New World Order (professional Wrestling)

New World Order (professional Wrestling)

The New World Order (commonly known and stylized as the nWo) was a professional wrestling stable in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWF/E). The stable originated in WCW with the gimmick of a group of unsanctioned wrestlers aiming to "take over" and control WCW in the manner of a street gang; the group's initial three members and several others had gained fame in the rival WWF, although this connection was only implied. The group later appeared in the WWF (now known as WWE) after the purchase of WCW by the WWF. A similar group, known as The Band appeared on Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) in 2010; although a resurrection of the nWo was implied, this group was never billed as such, since WWE owns the rights to all WCW trademarks.

The nWo angle became one of the most influential forces in the late 1990s success of WCW, and was instrumental in turning mainstream American wrestling back into a more mature, adult-oriented product. The brainchild of WCW Executive Eric Bischoff, and fueled initially by the unexpected heel turn of Hulk Hogan, the nWo storyline is generally considered one of the most successful angles in the history of modern-day professional wrestling, spawning several imitations and parodies (including groups such as bWo, lWo and oWn). It dominated WCW programming throughout the late-1990s and almost until the dissolution of WCW in 2001, during which time there were several, sometimes rival incarnations of the group. As a result of so many members having joined, the nWo holds the record of the biggest wrestling stable in wrestling history.