WCW took one of their biggest creative risks in 1998 when splitting the New World Order into two separate camps. The civil war storyline of the nWo drifting into two sides featured Kevin Nash leading the Wolfpac version and Hulk Hogan leading the Hollywood side. Nash’s babyfaces received crowd love to make the breakup feel like an effective angle.
10 Real-Life nWo Feuds WCW Fans Forgot About
Fans of WCW may not remember how these nWo members got into some heated arguments behind the scenes.There was a tough task in play for WCW to make the two groups feel like they had their own identity rather than just extending the same story in two different stables. WCW did a good job at creating differences to keep the audience engaged in the story. The following ways the Wolfpac and Hollywood were different helped make the storyline work before ultimately reuniting.
8 Wolfpac Felt Like Super Group
WCW Made The Wolfpac Feel Like The Avengers
- Wolfpac Had More Top Names
- Sting & Lex Luger Were Game Changers
- Had Super Group Reaction From Fans
One major reason for the Wolfpac working out better than Hollywood did as the New World Order split into two groups was the star power involved. WCW adding new members to the Wolfpac ensured they had enough top names to feel like a super group.
5 Reasons nWo Hollywood Is The Best Version (& 5 Why Wolfpac Is Best)
nWo Hollywood's rivalry with Wolfpac was one of the biggest storylines of 1998, but which version of the team was actually better?Sting and Lex Luger were already established top stars from WCW when joining Kevin Nash and Randy Savage to make an unbeatable top four. The equivalent of this for the Hollywood side saw Hulk Hogan, The Giant, Bret Hart and Scott Hall as their top four with the names behind Hogan all having flaws.
7 Hollywood Was All About One Person
Team Spirit Vs Stable Prioritizing One Leader’s Power
- Hogan Had Full Power Of Group
- Everyone Did Things With Goal Of Benefiting Hogan
- Dictatorship Heel Act Helped Wolfpac Get Over As Fresher
The New World Order split led to both groups having different approaches over the leadership roles. Kevin Nash was the leader of the Wolfpac, but he never put himself above the other members. Wolfpac members even battled each other fighting when in battle royals or having one prize on the line.
The Hollywood side was completely leaning towards the other way when all members did things to benefit Hogan. WCW made it clear that nWo Hollywood was all about Hogan getting his way with everyone else doing his bidding.
6 Wolfpac Received Cool New Music
Repackaging Wolfpac Made Them Feel Cooler
- Smart Move To Repackage Babyfaces
- One Of The Most Popular Theme Songs
- Nash Used It After Wolfpac Run Ended
WCW put enough time into changing up things about the Wolfpac to help make fans have new reasons to care about them. The color change was a big one with the new red and black colors of the NWO after Hollywood kept the traditional black and white merchandise.
Kevin Nash’s group also received a brand new theme song that the audience fell in love with from the early months. The Wolfpac entrance was over enough to make their walk to the ring and pre-match promos feel as important as the actual matches.
5 Hollywood Used Eric Bischoff's Power
Bischoff Was Major Part Of Hollywood Remaining Heels
- Bischoff's President Status Gave NWO Power
- Hogan Kept Bischoff On His Side As Heels
- Bischoff Feuded With Ric Flair During This Time
Many fans forget that Eric Bischoff’s role as WCW President was how the New World Order had power between 1996 and early 1999. Bischoff remained with Hulk Hogan in nWo Hollywood in 1998 to keep giving them power from his role in management.
Ric Flair returning from his suspension to have a worked shoot feud with Bischoff added more reason for Bischoff to remain in nWo Hollywood. Wrestlers like Curt Hennig helped Bischoff during his matches with Flair representing the NWO on Hogan’s side.
4 Wolfpac Respected Goldberg
Goldberg’s Epic Undefeated Streak Outlasted Both Groups
- Goldberg Beat Hogan For WCW Championship
- Battle Royal Featured Goldberg Vs NWO Hollywood Vs NWO Wolfpac
- Challengers Kept Emerging From Both Groups
WCW did a decent job putting Goldberg over during the New World Order civil war feud. Both groups had wrestlers trying to challenge Goldberg for the WCW Championship since that top belt represented power in the WCW rankings.
WCW: 10 Harsh Realities About The nWo Fans Need To Realize
While the nWo was revolutionary, there are many harsh truths their fans need to realize.Wolfpac members Sting, Kevin Nash and Lex Luger all showed respect towards Goldberg in their builds, matches or promo teases. The Hollywood side always tried to cheat after enduring the heartbreak of Hulk Hogan dropping the WCW Championship to Goldberg at the start of the group civil war split.
3 Scott Steiner Became A New Leader Of Hollywood
Lack Of Depth Helped Give Steiner Bigger Role Under Hogan
- Hogan Taking Time Off Put Hollywood In Weird Spot
- Steiner Was Named Replacement Group Leader
- Scott Hall Was Punished By Steiner To Lose Spot
The strangest storyline from the New World Order civil war came when Hulk Hogan was taking time off television. Hogan had an odd segment declaring he was running for President of the United States to explain his time off to end 1998.
Scott Steiner was named the replacement leader of Hollywood during Hogan’s absence since the other members with name value like Scott Hall and The Giant had lost some trust. WCW started to use Steiner in a bigger role before his main event push came in the final few years.
2 Wolfpac Gave Fans Dream Story Of Babyface NWO
WCW Fans Finally Had The Encouragement To Cheer NWO
- NWO Was Already A Cool Act Fans Wanted To Cheer
- Wolfpac Being Babyfaces Made It Dream Scenario
- Kevin Nash Became Top Main Event Star Due To This
The New World Order story helped WCW become the top promotion over WWE for a year and a half. However, they ran into an issue of the NWO act feeling cooler than the WCW wrestlers opposing them as a dominant heel act.
The Wolfpac forming was the first time WCW fans were fully given a chance to cheer an nWo act since the traditional nWo always played bad guys. Sting and Lex Luger joining the Wolfpac from WCW was done to make fans realize that former enemies of Kevin Nash had forgiven him.
1 Hollywood Convinced Names To Jump Ship
Hogan Did More Recruiting Than The Babyfaces Did
- Hennig & Rude Tricked Wolfpac Early In Split
- Hogan Kept Recruiting New Members
- Wolfpac Members Joined More Organically
Lex Luger joined the Wolfpac by his choice and played a role in them recruiting Sting, but most new Wolfpac members weren’t recruited. Hulk Hogan did his fair share of recruiting with Hollywood members jumping ship during some noteworthy swerves. Scott Hall betraying Nash to join Hollywood showed how ruthless Hogan was willing to get.
Hogan set up the Wolfpac with Curt Hennig and Rick Rude jumping ship after pretending they were faces. Other members like The Giant, Bret Hart, Stevie Ray, Horace Hogan and Brian Adams were all convinced to join as part of their characters’ stories since Hulk was adamant about holding power.
