The Top 10 WWE Factions That Changed Wrestling Forever
The factions that defined WWE history.
The 38th Annual Royal Rumble will take place on Saturday, February 1, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Currently, CM Punk and John Cena are the frontrunners to win and earn a coveted spot at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas, where they’ll face Cody Rhodes or Gunther for the championship.
Last night, I revisited the 2001 Royal Rumble, where "Stone Cold" Steve Austin made history by winning the Royal Rumble for the third and final time. Earlier in the pay-per-view, Chyna faced Ivory for the Women’s Championship, with Stevie Richards at ringside. Richards and Ivory were key members of the Right to Censor, one of my all-time favorite factions from the Attitude Era. The group, which aimed to impose "family-friendly" values on the WWE Universe, included Stevie Richards, Val Venis, Bull Buchanan, The Goodfather, the Kat and Ivory.
This got Alex and me reminiscing about our favorite, sometimes unusual, WWE factions. I will say for mine I will not include chalk answers like DX or the Shield. What are some of your favorite WWE tag teams or factions that might not get enough love? Drop a comment below — we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Cody’s List:
The Bloodline - (Roman Reigns, Jimmy & Jey Uso, Sami Zayn & Paul Heyman). The group primarily features Roman Reigns, his cousins Jimmy and Jey Uso, along with Sami Zayn and the ever-present manager Paul Heyman. Together, they have woven one of the most intricate and captivating storylines in WWE, blending family ties, betrayal, loyalty, and power.
Evolution - (Triple H, Randy Orton, Batista & WWE Hall of Famer, Ric Flair). Evolution was a faction that represented the past, present, and future of WWE, blending multiple generations of talent into one dominant group.
Wyatt Family - (Bray Wyatt, Erick Rowan and Luke Harper). The group was built around Bray’s unsettling, cult-leader persona, with his followers, Erick Rowan and Luke Harper, serving as his devoted “disciples.”
The Nation of Domination (Faarooq, the Rock, D’Lo Brown, Mark Henry & Kama Mustafa). The Nation would become a key fixture in the company’s mid-90s landscape, known for its fierce promos, political overtones, and powerful performances.
The Nexus (Wade Barrett, Heath Slater, Michael Tarver, Darren Young, David Otunga, Justin Gabriel, Ryback and Daniel Bryan). The group first emerged in 2010, formed from the contestants of the inaugural season of NXT, where the members were trained by Chris Jericho, but ultimately turned on their mentor and WWE itself.
Alex’s List:
The Radicalz (Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Perry Saturn, and Dean Malenko).
Four of the top performers from WCW jumped ship to WWE and made an impact right on their first night in the company. All four members saw success in WWE throughout their careers in the company.
The Corporation (Mr. McMahon, Shane McMahon, The Rock, Ken Shamrock, Big Bossman, Pat Patterson, Gerald Brisco, Test).
A heel group comprised of the chairman of the company combined with his son and the rising star of The Rock along with solid performers in Bossman, Shamrock, and Test and the comedy of Patterson and Brisco plus the duel between them and Stone Cold gives this group a top spot for me.
The Shield (Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose)
A more recent faction emerged, made up of a talented group of younger superstars who not only achieved individual success but also played pivotal roles in shaping the main event landscape of WWE during the mid to late 2010s and into the 2020s.
Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, Kyle O'Reilly, and Roderick Strong).
One of the most dominant factions in the history of NXT, this group showcased unparalleled skill and teamwork, ultimately holding every championship title simultaneously at one point. Their impressive reign solidified their legacy as one of the most formidable forces in the brand’s history.
DX (Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Chyna, X-Pac, Road Dogg and, Billy Gunn).
The legendary group from WWE's Attitude Era featured some of the company's finest performers and created many memorable and entertaining moments.
Notable non WWE Factions:
The NWO
The Four Horsemen
The Bullet Club
The Elite
Aces & Eights