and become a TV Champion as well as achieving further tag team success. Saturn's WCW run would last from 1997 through to 2000 when he would jump ship to the WWF. During his time in World Championship Wrestling, though, did he ever become a part of any of the incarnations of the nWo?
Was David Flair Ever In The nWo?
Regardless of how well his in-ring career turned out, one thing that David Flair can wave in the face of any of his doubters is the fact that he dated the smoking hot Stacy Keibler for a while during the pair's time in World Championship Wrestling. As well as that, he'd also win the United States and Tag Team Championships during his WCW tenure. During his years as a WCW performer, though, did David ever become a member of the nWo?
Was DDP Ever In The nWo?
Much like many see Ric Flair, Sting, Lex Luger, and The Steiner Brothers as the poster boys for WCW, plenty of fans also hold Diamond Dallas Page in that same esteem. As the Monday Night Wars raged, DDP's ascension to the top of the WCW tree was one of the true highlights. And while DDP remained loyal to WCW right up until the company was bought out in 2001, did WCW's People's Champion ever become a part of the nWo at all?
Was Kevin Sullivan Ever In The nWo?
When the New World Order was first formed in 1996, Kevin Sullivan was heading up the Dungeon of Doom stable. Having made a name for himself in Championship Wrestling from Florida and Jim Crockett Promotions, The Taskmaster made himself a staple of WCW TV - even going on to dictate the product as the main 'booker' of the company at one point in time. Throughout those years in World Championship Wrestling, though, did Sullivan ever become a part of any of the incarnations of the nWo?
Was The Ultimate Warrior Ever In The nWo?
At one point in time, WCW seemed to bring in any and every star who had ever made a name for themselves in the WWF. And, much like Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall, many of these megastars would end up joining the New World Order at one point in time. Following in the footsteps of some of the industry's biggest names, the Ultimate Warrior would eventually head to World Championship Wrestling for a short spell. Did that time ever see Warrior join the nWo, though?
Was Eddie Guerrero Ever In The nWo?
It's absolutely incredible to think that the sad passing of Eddie Guerrero took place a whole 12 years ago now, but Eddie certainly left quite the legacy behind. And, of course, a large part of his career at one point in time was his time in World Championship Wrestling during the 1990s. Despite being frustrated with how the company used him, Guerrero became a hugely popular attraction for WCW. Did his tenure with the company ever lead to him joining the nWo, though?
Was Shane Douglas Ever In The nWo?
When it comes to dropped balls, it really felt as if WCW could've done something truly special with Shane Douglas when he returned to the company in 1999 to set up the Revolution stable and to set his sights on the legendary Ric Flair. Of course, WCW being WCW, any hopes of a true main event spot for Douglas were soon dashed and he became nothing more than a midcard act. During his time with the company, though, did Douglas ever join the nWo?
Was Bubba Rogers Ever In The nWo?
You may very well know him as The Big Boss Man, but the real-life Ray Traylor competed in a whole host of promotions under the name of Big Bubba Rogers. And, you guessed it, one such promotion was, of course, World Championship Wrestling. In fact, his spell with WCW was more than just a cup of coffee, with him working for the company from 1993 up until 1998. During his WCW tenure, though, did Big Bubba ever join the nWo at any point?
Was Goldberg Ever In The nWo?
Recently, Bill Goldberg has seen a surge in popularly due to his tangles with Brock Lesnar, but back in the days of the Monday Night Wars, Da Man really was the poster boy and face of World Championship Wrestling upon exploding on to the scene in 1997. Of course, his famed 'streak' would and unmatched intensity soon marked Goldberg out as different to the rest. Still, so many other big names were swayed by the lure of the nWo over the years - but was was Goldberg?
Was Jim Neidhart Ever In The nWo?
Following the infamous Montreal Screwjob, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart was allowed out of his WWF contract so that he could follow Bret Hart to World Championship Wrestling. While Bret would soon be rolling in championship gold, Anvil's time with WCW wasn't anywhere near as successful or noteworthy. But while Bret would go on to have some ties to the New World Order, did Neidhart ever follow suit and become part of one of the many different incarnations of the famed nWo?
Was Jeff Jarrett Ever In The nWo?
J-E-Double F-J-A-Double R-E-Double T. Longtime fans of the then-WWF will remember Jeff Jarrett's annoying persona and catchphrases as if it were yesterday. They'll also be well aware that Jarrett won the Intercontinental Championship an impressive six times during his stays in Vince McMahon's company. Much like the WWF, Jarrett would also have several spells in WCW over the years, and he'd even win their biggest prize on four occasions. During his WCW days, though, did The Chosen One ever join the nWo?
Was Dustin Rhodes Ever In The nWo?
One of the more bizarre additions to the nWo over the years was Dusty Rhodes getting involved with the group, firstly as a part of the main nWo group before he'd swerve the Wolfpac to join nWo Hollywood. At that point in time, everybody wanted to be part of the cool kids group that was the New World Order, and so Dusty jumped on that bandwagon. Dusty's son Dustin famously had several stints in WCW over the years, but did he ever follow in his pops' footsteps and join the nWo?
Was Billy Kidman Ever In The nWo?
When the WWF purchased World Championship Wrestling in 2001, Billy Kidman was one of those talents whose contract was picked up as part of the deal. And while several WCW guys saw their careers stutter in the then-WWF, Kidman actually experienced a fair amount of success, winning the Tag Team Championship and having several runs with the Cruiserweight Title. During his time in WCW, Kidman was at one point famously a member of Raven's Flock. Did he ever join the nWo, though?
Was Curt Hennig Ever In The nWo?
For Curt Hennig, many wrestling fans will always see his career highlight as being two-time Intercontinental Champion Mr. Perfect in the then-WWF. On the other end of the spectrum, there's his stint as part of the awful West Texas Rednecks stable in WCW. Hennig actually joined WCW in 1997, and the West Texas Rednecks wouldn't form until 1999. At any point during his time with the company, though, did The Perfect One ever join any of the incarnations of the New World Order?
Was Davey Boy Smith Ever In The nWo?
Davey Boy Smith was thrust straight into the title mix when he first joined WCW in 1993. Despite coming up short when challenging Big Van Vader for the World Championship, Smith was positioned a as a big time player and in a positioned far superior on the card to when he returned to WCW in 1997 following the Montreal Screwjob. That second spell would last until 1998 but unfortunately saw Smith nearly paralyzed due to a spinal infection. During his time with the company, though, did he ever join the nWo?
Was Bam Bam Bigelow Ever In The nWo?
Scott "Bam Bam" Bigelow is often thought of as one of the very best big man performers the wrestling business has ever seen. Whether in the WWF, WCW, ECW or even Japan, Bigelow was a huge presence and wowed many an audience. Bam Bam would turn up in WCW in 1998 just as the nWo was running wild and splitting off into different factions, and he'd stay with the company until it was purchased in 2001. Did Bigelow ever join any of the nWo groups, though?
Was Mike Rotunda Ever In The nWo?
Many will likely know Mike Rotunda as Irwin R. Schyster, aka I.R.S., but the Florida native has gone by a plethora of names over the years, from his real-life name of Mike Rotunda, to Mike Rotundo, to Mike Drone, to Mr. Wallstreet, to V.K. Wallstreet, to Michael Wallstreet. In an in-ring career that took in several different promotions and plenty of championship gold over the decades, though, did Rotunda ever spend any time as a member of WCW's New World Order?
Was Barry Windham Ever In The nWo?
If you listen to some of the wrestling industry's greatest names, they're all full of praise for Barry Windham and often label him the most naturally gifted performer that the business has ever seen. And when you've got guys like Ric Flair and Steve Austin saying that, you know there must be something to it. Despite competing all over the globe, Windham is most famous for his time in Jim Crockett Promotions and WCW. During his WCW career, though, did he ever join the nWo?