The following narrative history has been made possible by the New World Order.
ESPN reporter Marc Raimondi recently announced on X that he's written his first book and it covers one of the most infamous factions in the history of professional wrestling, the New World Order.
The book is slated to look at the rise of the faction in WCW and its eventual influence on American pop culture. It is due to be released on March 25, 2025, almost 29 years after the group's formation.
-- ANNOUNCEMENT --
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) June 12, 2024
Three years ago, an editor from Simon & Schuster emailed me and asked if I wanted to write a book about the nWo. I obviously thought it was some kind of scam. It wasn’t. Once I realized that, there couldn’t have been any answer besides yes. Since then, it has… pic.twitter.com/UjqubVEIu8
Popularizing the idea of cool heels at just the right moment in time to capture the zeitgeist of the 1990s, the New World Order also breathed new life into the careers of Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and every other member of the group and those who dared to oppose them.
Fans can read the full synopsis of the book below:
From ESPN reporter Marc Raimondi comes a compelling, gripping narrative history of professional wrestling’s legendary faction, The NWO (New World Order), from their inception in 1996 to their influence on American pop culture today.
In 1996, professional wrestling was one of the most watched sports on cable television, with more than 5 million people tuning in every week. And in the late 1990s, pro-wrestling was the hottest thing in American pop culture, with companies making millions in action figures, video games, and simple black t-shirts emblazoned with three little letters: NWO.
The NWO, or New World Order, became a business like no other, and was responsible for the explosive ratings and rabid fanbase. It started with an ingenious storyline starring Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and the titular Hollywood Hogan—Hulk Hogan gone bad. Together, they formed a new era of characters to root for: The Bad Guys.
Never before had audiences cheered for the villains, rooting for them over the heroes. The NWO broke down wrestling’s fourth wall in a clever new way, blurring the lines between fiction and reality. And suddenly, watching professional wrestling not only became socially acceptable, but a necessity if you wanted to stay up to date with pop culture. Their impact was infectious and long-lasting. It was entertainment that shaped a generation.
Written by Marc Raimondi, a current ESPN reporter with nearly twenty years of experience in journalism, this narrative history explores professional wrestling’s most popular faction and how their existence influenced American culture like never before.
We will have more information on the release of the book in the coming months.
The New World Order is also a huge part of the "Who Killed WCW?" limited series on the VICE Network. Fans can learn more about that series by checking out the interview that Sean Ross Sapp conducted with one of the creators of the show, Evan Husney.
