The long list of wrestlers to get hired by WCW after working for WWE provided a polarizing reception from fans. Most loved the idea of big names switching companies so quickly in the Monday Night Wars, but WCW began to get criticized for investing too much in former WWE names and little into their homegrown stars.

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The wrestlers to debut for WCW after WWE had both positive and negative stories of things playing out. WCW struggled to showcase the importance of many noteworthy names in their introductory moments. Luckily, there were some impactful debuts that helped change the company’s landscape. Each story showcases the best or worst of former WWE stars joining the competition.

10 Best: Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan's WCW parade

The WCW run of Hulk Hogan started off with a debut unlike any other in wrestling history. There was a small ticker-tape parade for Hogan in Florida where fans and employees attended to celebrate like they won a championship.

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Even if some felt like it was too much, WCW made it clear that things were changing with the biggest name in wrestling joining them. The company didn’t pass WWE until the New World Order formed, but Hogan’s debut helped kickstart the ascension. In his debut match for WCW, Hogan defeated Ric Flair for the World Title in the main event of Bash at the Beach 1994.

9 Worst: Ultimate Warrior

Ultimate Warrior's WCW Debut

The excitement for Ultimate Warrior’s WCW debut quickly wore off when he cut a promo on Hulk Hogan. Fans wanted to see the legendary showdown between Warrior and Hogan pick up on their previous WWE work.

However, the frantic promo from Warrior confused everyone with his riddles and unique talking pattern no longer holding the same appeal without the backstage edits. The debut of Warrior set the stage for his lackluster WCW run.

8 Best: Jake Roberts

Jake Roberts attacks Sting

Jake "The Snake" Roberts leaving WWE for WCW saw him entering a main event program with Sting from the start. In August 1992, the subtle debut of Roberts was perfect to create excitement without putting too much thought into hyping it up.

Roberts came through the crowd to attack Sting during a match as a shocked audience witnessed the new star arriving. The chemistry between Roberts and Sting was strong, but Jake left WCW within a couple of months from his debut. The most notable match between Sting and Roberts happened in the main event of Halloween Havoc '92 in a Coal Miner's Glove match. The Stinger would defeat The Snake on that occasion.

7 Worst: Curt Hennig

Curt Hennig WCW Debut

WCW had its ups and downs with the attempt to use Curt Hennig better than WWE did as Mr. Perfect. Hennig joining WCW did have a bigger feel than his final WWE days, but there was too much confusion involved.

On 6/30/1997, Curt Hennig arrived on Monday Nitro. The first appearance of Hennig featured him joining a huge brawl between members of the New World Order and WCW. This was done to make fans question his alliance before he teamed with Diamond Dallas Page in his first program. Hennig ended up betraying Page, Ric Flair, and WCW for the nWo as the end game.

6 Best: Kevin Nash

Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Eric Bischoff

Kevin Nash spent some time in WCW before his WWE success, but he was a different performer once hitting free agency in 1996. WCW introduced him in a brand new light for the epic debut, joining Scott Hall as The Outsiders.

Hall confronted Eric Bischoff and claimed he was coming with a big backup partner during the start of the hostile takeover. Nash appearing behind Bischoff provided the perfect visual as he cut a great promo, kicking off the early chapters of the New World Order.

5 Worst: Virgil

Virgil in the NWO

The early stages of the New World Order featured each new member joining being of importance. Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall added relevant names like The Giant and Ted DiBiase to start, but things spiraled out of control shortly after.

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Former WWE lower card act Virgil just appeared one week as a bodyguard for the group. DiBiase’s prior WWE relationship with Virgil led to him joining the most powerful faction in an irrelevant fashion. Many fans believed this was the first major negative of the nWo trending downhill.

4 Best: Roddy Piper

Roddy Piper's WCW Debut

WCW finding huge success with Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage led to them going after another former WWE icon from the Golden Era. Roddy Piper debuted at the end of Halloween Havoc 1996 to confront the now heel Hogan and the New World Order.

Fans were used to Piper playing the heel, but he was outstanding in the face role this time. The promo calling out Hogan for ducking him and never beating him led to fans wanting to see them face off. Even though the match quality for their matches did not impress, Piper’s debut sold huge PPV buy rates for the showdown against Hogan.

3 Worst: Randy Savage

Ric Flair vs Randy Savage on Nitro

WCW signing Randy Savage was a huge shock to WWE when Vince McMahon expected him to transition into commentary and retirement from the ring. Savage realized WCW wanted him to continue doing what he loved at a high level.

However, the introduction for Savage wasn’t nearly as good as Hulk Hogan. WCW just had Savage appear in a backstage promo referencing his love/hate relationship with Hogan and intention to become a huge part of the company moving forward. The rest of the run worked out better than the weak debut.

2 Best: Scott Hall

Scott Hall WCW Debut

The first domino to fall in the formation of the New World Order was the appearance of Scott Hall during a lower card match. Fans were reacting to Hall walking through the crowd until cameras caught him entering the ring.

The match stopped as Hall cut a promo declaring the takeover was coming to WCW with implications he still worked for WWE. Hall did a flawless job setting the interest up for the nWo faction to unfold with Kevin Nash and Hulk Hogan eventually joining him.

Hall spent some time in WCW during 1989 and then during the very early '90s as The Diamond Studd, but he found his greatest success in WCW following his departure from WWE. Hall was rebooted as a WWE invader sent to bring down WCW and he changed the wrestling business in the process.

1 Worst: Bret Hart

Bret Hart's WCW Debut

The WCW run of Bret Hart is still criticized today for how poorly the company used a legend. Hart joined WCW right after his hot run leading The Hart Foundation and the controversial departure following The Montreal Screwjob.

WCW first debuted Bret in a promo on Nitro about his role in officiating the Eric Bischoff vs Larry Zbyszko match at Starrcade 1997. The horrible use of such a major name just grew worse on the show when Hart also officiated the Hulk Hogan vs Sting debacle.

NEXT: 10 Moments You Forgot Happened On WCW Nitro