What will be the WWE's next era be?

[It's...Baylariat!]

Simple question with lots of discussion to be had here.

We're all aware that we're in the 'PG Era' of the WWE with the limited violence and lack of blading and chairshots. There have been many era's in the WWE such as the Attitude era, Rock n Wrestling era, etc.

So where does the WWE go from the PG era? Is it MORE family oriented? Could an edgier form of wrestling come back?

And serious answers only. Don't turn this perfectly solid question into a goat rodeo.

 

[Mac Attack]

The Triple H era. It begins when Vince dies and as morbid as that seems that will mark the official end of an era and the beginning of a new regime. Triple H has done a lot of good already but for him to make the changes necessary to improve the WWE Vince needs to be gone and I think the only way it happens is if he dies. I think the WWE will become ever so slightly edgier, a major revamp in title importance and a revamp on what is important in the land of the WWE. So for me it's the Triple H era.

 

[tom9422]

^ What that guy said

I don't necessarily see it being called the Triple H era, nor being focused on him, but Vince dying will spur on a lot of changes.

 

[I am Mr. Excitement]

I don't think we're necessarily in the PG era, I mean yeah, it says WWE PG while your watching it but things have changed. Ever since CM Punk's pipe bomb promo in 2011 WWE has slowly and very slowly been changing. WWE TV hasn't been the best but in the last 2 years it been a pretty fun ride to watch. From Brock Lesnar returning and beating the hell out of Cena to CM Punk and Paul Heyman purposely mocking Jerry The King's heart attack. To Daniel Bryan rising to success during this summer to CM Punk returning at Payback in Chicago after a 2 month hiatus. We've seen the rise of Ryback to the joke called Ryback. And now we are witnessing in my eyes a real battle of supremacy between Vince McMahon and Triple H. We've seen some pretty edgy, controversial and entertaining moments in the last two years. Ever since WWE Payback I've seen excitement in the fans, excitement and loud pops that we haven't seen since the Attitude era. Vince McMahon may not like it but WWE is heading into a new direction the fans know it I know it and I hope most people can see it.

 

[Robi2184]

The Era of Honor, just look at who carries the WWE each and every week.

CM Punk has turn himself into a mega star giving us big fight after big fight. First it was Jericho, than the Rock, than Taker & now what looks to be a mega feud with Brock. Punk's segments are the most entertaining on RAW & before this he gave us the pipe bomb & a title reign that lasted 434 days. The pipe bomb, who IMO broke the glass ceiling for every other guy who I am about to mention in this post.

Then there is Daniel Bryan, the best technical wrestler in the WWE, there is nothing that WWE has thrown at DBry that he has not been able to handle. The last time I remember someone being as over as Daniel, was CM Punk when he cut the pimp bomb promo. Everything DBry touches turns to gold. Plus I honestly believe if their was someone who can finally replace Cena as the mega baby face he is it is DBry

Antonio Cesaro is a wrestling machine, it is a damn shame the WWE cannot find something for him although I am enjoying his pairing with Dutch (Ooops I mean Zeb Colter). Point out a bad match Cesaro has had in the last year. The guy has the potential to be a huge star. He has the look, build & skills to carry the company on his back. Plus his feud with Sami Zayn on NXT has the potential to be a feud of the year, highly encourage everyone to sign up to Hulu plus & watch Cesaro & Zayn create magic.

The Shield, yea I know only Rollins is a former ROH alumni, but Ambrose is an Indy guy and the group stands for Honor & Justice something that does not exist in the WWE. I personally love the group & all three have the potential to be top guys. While Moxley is amazing I have been really impressed with the mic work of Rollins, his match with Bryan a couple weeks ago was great.

This guy is not on RAW or Smackdown but he is the reason why I tune to NXT each and every week, Sami Zayn. Zayn's feud with Cesaro has to be the most underrated feud In wrestling today, he is super over with the NXT crowd & I find it awesome how the crowd still chants OLE at him even though he is the cousin of El Generico ( Generico is in Mexico taking care of his orphans "wink"). All kidding aside I never knew Zayn was actually good cutting promos & it is awesome how by just being " the guy who has wrestled all over the world " he gets over. Cesaro & him have put together a series of matches that a true wrestling fan must watch and I hear at the end of August they will be televising a 2 of 3 falls between Cesaro & Zayn that has gotten Match Of The Year reviews.

IMO we are witnessing the era of Honor or the Indy era, what ever you want to call it. a bunch of Indy Schmucks as Punk once said, who have clawed there way to the WWE & when given the ball have knocked it out of the park.

 

[conrad405]

what a few posters have said the triple h era, can't say much more Macros explained it pretty much. as horrible as it is to say it we wont see the triple era until vince dies. he won't retire completely.

 

[Honkey_Kong]

Robi, I tend to agree with you.

Hopefully after Vince's idiot daughter and doofus son-in-law take over, WWE will go in a different direction. Maybe since HHH has a wrestler's perspective, he'll make wrestling the emphasis of the show.

They raided ROH for quite a bit of their talent. They could easily make the next era, the era where wrestling mattered. Of course they're going to have to repeal the BS that WWE does right now. Like the limited movesets with the 5 "signature" maneuvers. They'd also have to allow the wrestlers to be able to wrestle. They need to amp up the wrestling. They definitely have a roster that could go in the ring, they should use it.

 

[blindman]

When Triple H takes over that gotta be a new era, certainly a milestone in wrestling. I wouldn't dub the "Triple H Era" probably New Guard or something stupid like that, sounds like a god complex if we name a "Era" after one guy.

How exactly did the the Golden Era and others get there name anyway? i know Attitude Era was actually used on WWE tv.

 

[akathelaw]

When I started watching WWE again after a long hiatus, it was late 2007, and the Mr. McMahon's mustery son gimmick was ongoing. Also Santino was a hot new heel with Maria Kanellis as a girlfriend. John Cena, Edge, Undertaker and Orton were the top acts. Jeff Hardy was an up and coming singles star and Y2J made his first return to WWE. The storylines in WWE were a LOT edgier and the rating was TV-14. Granted, Vince's idiotic potty humor was present rather than wrestling sometimes. Still, the shows were peppered with okay matches and good main events. I don't know if that was the final lap of the Ruthless Aggression Era, but what followed in the months after was a distinct change in the entire WWE landscape. Cena's dominance in WWE was cemented in 2008 and from then on his haters grew. Right before their dismantling, Cryme Tyme was given one last hurrah with buddy Cena, and he spraypainted "JBL is poopy" to officially mark the beginning of John Cena's PG Era. The swan songs of Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Undertaker, Edge and Chris Jericho are the real highlights of an era otherwise dominated by a superhero with predictable outcomes for over seven years.

Daniel Bryan is the next top guy. When he actually beats Cena, that will mark the next era in WWE; one marked with a rich roster of 2nd and 3rd Generation stars, homegrown indie talent from Ring of Honor, and the brightest prospects from FCW an the new Performance Center. Standouts of the next era will be Tyson Kidd, Darren Young, Fandango, Curtis Axel, Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Bray Wyatt and Antonio Cesaro. All guys who can wrestle long matches and know the kind of moves crowds react to and want to see. I feel wrestling is becoming more refined in America and the crowd responds much better than it used to. When I started watching in 2007 the "WHAT??" chants were overboard out of control. It drove me crazy. Now, they do fun things like the Yes chants and Fandango's song. It's a nicer atmosphere, and I think the matches are what's important again.

 

[LiarsDice]

Hmmmmmm....
Im probably gonna have to disagree with the assumption that Triple H will mark the beginning of WWEs upswing.
If, as morbid as this conversation has become, Vince were to die, Triple H doesn't automatically gain all the power to mould the company into what he wants. WWE is a public traded company now, meaning shareholders, sponsors etc that need to be kept happy. That is the main reason why WWE isn't as edgy anymore, not because Vince lost his edge. The Golden Era, The New Generation Era and The Attitude Era were all put together by a private company that could pretty much do what they wanted. Then when they floated the company, their sponsors and such became more demanding of a more wholesome image. Thats why the Ruthless Aggression Era ended; They started losing money.
Back to my point, when (if?) Triple H takes over, all these factors dont automatically disappear. Sure, he can bring in more indy talent (providing the indys arent completely dead by then) and try to shift some of the focus toward wrestling, but the casual fans (which is the VAST majority) watch wrestling for the pageantry and storylines. They love to see people jump of ladders and go through tables, but they dont care that Jack Swagger can wrestle rings around people or that CM Punk can wrestle for an hour. And what most of you have to realize is that THOSE are the fans that have to be pleased, not the IWC.
So I don't see any drastic changes in WWEs future, regardless of Vince dying or not. Triple H will take the wheel and hold the ship steady, but hes not gonna take it off in a different direction. PG isnt going anywhere any time soon, itll just carry on peppering programming with the occasional "attitude" moment. Which, personally, I feel is the right option cause it keeps those moments exciting and fresh.
So I think the next era will be the "More Of The Same Era" until the next bona fide megastar turns up who can change the era around him. And maybe thats what Triple H's legacy will be: creating him.

 

[Jonyboyuk2]

I don't think the shareholders are as difficult to deal with as some think. WWE shares are more than 70% sat with the McMahon family I am led to believe. They have overall say on everything. The truth is, the WWE will continue the way it is going for some time to come. Certainly until Cena no longer is the merchandise mover that he is. When that happens, it will likely lead in turn to other characters merchandise falling too such as the figures and tee shirts.

I think the only logical thing then would be to try and correct this and stay PGTV because of the vast amount of money involved from merchandise.

Failing that, it is worth remembering the attitude era. The target audience in 1997 to 2002 attitude era, were 18 to 30 year old men. Many of those, particuarly the younger ones, were fans of WWE in the 1980's when Savage and Hogan and Warrior were in their WWF heyday, and the fans grew up with the product and saw the New Generation come and go like Razor Ramon, Diesel, Henry Godwin (suuuie haha) and Bret and Owen Hart.

The fans today who cheered Cena at WM 21 when he beat JBL for the WWE championship and were say 10, and now 18 years old. They will want something different to Cena's super man routine.

Hell, I would even tease a weekly 2 hour show where it is aimed at adults and keep the other shows aimed at the kids to test how it may work.

 

[Tastycles]

This idea of eras exists pretty much entirely in the mind and not in actuality. WWE has basically put out the exact same product since 1984, with the exception of the Attitude Era. The attitude era was a product of late 90s culture, and was essentially an answer to that. TNA is putting out a product that is basically a sensible version of that - wrestling aimed at adults.

WWE has basically been family friendly viewing since time immemorial. In the 80s it was villains versus Hulk Hogan. That's what it is now, with John Cena in Hogan's place. That's what it was in the early 90s too, the only problem is Bret Hart was nowhere near as charismatic as those two so the product tanked.

WWE since the attitude era properly finished has been going this way. Until Cena and Batista reached the main event, the WWE was desperately trying to hold on to the attitude era audience, largely due to the fact that their big names had developed in that time and were a product of it. Once Cena and Batista showed up, the WWE returned to the script and became family viewing again.

I'm sure people will try and say that the emergence of Punk and Bryan as high calibre talents is different to that, but only in looks to be honest, their still just charismatic wrestlers in age old storylines - for all the groundbreaking of CM Punk, his relationship with authority is not a million miles away from Hulk Hogan's with Jack Tunney. After all the deaths, steroids can't be a factor anymore, so muscle bound Adnonises are fewer in number.

 

[toon126]

Considering HHH became the superstar he is during the infamous Attitude era, chances are that he holds firmly the concept and beliefs of that time are key to success. I could be wrong, but I know if I became a huge success, and the company was a huge success during a specific period, then chances are that's what I'll believe is a successful formula.

Granted we will NEVER see an era like the late 90s again I don't think, especially with regulation, laws, advertising, commercial, etc being what it is compared to those days, I can see HHH looking to replicate the formula as much as he is allowed to/able to.

The product just needs to be aimed more at adults, we don't need OTT storylines and controversy - just a sense of realism in emotion that the current writing can't do. Like someone mentioned in another thread, the nWo era at WCW was PG but it was still brilliant stuff, so it is down to what the company are looking to achieve.

 

[LoudClearVoice]

I think we're going to see an era of "smaller" more technical wrestlers being in the spotlight. We're already moving towards that. Daniel Bryan is on fire now, CM Punk was God not too long ago. This is the direction WWE is going towards I think. Unfortunately, it's going to be less about entertainment value (outside the ring) and more about the actual wrestling itself.

At least that's the direction, I think it's going in. Triple H is smart. He knows what fans want but also what will make money.

 

[Eyrothath]

TNA is putting out a product that is basically a sensible version of that - wrestling aimed at adults.

I agree that TNA is more mature and adult than the WWE however, it has tons of flaws that need correcting, they need younger talent, they just let a bunch of young and rather good talent go.. Hogan needs to go, it's essentially WCW 2.0.. It doesn't have the "edgy" feel that I think people want out of a product.. ECW was edgy and had the very good matches that revolved around good storylines, they were all about putting on a good show.. WCW went the whole "anarchy" it was very much about good guys vs bad guys, superheroes against supervillains.. WWF kinda took both of what WCW and ECW were offering and combined it together..

Let me put it this way... JERRY SPRINGER is more edgy than TNA is, adults 18-30 generally watch it, it's great young-adult entertainment with ridiculous storylines.. Yes, it is scripted just like the WWE is, same goes with Sitcom like Family Guy/American Dad and so forth.. the WWE attitude era was comparable to products such as this and that's why it exploded as big as it did.. I am not saying there should be a ton of "hardcore" matches, but great gimmicks, great acting and entertainment with great storylines will go a long way and a little bit of a "hardcore" feel surrounding it will contribute to that.. They key thing though is entertainment, having an edgy product will make it more entertaining, that's why action blockbusters movies that rake in millions are usually PG-13 or Rated R..

Now, I am not saying that TNA or WWE should become CZW or something, CZW is over the top violence (edgy) yes, but really provides no entertainment.. CZW is essentially doing everything that ECW did and taking it in all the wrong directions.

TNA doesn't use this slogan, I think they should.. And I think they should go back to a red ring and red ropes, same with WWE Raw, "red" just has more of that "edgy" feel to it, it resembles blood and it is the first color that the human eye sees, in a way, it can help get people and the wrestlers more pumped..

Also, I really dislike the current WWE championship, it looks horrendous and has been ever since they introduced the spinner belt, the new one granted is better than the spinner belt, but I am just not sold on it..

 

[Poop Master Flex]

I would say the gimmick era although that may be more suited for this era as so many PPV's and shows are based around the gimmick rather than the substance.

Looking at where WWE is going it will probably be the social media era. They've already started with it but more and more its becoming a bigger part of the show. I only see it becoming a bigger part of the show and things like fan interaction will run rampant. The thing is as long as WWE makes a profit things will stay similar just amped up a bit. It seems like both TNA and WWE push their gimmicks more and more, push social media more and more and I only see it getting worse.

I see things like fans voting for The main event of a PPV happening, similar to Cyber Sunday but just much more prevalent. They try to sell everything on these 2 things already so I see it happening more and more. WWE writers are getting lazier and lazier and there ain't much more getting lazy then having the fans do the work for you and throwing gimmicks on the same shit over and over.

 

[BillAlfonsos_Whistle]

This might come off sounding cheesy but I truly believe we are entering the true golden era of FAN PARTICIPATION. Sure, crowd reaction has been a major indicator for creative since day 1. The difference is that the audience has grown exponentially and even though children HAVE to be their main target simply because they bring in $$$ and get their parents to buy merch, PPVS, etc

The WWE is going to have to acknowledge the "Smarks" as you guys call them on here and the aging audience. I'm 27 years old and plenty of people my age and older are die hard Wrestling fans since childhood. We can't be placated by idiotic childish storylines and stale angles. We are in it for two things...first and foremost...GOOD MATCHES. Good wrestling. Well executed story telling via in-ring action. And secondly we are in it for well-written entertainment that keeps us all guessing and on our toes.

They will realize this is the case more and more and the crowd will dictate what happens in the WWE more than ever!

 

[The Gribbler]

There is currently no real way to predict this. Take a look at the WWE, every time we think they might be on to something, every time we think they might be headed down the right path, they screw something up.

Each era is normally names somewhat for its marquee star, Austin symbolified attitude, while Cena is the King of PG. However, the WWE seems to be having a hard time creating marquee stars that size at the moment.

It all comes down to who will be the face/faces of the company, and what it is they represent that makes them great. But as of right now, every time I see a star look like they might fill that void, something goes ass-up.

So it's hard to say. I can only predict the WWE, when controlled by Triple H, will straddle the line between PG and Attitude.

So no real ideas...

Just My Opinion.

 

[TheLittleOne]

the reality era.

i truly believe this new divas show on the E network will help usher in a wave of what will seem like reality ( even tho they r working us).. especially with cena vs bryan, you'll notice the show will add fuel to that fire, along with helping other talent in relationships with a diva..

this added to an extreme amount of fan interaction where we the fans have more input on the show.. not just choose the stipulation, but what talent we want to see more of or less of..
using the wwe app, along with new devices thru wwe.com

i believe another reality show will be in demand once the " total diva" on E becomes SUPER Successful i know i know... i dont plan on watching it, but many Fans will, and they will love LOVE the semi-breaking of kayfabe / watching daniel bryan and his bella make out and have real talk as if the camera is not there..
PLUS many people who reguarly watch other shows on E will tune in because it shows Larger than Life superstars living a crazy life... if MILLIONS are uber- into kim k and her bloated sister eat lunch, Imagine the life of a wwe diva ( and later i expect a show following the life of a wwe superstar),

i equate WWE and their new working relationship to the E network like the WWE then WWF working with MTV in 1985 ..

dont focus so much on Triple H.. he is simply family, and WANTS to not only see this industry do well BUT GROW and BOOM.. the key is BOOM.. its about that time for a growth spur , too many inept fans think this could only happen with blood chairs stonecold and tables and boobies.. none of that..

there is probably more methods that will contribute to this boom period and change which i currently cannot think of, and maybe reality is the wrong word since just because your told you are watching a " reality" show doesnt mean its not scripted and created for drama and controversy..

lets see what happens...

 

[GoochOwnsYou]

The wrestling era. Basically HHH will put the company on the back of Bryan, Punk & Ziggler. We will have a relevent mid card that people actually give a damn about, I see Bray Wyatt becoming a relevent part of the show each week as well as tag teams.

 

[HBKistheHOF]

Well first off the PG Era ended in 2010. Just because the programming has stayed family oriented doesn't mean it's still the PG Era, in fact most other eras of wrestling besides The Attitude Era have been mostly family oriented. I'd consider 2011-Present The Reality Era.

As for the next Era in WWE, that is basically impossible to tell. I don't see anything like The Attitude Era coming back at any time soon, which is really alright by me. We still get the occasional wardrobe malfunction, cuss word or person busted open, & honestly that fact that it is fewer & farther between just makes it much more impactful IMO.

I imagine the WWE will stay mostly family oriented for the next several years but keep their occasional "toeing of the lines" that they like to do for the forseeable future. Whoever is the next "break out star" will probably shape the companies future qutie a lot.

 

[sTyLnK]

Why do people keep calling it the "PG Era"? I'm tired of this coined term. It's as if people think the WWE started during the "Attitude Era" or something. The WWE was PG when they first started up and only changed to a more edgier type of wrestling to compete with WCW. After that ended, it stayed edgy, but ultimately it's now back to how it was originally and always had been. Stop with the "PG Era". It isn't.

I believe the product will stay this way for many years to come. Except that when Triple H finally gets full control, we will see much better storylines. And that is the keyword, "storylines". It doesn't matter if wrestling is PG or more mature. Everything is and will always be about storylines. Because if they're horrible, the product will be horrible and no rating will help that sinking ship.

 

[Pepper Lewis]

The Era of Honor, just look at who carries the WWE each and every week.

CM Punk has turn himself into a mega star giving us big fight after big fight. First it was Jericho, than the Rock, than Taker & now what looks to be a mega feud with Brock. Punk's segments are the most entertaining on RAW & before this he gave us the pipe bomb & a title reign that lasted 434 days. The pipe bomb, who IMO broke the glass ceiling for every other guy who I am about to mention in this post.

Then there is Daniel Bryan, the best technical wrestler in the WWE, there is nothing that WWE has thrown at DBry that he has not been able to handle. The last time I remember someone being as over as Daniel, was CM Punk when he cut the pimp bomb promo. Everything DBry touches turns to gold. Plus I honestly believe if their was someone who can finally replace Cena as the mega baby face he is it is DBry

Antonio Cesaro is a wrestling machine, it is a damn shame the WWE cannot find something for him although I am enjoying his pairing with Dutch (Ooops I mean Zeb Colter). Point out a bad match Cesaro has had in the last year. The guy has the potential to be a huge star. He has the look, build & skills to carry the company on his back. Plus his feud with Sami Zayn on NXT has the potential to be a feud of the year, highly encourage everyone to sign up to Hulu plus & watch Cesaro & Zayn create magic.

The Shield, yea I know only Rollins is a former ROH alumni, but Ambrose is an Indy guy and the group stands for Honor & Justice something that does not exist in the WWE. I personally love the group & all three have the potential to be top guys. While Moxley is amazing I have been really impressed with the mic work of Rollins, his match with Bryan a couple weeks ago was great.

This guy is not on RAW or Smackdown but he is the reason why I tune to NXT each and every week, Sami Zayn. Zayn's feud with Cesaro has to be the most underrated feud In wrestling today, he is super over with the NXT crowd & I find it awesome how the crowd still chants OLE at him even though he is the cousin of El Generico ( Generico is in Mexico taking care of his orphans "wink"). All kidding aside I never knew Zayn was actually good cutting promos & it is awesome how by just being " the guy who has wrestled all over the world " he gets over. Cesaro & him have put together a series of matches that a true wrestling fan must watch and I hear at the end of August they will be televising a 2 of 3 falls between Cesaro & Zayn that has gotten Match Of The Year reviews.

IMO we are witnessing the era of Honor or the Indy era, what ever you want to call it. a bunch of Indy Schmucks as Punk once said, who have clawed there way to the WWE & when given the ball have knocked it out of the park.

HONOR ERA? This is STUPID BEYOND BELIEF!

1. cm junk is NOT A BIG STAR! The reason 2012 was the worst/most boring year in WWE EVER, is because the Talent peaked at sucking! Having a JOKE of a champion for 400 days! The guy looks like Shaggy from Scooby Doo!

2. If you know your "WRESTLING" there are about 2 BETTER TECHNICAL WRESTLERS in WWE, than Daniel Bryan!

3.Alot of you "FANS" seem to forget that the MOST IMPORTANT LETTER IN WWE is "entertainment" NOT WRESTLING!

4. You dont have to know tons of moves, be a technical wrestler, to be good!
all you guys that hate CENA< CENA IS ON TOP, BECAUSE HE HAS THE LOOK and "ENTERTAINS!" JUST LIKE HULK HOGAN, ULTIMATE WARRIOR, and many like that from the PAST! ANDRE THE GIANT SOLD SEATS, yet sucked as a "WRESTLER!"

5. The thing that sucks in WWE is the Writers that come from other Backgrounds, and are not WWE FANS! they dont understand what the fans want and expect to see each week!

ALEX RILEY, THE SHIELD, DANIEL BRYAN, are the future of WWE!

 

[Mustang Sally]

Maybe Brodus Clay and Tensai take over WWE.....creating the Fattitude Era.

Actually, the (supposed) reduction of steroids in all sports is already causing WWE to go to smaller, faster and more technically oriented performers than ever before. It will never be an absolute shift; fans enjoy a lot of different body types in front of them. So, for every Daniel Bryan advancing on the evolutionary scale, there'll still be a Ryback to remind us of where we came from as a public spectacle. That's fine; variety is good.

Frankly, I like the direction. Watching behemoths moving ponderously across the ring and having their smaller opponents walk right up to them to accept punishment has never been the style of wrestling I enjoy most. I'm saying: get the smaller guys in there and stop choreographing every move they make.

Let 'em work.....then, we can come up with a name for the new era.

 

[BreakItDown]

I'm not sure what the new era will be called, but it would seem whatever it is will be more fan-oriented. By this, I mean that fans will have a more direct impact on what WWE Creative does with storylines and booking. We've already seen this happen with Tout, the polling of the audience to decide matches, Randy Orton winning MITB (Orton getting a fresh push has been called for by fans for some time now), Daniel Bryan getting a match with John Cena at SummerSlam, etc. I don't think the fans will ever get full say-so, nor should we, but I do see WWE headed in this direction more and more as time goes on.