It’s hard to believe the nWo was finally put to rest twelve and a half years ago on July 15th, 2002 after Hulk Hogan went back to the red and yellow, Scott Hall got fired, and Kevin Nash tore his quad in the ring. Vince McMahon couldn’t keep it alive with its three original members out of the picture so he dissolved it once and for all. Although it had grown stale over the years it was still a tough pill to swallow as the nWo was what caught my attention and made me a wrestling fan back in 1996. Why did the greatest idea in the history of the sport grow stale? Well, if you ask me, it had too many members that just didn’t belong and there weren’t enough new fresh ideas for the stable after the initial push. There seems to be three different categories of nWo members whether it be those who were the right fit to be in the nWo, those the WCW misused by having them join the nWo, and those who should have stayed on the mid-card or as jobbers and never set foot in the nWo. 

Those who were the right fit to be in the nWo

~ Scott Hall, Hollywood Hulk Hogan, & Kevin Nash ~

The 3 original members of the nWo had it all and were what made the best idea in the history of the sport not only work, but take off into a phenomenon we’ll never see again. Hogan and Nash weren’t as good of in ring wrestlers as Scott Hall, but they all shared a unique set of mic skills and charisma that lept off the screen and pulled you in.  

~ Eric Bischoff ~

Eric Bischoff was brought in to run WCW and bringing a live program to Monday nights to compete with Raw was his first big move to put WCW on the map. Then he started acquiring talent whether it be Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage, Lex Luger, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, etc. His next big move was the execution and formation of the New World Order which proceeded to win him the ratings war for 88 straight weeks. Eric was a great heel as the leader of the company joining forces with the nWo and he had the mic skills to make him the most hated man, among WCW fans, in the business. 

~ Macho Man Randy Savage (may he rest in peace) ~

Macho was a rare breed in the fact that he was a great face and heel which is hard to do in the rasslin’ business. He was great on the mic and had a signature voice and phrase, “Oooooooh Yeeeeaaaaah!” He added more star power to the nWo which added credibility to this hostile takeover and the fight against the WCW. 

~ Scott “Big Poppa Pump” Steiner ~

Scott Steiner was part of a great tag team, the Steiner brothers, with his brother Rick, but he never stood out until he joined the nWo. Scott was made to be the bad guy and he hit his stride once he put on the black and white. Scott had the intimidating look, above average mic skills, and a physical presence in the ring that gave the nWo a brute enforcer. 

~ Vicious and Delicious/Buff Bagwell and Scott Norton ~

This duo almost didn’t make the cut, but Buff Bagwell and Scott Norton were a great second tag team addition to the nWo. Buff added a cockiness and bravado to the group while Norton was the silent assassin who was built like a brick wall.  

Those WCW misused by having them join the nWo

~Curt Hennig (may he rest in peace)~

Curt was a terrific in ring technician and would’ve been better used on his own fighting for the United States Title with the likes of Chris Benoit, DDP,  Raven, and Booker T. WCW never used Curt Hennig how they should have, but that was a theme with the company. 

~The Giant~

The Giant was a huge force in WCW that would have been another great weapon to fight against the nWo, but instead he joined the nWo and became just another guy. Well, they did have one great story-line for the Giant when he came out smoking a cigarette and casually destroyed opponents in 30 seconds or less or maybe that was a horrible use of his talents; it’s one of the two! 

~Sting and Lex Luger in nWo Wolfpac~

Okay, I know they were still going up against Hulk Hogan in nWo Hollywood vs. nWo Wolfpac, but this just didn’t make sense. Sting and Luger were fighting to destroy everything nWo from the very beginning and now they are members of a nWo faction? This was too far of a stretch and it was quite clear, at this time, WCW was grasping for straws with no clue what they were doing. 

~Bret Hart~

What a huge moment it was for WCW when they acquired Bret “the Hitman” Hart! Oh wait, he joined the nWo instead of being another huge force for WCW to fight against them? Ugh! Another mistake by WCW and Hulk Hogan using his creative control card as with one swipe of that card Bret Hart was kept down and just a side note in the nWo. 

Those who should have stayed as mid-card wrestlers or jobbers

~Syxx~

Yes, Syxx is great friends with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, but his mic skills were atrocious and he just didn’t seem to fit with the other personalities in the group. Now, maybe he should have stayed if only to keep the peace as Hall and Nash were less than thrilled to hear Syxx had been fired by Bischoff. It is rumored that Bischoff fired Syxx to show Hall and Nash who was boss, but it caused lots of friction and for Hall and Nash to quit contributing ideas. 

~Stevie Ray~

Stevie Ray had a good thing going with his brother, Booker T, as a part of one of, if not the best, tag teams in WCW, Harlem Heat. Booker was getting more shots as a singles wrestler and gaining momentum, but that wasn’t in the cards for Stevie. Stevie would’ve been better served just helping his brother on his way to the top and coming around every now and again for tag team matches as a part of Harlem Heat. 

~Konnan~

Konnan might have gotten more play in the nWo, but he wasn’t a good fit and his pre-match mic routine got old and stale very quick. Now, WCW probably saw the same issue with Konnan that he didn’t seem to fit anywhere, but putting him in the nWo was not the answer. 

~Jeff Jarrett~

Jeff Jarrett always came off to me as just another guy whom, at best, could have been contending for the United States Title every now and again. Vince Russo obviously thought more of him and elevated him along with most of the forgotten wrestlers in WCW, but then again Russo is now infamous for horrible ideas and decisions (the anti-Bischoff). 

~Disco Inferno~

Must we even comment on why this man should not have been in the nWo?