WWE nearly brought back the nWo during the ThunderDome era in 2020, according to former WWE writer Chris Dunn. The proposed lineup would have featured Sheamus, Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Lars Sullivan.
Dunn revealed the scrapped plan during an appearance on the Public Enemies podcast. He explained that the ThunderDome setting forced creative to pitch unusual ideas because producing television in that environment was challenging.
“So, speaking about dog food ideas, do you guys remember that Thunderdome? Really tough to do TV in there. So, a lot of ideas were thrown against the wall. Um uh, So, it was discussed at one point, bringing back the nWo uh 2020, again. Yeah, new version,” Dunn said.
The Proposed Lineup
When asked who would have been part of the revived faction, Dunn named four superstars. “So, the pitch was Sheamus, Cesaro, Nakamura, and Lars Sullivan, We were really, It was really close to happening,” he stated.
The plan called for a legendary former nWo member to fly to Orlando and introduce the new group on television. However, that person failed COVID testing upon arrival, and WWE scrapped the entire concept before it could air.
“So, I forget which legendary nWo member was supposed to fly to Orlando to introduce this new nWo, but they essentially landed and they didn’t pass the COVID test,” Dunn explained.
Why The Plan Fell Apart
The failed COVID test appears to have killed the idea before it reached television. The timing aligns with the ThunderDome era, when WWE faced strict production limits, travel restrictions, and constant behind-the-scenes changes.
Sheamus, Cesaro, Nakamura, and Sullivan would have represented a very different version of the iconic stable. WWE was attempting to keep programming fresh without live crowds during that period, leading to creative pitches that might not have been considered under normal circumstances.
The nWo revival never happened, but Dunn’s account shows how close WWE came to bringing back one of wrestling’s most legendary factions under unusual circumstances.