nWo timeline

The New World Order is one of the most popular and influential factions in professional wrestling history.

• May 27th, 1996 Nitro

  Scott Hall invades Nitro.

• June 10th, 1996 Nitro

  Kevin Nash joins Scott Hall. They get dubbed “The Outsiders”.

• July 6th, 1996 Bash at the Beach

  At “Bash at the Beach”, Hall and Nash face off against WCW’s Randy Savage, Lex Luger, and Sting in a “Hostile Takeover” match. Luger was quickly injured. Later in the match, Hulk Hogan strolled to the ring. The crowd think he’s there to help WCW, but instead hits Savage with a leg drop, revealing himself as the “third man”. Hogan begins berating the crowd on the microphone, and declares himself, Nash, and Hall the “New World Order” of professional wrestling.

• August 10th, 1996 Hog Wild

  Hogan, now calling himself “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, defeats The Giant to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. After the match, he spray-paints the nWo’s initials on the belt.

• August 26th, 1996 Nitro

  Ted DiBiase debuts in WCW, and is revealed as the financial backer of the nWo.

• September 2nd, 1996 Nitro

  The Giant defects from WCW, and joins the nWo.

• September 9th, 1996 Nitro

  The nWo begin playing mind games, using a bogus Sting to try and trick both fans and WCW wrestlers that Sting has joined the nWo. The fake Sting attacks Sting’s friend, Lex Luger, outside the arena.

• September 15th, 1996 Fall Brawl

  Before the main event, Sting tries to convince Lex Luger he did not attack him, but Luger does not believe him. During the main event War Games match, nWo Sting enters the main as the nWo’s fourth man. The real Sting enters as WCW’s fourth man, takes apart the entire nWo by himself, but then leaves the match whilst Lex Luger looks on in disbelief. The nWo Sting wins the match for the nWo by putting Luger in a Scorpion Death Lock.

• September 16th, 1996 Nitro

  In a passionate promo and with his back turned to the television cameras, Sting scolds WCW wrestlers for doubting his loyalty and tells them they can “stick it” before walking out.

  On the same night, Syxx (formerly the 1-2-3 Kid in the World Wrestling Federation) debuts and joins the nWo as its official sixth member.

• September 23rd, 1996 Nitro

  Vincent (formerly known as Virgil in the WWF) debuts as the nWo’s “head of security”.

• October 27th, 1996 Halloween Havoc

  The Outsiders (Kevin Nash & Scott Hall) defeat Harlem Heat (Booker T & Stevie Ray) to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship.

• November 18th, 1996 Nitro

  Eric Bischoff is revealed to have secretly been a member of the nWo all along.

• November 24th, 1996 World War III

  nWo member The Giant wins the main event 60-man Battle Royal, becoming the number one contender to Hollywood Hogan’s WCW World Heavyweight Championship.

• November 25th, 1996 Nitro

  Eric Bischoff threatens WCW wrestlers, telling them to convert their WCW contracts to nWo contracts within 30 days, or be fired. Marcus Bagwell immediately accepts the offer, turns on his American Males tag team partner Scotty Riggs, and starts calling himself “Buff” Bagwell.

• December 6th, 1996 Nitro

  Ted DiBiase offers an nWo contract to his former teammate in the WWF, Mr. Wallstreet, who accepts.

• December 16th, 1996 Nitro

  Masahiro Chono joins the nWo, and establishes himself as leader of sister organization, nWo Japan. The same night, Big Bubba Rogers and Scott Norton defect from WCW and join the nWo.

• January 25th, 1997 Souled Out

  The nWo holds its first pay-per-view event entitled “Souled Out”. The Outsiders lose their tag team titles to the Steiner Brothers. Eddie Guerrero defeats Syxx in a ladder match to win the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship. Hollywood Hogan and The Giant battle to a no contest in the main event, despite referee Nick Patrick being biased towards Hogan.

• January 26th, 1997 Nitro

  Eric Bischoff strips the Steiner Brothers of the tag titles and awards them back to the Outsiders, due to Randy Anderson counting the pinfall the previous night despite not being the official referee. Bischoff then fires Anderson.

• February 23rd, 1997 SuperBrawl

  The Outsiders lose the tag titles to Lex Luger & The Giant. Syxx defeats Dean Malenko to win the WCW World Cruiserweight Championship. In the main event, Randy Savage helps Hogan retain his title, and joins in beating up Roddy Piper, cementing his place in the nWo.

• February 24th, 1997 Nitro

  Bischoff again awards the tag titles back to the Outsiders, this time due to Lex Luger not being medically cleared to wrestle the previous night.

• March 3rd, 1997 Nitro

  Turner Sports vice president Dr. Harvey Schiller suspends Eric Bischoff for abuse of office.

• March 16th, 1997 Uncensored

  Team nWo wins a three-team tag team match. As per the pre-match stipulations, the nWo can challenge for any WCW title whenever they want. After the match, Sting descends from the rafters, wiping out the nWo, and cementing his allegiance to WCW.

• May 26th, 1997 Nitro

  The Great Muta joins the nWo, and becomes a core member of nWo Japan.

• July 13th, 1997 Bash at the Beach

  Lex Luger & The Giant defeat Hollywood Hogan & Dennis Rodman, when Luger forced Hogan to submit. This earned Luger a title shot at “Road Wild”.

• July 14th, 1997 Nitro

  Konnan attacks friend and tag team partner Rey Mysterio, Jr. and joins the nWo.

• August 4th, 1997 Nitro

  Lex Luger instead elects to take his title shot early. He defeats Hogan to win the world title via submission.

• August 9th, 1997 Road Wild

  Hogan regains the world title from Luger after Dennis Rodman, dressed as Sting, attacks Luger with a baseball bat.

• September 14th, 1997 Fall Brawl

  During a WarGames match between the nWo and the Four Horseman, Curt Hennig turns on the Horseman by smashing the cage door off of Ric Flair’s head, and joins the nWo.

• December 22nd, 1997 Nitro

  The nWo chase off the WCW announcers, tear down the Nitro set, and take over the broadcast, rebranding it as “nWo Monday Nitro” for the night.

• December 28th, 1997 Starrcade

  Larry Zybysko defeats Eric Bischoff to keep Nitro in control of WCW.

  Sting defeats Hollywood Hogan in the main event to win the world title and bring it back to WCW. The match was full of controversy though, as Hogan pinned Sting, but Bret Hart restarted the match. Sting wins the match via submission, and the WCW locker room join Sting in the ring to celebrate.

• January 8th, 1998 Thunder

  On the inaugural episode of Thunder, J.J. Dillon vacates the WCW World Heavyweight Championship due to the controversy at Starrcade the previous month.

• January 24th, 1998 Souled Out

  Larry Zybysko defeats Scott Hall by disqualification when Louie Spicolli interferes. After the match, Dusty Rhodes leaves the broadcast booth and shockingly helps Hall and Spicolli attack Zybysko. Rhodes joins the nWo, and becomes a mentor to Scott Hall.

• February 22nd, 1998 SuperBrawl

  The Outsiders win the tag team titles from the Steiner Brothers, when Scott turns on his brother Rick and joins the nWo.

  Sting defeats Hollywood Hogan in the main event to win the vacant WCW World Heavyweight Championship after interference from Randy Savage. Savage claims he no longer needs the nWo’s help, and that he will bring the world title back to the nWo himself.

• April 19th, 1998 Spring Stampede

  Fractures in the nWo become apparent when Hollywood Hogan attacks partner Kevin Nash after their tag team match against Roddy Piper and The Giant. In the main event, Nash gets revenge by helping Savage beat Sting for the world title.

• May 4th, 1998 Nitro

  Kevin Nash, Randy Savage, and Konna begin wearing red and black nWo shirts. They start calling themselves the “Wolfpac”. Curt Hennig, Miss Elizabeth, Rick Rude, and Dusty Rhodes join them over the next few weeks.

• May 17th, 1998 Slamboree

  Sting and The Giant defeat Kevin Nash and Scott Hall to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship, when Hall turns on Nash and sides with nWo Hollywood.

• June 1st, 1998 Nitro

  The Giant, having joined nWo Hollywood, tries to convince partner Sting to join. Sting reveals a black and white nWo shirt, leading The Giant and Hogan to believe he was joining nWo Hollwood, but rips it off to reveal a black and red Wolfpac shirt underneath.

• June 8th, 1998 Nitro

  Miss Elizabeth shocks fans by turning on Randy Savage, kissing Eric Bischoff, and joining nWo Hollywood.

• June 14th, 1998 The Great American Bash

  In a unique set of circumstances, nWo Wolfpac member Sting defeats nWo Hollywood member The Giant in a singles match, to win control of both of the WCW World Tag Team Championship belts.

• June 15th, 1998 Nitro

  Sting chooses Kevin Nash to be his tag team partner and co-holder of the WCW World Tag Team Championship.

• July 6th, 1998 Nitro

  U.S. champion Goldberg defeats Scott Hall to earn a world title match against Hogan later that night. Goldberg goes on to defeat Hogan in the main event to win the world title.

• July 20th, 1998 Nitro

  Bret Hart inteferes during a tag team title match, and costs Kevin Nash and Sting the titles against Scott Hall and The Giant.

• August 24th, 1998 Nitro

  Stevie Ray turns on his brother, Booker T, and joins nWo Hollywood.

• October 25th, 1998 Halloween Havoc

  Hollywood Hogan defeats The Warrior with help from his nephew, Horace. Also on the show, Bret Hart defeats Sting and injures him, putting Sting out of action for a number of months. This would be Sting’s last appearance with the Wolfpac.

• November 22nd, 1998 World War III

  Scott Hall is kicked out of the nWo for disrespecting Hollywood Hogan and Eric Bischoff weeks earlier. In the main event, Kevin Nash wins the 60-man Battle Royal to become number one contender to Goldberg’s world title.

• December 27th, 1998 Starrcade

  Kevin Nash defeats Goldberg to win the world title and end Goldberg’s undefeated streak. However, it took interference from Bam Bam Bigelow, Disco Inferno, and Scott Hall dressed as a security guard and shocking Goldberg with a cattle prod for Nash to win.

• December 28th, 1998 Nitro

  Ric Flair defeats Eric Bischoff in a match. As per the pre-match stipulation, Flair become WCW president for 90 days.

• January 4th, 1999 Nitro

  Nash and Goldberg are scheduled to have a rematch, but Miss Elizabeth accuses Goldberg of stalking her, and he is arrested. Hollywood Hogan returns to WCW during the broadcast, and challenges Nash for the world title. Nash accepts. The match turns out to be the “Fingerpoke of Doom”, where Hogan pins Nash after poking him in the chest, to win the title. Both nWo factions, the Wolfpac and Hollywood, unite to form “nWo Elite”.

• January 11th, 1999 Nitro

  The nWo Elite beings to “trim the fat”. The first casualties are Konnan and The Giant.

• January 25th, 1999 Nitro

  Curt Hennig is next kicked out of the nWo Elite group.

• April 5th, 1999 Nitro

  Stevie Ray wins a mini Battle Royal to become leader of the nWo “B-Team” that also consisted of Brian Adams, Vincent, Horace, and Scott Norton.

• Summer 1999

  The nWo Elite slowly begins to disintegrate. Scott Hall and Lex Luger were injured. Hogan lost the world title to Ric Flair in a first blood barbed wire steel cage match at Uncensored. Scott Steiner loses his TV title to Booker T, before Scott leaves the nWo to reunite with his brother, Rick.

  The nWo B-Team also starts disbanding, as Stevie Ray reforms Harlem Heat with Booker T; Brian Adams is kicked out of the group in August; Scott Norton leaves WCW completely in September; and Vincent joins the West Texas Rednecks.

• Winter 1999

  Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Jeff Jarrett, and Bret Hart reform the nWo, this time using a black and silver color scheme.

• Spring 2000

  The new nWo disbands when Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner, and the Harris Brothers join the New Blood, and Kevin Nash joins the rival Millionaire’s Club. This would be the last time the nWo is seen in WCW.