The history behind WCW featured many great names creating a legacy or adding new chapters to it during their time there. Names like Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Goldberg, and Sting were viewed as the faces of the company at various points. However, factions were also an important part of the show, with the groups’ leaders often getting singles pushes.
10 Most Dangerous Wrestlers In WCW History
Whether they were sloppy, reckless, or just plain tough, these wrestlers brought some danger to WCW!
WCW was viewed as doing a much better job with the stable act than WWE did until the later years. Some groups stood out more than others when looking at their accomplishments and how the entertainment value held up. Each of the following factions deserves to be discussed as the best of the best in WCW.
10 Latino World Order Had A Short, But Underrated WCW Tenure
Group Ended Before WCW Provided Proper Storyline Payoff
- Started With Eddie’s Interesting Worked Shoot Promo Vs Bischoff
- Had One Of The Most Underrated Chapters Of Rey & Eddie Feud
- Ended Abruptly When Eddie’s Injury Caused WCW To Change Plans
WWE fans have enjoyed the Latino World Order faction there enough to see it surpass the WCW version from years earlier. Eddie Guerrero formed the LWO after his work shoot promo calling out Eric Bischoff caused the Mexican wrestlers to band together.
8 WCW Gimmicks Better Than Sting’s Crow Gimmick
While Sting’s iconic Crow gimmick is the most famous in WCW history, there were some other characters that were arguably better!
The LWO had an underrated storyline of Eddie forcing Rey Mysterio to join as their relationship evolved. Guerrero getting injured in a car accident ended the angle earlier than expected. Rey refused to give up the LWO shirt afterwards showing loyalty to what the group represented after being hesitant to join.
9 Magnificent Seven Was WCW’s Final Main Event Act
WCW Ended Before Faction Could Reach Its True Potential
- Steiner Having His Own Heel Group Was Important Move
- Ric Flair’s Heel Authority Figure Role Saw Him Abusing Power
- WCW Ended Before Goldberg Return Getting Revenge
Scott Steiner’s WCW Championship push led to a new group forming around him. Ric Flair was the heel authority figure working with Steiner to form the Magnificent Seven together. Buff Bagwell, Lex Luger, Road Warrior Animal, Jeff Jarrett and Rick Steiner made up the rest of the group.
The heels ran the show after Steiner won the WCW Championship from Booker T, and Totally Buffed forced Goldberg to retire. WCW setting up the revenge for the faces didn’t play out as WWE purchased the company to end the faction quickly.
8 Team Canada Proved That Mimicking Other Acts Can Work
WCW’s Version Of The Hart Foundation Made Lance Storm A Success
- Faction Helped Make Lance Storm An Over Heel In WCW
- Mocking American Fans Channeled Hart Foundation’s WWE Act
- Jim Duggan & Others Joining Made Group Feel More Important
Lance Storm led his own heel faction of Team Canada when joining WCW after his ECW tenure. Bret Hart’s heel Hart Foundation group thrived in WWE by insulting American fans and declaring that Canadians were better people.
Storm did the same in WCW to get huge heat with the WCW audience. Elix Skipper, Major Gunns, Mike Awesome and Jim Duggan all spent time in Team Canada. The faction became a rare over act in WCW’s difficult final year.
7 The Natural Born Thrillers Was A Great Way To Build New Stars
Rare Instance Of Young WCW Talents Getting Pushed In Major Roles
- Group Featured All Standout Prospects Ready For Bigger Roles
- Scored Victories Over Veterans Like Kevin Nash, DDP & Lex Luger
- Dominating WCW Tag Team Division Made Them Valued Act
One of the reasons for WCW going out of business was the lack of younger homegrown talents. WWE was showcasing new top stars, while WCW relied on the 1980s and early 1990s top stars to hold name value.
The Natural Born Thrillers showed how much WCW wanted to change that in 2000 when in a difficult position. Shawn Stasiak, Mark Jindrak, Chuck Palumbo and Sean O’Haire looked strong as a united force defeating bigger names, while Mike Sanders did the talking.
6 Filthy Animals Represented The Future Of Wrestling
Became An Unexpected Hit For WCW’s Mid-Card Scene
- Cruiserweight Friends Found More Success Together In WCW
- Torrie Wilson Joining Kidman Started Her Great Momentum As Manager
- Second Version Of Group Couldn’t Live Up To The Originals
WCW allowed a group of friends to work together after they were mostly in the cruiserweight division separately. Rey Mysterio, Billy Kidman, Konnan and Eddie Guerrero formed the Filthy Animals faction in 1999.
Torrie Wilson eventually joined as Kidman’s love interest to add another dynamic to the group. Fans loved the Filthy Animals and treated them like a rare popular act in 1999. The second version of the group, with Disco Inferno and Juventud Guerrera replacing Guerrero and Kidman, didn’t work nearly as well.
5 Raven’s Flock Felt Unique To Any Other Act In Wrestling
WCW Actually Did Great Work With Raven In His First Year
- Raven Forming New Group Made Him Respected Heel Character
- Flock Often Did Great Job Of Protecting Raven To Win Matches
- Raven’s WCW Creative Vision Fell Apart When Losing Flock
The debut of Raven in WCW featured him sitting in the crowd until Commissioner J.J. Dillon convinced him to sign a contract. Raven had fellow ECW talent Saturn debut as part of his group, but the other members were misplaced WCW talents looking for a purpose.
7 Wrestlers You Thought Only Wrestled In WCW (But Didn’t)
Most fans associate these wrestlers with WCW, but they actually competed in other promotions as well!
Billy Kidman, Horace Hogan, Scotty Riggs, Lodi and Van Hammer were some of the more memorable members of The Flock. Raven was protected as a strong mid-card heel for over a year with the Flock behind him, but fans most remember the ugly ending of him getting released in a tense backstage meeting.
4 The Jersey Triad Helped All Three Talents Thrive
DDP Ensured Kanyon & Bam Bam Bigelow Got To Shine
- DDP Started Faction For New Act After Losing WCW Championship
- All Three Got Over As Comedic Heels Playing Into Jersey Background
- Became The Top Heel Act Of Tag Division Keeping Tag Titles Relevant
Diamond Dallas Page was coming off his first stints as WCW Champion when entering the summer of 1999 in need of a new direction. The heel formed his own trio called the Jersey Triad with Bam Bam Bigelow and Chris Kanyon behind him.
All three wrestlers had chemistry as friends and played into their backgrounds growing up in New Jersey. WCW pushed the Jersey Triad as the top unit in the tag division. Some of the best matches and underrated stories from that inconsistent year came from the Jersey Triad’s success.
3 The Dangerous Alliance Was Paul Heyman’s First Hit
Multiple Legendary Wrestlers Benefited From Being In Heyman’s Group
- Heyman Started Hit List Of Iconic Names Managed In WCW
- Became The Top Main Event Heel Faction For WCW At Time
- Played Perfect Heels To Feud With Faces Like Sting & Ricky Steamboat
WWE inducting Paul Heyman into the Hall of Fame has everyone talking about his legendary managing tenure in WWE and legacy-defining work running ECW. However, Heyman’s first major hit came years before either run in WCW.
The Dangerous Alliance saw names like Steve Austin, Arn Anderson, Rick Rude and Madusa all represented by Heyman. WCW pushed them as the top heel act, and they had arguably the best War Games match against Sting’s Squadron.
2 New World Order Gave WCW Shocking Win Over WWE
Passed WWE As #1 Promotion With NWO Storyline Leading Charge
- Became Hottest Act In WCW History To Make Shows Must-Watch
- Defeated WWE In Ratings For 83 Weeks Once NWO Angle Took Off
- Still Makes Money In WWE Shop With NWO Act Still Beloved Today
Hulk Hogan agreeing to turn heel was the perfect third step after Scott Hall and Kevin Nash laid the groundwork for the New World Order starting. Fans were fascinated by the concept of a hostile takeover with the trio growing with new members.
The NWO angle worked great for over two years, giving WCW a dominant ratings win streak over WWE. Fans still make NWO merchandise a top seller on WWE’s site today to show the overall impact. WCW is not remembered in the grand fashion it is today without the NWO.
1 Four Horsemen Was Always The Gold Standard In WCW
Multiple Versions Of Faction Always Found Success With Ric Flair
- Ric Flair’s Main Event Heel Act Improved With Horsemen Behind Him
- Arn Anderson & Flair Were The Only Members In Every Version
- WCW Kept Going Back To Horsemen Due To Fans Loving Concept
The Four Horsemen was an established act when WCW officially formed. Ric Flair and Arn Anderson remained the constant members leading the way, with various others rotating in and out of the different versions of the group.
Barry Windham, Tully Blanchard, Sid Vicious, Sting, Lex Luger, Steve McMichael and Dean Malenko are just some of the respected names to spend time in the faction. The Four Horsemen always held relevance in WCW, whether as a dominant main event group or in a rebuilding effort.
