10 Times WCW Was The Best Wrestling In The World
4. N.W.O.
Though often discussed, sometimes much maligned, it's almost impossible to understate the impact that the New World Order had on not just wrestling, but popular culture itself. Kicking off at Bash at the Beach 1996 (a topic of discussion to be delved into soon), the nWo was an idea that Eric Bischoff liberated from Japan and put his own twist on.
Comprised initially of former talent from the WWE, the group did what any villainous faction ought to do: they kicked ass. The nWo ran absolutely roughshod on WCW in a way that blurred the line between fantasy and reality. Members of feuding groups like the Four Horsemen and the Dungeon of Doom suddenly were putting their differences aside to stand up to these outsiders. In wrestling, there had never been a villain so threatening that the entire roster banded together to protect themselves. And, indeed, they had never failed so completely, so utterly, as when they challenged the nWO's dominance.
The core group of Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall were an absolute wrecking crew in those early days. They were cutting-edge and cool in a world where WWE was still trying to find its footing between the New Generation and the Attitude Era. Looking back on these episodes of WCW, they were legitimate must-watch television: in hindsight, it's no wonder WWE would be overtaken for 83 weeks.