In what was one of Vince McMahon’s more underwhelming ideas, he greenlit a storyline where he’d bring in the nWo (New World Order) to destroy the WWE so McMahon wouldn’t have to share power with part WWE owner (storyline) Ric Flair. Following through on his promise, the nWo made their WWE debut on February 17, 2002 at the No Way Out Pay-per-view.
Old faces return
“Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall made their presence known immediately when they interfered in the show’s main event between “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Chris Jericho for the Undisputed Championship.
By costing Austin his chance at the title, it set him up as the embodiment of the WWE and the first one to face the nWo’s wrath.
This not only marked McMahon’s willingness to use the same idea that nearly put the WWE out of business, but his willingness to forgive those that had left his company and played the biggest role in the Monday Night Wars.
This was the first time Hall and Nash were in a WWE since 1996 and the infamous Curtain Call. It also marked Hulk Hogan’s return after he left in August 1993 after he lost the WWF World Heavyweight Championship at the King of the Ring two months prior.
Beginning a new era
While fans were generally receptive to the nWo angle, McMahon’s plans to exploit the nostalgia failed when Hulk Hogan was cheered like a returning hero when he stepped into the ring against the Rock at WrestleMania 18.
Hogan was literally brought to tears by the love the fans showered him with. Without him as a heel, the nWo angle came to an end as Hulkamania was reborn. As awesome and timeless a moment that was, it’s left many of us wondering what could’ve happened had things worked out like they did in WCW.
In recent months, Hulk Hogan teased an nWo return, which got fans talking. While he, Hall, and Nash no longer perform in the ring, many of us continue hoping it’ll return in a new form with them at the helm. When it comes to ratings and making money, never say never when Vince McMahon is involved.
While this attempt at resurrecting the nWo failed, it still got us wondering and looking forward to what was to come. There are plenty of “never knows” when it comes to this and other angles, but for a brief time we got to celebrate the return of a childhood hero and now the nWo is Hall of Fame Bound.
Maybe the nWo WWE debut wasn’t such a bad idea McMahon had after all.
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