NWO Twenty Years Later: Where Are They Now?
Turns out the nWo isn't '4 life' after all.
July 7 marks twenty-years since the official formation of the New World Order. The faction's inception was a turning point in wrestling, spearheading WCW's charge in the Monday Night Wars, and introducing a cutting-edge element long absent in the industry.
As much as the nWo can be argued as one of most significant stables in the history of the business, accusations can similarly be leveled that the bloated weight of the group eventually dragged WCW down with it, plunging the industry into a single-party state with only one dominant force.
The nWo had just three men at its peak. Over its four year run, membership expanded to include over fifty adherents, amongst them dancers, wrestlers from foreign promotions, referees, a pair of racist twins, and even Ed Leslie. Needless to say, it quickly devolved from an elite invasion force to every man and his dog-faced gremlin.
Since WCW's incarnation of the faction folded in 2000, its numerous cadres have experienced wildly different fortunes. Many have retired, taking up much less taxing professions as they enjoy family life. Others continued to tread the mat, and a handful are still active today.
Sadly, eight of the group's cohort have passed away since its formation. They are Rick Rude, Curt Hennig, Ray Traylor, Dusty Rhodes, Miss Elizabeth, Randy Savage, Louie Spiccoli, and Brian Adams. Their respective deaths mean that they will be not be covered in this article.
What did the rest do next? Read on to find out.
36. Vincent
Mike 'Vincent' Jones was generally employed as a joke throughout his wrestling career. He became the butt of an ever greater one post-retirement.
As Ted DiBiase's lackey, Jones was rechristened 'Virgil' in a direct jab to WCW booker Virgil 'Dusty Rhodes' Runnels. Virgil was repeatedly humiliated by his employer, Vince McMahon living vicariously through the character as a way of subtly mocking Rhodes. He managed to achieve the same thing some years later, albeit in a far less subtle manner, by dressing 'the American Dream' in polka dots and lumbering him with the ineffectual Sapphire.
WWF eventually grow bored of the Virgil rib, and Jones was free to move on. WCW always had a habit for imitating their rivals, yet making something of a hash of it, and so it went when Jones eventually dropped anchor in Atlanta.
Joining the nWo as its Head of Security, Virgil was reborn as Vincent in an obvious attempt to mock McMahon. Oddly, he wasn't humiliated in the role, instead racking up a series of victories soon after his arrival.
Vincent didn't achieve much beyond his initial run, but he seldom had a decisive role on TV, instead fading into the background as one of many in the nWo's bloated ranks. Vince Russo's transferal to the promotion helped extend Jones' position in the industry as a running joke, as he was again renamed - this time in order to deride WWF heir apparent, Shane McMahon.
Jones continued to make sporadic appearances in wrestling following WCW's closure, most notably reprising the Virgil role to aid the junior Ted DiBiase. However, it was his appearances outside of wrestling which ironically kept his name at the forefront of fans' minds.
In 2012, a photo from a convention of Jones sitting forlornly and isolated in front of a huge, inexplicably hyperbolic banner proclaiming his as 'Virgil: Wrestling Superstar' went viral on the internet. Soon after, the term 'Lonely Virgil' became a meme, as wrestling fans shared in the joke.
Jones attempted to capitalise on the fad, even going so far as collaborating in a documentary about his dolorous convention appearances. His attempts to cash in on his own social media infamy have not been successful; a campaign to raise himself $1 million fell somewhat short of the target, raking in just $880.