top of page
Top 50 Wrestling Factions

No matter whether you call them stables, group, families or factions, groups of like-minded wrestlers have driven some of the most significant storylines in wrestling over the past 30-plus years and have added fuel to a lot of top rivalries.

Please note that, to qualify, we are looking for groups that had four or more competitors at the same time. So if you're wondering why, say, The Shield, The Fabulous Freebirds or The New Day haven't made this particular list.... that's why. 

 

In compiling the Top 50 Wrestling Factions, Wrestling Merchandise and Memories looked  the following criteria:

  • How long was the faction around for?

  • What kind of impact did they have on their promotion?

  • Did it help to advance storylines and rivalries?

  • How closely are various members associated with the faction?

  • Did the individual members benefit as a result fo being part of the group?

 

If you'd like to be a part of this conversation, Tweet us at @canadianbulldog using the hashtag #Top50, or leave a comment below.

 

Ready? Here we go!

50.

The Network

Fed up with a lack of promotion on TNN, ECW owner Paul Heyman did more than complain about it. He created The Network, a faction of pro-network, anti-hardcore wrestlers led by Don "Cyrus" Callis including Steve Corino, Rhino, Yoshihiro Tajiri and Scotty Anton to raise hell against ECW's hardcore babyfaces.

48.

Team Canada (TNA)

Originally formed as an entry in TNA's 2004 X Cup, manager Scott D'Amore kept Team Caanda in the promotion for years. The group gave us our first look at future TNA Champions Bobby Roode and Eric Young, as well as Johnny Devine, Tyson Dux, Petey Williams and Jack Evans.

46.

Planet Jarrett

To protect his TNA Championship in 2005, Jeff Jarrett surrounded himself with many of the promotion's heels. Members of Planet Jarrett included, at times, Abyss, Monty Brown, America's Most Wanted, Scott Steiner, Gail Kim and Jackie Gayda. 

44.

Los Boricuas

Born out of the ashes of the original Nation of Domination, Savio Vega's Los Boricuas was a group of fighting Puerto Ricans, which included Miguel Perez, Jesus Castillo and Jose Estrada. While never top contenders, they were staples of WWF's "Gang Warz" era in 1997.

42.

The Dark Order

The Dark Order debuted in AEW in 2019 with founding members Evil Uno and Stu Grayson, and have expanded over the past year to include Mr. Brodie Lee, Colt Cabana, Anna Jay and several others.

40.

The Stud Stable

Robert Fuller created a faction in the Continental territory in the early 1980s, which later traveled to Smoky Mountain and WCW. Members of The Stud Stable included Fuller (a/k/a Colonel Rob Parker),  Cactus Jack, Dutch Mantel, Jimmy "Bunkhouse Buck" Golden, Terry Funk, Arn Anderson and The Blacktop Bully.

38.

The Disciples Of The Apocalypse

Another offshoot of The Nation of Domination, Crush formed The Disciples Of The Apocalypse (DOA) in 1997, a group of badass bikers including Brian "Chainz" Lee and The Harris Brothers as Skull and 8-Ball. 

36.

Raven's Nest / Flock

Raven's Nest was formed in ECW in 1995, in which members including Stevie Richards, The Pitbulls and Cactus Jack blindly followed Raven. A few years later in WCW, Raven's Nest included Raven, Richards, Kanyon, Billy Kidman, Lodi, Horace Hogan and Perry Saturn.

34.

The Right To Censor

Vince McMahon's public shot at right-wing lobby group The Parents' Television Council (PTC), The Right To Censor Steven Richards (RTC) became the WWF's moral compass in 2000 and recruited Val Venis, The Godfather as "The Goodfather", Bull Buchanan and Ivory.  The latter three held WWF gold during their run.

32.

The Million Dollar Corporation

When The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase returned to the WWF in 1994, he began proving that he could buy success via a faction that included Nikolai Volkoff, Bam Bam Bigelow, Tatanka, Irwin R. Shyster, Kama and King Kong Bundy. Later, the group featured Sid, The 1-2-3 Kid and The Ringmaster (a/k/a Stone Cold Steve Austin).

30.

The First Family

Jimmy Hart first assembled The First Family in Memphis in the late-1970s, with members as diverse as Eddie Gilbert, Andy Kaufman, Kamala and King Kong Bundy. Hart resurrected the group decades later in WCW, featuring Meng, The Barbarian, Brian Knobbs, Hugh Morrus and Jerry Flynn.

28.

The UnAmericans

At the time of WWE's first brand split in 2002, Lance Storm began insinuating that the company discrimated against Canadians. He teamed with fellow Canucks Christian and Test to protest, and William Regal was soon added to the anti-American faction.

26.

The Cabinet

After John Bradshaw Layfield won the World Championship in 2004, he realized he would need backup to hang on to the championship. Members of The Cabinet included Orlando Jordan and Doug and Danny Basham, who all eventually ending up winning gold as well.

24.

The McMahon-Helmsley Era

In 1999, an evil, corporate version of D-Generation X was formed by Triple H and Stephanie McMahon and was dubbed The McMahon-Helmsley Era. Other members included X-Pac, Road Dogg and Billy Gunn.

22.

The Dudes With Attitude

One of the very first faction-based attempts to counter Ric Flair and The Four Horsemen was The Dudes With Attitude in 1990. The group included Sting, Lex Luger, El Gigante, Rick and Scott Steiner, Paul Orndorff, The Junkyard Dog and, for some reason, preliminary wrestler Rocky King.

20.

Devastation Inc.

General Skandor Akbar managed virtually all of the top heels that passed through World Class Championship Wrestling in the 1980s and 1990s under the name Devastation Inc. Members of the revolving-door group over the years included Kamala, Dick Murdoch, King Kong Bundy, Abdullah The Butcher, Cactus Jack and Steve Austin.

18.

The Undisputed Era

The Undisputed Era were formed in NXT in 2017 with Adam Cole, Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly - the common thread being their backgrounds in Ring of Honor and elsewhere. They soon added member Roderick Strong and would go on to dominate the promotion for well over a year.

16.

The Nexus

The Nexus was formed in 2010 following the first season of NXT, in which members Wade Barrett, David Otunga, Skip Sheffield (a/k/a Ryback), Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater, Michael Tarver and (briefly) Daniel Bryan wreaked havoc over WWE for months. CM Punk and early versions of Bray Wyatt and Curtis Axel later joined the group.

14.

The Authority

A reboot of The Corporation in many respects, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon launched The Authority in 2013 to show WWE what was best for business. Members included Randy Orton, Corporate Kane, Seth Rollins, The Big Show and The New Age Outlaws.

12.

The Bullet Club

The Bullet Club was formed in New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2013 as a faction of rebellious foreigners, which continues on to this day. Members over the years have included Prince Devitt (a/k/a Finn Balor), Kenny Omega, AJ Styles, The Young Bucks, Cody, Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson and Marty Scurll.

10.

The Dangerous Alliance

Years before he was Paul Heyman, Paul E. Dangerously assembled an all-star cast of heels in WCW to topple Sting and other babyfaces. The group's members included Ravishing Rick Rude, Larry Zbyszko, Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton and Stunning Steve Austin.

8.

The Alliance

While the WCW/ECW invasion of 2001 isn't many people's favorite storyline, there's no denying The Alliance was an impressive and influential faction. Led by Shane and Stephanie McMahon, members included Booker T, Rob Van Dam, The Dudley Boyz, Rhyno, Diamond Dallas Page, Christian and yes, even Stone Cold Steve Austin.

6.

The Heenan Family

For many years during the WWF's 1980s boom, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan terrorized the company's top heroes with a The Heenan Family, a faction that included Andre The Giant, Hercules, Harley Race, Big John Studd, King Kong Bundy, Rick Rude, Paul Orndorff, The Brain Busters and King Haku.

4.

The Corporation

A big part of the WWF's success in the late-1990s was based on Stone Cold Steve Austin's ability to stand up to Vince McMahon and his faction known as The Corporation. Members included The Rock, Triple H, Kane, Ken Shamrock, Big Boss Man and "stooges" Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco.

2.

The Four Horsemen

Easily the most emulated wrestling faction in history, The Four Horsemen became known as the prototype for creating a group of talented, charismatic and ruthless heels. Over the years, members included Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson, Tully Blanchard, J.J. Dillon, Lex Luger, Barry Windham, Sid Vicious, Chris Benoit and Brian Pillman.

49

Fortune

Fortune was Ric Flair's TNA answer to The Four Horsemen in 2010 -- a group of the company's elite workers. The faction include AJ Styles, Robert Roode, James Storm and Kazarian. Doug Williams and Matt Morgan were also briefly members. 

47.

Team Canada (WCW)

A few years earlier in WCW, Lance Storm launched his own stable of Team Canada, which included Elix Skipper, Carl Ouelette and Jacques Rougeau, as well as decidedly non-Canadians Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Mike Awesome and Major Gunns. 

45

Imperium

Imperium was formed in 2016 in a German independent promotion and later joined NXT UK (as well as NXT), where they have experienced success. Members include Walter, Alexander Wolfe, Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthnel.

43.

The Dungeon Of Doom

The Dungeon Of Doom was created in WCW in the mid-1990s as a macabre, Plan 9 From Outer Space-style faction of monster heels. Led by Kevin Sullivan, members included The Giant (a/k/a The Big Show), Kamala, The Shark (a/k/a Earthquake), Konnan, The Zodiac (a/k/a Brutus Beefcake) and many others.

41.

La Familia

As Edge became SmackDown's top heel in late-2007, he needed a group that would have his back. Along with General Manager Vickie Guerrero, Edge convinced former Major Brothers Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins to join his cause, as well as Chavo Guerrero and bodyguard Bam Neely.

39.

The Misfits In Action

The 2000, WCW created The Misfits In Action, a military-themed group of mid-card baby faces who were given pun-tastic new names. Hugh Morrus became General Hugh G. Rection, Chavo Guerrero was Lt. Loco, Van Hammer was Private Stash, Lash LeRoux was Corporal Cajun and Booker T was G.I. Bro. 

37.

The Spirit Squad

While the group of male cheerleaders  -- Ken "Kenny" Doane, Johnny "Johnny" Jeter, Nick "Mitch" Mitchell, Mike "Mikey" Mondo and Dolph "Nicky" Ziggler -- weren't exactly top of the card, The Sprit Squad collectively held the World Tag Team Titles for 216 days in 2006, feuding with the likes of DX and Ric Flair.

35

The Latino World Order

After Eddie Guerrero clashed with Eric Bischoff (on and off screen) and tried to get out of his contract, he formed his own nWo parody group called The Latino World Members, whose members included Rey Mysterio Jr., Juventud Guerrera, Psychosis,  La Parka, Silver King and El Dandy.

33.

The Corporate Ministry

A 1999 merger of Vince McMahon's Corporation and The Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness created The Corporate Ministry. Although it didn't last long, the faction had many of the WWF's top heels, including Triple H, The Big Boss Man, The Acolytes and The Big Show. 

31.

The Varsity Club

In the late 1980s, Kevin Sullivan assembled The Varsity Club in the NWA, a group of collegiate wrestlers including Rick Steiner (Michigan), Mike Rotunda (Syracuse), "Dr. Death" Steve Williams (Oklahoma) and Dan Spivey (Georgia). They briefly reunited in WCW about a decade later.

29.

The Filthy Animals

In 1999, WCW created a Dollar General version of D-Generation X known as The Filthy Animals. The group included at times Konnan, Rey Mysterio Jr., Eddie Guerrero, Billy Kidman, Juventud Guerrera and Disco Inferno, mixing high-flying wrestling with juvenile antics.

27.

The Wyatt Family

While most think of The Wyatt Family as a trio consisting of Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan, the cult-like faction also included Braun Strowman for a short period in 2015, when the four targeted The Undertaker (leading to a match at that year's Survivor Series). Randy Orton also joined the family at one point.

25.

Immortal

Much of the booking in TNA in 2010 led to the unveiling of Immortal on 10/10/10, a wide-ranging group consisting of most of the company's heels. While short-lived, the faction included Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Jeff Hardy, Ric Flair, Abyss, Jeff Jarrett, Matt Hardy, Scott Steiner and others.

23.

The Main Event Mafia

The Main Event Mafia was formed in TNA in 2008 as a group of main eventers gone heel and looking for respect. The original members included Kevin Nash, Kurt Angle, Booker T, Scott Steiner and Sting, with Samoa Joe and others later joining. The group briefly reformed - now as babyfaces - to battle Aces & Eights in 2013.

21.

The Revolution / Radicalz

In 1999, Shane Douglas, Chris Benoit, Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko promised to shake things up as The Revolution, a heel faction in WCW. By early 2000, they joined forces with Eddie Guerrero (and left Douglas behind) as The Radicalz, a group of outsiders that invaded the WWF en masse.  

19.

The New Blood

When Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff joined forces in WCW, they assembled a group of heels known as The New Blood which quickly captured almost all of the company's gold. Members included Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner, Booker T, Billy Kidman, Vampiro, Mike Awesome, The Natural Born Thrillers, Buff Bagwell and Shane Douglas.

17.

The Ministry of Darkness

Upon turning heel in 1998, The Undertaker adopted a new look, reunited with Paul Bearer and assembled The Ministry Of Darkness, a fearsome faction whose members included Bradshaw, Faarooq, Mideon, Viscera, Edge, Christian and Gangrel.

15.

Aces & Eights

Arguably the most effective faction in Impact Wrestling history, Aces & Eights were formed in 2012 and dominated the promotion and its storylines for almost a year as fans tried to figure who the Sons of Anarchy-style characters really were. Members included Bully Ray, Brother Devon, Mr. Anderson, Knux, Doc Gallows, Garrett Bischoff and Wes Brisco. 

13.

The Nation Of Domination

Formed in 1996 by Faarooq (a/k/a Ron Simmons), The Nation of Domination was a steady force in WWF storylines during The Attitude Era. Members included Savio Vega, Crush, D'Lo Brown, Mark Henry, The Godfather, Owen Hart and The Rock.

11.

The Elite

An spinoff of the aformentioned Bullet Club, The Elite was formed in 2016, traveling to New Japan, Ring of Honor and eventually, helping form All Elite Wrestling. Members have included Cody, The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega and Hangman Adam Page.

9.

The Inner Circle

The very first episode of AEW Dynamite in 2019 concluded with AEW Champion Chris Jericho introducing his associates, who would go on to terrorize the promotion for some time. The Inner Circle includes Sammy Guevara, Jake Hager, Santana and Ortiz.

7.

Evolution

A 2000s version of The Four Horsemen, Triple H created Evolution in 2003 with the purpose of protecting The Game while introducing new stars to WWE. In addition to HHH and Ric Flair, the faction included future World Champions Randy Orton and Batista. At one point, all four men controlled the top championships on the promotion's Raw brand.

5.

The Hart Foundation

To bolster the heel turn of Bret Hart in early 1997, the WWF created The Hart Foundation, a group that included The Hitman's family members Owen Hart, The British Bulldog, Jim Neidhart and family friend Brian Pillman. The group dominated WWF storylines for nearly a year.

3.

D-Generation X

When Shawn Michaels, Triple H and Chyna joined forces in 1997 as D-Generation X, they effectively ushered in what would be known as The Attitude Era. Along with members including Road Dogg, Billy Gunn and X-Pac, DX became known for thumbing their noses at authority.

1.

new World order

The new World order had a massive impact not only on WCW but all of wrestling. Formed by Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, the group expanded over the years (and in different incarnations) to include Randy Savage, The Giant, Konnan, Eric Bischoff, Syxx, Scott Steiner, Lex Luger and dozens of others. 

Learn More About Canadian Bulldog

  • Email
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube