10 Biggest Missed Opportunities In WWE History

5. The New World Order Rehash

ECW locker room 2006
WWE.com

As easy as it is to deride the New World Order’s later years, the stable had a game-changing impact on their inception, and played a huge role in swinging the Monday Night Wars in WCW’s favour in the mid-90’s.

Unfortunately, he nWo’s 2002 WWE reboot was a complete shambles. Having bought the rights to all WCW intellectual property the year before, Vince McMahon announced that he was bringing back the nWo to “kill his creation”.

Enter Scott Hall, Hulk Hogan, and a visibly out-of-shape Kevin Nash. All three were several years removed from their prime, but fans had been clamouring to see these guys go against the likes of Steve Austin and The Rock for years.

While Hogan and The Rock delivered an all-time classic match at WrestleMania 18, the nWo revival brought few other highlights. Hogan turned face the next evening, leaving the nWo in the process. X-Pac, The Big Show, Booker T, and Shawn Michaels were added, but the nWo could never recapture their WCW magic, and the story vanished without explanation by July 2002.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.