5 storylines that prove the PG Era is not the problem for WWE

WWE is not exactly in the best shape right now, from a purely creative standpoint, and fans have been calling for the end of the PG Era. Nostalgia has a pretty hefty value in wrestling, with lots of things being looked back fondly upon. There are many reasons why the product may or may not work, with one of the biggest concerns being creative freedom for the performers.

Back in the day, wrestlers had the ability to make their segments their own. That is what fans actually miss the most. It is the art of storytelling that stimulates wrestling and creates interest for the product, not the adult-only content.

However, that level of storytelling is not confined to the "good old days". Ever since WWE went PG, there have been numerous incredible storylines that kept crowds engaged for its entirety.

A big honourable mention must go out to NXT, which has remained extremely compelling throughout the past five years. While there are major differences between NXT and the main roster, the PG Era is not the problem. There are other barriers that may need to be examined, but a change to TV-14 is not the necessity that fans claim it is.

Here are five storylines that prove the PG Era is not the issue for WWE's recent creative blunders.

#5 The slow burn between Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens (2016-17)

The start of the second brand split in 2016 saw a rebirth of sorts, especially on Smackdown. Raw was decent enough as well, with the most compelling angle being the partnership between Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens.

When they got together for SummerSlam, nobody expected them to last longer than a month or two before somebody turned or the team fizzled out. However, the pair became the most entertaining act on the Red brand throughout Owens' Universal Championship reign. The break-up was teased many times, but WWE did not pull the trigger for months.

This left fans highly invested in the story. Jericho created the List, which became a staple throughout late 2016 and early 2017. Owens finally turned on his best friend when we least expected, at the perfectly executed Festival of Friendship.

It was one of the most heartbreaking moments in WWE that year. The payoff and follow-up were not perfect, but pretty much everything until WrestleMania 33 was. Other than Goldberg beating Owens in 20 seconds.

#4 The Summer of Punk (2011)

The WWE product in mid-2011 needed a real face-lift. That lift came in the form of the Voice of the Voiceless. After becoming the number one contender to John Cena's WWE Championship, he cut a promo stating that his contract was expiring on the night of Money in the Bank and that he would be leaving with the WWE Championship. This built up a lot of interest in the main event scene and the following week would blow it all up.

Punk cut a scathing pipe bomb promo, one which was not scripted in any way. The buzz after that was through the roof and Punk had a barrage of momentum coming his way. He beat Cena in his hometown of Chicago and left with the title, in a fantastic match.

Punk returned shortly after, but continued to cut savage promos on WWE management. He was red hot and while WWE failed to capitalize on it beyond SummerSlam, it was momentous few weeks for Punk. He would become champion for a year, but he was at his hottest during the summer of 2011.

#3 The rise of the Man (2018-19)

Following the theme of not such a great follow-up is Becky Lynch's journey. However, her run until Royal Rumble, and WrestleMania to a lesser extent was sublime. Becky turned into a stone-cold loose cannon, doing and saying what she wants. Her feud with Charlotte Flair was excellent, the best of 2018, despite its epic length. After a show-stealing victory over the Queen at Evolution, Becky went into a program with Ronda Rousey at Survivor Series.

Her promos were consistently the best in the company and she was treated like the biggest star there, especially on the night she led Smackdown's invasion of Raw. Becky won the 2019 Women's Royal Rumble, and even though the story became really convoluted on the road to WrestleMania, her main event victory will remain one of the biggest in WrestleMania history.

Unfortunately, the Man's momentum suffered a slight hit as she has been saddled with a three-month-long program with relative newcomer, Lacey Evans.

#2 Streak vs Career (2010)

These two legends have seen it all, from the golden attitude of the '90s and the ruthless aggression of the 00s. The beginning of this current decade saw one of the greatest WrestleMania stories ever.

Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker put on an absolute classic at WrestleMania 25, with HBK falling just short. He wanted a rematch at the following year's Show of Shows, but the then-World Heavyweight Champion kept on saying no. This led to an absolutely classic tale of desparation from the greatest pro wrestling storyteller of all time.

Shawn Michaels failed to win the Royal Rumble and went into a downward spiral. He would eventually cost Undertaker his world title at Elimination Chamber, forcing the Deadman to accept his challenge, as long as Michaels put his career on the line. The two had another excellent match, with the Heart Break Kid ending his wrestling career in the best way possible. (Crown Jewel doesn't count, okay?)

#1 KofiMania (2019)

One of the best WWE title victories in recent 'Mania history

The most recent example of how good WWE can be even in the PG Era is the remarkable rise of Kofi Kingston. The supposedly perennial mid-carder found his way into the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber, following an injury to Mustafa Ali, and he made the most of this opportunity.

The fans were so into the idea of the New Day member becoming WWE Champion after eleven years and it became a movement, somewhat similar to Daniel Bryan's journey towards WrestleMania 30, another great PG Era story.

Now the heel, Bryan played his part magnificently and even called Kofi a B-plus player. After jumping through numerous hoops set up by Vince McMahon, Kofi finally got a one-on-one shot at this year's WrestleMania.

This was the best-told story in the lead up to the show, even more than the aforementioned women's main event. Kofi vs Bryan happened right at the middle of the show and the entire presentation of the segment, from video package to post-match celebration, was excellent.

It was one of the greatest WrestleMania moments of all time and possibly a top-five moment for the entirety of the PG Era. Hopefully, WWE can return to the peak of their creativity and storytelling abilities soon.