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Factions are an integral part of a pro-wrestling program, and have been a thing for several decades now. A string of iconic storylines and feuds have been built up around factions in WWE as well as other major wrestling promotions.
Stables such as The Four Horsemen, Evolution, nWo, D-Generation X, and The Shield have not only given us some of the greatest moments in the history of sports entertainment, but have also helped create in-ring legends who would be forever remembered as some of the absolute best.
In many cases, factions consist of female Superstars who are either wrestlers themselves, or take on a managerial role for the members of the faction. In a handful of instances, we have witnessed real-life couples being a part of the same faction on WWE TV at some point in their careers. Let's take a look at five such instances.
#5 Nikki Cross and Killian Dain (SAnitY)
SAnitY was formed in late 2016, and consisted of Eric Young, Nikki Cross, Alexander Wolfe, and Sawyer Fulton. An injury led to Fulton being replaced by Killian Dain a few weeks later. The faction wreaked havoc on the NXT brand for around two years, and the WWE Universe couldn't wait to see how they would be used on RAW/SmackDown upon getting called up.
Soon after WrestleMania 34, SAnitY made its debut on WWE SmackDown and defeated The New Day in a 6-Man Tag Team match at Extreme Rules. Cross, however, didn't join the stable and was still in NXT at the time.
She made her debut on SmackDown a few months later, challenging Becky Lynch in the process. Cross has been doing well for herself ever since her call up, and is currently working on SmackDown. She married Dain in early 2019. Last year, Eric Young was drafted to WWE RAW during the Superstar Shakeup, thus disbanding SAnitY.
#4 Natalya and Tyson Kidd (The Hart Dynasty)
Soon after WWE formed its developmental territory named Florida Championship Wrestling in 2007, Natalya, Tyson Kidd, and David Hart Smith were moved to the promotion and the trio created "The New Hart Foundation". Kidd and Smith won the FCW Florida Tag Team titles with Natalya's help by defeating Curtis Axel and Heath Slater. The stable had a short-lived stint in ECW as well, before making their way to WWE SmackDown in mid-2009.
The Hart Dynasty competed in a 14-team Tag Team match in their first PPV outing at WWE Bragging Rights 2009, and picked up the win. Soon after WrestleMania 26, The Hart Dynasty defeated Big Show and The Miz to win the Unified Tag Team titles. The stable disbanded later that year, after Tyson Kidd turned on Smith during a match against The Nexus.
Throughout their stint, Natalya acted as the duo's manager in addition to playing a major role in WWE's Women's division. She has known Tyson Kidd ever since she was a 12-year-old. The duo got married in June 2013, after dating for more than a decade.
#3 Melina and John Morrison (MNM)
WWE created MNM while Melina, John Morrison, and Joey Mercury were in Ohio Valley Wrestling. With Melina as their manager, Morrison and Mercury had a two-month stint with the OVW Southern Tag Team titles. Success came immediately for the faction on the main roster.
They were called up soon after WrestleMania 21, and won the Tag Team titles in their first outing, against Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero. The pair won the Tag Team titles on three occasions during their run as a team.
At WWE Judgment Day 2006, MNM lost the Tag Team titles to Paul London and Brian Kendrick, minutes after which Mercury and Morrison kicked off a brawl, thus marking the group's end. Melina and Morrison were soon moved to WWE RAW, while Mercury was sent back to OVW for a wellness policy violation.
Melina went on to become a mainstay in the Women's division and won the Women's title on three occasions. She was in an off-screen relationship with Morrison since 2003, with the duo calling it quits in 2015.
#2 Queen Sharmell and King Booker (King Booker's Court)
Booker T and his wife Sharmell were together on the WWE SmackDown brand for a while, and the duo turned heel during this run. At Judgment Day 2006, Booker T defeated Bobby Lashley in the finals of the King of the Ring tournament. Soon after, Booker T had a coronation ceremony, where he was given the moniker of King Booker, while Sharmell was anointed as his queen.
The group also consisted of Finlay and William Regal. Soon after the faction was formed, King Booker became the #1 contender for Rey Mysterio's World title. He defeated Mysterio for the belt at The Great American Bash 2006, after Chavo Guerrero turned on Mysterio and attacked him.
Booker went on to hold the title for months on end, with Finlay and Regal aiding him in non-title as well as championship matches on numerous occasions. He finally lost the title to Batista at WWE Survivor Series 2006. Around this time, Regal and Finlay both turned on Booker on separate occasions, thus disbanding the group.
Finlay went on to team up with Booker in several matches following the end of the faction. In the end, Booker and Sharmell were the only ones left in the stable. They were released by WWE in late 2007.
#1 Stephanie McMahon and Triple H (The McMahon-Helmsley Faction)
The McMahon-Helmsley stable was the biggest band of heels that dominated WWE during the early 2000s. Their stint on the main roster is also dubbed as The McMahon-Helmsley Era. It consisted of D-Generation X (Triple H, X-Pac, The New Age Outlaws, and Tori), The McMahon family (minus Linda), Pat Patterson, and Gerald Brisco.
In late 1999, Triple H defeated Vince McMahon at Armageddon, with Stephanie turning on her father. On the next night, Triple H announced the arrival of the McMahon-Helmsley Era.
The faction targeted a string of babyfaces in WWE over the next several months, most notably The Rock, Chris Jericho, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and The Undertaker. The biggest victory for Triple H during this run came against The Rock, Mick Foley, and Big Show, in the main event of WrestleMania 16.
By the end of 2000, the faction slowly disbanded with Road Dogg's WWE exit, X-Pac's injury, and Billy Gunn's babyface turn. Triple H and Stephanie had an on-screen fallout on the road to WrestleMania 18, which led to a storyline divorce. The couple married in late 2003.
