24 Years After NWO's WWE Debut, Who Would Best Fit in a Modern-Day Version?

The New World Order made its debut almost 30 years ago in WCW, but it also made its WWE debut 24 years ago at No Way Out 2002.

While the group has had a few dozen members throughout different iterations, there is a core handful of Superstars who are most associated with the stable.

Scott Hall and Kevin Nash kicked the whole thing off, Hulk Hogan used his star power to legitimize the group, X-Pac brought youth to the stable, and Eric Bischoff was the one managing everything.

Other prominent members over time included the likes of Buff Bagwell, Scott Norton, Sting and many more.

Since WWE still owns all the trademarks associated with the group, it could decide to bring it back at any point. Let's take a look at which current members of the WWE roster would make ideal candidates to run a new version of the New World Order.

Randy Orton

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Any version of the New World Order needs a leader. Someone who is a multi-time champion and has been to the top of the mountain more than once.

The original version had Hogan, but a modern iteration would thrive with Randy Orton at the helm.

Not only is he one of the most decorated champions in WWE history with 14 world titles to his name, but he is also one of the most well-known stars of his era.

Orton's charisma would allow him to carry promos with ease, and his ability to switch from heel to babyface would allow for a lot of flexibility with how to book the group.

Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes

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Hall and Nash were great assets because they excelled at both tag team and singles wrestling, and having a duo who can do the same thing would be perfect for a new version.

They may not be allies at the moment, but Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams have both proved they can be successful as a duo and as solo acts.

It also helps that both men are cocky, confident performers who can talk trash as well as they wrestle.

Both are only 31 years old, so they have plenty of time left in their careers. They would bring youth to contrast Orton's veteran experience.

Rhea Ripley

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One thing the original NWO never did well was feature women. In fact, the WCW women's division was almost non-existent most of the time.

A modern version would need to take advantage of the deep roster of talent WWE has built, and few would fit in better than Rhea Ripley.

She has immense popularity, is one of the more successful members of the division, and she is a powerhouse performer who makes most of her opponents look small by comparison.

The Eradicator would even be a good choice to lead the group. There would be no downside to having her involved.

Grayson Waller

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Buff Bagwell served an important role in the original NWO in WCW. He was a brash heel with an enviable physique who would take losses for the group when booking called for it.

This role would be perfect for someone like Grayson Waller. He is funny, can get under his opponents' skin, and can put on a good match when given a comparable dance partner.

He wouldn't just be the resident jobber, though. He would be the guy who gets slotted into more of the midcard feuds, making him a prime candidate to hold the U.S. or intercontinental title as a member.

He could even host an NWO-specific talk show similar to his Grayson Waller Effect segments from NXT and his early days on the main roster.

Paul Heyman

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Eric Bischoff was a key member of the original NWO because he was the non-wrestler who helped pull the strings behind the scenes to give the stable an unfair advantage at every turn.

Nobody in WWE today would be better suited for a position like this than Paul Heyman.

He already has extensive history being a member of various factions, so this role would fit him like a glove.

In fact, there isn't really anyone else in WWE right now who feels like a good fit as the manager. Heyman is not only the best choice, but he is also the only choice.

Dominik Mysterio

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When X-Pac joined the New World Order, he was seen as the young gun. He was mainly in the cruiserweight division and added a more youthful energy than his veteran allies.

Someone like Dominik Mysterio would be able to provide something similar. He works great as a heel and has already achieved a high level of success at just 28 years old.

With Dom being a big part of WWE's version of AAA these days, he could be the group's main representative in the lucha promotion similar to how Scott Norton and Masahiro Chono would work NJPW shows as members of the NWO.

Rey Mysterio has a long history with the NWO dating back to its WCW origins, so having his boy be part of a new version would add another layer to their already complicated history as father and son.

Honorable Mentions

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With the NWO being a group that constantly changed in size, we thought we would include some other notable names who would fit right in:

Finn Balor has been the only member of The Judgment Day to be part of the group the whole time. He's proved he can be valuable in a stable, but he might be more interesting if he used his Demon persona to oppose the group, as Sting did back in the day.

The New Day has struggled to find the same level of success as heels that the team saw as babyfaces, but being part of a new NWO might be the perfect way to use them as villains.

Big Show played a key role during his time in NWO as the unstoppable giant. Omos would be great in a similar enforcer role who mostly gets involved in other members' matches.

Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez all have the personality and skills to fit right into the New World Order. Their time together in The Judgment Day has proved as much.

Who do you think would fit best in a modern version of the New World Order in WWE?