10 Times WWE Couldn't Repeat Success
2. The NWO
Vince McMahon should have known from WCW's repeated attempts to reverse their fortunes by bringing back the boys in white and black that, by 2002 - some seven years after their inception - the nWo were definitely no longer '4 life'.
Perhaps it was a not unjust confidence he could do a better job of a revival than previous nWo necromancers Bischoff and Russo that led to the gang's return ahead of No Way Out. Or maybe, given how things transpired, it was a desire to present WCW's biggest success story as a bust - or, say, a poison that could sink an entire promotion.
In any event, they had a much better chance pared back to the essentials, comprising just the original trio and none of the bloat which had ultimately diluted the group's strength. And for the first few months at least, it worked, culminating with the iconic showdown between The Rock and Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania X8.
Only, Hogan had masterfully timed his return just in time to catch the nostalgia train, and WWE were left with little choice but to turn him after the Canadian crowd welcomed him back to their hearts. Sans leader, the nWo began to fall apart in typical fashion over the following months. Hall requested his release to combat personal issues, and Nash once more found himself sidelined through injury. Come summer, the group took on an unrecognisable form, featuring Shawn Michaels and The Big Show amongst its ranks. The faction was disbanded shortly after, and besides the odd nostalgic cameo, WWE wisely kept the black and white shirts in the cupboard from then on.