Latino World Order

Infobox Wrestling team
article_name=Latino World Order
type=S


caption= The Members of Latino World Order Showing off the lWo hand sign
members= Members
names= Latino World Order
LWO
debut= 1998
disbanded= 1999
promotions=WCW|

The Latino World Order (abbreviated lWo or LWO) was a professional wrestling stable that existed in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1998 and 1999 led by Eddie Guerrero. The name of the stable was inspired by and intended as a mockery of the famous New World Order (nWo).

Beginnings

The LWO was formed in late 1998 after Eddie Guerrero's spat with WCW head Eric Bischoff, a real-life conflict that was turned into a storyline. Bischoff's refusal to push Latino wrestlers in ways they felt they deserved lead to Eddie's response of forming the Latino World Order, or "LWO" for short.

The group consisted of almost every major Mexican wrestler on the WCW roster including Psychosis, La Parka, Hector Garza, and Juventud Guerrera. Their main feud lied with Rey Mysterio, Jr. and Billy Kidman, his off-and-on American tag team partner. Mysterio, after refusing to join the group many times, was forced to become a member after losing a match to Eddie Guerrero. Chavo Guerrero, Jr. attempted to join several times, but Eddie did not allow him to become a member since Chavo was crazy at the time and carried around a wooden horse named Pepe.

Their colors were green, white, and red, the same colors as the Mexican flag (which was controversial, as it suggests that "Latino" equates to Mexican, when Latin America is a broader and culturally diverse region). The group's first appearance on WCW TV took place on the October 5, 1998 edition of "Nitro" during which Eddie Guerrero interrupted a match between Hector Garza and Damien. Eddie talked about how management, possibly referring to Eric Bischoff, put "them" (Latin wrestlers) against each other all the time and that, instead, they should stick together and form a faction.

The large majority of LWO members, such as El Dandy and Silver King, were low card performers, the LWO storyline provided many of them a greater time in the spotlight. However, perhaps in spite of their low status, the group didn't make a substantial impact as a whole, with the majority of focus placed over the Guerreros and Mysterio. In addition, merchandising of the group never went visibly further than the basic LWO T-shirt, and few, if any, group members wore LWO themed wrestling attire throughout its tenure. Advantage of LWO promotion rarely went further than El Dandy's wristbands, which bore crude LWO lettering obviously written in marker.

The LWO's theme song was Eddie Guerrero's WCW theme song, with Eddie saying the words "La Raza" in the intro. The Latino World Order was the only nWo spin off that didn't feature an acronymic intro in their theme song. This theme was also used for Chavo Guerrero in WWE for a while.

Demise and aftermath

A car accident suffered by Eddie Guerrero on January 1, 1999 would help bring a premature end to the LWO. Three days later, the two factions of the New World Order reunited, and before long, various members of the LWO were found lying unconscious backstage. The nWo approached the Latino World Order and demanded they immediately disband or face further consequences. Every member other than Mysterio agreed, removing their LWO shirts and exiting the ring. Mysterio, who was not originally a willing member of the group, proved himself the most loyal when he refused to remove his LWO colors. The nWo beat him down and forcibly tore off his LWO shirt, leading to a feud between Mysterio and The Outsiders.

The reunited nWo also betrayed their only Hispanic member, Konnan, leading him to side with Mysterio against The Outsiders. As Eddie Guerrero healed and made his in-ring return, key LWO members such as himself, Mysterio, and Juventud Guerrera formed a popular new group with Konnan known as The Filthy Animals.

Members

*Eddie Guerrero
*Silver King
*Juventud Guerrera
*La Parka
*Psychosis
*Héctor Garza
*El Dandy
*Damien
*Ciclope
*Spyder
*Villano V