Top 5 memories from the Attitude Era!

Weathering the angry gazes from the elders in the family, to waking up at odd hours to check out specials, WWE or WWF as I more fondly remember it, was a pretty awesome part of my growing up years. I am not a huge fan of violence or even action for that matter. I do not mind it, but I would never go out of my way to watch an action movie, even on television. Not even if it starred Jackie Chan.

But surprisingly, I sincerely followed every story line across RAW and Smackdown for lord knows how many years. WWE is not the same anymore. There are too many unnecessary story arcs, too much unrequited drama and very little quality wrestling. Most of my anti-wrestling friends’ premise for discounting WWE was that, “it is all fake”. Could be. Maybe the match outcomes are pre-decided and sometimes it is very obvious even to the most loyal fan. But, the proceedings and the matches used to be so darn good, that unless one applied a critical lens, these things did not even matter. It was pure entertainment.

Listed below are my top 5 favorite memories from watching WWE when I was a kid :

1. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Vince Mcmahon

In my humble opinion, every rivalry pales in comparison to the epic tussle between Austin and Vince Mcmahon. This was one of the most defining events of the Attitude era in WWF. Austin was gaining tremendous popularity post his win at King of the Ring in 1996. Also, his persona of a beer-drinking, no-nonsense, bird flipping character was a refreshing change in the milieu of other wrestlers at that time. He challenged authority and in a way that appealed to the fans. From literally ‘stunning’ Mcmahon, his boss, to pouring cement over his car and teasing and taunting him; Austin’s blatant disregard for rules and attitude was not only earning him fans but also helping WWF regain lost ground over WCW. I think this story line was so popular because not only did it bring in ‘entertainment’ into a wrestling show, it also resonated well with people because lets be honest, who really likes their boss!

2. D-X (D Generation X)

From the super cool iconic entrance theme to outlandish skits to creating perhaps the most popular catchphrase in WWE history, D-X is probably the most controversial and yet one of the most loved groups ever. Comprising of Shawn Michaels, HHH, Chyna, X-Pac, Road Dogg etc., the group never shied away from pushing the envelope and being provocative. They were the quintessential rebels- challenging, interrupting, cheating,bending the rules. What made them credible though was that they knew how to wrestle. Be it the legendary hall of famer Shawn Michaels or ‘the ninth wonder of the world’ Chyna, D-X stuck together for most part, helping out fellow members in their matches. You could always trust on D-X to pull a rabbit out of the bag in the most unconventional and hilarious ways. They were entertaining, yes. They were creative, yes. They were cool, yes. They are missed, hell yes!

3. The rise of ‘The Rock‘

“If you smell, what the Rock is cooking”, you will agree that he was the most electrifying superstar on WWE. He was successful in creating a character that has endured the test of time. Some of his catchphrases such as ‘Finally…the Rock has come back.” and “Just bring it” are still very popular and spawned several spoofs and resulted in tremendous merchandise sale for WWE.

4. The era of brilliant tag teams – Hardy Boyz, Dudley Boyz, Edge & Christian

In terms of skill,talent and sheer dare-devilry, no one comes close to these tag teams. Jumping off ladders and putting bodies through tables was second nature to these teams. Their matches were long and demanding, but the determination and ability to put in that extra jump or stand up from a table crash made them the darling of the crowds.

5. The aura of ‘The Undertaker‘

There is perhaps no wrestler who inspires collective respect, awe and fear as much as the Undertaker does. Even people who do not follow the sport, can recall his name. From being the ‘Dead Man Walking’ to the cool biker dude, Undertaker has been an iconic figure in WWE, a legend. Be it his remarkable Wrestlemania record (a 20-0 win loss record) or his rivalries with Yokozuna to HHH to Shawn Michaels; his longevity and consistency have helped him achieve 4 WWE championships and 3 Heavyweight belts. Records aside, I cannot think of a more popular move than the ‘choke-slam’, or convey the sheer excitement in seeing Undertaker’s ability to deliver it against the heaviest of people. The list of iconic matches hes been a part of : Hell in a Cell, Inferno match against Kane, ending Shawn Michaels career, buried alive matches is a testimony to his greatness.

The below mentioned things did not make it to the list because in terms of impact and relevance, they placed lesser. Also, this list is a personal preference and hence, the things that made an instant connection and had a higher recall value, made it to the top 5.

The Mcmahon family drama

The Mcmahon family – Vince, Shane, Stephanie and Linda, pride on being a dysfunctional family. The viewers did not mind one bit. From turning against each other to actually wrestling one another, not only did this arc provide comic relief, it also divided the locker room into loyalties and camps that brought in new dynamic to the organization. Be it a slap fight between the mother and daughter or a wrestlemania fight between the father and son, the stakes were always high and the results always entertaining.

WWE Divas (who knew how to wrestle)

Believe it or not, there used to be a time when the women on WWE were more than just eye candy. They knew how to fight and their matches were entertaining. Think of Chyna who became the first woman to win the Intercontinental championship or Lita, who went toe to toe with the Hardy Boyz when it came to wrestling. People still remember Trish Stratus and Torrie Wilson. Can you recall the names of any of the new female wrestlers?

Kane (from Undertaker’s masked brother to Lita’s husband!)

The evolution of Kane on the show is a very interesting case study. From being introduced as a masked beast and Undertaker’s half-brother to getting his mask removed and becoming involved in a ridiculous albeit entertaining romantic track with Lita, Kane is one of the better superstars on the show. As part of ‘Brothers of destruction’ and a tag team champion, he is one of those few superstars who has managed to change roles and story lines with ease and success.