Understanding that I have many friends and followers who are fans of Pro Wrestling it only made sense for me to create the first of my soon to be many Wrestling blogs. Of course anyone who follows me knows that I love to do list, and this blog is no different. Pro wrestling will always have their superstars that shine brightest but any true fan will tell you that there is nothing like a dominate group. So today we will be focusing on the top 20 Greatest Factions/Groups/Stables in Wrestling history. The criteria for the list are style, in ring ability, impact, dominance and of course the mouth piece, every group has to have that person that can sell the group to the fans as either the baby faced good guys or the heels. Sorry guys that means groups like "Right to Censor or The Mean Street Posse or The spirit squad don't hold the credentials to make the list, So without any more hesitation lets get into it.
HONORABLE MENTION
Main Event Mafia (TNA)
Lets be honest, the only reason that this group is an honorable mention is because they never formed on a bigger stage in the prime of their careers. But for the stage that they were on, there was no denying their greatness. Sting unfortunately never signed with the WWE while any of the other members of MEM were on the roster but can you imagine how great they would have been! Sting, Kurt Angle, Booker T, Kevin Nash and Scott Steiner destroyed the scene in TNA but the fact that it was never a bigger platform is what leaves them off the list. They had every element to be great but the fact that they formed on a brand that couldn't even maintain all the talent within the group hurt them.
20. The Wyatt Family.
To think back in 2009 and 2010 that the guy you see kneeling before the world was one of the most dry characters to ever step foot in a WWE ring. Bray Wyatt (formerly known as Husky Harris) bounced around from developmental to NXT and then ultimately on Raw as a member of the new Nexus. You always saw the talent there but never really saw a fit for him. Then credit to WWE developmental team, they did what they learned the hard way to do back with the Rock, They gave Wyatt a microphone and a star was born. After shedding a few pounds Wyatt was able to show off his true athleticism garnering a more dark image that truly fits what the Wyatt family is all about. Luke Harper and Erik Rowan are nothing to be taken lightly either, they bring a different style to what we are use to seeing in the ring and let's be honest is there anyone right now better on the mic than Bray? Wyatt himself has hit the ground running defeating names such as, Kane (Debut), Big Show, Daniel Bryan and John Cena. While the Tag division maybe light Haprer and Rowan have beaten every team the WWE has and the group as a unit has even beaten the likes of The Shield. This group seems to have it all but is honestly still working on its potential but if they keep this up no tell where they will go.
19. The Shield.
The Hounds of Justice (Which is an awesome nickname might I add) started on the main stage in 2012 when they helped CM Punk retain the WWE Championship against Ryback at the Survivor Series PPV. Almost two years later they are just as they are probably bigger stars then they would have dreamed of becoming. The Shield has run through the entire WWE locker room at this point taking out Superstars such as The Rock, The Undertaker, Randy Orton, The Big Show, Sheamus, Daniel Bryan, Kane, Batista, Triple H and Many More. At one point less than a year in their career each member of the group held championships with Dean Ambrose winning the U.S. title, and Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns winning the tag titles. The Shield has everything you need as far as in ring ability with Ambrose being the technician, Rollins being the high flyer and Reigns manning the power; the one thing the group lacks, The Mouthpiece. They each take turns during promos because none of them have separated themselves as the voice of the group. As good as they are until they add that element its difficult to put them any higher than this.
18. The Nexus
Let's be honest, The Nexus are the group that made jumping guys popular again. Once Evolution( who I'm sure youll see on this list later) disbanded the WWE needed a shot in the arm with a really really good faction and Nexus game them that. This group had everything, compiled from the rookies of the first season of NXT these young superstars were about making an impact. Wade Barrett was the leader and for good reason because he was the mouth piece and really made guys who probably weren't that good yet or just not good at all seem rather decent. This Group took out STARS in every sense of the word, not focusing on guys who were trying to build a name but attack established superstars and legends such as (The Undertaker, John Cena, Bret Hart, Chris Jericho, Edge even Vince McMahon) and that is to be respected.
17. Team Extreme.
Now before I get the whole "This wasn't a stable" comments lets stop and realize that one of the criteria's were "In Ring Ability" and there is no mistaking that the Hardy Boyz and Lita definitely had that. This faction was formed during arguably one of the best eras in WWE history and withstood the test of time and became one of professional wrestling's most memorable groups ever. The Hardy's are more than like held as wrestling's greatest high flying team and Lita brought a dynamic to the women's division that had never been seen before. At one point Team Extreme reigned as The Hardy's held the tag titles while Lita reigned as women's champion. Team extreme also helped define a generation that was desperately trying to break out, this group is much deserving of where they hold their place.
16. Legion of Doom (Georgia Championship Wrestling)
My love of the WWE Network helped me find out how great the Legion of Doom really was. Most followers think of L.O.D as just Hawk and Animal but that was not the case in GCW. During its first incarnation of the faction L.O.D. included Paul Elling as the manager that assembled the team of the young Road Warriors, King Kong Bundy, The Iron Sheik, Arn Anderson and Jake Roberts etc. This group was simply amazing to watch, they had power, technique, skill brains the total package, except a real leader. Every member was great in their own right so it was difficult for this formation to stay put.
15. WCW/ECW Alliance
I Personally LOVED this alliance. As a huge fan of ECW I was extremely hurt when they had to close their doors in 2001 when Paul Heyman was forced to sell to Vince McMahon. What most people Don't know is that WCW was actually brought out before ECW but many of the ECW talent that were now under contract with WWE were kept off of television until the invasion of the alliance. When they formed this stable was definitely something to be noticed, with Heyman as the mouthpiece for The Alliance there was no doubt they would be sold to the fan as a true threat to the WWE and with members that included Rob Van Dam, The Dudley Boyz, Booker T, Diamond Dallas Page, Raven, Rhyno, Tommy Dreamer and later Stone Cold Steve Austin and Kurt Angle this group definitely gave the WWE that shot in the arm needed post attitude era. To establish their greatness the alliance not only brought the titles of WCW over with them they also went on to have every major title the WWE had, if that isn't greatness then I don't know what is. I would have loved to see this faction continue for a while longer but it definitely had a memorable run when it did.
14. The Radicalz
Without a doubt the most technically sound stable in the History of Professional Wrestling. At first titled the "WCW guys", Jim Ross declared them the Radicalz on an episode of Monday Night Raw after they attacked the New Age Outlaws. The group consisted of four truly great fundamentally sound WRESTLER, The Late Eddie Guerrero, The Late Chris Benoit (Arguably a top five technical wrestler in the history of the sport), "the man of a thousand holds" Dean Malenko and Perry Saturn. Between them all they held the European Championship 3x, Intercontinental Championship 3x, Hardcore Championship twice and Light Heavyweight championship twice. The group could have done better if the Leader Eddie Guerrero could remain healthy but unfortunately that wasn't the case, but any group that produces arguably 4 of the top 15 best technical guys in the business and 2 future world champions has to definitely rank on the list.
13. The Million Dollar Corporation
"The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, IRS, Bam Bam Bigelow, Nikolai Volkoff, Tatanka, King Kung Bundy, Psycho Sid, 1-2-3 Kid and "Ring Master" Steve Austin. Talk about a group of SUPERSTARS, Ted DiBiase was the leader of this group and was perfect for the role. He was a great heel and an awesome mouthpiece for the group. In his day there was probably no one better on the mic better than DiBiase, unfortunately the group didn't last as long because of DiBiase's departure to WCW. But the group did consist of all time greats and future Hall of Famers and with it's formation DiBiase definitely proved that "Everyone has a price"!
12. The Von Erich Family
The hard part of this one is that they weren't technically a faction but a group formed on the fact that they were a family. However, there was no denying the greatness of the "First Family" of professional Wrestling in the ring. The Family's greatness has spread across every foundation of professional wrestling holding championships in AWA, All Japan Pro Wrestling, NWA Florida southern, Maple leaf Wrestling, Mid-Atlantic, WCCW, TWF, WWF/WWE and even now in TNA with Lacy, daughter of Kerry Von Erich. Between Father Fritz and sons Kerry, Kevin, David and Mike the success of the Von Erich family can't be disputed. Unfortunately the family is cursed with tragedy, as only 1 of the 6 sons of Fritz Von Erich are currently living and 3 preceded their father in death due to suicide. As great as the boys were it was always said if they didn't have their demons they would be the greatest faction ever.
11. The Dangerous Alliance
Well before he was proclaiming CM Punk as the best in the world and before he was boasting about his Client Brock Lesnar ending the Undertaker's Wrestlemania winning streak, my WCW fans may remember Paul Heyman as the mastermind Paul E. Dangerously who formed the Dangerous Alliance. Heyman formed the group as a way to get back at the company that fired him as a manager not long before the groups formation. Heyman has proven on many occasions that he is a wiz on the mic and with the talent of Arn Anderson, Larry Zybyszko, Rick Rude, Bobby Eaton, Madusa, and youngster Stunning Steve Austin, this group proved to be very formidable as Eaton and Anderson captured the tag titles, Austin won the Television title and Rude captured the U.S. title. Its no secret that Heyman leads his clients to titles and this was one of the strongest examples of his greatness as a manager.
10. The Heenan Family.
Honestly not your normal stable but just a group of individuals brought together by The Greatest manager of all time Bobby "The Brain" Heenan for a common purpose, taking the title off of Hulk Hogan. The great thing about this group is that it spread across three promotions (AWA, GCW and WWF) with many different Hall of Famers as members, Guys such as Andre The Giant, Arn Anderson, Mr. Perfect, Big John Studd, King Kong Bundy, Harley Race and more. The only down side to this group is that none of the members associated with the group was able to serve the purpose of its formation and that's to defeat Hulk Hogan for the title. However, when you have any fact with countless Hall of Famers then its only right that they are included on a list like this.
9. The Corporation/Corporate Ministry.
When Vince McMahon created the Corporation it was to demonstrate how the character could use and abuse his power, mainly to keep the championship off of Stone Cold Steve Austin. McMahon also wanted to form a group that would allow him to form against the rebels of the WWE, although the corporation itself was great with the addition of The Rock, Triple H, Big Boss Man, Sgt Slaughter, The Big Show, Kane, Test and Ken Shamrock, it was when McMahon joined with The Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness that this faction really took off. The Superstar power of this group was nothing short of amazing given the fact they had the boss himself, the boss' son Shane, Triple H, Big Show, Big Boss Man, and although they loss The Rock as Corporate champion, replacing him with The Undertaker as the Leader was nothing short of brilliant. Adding Paul Bearer as one of the mouthpieces of the group made the Corporate ministry some that definitely could have stood the test of time.
8. The Nation of Domination.
Formed to help the WWE find a way for Faarooq to finally flourish in the company, what made the Nation so great is that they reigned as heels for over 2 years. With a group that basically centered around young up and coming stars such as The Rock, D'Lo Brown and Mark Henry the group found themselves as one of the most hated in WWE History. The group was based around the nation of Islam and Black Panther party, they openly used the Black Power movement and openly played the race card and centered their actions around anyone who didn't believe as they did or stood in their way. The Group later added members, Mark Henry and Owen Hart but the two members that found the most success were D'Lo and Rock. The Rock would soon shine among the others and later would find his own way but any group that gives you the Most Electrifying Man in All of Entertainment is definitely more than deserving of a list such as this.
7. The Ministry of Darkness
The perfect name and stable for a leader like The Undertaker. In 1999 when this Stable was formed they were dark and sadistic, they took pleasure in tormenting their opponents and enemies, with The Undertaker as the leader it was only right that he brought back the then disband Paul Bearer as the mouthpiece of the stable. They had it all, Power, speed, Technique with member The Acolytes, Viscera, Mideon and The Brood (Edge, Christian and Gangrel) I would have liked to see this group dominate for years before forming with the Corporation, although it was pretty short in terms of standing alone they did many sadistic things in that time including, crucifying Stone Cold Steve Austin, Hanging the Big Boss Man, using Stephanie McMahon as a sacrifice. This group took much pleasure is the torture of others and that in part is what made them great for the sport.
6. Evolution.
Don't let what you see on WWE TV now fool you, at one point this was arguably the most dominate faction in WWE history. Some titled it a new age horsemen but for its time it was perfectly titled. Evolution, The Nature Boy Ric Flair who represented the past, he was the mouthpiece of the group even though he had some in ring ability left it was very limited in his advanced age, but he was able to share his knowledge of the business and proved that if he wanted he could function as a really decent manager. Triple H, the present, The measuring stick of the WWE at the time, During that time there was no one in the business touching him and he was the perfect person to lead this faction. Randy Orton and Battista, The Future, the two guys who soon became stars in their own right under the leadership of Triple H and Flair. They were flashy, they were arrogant but they backed it up, at one point holding ever title on Monday Night Raw as Flair and Batista were tag Champs, Orton has a long run as Intercontinental Champion and Triple H reigned as World heavyweight Champion. You may not have like their style but at one point they had beat every big name in the business and that is something to be admired.
5. The Fabulous Freebirds
The Greatest 3 man faction of all time. The Freebirds were the pioneers of this, the first group to enter to theme music they were just cool! Michael P.S. Hayes served as the leader and the mouthpiece of the group, he was the epitome of charisma that when he spoke you had to like the guy. But in the ring the Freebirds held their own as they feuded with the Von Erichs and the Road Warriors, bouncing around to every promotion the group garnered over 28 titles as a group and remained formed for 15 years! That is just simply amazing and unheard of nowadays. With really great technical abilities and the mouthpiece and just the cool look of them, The Fabulous Freebirds definitely go down as the greatest 3 man faction of all time.
4. The Heart Foundation
This faction had two formation but we are focusing on the new one. This group was formed after leader Bret Hart turned heel following his match with Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13. This group carried a hatred for the United States and had no problem reminding everyone how inferior the USA was to their Home of Canada. But as much as they talked they also backed it up in a major way capturing every single title the WWE had to offer, unfortunately the group lasted only 8 month due to the untimely death of member Brian Pillman. Other Members such as Owen Hart, British Bulldog and Jim Neidhart flourished but a couple months following Pillman's death came the Montreal screw job. With leader Bret Hart defecting to WCW there was no point in keeping the foundation together.
3. Degeneration X
One of the cool things about this group is that it had 3 formations of it and they all were cool. Without a Doubt the most controversial group in wrestling history, they often went overboard and had fun doing it. The original group consisted of Shawn Michael, Triple H and Chyna, and later added Rick Rude. When Shawn Michaels was forced to retire the group was taken over by Triple H who quickly recruited long time friend X-Pac and The New Age Outlaws. The pushed their limitation and they had to in order to compete with our number 2 faction, they caused havoc and won championships. Their promos were the most fun to watch when they cut them doing it all from a live strip poker show to invading WCW. Back in 2006 The group reformed with an older HHH and Michaels and didn't miss a beat. feuding with the McMahons, Rated RKO and the Big show the group continued to cut their famous hilarious promos and truly showed their range as they knew they couldn't touch on things that they once did, however that didn't stop them from being wildly entertaining.
2. NWO
July 7th 1996, The Great American Bash was a day that changed the face of wrestling forever for all it's fans. That was the day The Outsiders (Scott Hall and Kevin Nash) had their first match in WCW and that they would have a mystery partner. Later that night, the most shocking moment in wrestling happened as Hulk Hogan dropped the Leg across the throat of Macho Man Randy Savage and Boom, The NWO was formed. They were the guys that made it cool to be bad guys, The fact that they could actually turn Hulk Hogan heel is what made them very intriguing. They made their mark everywhere, spray painting titles and opponents, when the NWO was around you knew it because they usually caused havoc. They Won Every title in WCW and gathered as many members as possible, members such as The Giant, Lex Luger, Randy Savage, Ted DiBiase, Sting and others. Like most groups that aren't properly handled they died out when they got entirely too big. But without a doubt the NWO was the Biggest thing in pro wrestling during their formation.
1. THE FOUR HORSEMEN
WITHOUT A DOUBT THE GREATEST FACTION IN THE HISTORY OF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING. The Horsemen are what every single faction in wrestling hope to be whne they form, THEY HAD EVERYTHING! They lived the life they talked about to the point you hated them and then they backed up their talk in the ring. The original group consisted of Ric Flair, Arn and Ole Anderson, Tully Blanchard and a great manager in JJ Dillion. They feuded with the Road Warriors, Rock and Roll express, Magnum TA and Dusty Rhodes and they were more than often successful. There were many different incarnations of the Horsemen but the originals were and still remain the greatest faction of all time, they left a mark on the sport of professional wrestling and to this day is still the measuring stick that has yet to be reached in the business.
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