NWA (wrestling stable)
Encyclopedia
The NWA was a professional wrestling
stable that competed in the World Wrestling Federation
in 1998 and was led by Jim Cornette
.
brought NWA
promoters/officials Howard Brody and Dennis Coralluzzo to RAW Is WAR and made a match between Jeff Jarrett
and Barry Windham
with the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship
. Jarrett would defeat Windham to win the title after Cornette interfered. On January 12, 1998, The Rock n' Roll Express debuted and joined Cornette and Jarrett. The Rock n' Roll Express were awarded the NWA World Tag Team Championship
and would successfully defend the titles from the Disciples of Apocalypse
by losing by disqualification on the January 12 RAW. At The 1998 Royal Rumble
, Jarrett entered the Royal Rumble at #18 but was eliminated a minute later by Owen Hart
. The following night on the January 19 RAW, Jarrett would successfully defend the North American Title against Blackjack Bradshaw
, after the match, Blackjack Windham
turned on Bradshaw and joined the NWA.
By February 1998, Jarrett and Windham began to feud with Bradshaw while The Rock n' Roll Express began to feud with The Headbangers
. At No Way Out of Texas: In Your House
, Bradshaw defeated Jarrett by disqualification. Two days later on February 17, The Rock n' Roll Express lost the NWA World Tag Team Championship to the Headbangers. In March, the NWA lineup changed as Jarrett left the group on March 2 and reverted back to his Double J persona and vacated the North American Title. On March 17, 1998, after the Rock n' Roll Express failed to win the NWA Tag Titles from the Headbangers, they were kicked out of the stable after Cornette's new team: The New Midnight Express (Bombastic Bob and Bodacious Bart) attacked them. At Wrestlemania XIV
, The New Midnight Express appeared at the 15 team battle royal and finished as the runner ups. Barry Windham also appeared during the match and eliminated Bradshaw's partner: Chainz
,thus costing Bradshaw the match. The following night on the March 30 RAW Is WAR, The New Midnight Express defeated the Headbangers to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship
. After the match, NWA World Heavyweight Champion
: Dan Severn
debuted and joined the NWA by attacking the Headbangers.
After winning the titles, The New Midnight Express would feud with the Rock n' Roll Express over the titles throughout April with the Midnights coming out on top in ever encounter, most notably at Unforgiven: In Your House
. By May, the group began to shrink as Barry Windham left the WWF for WCW
and Severn went on his own in the WWF. The NWA's last hurrah occurred at the 1998 King of the Ring where they challenged The New Age Outlaws for the WWF World Tag Team Championship but lost. On August 14, 1998, The New Midnight Express lost the NWA World Tag Team Championship to the Border Patrol at an NWA event. After the title loss, The NWA wrestling stable broke up.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
stable that competed in the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
in 1998 and was led by Jim Cornette
Jim Cornette
James Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling...
.
History
On December 30, 1997 (shown January 5, 1998), Jim CornetteJim Cornette
James Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling...
brought NWA
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
promoters/officials Howard Brody and Dennis Coralluzzo to RAW Is WAR and made a match between Jeff Jarrett
Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
and Barry Windham
Barry Windham
Barry Clinton Windham is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and the son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan. He is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling ....
with the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship
NWA North American Heavyweight Championship
The NWA North American Heavyweight Championship is the second most prestigious title in the National Wrestling Alliance that was created in 1994 after World Championship Wrestling withdrew from the NWA. There were other versions of this title before this one was created...
. Jarrett would defeat Windham to win the title after Cornette interfered. On January 12, 1998, The Rock n' Roll Express debuted and joined Cornette and Jarrett. The Rock n' Roll Express were awarded the NWA World Tag Team Championship
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
and would successfully defend the titles from the Disciples of Apocalypse
Disciples of Apocalypse
The Disciples of Apocalypse were a biker-themed professional wrestling stable in the World Wrestling Federation in the late 1990s. The group came together from the demise of the Nation of Domination stable in June 1997 and consisted of four main members: Crush, Chainz, Skull and...
by losing by disqualification on the January 12 RAW. At The 1998 Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble (1998)
Royal Rumble was the eleventh annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on January 18, 1998 at the San Jose Arena in San Jose, California....
, Jarrett entered the Royal Rumble at #18 but was eliminated a minute later by Owen Hart
Owen Hart
Owen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation , where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The...
. The following night on the January 19 RAW, Jarrett would successfully defend the North American Title against Blackjack Bradshaw
John Layfield
John Charles Layfield is a former American professional wrestler, a former commentator/host for mixed martial arts promotion Vyper Fight League and financial analyst for Fox News...
, after the match, Blackjack Windham
Barry Windham
Barry Clinton Windham is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and the son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan. He is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling ....
turned on Bradshaw and joined the NWA.
By February 1998, Jarrett and Windham began to feud with Bradshaw while The Rock n' Roll Express began to feud with The Headbangers
The Headbangers
The Headbangers is a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Mosh and Thrasher, best known for their work in the World Wrestling Federation...
. At No Way Out of Texas: In Your House
No Way Out of Texas: In Your House
No Way Out was the twentieth pay-per-view event under the In Your House name produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on February 15, 1998 at the Compaq Center in Houston, Texas...
, Bradshaw defeated Jarrett by disqualification. Two days later on February 17, The Rock n' Roll Express lost the NWA World Tag Team Championship to the Headbangers. In March, the NWA lineup changed as Jarrett left the group on March 2 and reverted back to his Double J persona and vacated the North American Title. On March 17, 1998, after the Rock n' Roll Express failed to win the NWA Tag Titles from the Headbangers, they were kicked out of the stable after Cornette's new team: The New Midnight Express (Bombastic Bob and Bodacious Bart) attacked them. At Wrestlemania XIV
WrestleMania XIV
WrestleMania XIV was the fourteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , which took place on March 29, 1998 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts....
, The New Midnight Express appeared at the 15 team battle royal and finished as the runner ups. Barry Windham also appeared during the match and eliminated Bradshaw's partner: Chainz
Brian Lee
Brian Lee Harris is a retired American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Prime Time" Brian Lee...
,thus costing Bradshaw the match. The following night on the March 30 RAW Is WAR, The New Midnight Express defeated the Headbangers to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
. After the match, NWA World Heavyweight Champion
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
: Dan Severn
Dan Severn
Daniel DeWayne Severn is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable for his success in the early years of Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments. Severn has fought and wrestled for many mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions, including King of the...
debuted and joined the NWA by attacking the Headbangers.
After winning the titles, The New Midnight Express would feud with the Rock n' Roll Express over the titles throughout April with the Midnights coming out on top in ever encounter, most notably at Unforgiven: In Your House
Unforgiven: In Your House
Unforgiven: In Your House was the 21st pay-per-view under the In Your House name from the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on April 26, 1998 at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina...
. By May, the group began to shrink as Barry Windham left the WWF for WCW
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
and Severn went on his own in the WWF. The NWA's last hurrah occurred at the 1998 King of the Ring where they challenged The New Age Outlaws for the WWF World Tag Team Championship but lost. On August 14, 1998, The New Midnight Express lost the NWA World Tag Team Championship to the Border Patrol at an NWA event. After the title loss, The NWA wrestling stable broke up.
Championships and accomplishments
- World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- NWA North American Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA North American Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA North American Heavyweight Championship is the second most prestigious title in the National Wrestling Alliance that was created in 1994 after World Championship Wrestling withdrew from the NWA. There were other versions of this title before this one was created...
(1 TimeNWA North American Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA North American Heavyweight Championship is the second most prestigious title in the National Wrestling Alliance that was created in 1994 after World Championship Wrestling withdrew from the NWA. There were other versions of this title before this one was created...
) - Jeff Jarrett - NWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
(1 Time) - Dan Severn - NWA World Tag Team ChampionshipNWA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
(2 Times) - The Rock n' Roll Express (1) and The New Midnight Express (1)
- NWA North American Heavyweight Championship