Post by Arthur Speaks on Sept 7, 2012 21:44:50 GMT -5
The first time around, I asked who the greatest superstar of all-time was and was pleased by the feedback. Now, I'm asking which was the greatest wrestling era of all-time. There are five of them, and I will do an overview of each one:
Golden Era (1984-1992)
Vince McMahon saw his vision of a national wrestling company come to life with the WWF. The centerpiece of it all was Hulk Hogan. His larger-than-life, pro-American personality and charisma made him the biggest draw in pro wrestling to this day. Due to Hogan, wrestling became mainstream for the first time and EVERYBODY talked about it. Crossover promotion was also done well with the situation between Captain Lou Albano and pop superstar Cyndi Lauper. This is also when the WWF introduced their signature event known as WrestleMania in 1985. The last event from this era, presumably, was WrestleMania VIII seven years later.
New Generation (1993-1997)
After the steroid scandal involving Hogan in 1992-93, wrestling received a black eye. Not only did the company receive a ton of bad publicity and pay was being cut, ratings and attendance plummeted. WCW, the WWF's chief rival, even snatched up several WWF talent. The company began to rebuild with younger wrestlers who otherwise would've been forgotten and made them main-eventers. They included Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Diesel, and Razor Ramon.
Attitude Era (1998-2001)
Arguably the most significant era in the company's history. Around late 1997, the WWF began pushing the envelope and shifted from family-friendly programming to more edgy and risque content. What Hogan was to the Golden Era, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was to the Attitude Era. His beer-drinking, no-nonsense, uncensored nature made him an overnight success and he was officially crowned as the company's top guy in 1998 when he beat Shawn Michaels to become the new WWF Champion at WrestleMania XIV. This era broke all the rules, held nothing back, and endeared itself to several wrestling fans. Such stars included Austin, The Rock, Mankind, Undertaker, and later, Triple H. This era officially ended at WrestleMania X-Seven in 2001.
Ruthless Aggression (2002-2007)
A mix of edgy content and great wrestling, this might be the most underrated of the five eras. Many people see this as "Attitude Era Light." The WWF changed its name to WWE after a settled lawsuit and was going through a rebuilding period. The era not only gave birth to some of the best wrestling in years (like the SmackDown! Six) it made stars out of John Cena, Batista, and Randy Orton. Ruthless Aggression definitely was a progressive period in wrestling.
PG Era (2008-Present)
Around early 2008, WWE was beginning to move away from hardcore, risque mentalities and once again shift to family entertainment. Several longtime fans were swifted away by UFC and other promotions. This era has been under controversy for its image, but it appears WWE has been raising its profile considerably over the years. More celebrities have become involved, the product has become HD (high-definition) and the WWE are now kings of social media. Today, the company is led by Cena, CM Punk, Sheamus, and Orton.
So, what's your favorite era? Share it with me. I'm an Attitude Era guy, but there's nothing wrong with Ruthless Aggression.
Golden Era (1984-1992)
Vince McMahon saw his vision of a national wrestling company come to life with the WWF. The centerpiece of it all was Hulk Hogan. His larger-than-life, pro-American personality and charisma made him the biggest draw in pro wrestling to this day. Due to Hogan, wrestling became mainstream for the first time and EVERYBODY talked about it. Crossover promotion was also done well with the situation between Captain Lou Albano and pop superstar Cyndi Lauper. This is also when the WWF introduced their signature event known as WrestleMania in 1985. The last event from this era, presumably, was WrestleMania VIII seven years later.
New Generation (1993-1997)
After the steroid scandal involving Hogan in 1992-93, wrestling received a black eye. Not only did the company receive a ton of bad publicity and pay was being cut, ratings and attendance plummeted. WCW, the WWF's chief rival, even snatched up several WWF talent. The company began to rebuild with younger wrestlers who otherwise would've been forgotten and made them main-eventers. They included Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Diesel, and Razor Ramon.
Attitude Era (1998-2001)
Arguably the most significant era in the company's history. Around late 1997, the WWF began pushing the envelope and shifted from family-friendly programming to more edgy and risque content. What Hogan was to the Golden Era, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was to the Attitude Era. His beer-drinking, no-nonsense, uncensored nature made him an overnight success and he was officially crowned as the company's top guy in 1998 when he beat Shawn Michaels to become the new WWF Champion at WrestleMania XIV. This era broke all the rules, held nothing back, and endeared itself to several wrestling fans. Such stars included Austin, The Rock, Mankind, Undertaker, and later, Triple H. This era officially ended at WrestleMania X-Seven in 2001.
Ruthless Aggression (2002-2007)
A mix of edgy content and great wrestling, this might be the most underrated of the five eras. Many people see this as "Attitude Era Light." The WWF changed its name to WWE after a settled lawsuit and was going through a rebuilding period. The era not only gave birth to some of the best wrestling in years (like the SmackDown! Six) it made stars out of John Cena, Batista, and Randy Orton. Ruthless Aggression definitely was a progressive period in wrestling.
PG Era (2008-Present)
Around early 2008, WWE was beginning to move away from hardcore, risque mentalities and once again shift to family entertainment. Several longtime fans were swifted away by UFC and other promotions. This era has been under controversy for its image, but it appears WWE has been raising its profile considerably over the years. More celebrities have become involved, the product has become HD (high-definition) and the WWE are now kings of social media. Today, the company is led by Cena, CM Punk, Sheamus, and Orton.
So, what's your favorite era? Share it with me. I'm an Attitude Era guy, but there's nothing wrong with Ruthless Aggression.