5 other 'PG vs. New Era' feuds other than Roman Reigns vs. John Cena we need to see

Face to face at last.
Face to face at last

With Roman Reigns and John Cena finally meeting on RAW over the past couple of weeks, it seems as though WWE's 'New Era' has finally come face to face with the PG Era. For years, fans of the company have been complaining that the move to TV PG has ruined the product overall with an overreliance on merchandise sales and performers like Cena and Orton who are loved by children.

When Triple H announced that the New Era was finally here, many of us rejoiced. Not only were new stars going to get time in the spotlight, but the main event scene would finally be receiving a much-needed shake-up. The WWE has embraced former indie stars and given opportunities to smaller, more athletic wrestlers and the in-ring action has certainly seen an improvement as a result.

Now that a changing of the guard is taking place at the very top of the roster, let's look at 5 other New Era vs PG Era feuds that we also need to see:


#1 Batista vs. Braun Strowman

Strowman's next victim?
Strowman's next victim?

Braun Strowman has officially become the WWE's resident 'monster' with several high-intensity feuds against Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar under his belt. After separating from the Wyatts, he was pushed as an unstoppable beast destroying jobber after jobber in squash matches before moving on to more believable opponents.

Because of the way he is being booked at the moment, the WWE have loved putting him in situations where he can stare down other larger than life athletes like the Big Show and Undertaker. Moments like this always elicit a response from the audience, usually to the positive.

If Braun Strowman gets past Brock Lesnar and becomes the Universal Champion, perhaps his next worthy opponent could come in the form of The Animal, Batista. Batista was part of that so-called 'fortunate four' which emerged from Wrestlemania 21 as the WWE's next cohort of top stars along with Cena, Edge and Orton. Therefore, a victory over him would prove highly substantial for the Monster Amongst Men.

The former MMA star is no longer with the company, of course, so this is moving into the realms of a 'dream match', but if he did ever come back, Strowman would certainly be happy to give him a nice big welcome.

#2 Shelton Benjamin vs. Neville

A challenger for the king?
A challenger for the king?

Fans across the WWE Universe are delighted to see the return of Shelton Benjamin. For years, he was the Ruthless Aggression/PG era's answer to Daniel Bryan, an underused but highly talented athlete that the company's management never really believed in. Whether or not he will enjoy the kind of success we think he deserves in 2017 is so far unknown, but never say never.

One of the many reasons why Benjamin was so popular was his in-ring style. He makes high-flying wrestling look like child's play and along with Jeff Hardy and others, gives off this impression that he will sacrifice his health for the good of the business, which is a very endearing quality for a superstar to have.

As soon as Shelton came back to the WWE, fans began thinking about matches they would place him in. He has been away for a good few years now, so a lot of the faces around the locker room will be new to him.

One man that would certainly be able to put on a highlight reel of a match with the former IC and US champion would be Neville. For the past few years now the King of the Cruiserweights has been defying expectations by first becoming a strong NXT Champion, and later the face of the Cruiserweight division on RAW.

Many believe Neville's talents are wasted as he doesn't have a lot of worthy competition, but if the WWE somehow managed to get the high-flying Brit on the same platform as Benjamin, the crowd would easily lap it up. If these two ever do meet in the squared circle, be sure to get those cameras and video recorders charged to capacity.

#3 Beth Pheonix vs. Asuka

Empress vs. The Glamazon.
Empress vs. The Glamazon.

The women's revolution has been a tremendous success for WWE's new era. While a lot of the male performers have failed to live up to expectations, the women have been making history, despite a lot of questionable booking surrounding them.

Back in the day, fans of female wrestling only had a small handful of competitors to get behind. One of those names during the PG era was Beth Phoenix.

Due to her physique and in-ring style, she always stood out above the rest and would often go on lengthy paths of destruction. The McMahon family might have tried their best to belittle her character at times, but generally speaking, she was the most believable women's wrestler for a good many years.

Beth has been away from the company for quite some time, but after being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame last year, the door seems to still be open for a return. Obviously, the playing field has changed quite dramatically, but fans would more than accept Beth if she were to jump on the women's revolution bandwagon.

While there are many names on the main roster that would give her a good match, one of the most impressive females in recent years has been NXT's Asuka. Hers is one of the most anticipated main roster debuts in years and everyone is wondering how she is going to be booked on RAW or Smackdown when she returns from injury.

Surely Asuka vs. Beth Phoenix would be a Wrestlemania worthy affair, with 2017's most dominant female going toe to toe with the PG era's Glamazon.

#4 Paige vs. Nikki Cross

Will Nikki be waiting?
Will Nikki be waiting?

Putting current era superstars against wrestlers from the past isn't always about making huge amounts of money. Sometimes the experience that comes with age is highly beneficial to newer talent still trying to make a name for themselves.

With the absence of Asuka, the NXT women's division is going to need a little bit of help. There is certainly a lot of promise with women such as Petyon Royce, Ember Moon and Ruby Riot, but one competitor in particular who has impressed the viewing audience recently is Sanity's Nikki Cross.

Not only is she good in the ring, but she has an onscreen personality that would work on many different levels. It is almost as if her promotion to the main roster will allow her to spread her wings a little and really show everyone what her character can do. When that time finally does come, she may need a respected PG Era superstar to compete with.

Paige may have come at the backend of the PG Era, but considering the amount of time she has been away, it feels like her involvement in ushering in the New Era has been fairly minimal. There is going to be a lot of controversy and speculation when/if she does return to the WWE so she will need a big time feud to allow her to settle back in.

Nikki Cross could provide that for her. Her semi-psychotic demeanour and approach to life would complement well with Paige's wayward recent personal affairs. Cross could help Paige transition into a sympathetic babyface by bullying and tormenting the Anti-Diva. And even if the backstage segments don't live up to much, the in-ring action would be worth a watch in itself.

#5 Randy Orton vs. Bobby Roode

A glorious prospect.
A glorious prospect.

After his surprise debut on Smackdown Live a few weeks ago, WWE fans are beginning to realise why Bobby Roode has been such a big name over on TNA and other promotions over the years. Even at the height of WWE's long period dominance following the fall of WCW, Roode has been one of those rare names that became famous without Vince McMahon's help.

Now that he finds himself on Smackdown Live, Roode could do with a big name opponent in order to cement his position on the grand stage. One name that could fit the bill would be Randy Orton.

In a way, the two men have mirrored each other over the years, becoming one of the biggest names of their respective promotions and moving back and forth between babyface and heel. At times they have played second fiddle to bigger superstars across the locker room from them, but fans have always stayed pretty loyal and appreciated the work they do inside the ropes.

Of all the concepts on this list, Roode vs. Orton is the most likely as both men represent the same brand. This could even be a Wrestlemania WWE Championship match in a few months time. Apart from the advanced wrestling abilities of the pair, the two men would also put on a great show, pandering to the audience with different poses and facial expressions.

There would certainly be a lot of personality involved in this one, so let's hope Shane and Daniel Bryan make it a reality sooner rather than later.


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