In case you were unaware, WWE has been in a PG format for a while, but it has only become the bane of the internet wrestling fan's existence since about 2008. It would seem most wrestling fans long for the days of blood, random acts of violence, cursing, and TNA (By which, I of course mean tits and ass, not Total Nonstop Action. Nobody wants that).
However, I can't help but think of all the amazing moments this new time period dubbed by many to be the "PG Era" has given us. On top of moments, we've seen the birth of some tremendous superstars. Here, let's take a look at some of the moments, feuds, matches, and superstars that we have seen since 2008.
Royal Rumble 2008- John Cena makes a surprising return
I marked out. And I'm sure I wasn't alone. This was before I made the fateful transition to becoming an internet wrestling mark, so maybe there was some evidence of his return that I was unaware of, but I was extremely happy to see him. And he won the rumble. My favorite superstar, at the time, came back on a surprise and won the Royal Rumble. I think this was a terrific moment brought to us by PG WWE, and it didn't need any blood, sex, over the top violence, or cursing.
Wrestlemania 24- Ric Flair's last match... kind of
Is it any suprise HBK delivered a spectacular match, despite working with a way over the hill Ric Flair? And is it any surprise that the man who helped make wrestling what it is today managed to make it one of the most emotional matches anyone has ever witnessed? This is surly, one of the most heart wrenching matches in the history of wrestling, even if Ric Flair would be back in the ring two years later.
Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels
Another terrific feud involving The Heartbreak Kid. This was a little less PG than usual, as there was a match at The Great American Bash (it was still great and patriotic back then) where Jericho made Michaels bleed profusely. However, it would have been an amazing feud with or without the blood.
The Introduction of a new diva, and one of the most beautiful divas to date, Natalya Neidhart
I couldn't help myself.
SummerSlam 2008-The Undertaker returns and beats Edge in one of the most intense Hell in a Cell matches ever
It was a long feud that had grown tired, sure, but the match itself was awesome. Lots of weapons, and Edge spearing Taker through the cage was awesome.
The Rise of Jeff Hardy
It was late 2008 when Jeff Hardy really started his atmospheric rise to the top of the food chain in WWE. True, he was months away from championship gold, but the fans loved him, and he was getting in more and more high profile feuds, as evidenced by the fans voting for just him to face Triple H on Cyber Sunday for the WWE Championship, rather than a triple threat between these two superstars and that guy who dances with Santino Marella, which is clearly what the WWE wanted the fans to vote for. He would go on to win the WWE Championship at Armageddon.
The Rise of Randy Orton
It was obvious going into Royal Rumble 2009 that the WWE had big plans for Randy Orton. He was getting atomic level heat, and was the head of his own stable of second and third generation superstars. With the help of his lackeys, Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase, he was able to secure a title shot at Wrestlemania, where he would face Triple H.
Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker at Wrestlemania, Part 1
You know it, your momma knows it, even Kim Jung Il knows it was one of the greatest matches ever. It was so good, it warranted a sequel, which while not as good as the first, was still much better than Rocky II.
Chris Jericho/Rey Mysterio Feud
Who woulda thunk a feud over the Intercontinental Title would be so compelling? But the feud wasn't really over the IC title, was it? What it was really about, was the raw, unadulterated contempt and hatred these two men seemed to have for each other, one going as so far as to attempt to ruin the others image by unmasking the other.
CM Punk becomes a major player in the WWE
True, he had won championship gold before, but his victory at Extreme Rules when he cashed his MiTB briefcase in on a newly crowned Jeff Hardy marked the beginning of a new CM Punk. This was not your father's Straight Edge Superstar, this was a much darker, mean, and patronizing Punk. He put down everybody's favorite fuck up, Jeff Hardy, and forcefully took away his championship mere moments after he won it in a grueling ladders match with the sadistic Edge. It became immediately obvious over the next few weeks that this was not the friendly neighborhood Punk we all knew and loved.
The Miz faces John Cena at a pay per view, thus beginning his rise
That's right, at The Bash (when it wasn't so great nor patriotic), The Miz faced John Cena after weeks of calling him out. The Miz was an annoying, snarky, arrogant motherfucker, and he was damn good at getting heat. Of course, John Cena made a fool of him, but being in the same ring as John Cena can only be good for your career. I believe you and I can agree that The Miz can prove this to be true.
Randy Orton becomes the biggest monster in the WWE
Not in a Kane sense, but in a sexually molesting your woman sense. It was around this time that Randy Orton went off his rocker, and started doing what those voices in his head would tell him to. He handcuffed Triple H to a ring pole while he hit a huge DDT on Stephanie McMahon, and then kissed her while she lay unconsciously. It was disgusting, mortifying, and yet, I couldn't look away.
Batista turns Heel... and is actually good at it
I don't like him one bit, but I know others do, and I won't say he's not good at what he does, because that would be untrue. He got pissed at Rey Mysterio when Rey broke up a pin attempt to preserve his chance of winning the World Heavyweight Championship. Batista took exception to this, and spent the next few weeks beating the shit out of a man half his size, which coincidentally is technique number 3 to get massive amounts of heel heat. Batista would go on to be the best heel to wear a suit since Chris Jericho did a few months earlier.
Kofi Kingston/Randy Orton mini-feud
I loved it. Seeing Kofi with an attitude was fucking awesome, and they provided some really entertaining matches. Kofi would ultimately lose the feud, but was not buried by Orton by any means. On the contrary, seeing him come close to getting the better of Orton made him look more legitimate than ever.
Sheamus beat John Cena for the WWE Championship
It shocked everyone when John Cena jumped... errr was pushed off the top rope and crashed through a table courtesy of Sheamus. At first, many people believed it to be an epic botch, but it was indeed how the match was booked. This marked the beginning of Sheamus' rise to becoming one of RAW's top heels.
The Ted Dibiase/Cody Rhodes face turn went horribly wrong, resulting in the phenomenon known as Randy Orton being a tweener (because he's still too much of a dick to be a face)
When most young superstars rebel against their slave driver of a mentor, it is the young guys that the crowd gets behind. Unfortunately, people seemed to look at it as the screwing of Randy Orton, rather than the triumphant rebellion of DiBiase and Rhodes. On the bright side, things have turned out great. Randy Orton is know getting thunderous pops everywhere he goes, Cody Rhodes has adopted a new gimmick that is getting him major heat, and Ted DiBiase gives Maryse an excuse to come to the ring wearing a little number that shows off her cleavage. I don't know whom I'm most grateful for.
ECW Ends/NXT Begins
ECW needed to end, and NXT needed to begin. Finally, those of us that aren't total losers could watch some of the WWE's young talent. (I of course kid, I don't think you're a loser because you watch/pay attention to FCW, I just think you could make use of your time better, like by trying to not be a total loser). While some argue it's just as successful as ECW was, I would argue it's a much more entertaining show, and it's only a matter of time before it becomes even more popular. Additionally, it gives these young performers a chance to wrestling in front of a real WWE crowd, and against real WWE superstars. What could be better experience than that?
Shawn Michaels retires
The Heartbreak Kid broke more hearts on Mach 28th 2010 than he had over the course of his entire life. At Wrestlemania 26, it was the streak vs. the career, and the streak won out. In a rematch of last year's top match, The Undertaker once again outwitted Shawn Michaels, forcing one of the all time greats to retire from wrestling. His exit was that worthy of a king, and I hope for his sake, he doesn't sully that poignant moment by returning. Quite frankly, I think Shawn has better things to do, like spending time with his family, and telling people to accept Christ as their savior with Sting.
The Extreme Rules Poster becomes an IWC Meme
Jack Swagger becomes a legitimate superstar
Jack Thwagger won the World Heavy Weight Championship after cashing in his MiTB briefcase, and would retain it against Randy Orton (cleanly) and Big Show (by DQ), before losing it in a Fatal 4way match where he wasn't even pinned, prompting him to go on an ankle breaking rampage. Pretty bad ass.
Nexus
Probably the most feared faction in wrestling since the NWO, and one of the best things to happen in wrestling in a long time, the Nexus angle has delivered more surprises than I can even begin to enumerate. Feuds began, friendships were broken, and unlikely allies came together to get rid of the Nexus threat. They just took a serious blow last Sunday, but I doubt that those Nexus armbands are going to be gone anytime soon.
Kane wins a MiTB briefcase, and a few hours later, the World Heavyweight Championship
Seriously, that was cool. I'm not a Kane mark, but there are plenty out there, but I think we can all agree Kane deserved it. It's nice to see someone who works his ass off and is ridiculously loyal to the company get rewarded like that.
The Miz wins a MiTB briefcase
Need I say more?
Daniel Bryan returns
Once again, it's a situation where nothing else needs to be said. Nothing else, but FUCK YEAH!
So there you have it. Anyone who bitches and moans about the PG era, kindly shut up. The PG Era has produced great shit, just like any other era of wrestling. If this isn't enough for you, then there really is no pleasing you, and you should probably just stop watching wrestling.
I'm prepared to get about 20 responses saying, "I HAVE A RITE TO MY OPINION, AND MY OPINION IS THAT WWE SUX!!!11!!1ELEVEN!" and frankly, I don't care. Your opinion sucks, but I encourage you to post it anyway.
Furthermore, if I left anything off of this list, please feel free to add anything you think is worthy of being on it. I know I'm not the only one who isn't bothered by this PG shit at all, and I hope you enjoyed this post.
However, I can't help but think of all the amazing moments this new time period dubbed by many to be the "PG Era" has given us. On top of moments, we've seen the birth of some tremendous superstars. Here, let's take a look at some of the moments, feuds, matches, and superstars that we have seen since 2008.
Royal Rumble 2008- John Cena makes a surprising return
I marked out. And I'm sure I wasn't alone. This was before I made the fateful transition to becoming an internet wrestling mark, so maybe there was some evidence of his return that I was unaware of, but I was extremely happy to see him. And he won the rumble. My favorite superstar, at the time, came back on a surprise and won the Royal Rumble. I think this was a terrific moment brought to us by PG WWE, and it didn't need any blood, sex, over the top violence, or cursing.
Wrestlemania 24- Ric Flair's last match... kind of
Is it any suprise HBK delivered a spectacular match, despite working with a way over the hill Ric Flair? And is it any surprise that the man who helped make wrestling what it is today managed to make it one of the most emotional matches anyone has ever witnessed? This is surly, one of the most heart wrenching matches in the history of wrestling, even if Ric Flair would be back in the ring two years later.
Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels
Another terrific feud involving The Heartbreak Kid. This was a little less PG than usual, as there was a match at The Great American Bash (it was still great and patriotic back then) where Jericho made Michaels bleed profusely. However, it would have been an amazing feud with or without the blood.
The Introduction of a new diva, and one of the most beautiful divas to date, Natalya Neidhart
I couldn't help myself.
SummerSlam 2008-The Undertaker returns and beats Edge in one of the most intense Hell in a Cell matches ever
It was a long feud that had grown tired, sure, but the match itself was awesome. Lots of weapons, and Edge spearing Taker through the cage was awesome.
The Rise of Jeff Hardy
It was late 2008 when Jeff Hardy really started his atmospheric rise to the top of the food chain in WWE. True, he was months away from championship gold, but the fans loved him, and he was getting in more and more high profile feuds, as evidenced by the fans voting for just him to face Triple H on Cyber Sunday for the WWE Championship, rather than a triple threat between these two superstars and that guy who dances with Santino Marella, which is clearly what the WWE wanted the fans to vote for. He would go on to win the WWE Championship at Armageddon.
The Rise of Randy Orton
It was obvious going into Royal Rumble 2009 that the WWE had big plans for Randy Orton. He was getting atomic level heat, and was the head of his own stable of second and third generation superstars. With the help of his lackeys, Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase, he was able to secure a title shot at Wrestlemania, where he would face Triple H.
Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker at Wrestlemania, Part 1
You know it, your momma knows it, even Kim Jung Il knows it was one of the greatest matches ever. It was so good, it warranted a sequel, which while not as good as the first, was still much better than Rocky II.
Chris Jericho/Rey Mysterio Feud
Who woulda thunk a feud over the Intercontinental Title would be so compelling? But the feud wasn't really over the IC title, was it? What it was really about, was the raw, unadulterated contempt and hatred these two men seemed to have for each other, one going as so far as to attempt to ruin the others image by unmasking the other.
CM Punk becomes a major player in the WWE
True, he had won championship gold before, but his victory at Extreme Rules when he cashed his MiTB briefcase in on a newly crowned Jeff Hardy marked the beginning of a new CM Punk. This was not your father's Straight Edge Superstar, this was a much darker, mean, and patronizing Punk. He put down everybody's favorite fuck up, Jeff Hardy, and forcefully took away his championship mere moments after he won it in a grueling ladders match with the sadistic Edge. It became immediately obvious over the next few weeks that this was not the friendly neighborhood Punk we all knew and loved.
The Miz faces John Cena at a pay per view, thus beginning his rise
That's right, at The Bash (when it wasn't so great nor patriotic), The Miz faced John Cena after weeks of calling him out. The Miz was an annoying, snarky, arrogant motherfucker, and he was damn good at getting heat. Of course, John Cena made a fool of him, but being in the same ring as John Cena can only be good for your career. I believe you and I can agree that The Miz can prove this to be true.
Randy Orton becomes the biggest monster in the WWE
Not in a Kane sense, but in a sexually molesting your woman sense. It was around this time that Randy Orton went off his rocker, and started doing what those voices in his head would tell him to. He handcuffed Triple H to a ring pole while he hit a huge DDT on Stephanie McMahon, and then kissed her while she lay unconsciously. It was disgusting, mortifying, and yet, I couldn't look away.
Batista turns Heel... and is actually good at it
I don't like him one bit, but I know others do, and I won't say he's not good at what he does, because that would be untrue. He got pissed at Rey Mysterio when Rey broke up a pin attempt to preserve his chance of winning the World Heavyweight Championship. Batista took exception to this, and spent the next few weeks beating the shit out of a man half his size, which coincidentally is technique number 3 to get massive amounts of heel heat. Batista would go on to be the best heel to wear a suit since Chris Jericho did a few months earlier.
Kofi Kingston/Randy Orton mini-feud
I loved it. Seeing Kofi with an attitude was fucking awesome, and they provided some really entertaining matches. Kofi would ultimately lose the feud, but was not buried by Orton by any means. On the contrary, seeing him come close to getting the better of Orton made him look more legitimate than ever.
Sheamus beat John Cena for the WWE Championship
It shocked everyone when John Cena jumped... errr was pushed off the top rope and crashed through a table courtesy of Sheamus. At first, many people believed it to be an epic botch, but it was indeed how the match was booked. This marked the beginning of Sheamus' rise to becoming one of RAW's top heels.
The Ted Dibiase/Cody Rhodes face turn went horribly wrong, resulting in the phenomenon known as Randy Orton being a tweener (because he's still too much of a dick to be a face)
When most young superstars rebel against their slave driver of a mentor, it is the young guys that the crowd gets behind. Unfortunately, people seemed to look at it as the screwing of Randy Orton, rather than the triumphant rebellion of DiBiase and Rhodes. On the bright side, things have turned out great. Randy Orton is know getting thunderous pops everywhere he goes, Cody Rhodes has adopted a new gimmick that is getting him major heat, and Ted DiBiase gives Maryse an excuse to come to the ring wearing a little number that shows off her cleavage. I don't know whom I'm most grateful for.
ECW Ends/NXT Begins
ECW needed to end, and NXT needed to begin. Finally, those of us that aren't total losers could watch some of the WWE's young talent. (I of course kid, I don't think you're a loser because you watch/pay attention to FCW, I just think you could make use of your time better, like by trying to not be a total loser). While some argue it's just as successful as ECW was, I would argue it's a much more entertaining show, and it's only a matter of time before it becomes even more popular. Additionally, it gives these young performers a chance to wrestling in front of a real WWE crowd, and against real WWE superstars. What could be better experience than that?
Shawn Michaels retires
The Heartbreak Kid broke more hearts on Mach 28th 2010 than he had over the course of his entire life. At Wrestlemania 26, it was the streak vs. the career, and the streak won out. In a rematch of last year's top match, The Undertaker once again outwitted Shawn Michaels, forcing one of the all time greats to retire from wrestling. His exit was that worthy of a king, and I hope for his sake, he doesn't sully that poignant moment by returning. Quite frankly, I think Shawn has better things to do, like spending time with his family, and telling people to accept Christ as their savior with Sting.
The Extreme Rules Poster becomes an IWC Meme
Jack Swagger becomes a legitimate superstar
Jack Thwagger won the World Heavy Weight Championship after cashing in his MiTB briefcase, and would retain it against Randy Orton (cleanly) and Big Show (by DQ), before losing it in a Fatal 4way match where he wasn't even pinned, prompting him to go on an ankle breaking rampage. Pretty bad ass.
Nexus
Probably the most feared faction in wrestling since the NWO, and one of the best things to happen in wrestling in a long time, the Nexus angle has delivered more surprises than I can even begin to enumerate. Feuds began, friendships were broken, and unlikely allies came together to get rid of the Nexus threat. They just took a serious blow last Sunday, but I doubt that those Nexus armbands are going to be gone anytime soon.
Kane wins a MiTB briefcase, and a few hours later, the World Heavyweight Championship
Seriously, that was cool. I'm not a Kane mark, but there are plenty out there, but I think we can all agree Kane deserved it. It's nice to see someone who works his ass off and is ridiculously loyal to the company get rewarded like that.
The Miz wins a MiTB briefcase
Need I say more?
Daniel Bryan returns
Once again, it's a situation where nothing else needs to be said. Nothing else, but FUCK YEAH!
So there you have it. Anyone who bitches and moans about the PG era, kindly shut up. The PG Era has produced great shit, just like any other era of wrestling. If this isn't enough for you, then there really is no pleasing you, and you should probably just stop watching wrestling.
I'm prepared to get about 20 responses saying, "I HAVE A RITE TO MY OPINION, AND MY OPINION IS THAT WWE SUX!!!11!!1ELEVEN!" and frankly, I don't care. Your opinion sucks, but I encourage you to post it anyway.
Furthermore, if I left anything off of this list, please feel free to add anything you think is worthy of being on it. I know I'm not the only one who isn't bothered by this PG shit at all, and I hope you enjoyed this post.
