5 forgotten members of WWE factions
Factions are an integral part of WWE. Whether it's established stars banding together or youngsters being groomed by a veteran, stables provide numerous avenues for storytelling and help performers come into their own.
WWE is currently struggling to create new stars who can work with Roman Reigns. The solution could be to bring in more factions that can give rising stars a stepping stone. The nWo transformed WCW's fortunes in 1996 and was one of the driving forces behind the promotion's 83-week winning streak in the Monday Night Wars.
When WWE needed to create new stars in 2002, Evolution anchored RAW for a few years and helped establish Randy Orton and Batista as top stars. Professional wrestling is often poorer without high-profile factions.
With that being said, here are five forgotten members of WWE factions:
#5 Manu is Legacy's forgotten member
The son of Afa and a member of the legendary Anoa'i family, Manu was a part of Randy Orton's stable Legacy for a brief period of time. Soon after his main roster debut in 2008, the young star joined forces with Ted DiBiase Jr. and Cody Rhodes. The trio aligned themselves with Orton and helped him layout CM Punk.
Manu's stint with Legacy was short-lived, however. He was kicked out of the group after The Viper set each of the members a test to keep their spot. Manu was pitted in a match against Matt Hardy and came up short, sealing his exit.
#4 Rick Rude was DX's "insurance policy"
A larger-than-life personality who found success with both WWE and WCW, Rick Rude was an incredibly successful wrestler in the '80s and '90s. The Minnesota native embraced being a heel and was able to get under the skins of fans across promotions.
In 1997, Rude returned to WWE and became the "insurance policy" of Shawn Michaels, Triple H and Chyna. Even though he wouldn't have matches, he would be at ringside while members of DX wrestled.
Rude parted ways with the promotion and jumped ship to WCW as he was unhappy with the Montreal Screwjob.
#3 Before Bray Wyatt, there was the Nexus' Husky Harris
The spooky leader of a backwoods cult who would become The Fiend was originally part of The Nexus as Husky Harris. The repackaging of the creative Windham Rotunda as Bray Wyatt was nothing short of a master stroke by WWE.
Harris was a generic member of The Nexus who wasn't given a discernible personality to help him connect with the audience. After his three-month stint with the faction, he was sent back to FCW and was rebranded as Bray Wyatt in April 2012.
#2 Edge was briefly a member of The Ministry of Darkness
Edge is a 11-time world champion and arguably one of the greatest WWE Superstars in recent times. After his stunning return to in-ring action in 2020, the 48-year-old legend remains one of the biggest stars in professional wrestling to this day.
However, at the start of his career, Edge had several critics who didn't see him as anything other than a tag team wrestler. The Rated-R Superstar got his break in WWE as part of The Brood, alongside Gangrel and Christian. For a brief period in 1999, the trio were a part of The Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness. However, the alliance didn't last very long.
Eventually Edge and Christian split from Gangrel before embarking on their legendary careers.
#1 Shawn Michaels was part of the nWo in WWE
Arguably the greatest faction of all-time, the nWo carried WCW to unprecedented heights and catalyzed the boom period of the late '90s. The rebellious group didn't just revolutionize the presentation of characters; they were also instrumental in ensuring that wrestlers received guaranteed pay.
Almost a year after the acquisition of WCW, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Hollywood Hogan returned to WWE as the nWo at No Way Out 2002. It appeared as if they would have a run at the top of the card, but the group splintered after WrestleMania 18 when Hogan broke away and decided to have a babyface run.
In an attempt to fill the void left by The Immortal One's departure, Shawn Michaels was added to the stable. But before he could make an impact, the group disbanded after Nash tore his quad. While we didn't get to see enough of The Heartbreak Kid in the nWo, this stint eventually inspired him to return to the ring in 2002.