The New World Order is one of the most recognizable and sustained brands in professional wrestling, widely recognized as one of the greatest factions in the history of the business. When Hulk Hogan shocked the wrestling world by turning heel and aligning with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall at WCW's Bash at the Beach, the nWo took WCW, and professional wrestling, to new popularity.
WWE acquired the IP of WCW in 2001 after it went out of business, and it seemed like only a matter of time before the nWo appeared in WWE. Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, and Kevin Nash returned to WWE with the potential to reignite some of the nWo magic in WCW, but it never took off or captured the same energy or mystique it once had. While no one specific moment caused its failure, a combination of injuries, releases, and storyline pivots caused the nWo to fall apart less than six months after debuting, ending a promising addition to the post-Invasion WWE landscape.
Hollywood Hogan's Babyface Response Changed the Dynamic
No One Expected the Hulkster to Get Cheered Instead of The Rock
Hogan's baby face turn left Kevin Nash and Scott Hall as a duo in the nWo and directionless after the faction's leader was removed. Hall and Nash brought in former nWo X-Pac and Big Show to revive the stable, but these additions proved to be temporary solutions to a permanent problem.
Scott Hall's Release and Kevin Nash's Injury Ended the nWo
Not Even Shawn Michaels Could Save the Faction
While Scott Hall and Kevin Nash grew the ranks of the nWo by adding X-Pac and Big Show, the faction lost its steam when Hogan parted ways with them post-Mania. When Hall was released from the company in May 2002, the nWo again added to their ranks with the inclusion of Ric Flair, Booker T, and Shawn Michaels, but these additions added little to a storyline without two of its core components. It also made no sense in the context of the stable's previous story in WCW, which fans knew really well.

Eric Bischoff's 10 Best Moments
Eric Bischoff has recently made an appearance in NXT, which makes this the perfect time to reflect on his best moments from WWE & WCW.
Adding an actual injury to an already suffered insult, Kevin Nash suffered a quadriceps tear on the July 8th, 2002 episode of Monday Night Raw. With all three of the nWo's principal players no longer involved in the faction, Nash's injury was the final death blow in a string of unfortunate circumstances that led to its demise, and Vince McMahon officially disbanded the nWo on the July 15th, 2002 episode of Raw.
Original of the nWo |
End of Tenure in WWE's nWo |
---|---|
"Hollywood" Hulk Hogan |
March 17, 2002 |
Scott Hall |
May 6, 2002 |
Kevin Nash |
July 8, 2002 |
Ultimately, the WWE version of the nWo was always destined to fail. The group had already exhausted its drive a long time before in the WCW, and its endless recycling during the sunset years of the promotion made it look like a less valuable product in the eyes of fans. When the original trio reformed in WWE, it seemed briefly that they could be able to recapture the magic of their 1996 run, but the circumstances were ultimately too different, and that spark could never be caught again.
Shawn Michaels was the only member of the WWE version of the nWo that did not wrestle for WCW.
The return of Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, and Kevin Nash to WWE after a successful and game-changing run in WCW was supposed to be triumphant, allowing the nWo to flourish in a new creative space. Hogan's baby-face turn immediately following WrestleMania X8, coupled with Hall's release and Nash's injury, caused the nWo to be quickly shelved, marking the end of the popular, dominant, and consequential faction.

- Founded
- January 7, 1953
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is a global entertainment company primarily known for professional wrestling. Founded in 1953, it produces live events, television programs, and streaming content. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, WWE operates multiple brands, including Raw, SmackDown, and NXT.