Pro wrestling veteran reveals why the NWO angle failed in WWE
The NWO revolutionized pro wrestling in the 90s with Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Hulk Hogan helping WCW beat WWE in the rating for 83 weeks in a row. After WWE bought WCW in 2001, the NWO came to WWE the following year at No Way Out 2002.
Speaking on Something To Wrestling, WWE executive Bruce Prichard opened up about why the NWO failed in WWE. Prichard felt that if WWE had been able to bring in Eric Bischoff for the angle, it could have worked, but the way it played out on television, it just felt forced:
"Boy it did [not work]. It was not — a couple of things: I think that the whole nWo angle in WWE, I think it would’ve been better had [Eric] Bischoff been involved in it and Bischoff be the one to bring them in-in a little bit different way. You know, since J.R. signed everybody from Jack Brisco to Harley Race, Dusty Rhodes and Karl Gotch, that maybe… don’t even know what I’m trying to say here. It was snake bitten is probably the best way to put it. But yeah, couldn’t get Eric in at that time and Eric wasn’t interested in doing it and I think that would have helped it. Maybe that’s a reason. It could be that online gas station that opened up and was selling bad slurpees, just f*cked with people’s minds that they didn’t like it. It was off about three steps, not even just a half-a-step. It was off about three steps. It felt weird, it felt forced." said Prichard H/T: Post Wrestling
A quick look at the NWO's WWE run
Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall made their return to WWE at No Way Out 2002. Despite returning as the heel NWO, there was no way fans would boo the trio after they returned to the WWE after so many years. The faction's run didn't really end up going anywhere.
Hulk Hogan ended up leaving the faction following WrestleMania X8, turning babyface after his match against The Rock. X-PAC and Big Show joined Hall and Nash in the NWO. Despite the two additions, the angle ended up ending soon after.
What did you make of Bruce Prichard's comments about the nWo's run in WWE? Do you think Eric Bischoff would have been the difference maker? Let us know in the comment section below!