The Next Generation/Era

[AnthonyMango/NoFate007]

Are we on the brink of the newest outbreak in the WWE?

First (albeit obviously not the first wrestlers) we had our group of those like Hogan, Savage, and Flair.

In the mid-90s, they started to take a step backwards and we had "the New Generation" filling in the gap with the likes of Bret & Owen Hart, HBK, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and the Undertaker.

It slowly blended in with the Attitude Era, starting arguably with DX, Austin, the Rock, Mick Foley, and Kane.

Then, there was the era that I wasn't watching wrestling, dealing with the Alliance and the hectic reorganization of the entire company, with the talent from the three biggest companies (WWF/WCW/ECW).

To me, it seems like we've crossed the threshold into the beginnings of the next comfort zone of the WWE...but we have no name for this new section, nor do we have any solid crossover identity. We still have the men from the previous eras, but we're surely heading into a new frontier with some of these guys. I mean, right now, the way I see it, we've got, all things considering and taking into account that nothing happens to spoil them:

1. "Within the next 3 years, will be MAJOR main event players and the top of the food chain" = Mr. Kennedy, John Morrison, MVP, Jeff Hardy, Umaga, CM Punk, and then the three guys that have already broken out into this realm, Cena, Orton, and Edge.

2. "Midcarders right now, could main event in a few years" = Elijah Burke, Carlito, Shelton Benjamin, Matt Hardy.

3. "The next solid midcarders" = Cody Rhodes, Kenny Dykstra, Santino Marella, The Miz, Festus, Paul Burchill, Kofi Kingston, Jimmy Wang Yang, Shannon Moore



So do you guys agree with me that, within the next 2 years or so, we should see the catalyst for a new generation in wrestling? If so, what do you think that catalyst will be? Personally, I think it will be Kennedy when he finally breaks out of his shell and earns that spot that we all know he's capable of holding. (And by the way, if this has been done before and I just haven't come across it, feel free mods to merge it with the other topic.)

 

["Rush" GSP]

I think we just m,ight be. Every era needs the one stand out MEGA star, such as Hogan and Austin, and whether people like it or not John Cena is that guy. Everyone is just gonna have to accept it. You then need that next wave of SUPERSTARS and i think you need 4 to 5 of them. Theres two clearly in Randy Orton and Edge. I think this topic for debate is more legit now with Orton winning at Mania. It could have been easy to put the title on Cena or HHH but they kept it on Orton which i think shows the trust in him now to have overcame his past and makes a statement that he is a main player . Edge is the same the obv have trust in him to main event mania over a match with arguably there top two draws in Cena and HHH. Now i knw Taker is deserving of closing Mania but this shows Edge is proven too.

I still think they need two more SUPERSTARS. From that list i'de have to go with Kennedy if he realizes his potential and Jeff Hardy if he gets his head out of his ass. I'de also throw Jericho in there too. But you still need guys such as MVP, Umaga, Punk to step up as main eventers and even a few more so things dont get stale.

But i truely believe we are at the very beginning of a new era. I think this mania is the start of it with Edge proving he cant main event Mania, Orton retaining as a heel at mania, and Cena for obvious reasons.

 

[AnthonyMango/NoFate007]

Mania is definitely the thing that got me thinking about this, and for the reasons you stated above. Edge and Orton were given major nods and expressions of trust in my opinion. That and how Flair retired and was essentially the last of that era (unless you count Hacksaw, but, c'mon, the guy's never even won a tag team title). With Flair's departure, the next to go are those like HBK and Undertaker, although for their age they're still arguably two of the top 5 guys in the company in every aspect. Once they go, it'll be up to this new group to hold the reigns.

 

[SpiralHands]

WWE without a doubt is going through another phrase another era, they are HD, the sets are getting immecly huge, the production is brilliant and overall WWE is really prospering I think and in the next 2 years without a doubt, the midcarders of today will be the main eventers of tommorow. I mean CM Punk is Mr.Money in the bank and we have Orton, Cena, Edge and loads more coming I think, by 2010 WWE will be in a new phase.

 

[ExtremeIronChef]

If it's up to these new guys to carry the company then I'll pass. I just don't see what is so special about most of them. MVP and Santino are the only ones who have really impressed me. Matt and Jeff Hardy have been around for years, so has Edge, and Orton, Cena, Kennedy and Umaga don't do anything for me. I realize that you have to build new stars to take over the reigns once the older guys are gone, but these ones I just can't stand behind. Now that Flair is gone the only ones I really care about are HBK, HHH, Taker, and... wait, that's it, with the exception of MVP, Santino Marella, who needs to stop being buried, Edge, and basically the guys who have been there for a longer time. I guess basically I like the older guys more because I grew up watching them and they are familiar to me.

 

[patman81]

i think that with cm punk winning MITB within the next few years he will be a main event. Along with Kennedy, MVP, Jericho, Orton, Cena, Edge, and Jeff Hardy. I also think MAtt Hardy might finally get out of the shadow of his great tag teams and he will be a great singles wrestler, and i see him winning the title in a few years

 

[alwayssideways]

as much as i hate to say it. john cena as much as i hate him him and a few other have been passed the torch. but i don't think they can do as good as a job as those before them. me and the wife were watching mania on sunday. and she made a remark to me that got me thinking. she said that wrestlemania is only a year older then her. so started to think about the first five manies i went to as a kid. those days were the best in my opion and i go to the events to this day when they come back to my area. don't get me wrong i still have love for wrestling as a whole. but for me when hogan came back to msg for the first time in 10 years at a house show and came out the old way music and all. i was 25 and when he hit the ring i actually cried and when he left the ring the era i loved left with it.

 

[michaelj817]

WWE is perpetually floating in an era without a moniker. Looking back in ten years, the current product will probably be referred to as the Cena era, but it is and has been lacking anything to truly set it apart from the remnants of the attitude era. Since then, the show has been toned down from a controversy standpoint, but the format, storylines, and style haven't changed much since 2001/2002. The difference between the Hogan, New Generation, and Attitude Era's and this current nameless era is that major changes took place in the wrestling industry to cause them.

Hogan Era-After purchasing the WWF from Vince Sr. in the early 1980's, Vince Jr. set out on a warpath to take over all of the old guarded territories. If the old promoters didn't sell out, he simply ran them out of business by scooping up their top talent and running shows in the old regional territory anyway. However, cable TV was just beginning to emerge at this time and Vince took advantage of this in a couple of different ways. First he took over local cable TV contracts by brokering better deals with the cable operators than what the regional promoters were brokering. Next, he changed the demographic of pro wrestling by tying it into the infant cable station MTV, and suddenly wrestling was mainstream and cool. Next, he basically invented a new type of revenue for not only wrestling but the cable industry as well in the form of Pay Per View.

New Generation-After coming dangerously close to going to jail for the steroid trial in the early 1990's, Vince implemented a strict drug testing policy within the WWF. As a result, gone were the slow lumbering steroid monsters of the Hogan era. This opened the door for a new style to flourish in the WWF, and allowed younger athletic wrestlers to step up and be the new stars of the company. Chief among them Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels who would be the company's top stars for most of the decade.

Attitude Era-Eventually all of the other promotions in the US were out of business but the Crocketts, and with a name change to WCW, a prime time slot against Raw, and a new boss at the helm named Eric Bischoff, the Monday Night War would rage on TV sets across the country for half a decade. Scooping up Vince's established stars forced Vince to create new stars. WCW also innovated a different type of wrestling program which was more adult, and that wasn't filled with squash matches. On the brink of going out of business, WWF adapted to create an edgy, adult themed wrestling program with new stars that appealed to the fans of the time, and drew in new fans like crazy.

I was hopeful after the Benoit tragedy and implementation of a new strict drug policy, a new era and style of WWE TV would come about. However, I now do not see that happening. Plus, for how over HHH, Shawn Michaels, and Undertaker are, you are not going to see any of their top spots being given to younger wrestlers anytime soon. In the early and late 90's WWE had to make new stars because of reasons I stated above. However, 15 and 10 years later, it is those same stars that dominate the top of the card. Don't get me wrong, I am as big a fan of those guys as anyone else, but until they eventually step aside, you aren't going to see any major changes to the hierarchy of the roster. This is a Catch 22 for WWE, because in essence, they don't need any new top stars to do business as usual. But over the course of the next few years they will, because none of these guys are getting any younger. For anyone who thinks WWE gets stale these days, just wait a few more years. I am by no means in favor of getting rid of guys like Michaels, Taker, and HHH. WWE needs to gradually phase them out of being featured in the top angles on TV weather it gets good ratings or not. If WWE doesn't ready the current crop of undercard wrestlers to be top players in the coming years and stand on their own away from their predecessors, we as fans are facing a continued perpetual purgatory of an era without a moniker.

 

[jpfizzle]

I was hopeful after the Benoit tragedy and implementation of a new strict drug policy, a new era and style of WWE TV would come about. However, I now do not see that happening. Plus, for how over HHH, Shawn Michaels, and Undertaker are, you are not going to see any of their top spots being given to younger wrestlers anytime soon. In the early and late 90's WWE had to make new stars because of reasons I stated above. However, 15 and 10 years later, it is those same stars that dominate the top of the card. Don't get me wrong, I am as big a fan of those guys as anyone else, but until they eventually step aside, you aren't going to see any major changes to the hierarchy of the roster. This is a Catch 22 for WWE, because in essence, they don't need any new top stars to do business as usual. But over the course of the next few years they will, because none of these guys are getting any younger. For anyone who thinks WWE gets stale these days, just wait a few more years. I am by no means in favor of getting rid of guys like Michaels, Taker, and HHH. WWE needs to gradually phase them out of being featured in the top angles on TV weather it gets good ratings or not. If WWE doesn't ready the current crop of undercard wrestlers to be top players in the coming years and stand on their own away from their predecessors, we as fans are facing a continued perpetual purgatory of an era without a moniker.

I've bolded the points in this post that I most agree with and would like to reiterate what they mean to me. The idea that we are in the new "era" is just wishful thinking for now. The top guys like I've bolded from the comment above are too over to phase out just yet, kudos to triple h for letting randy orton get over at mania and kudos to the undertaker as he has let many guys go over in the past including kennedy. However, the positions of the big 3 legends left in the WWE: Michaels, HHH, and 'Taker are too safe.

For the next era we need the WWE to take risks and with the state of pro wrestling atm with the steroids scandals breaking out and deaths etc... combined with lack of competitions means that unfortunately for now the WWE will remain as it is. It should only be a few years though, and I pray that they utilise the Morrions, Kennedys and MVPs as best they can, as these are the three I could see personally leading us into the next generation should it happen.

 

[hoodboilu4]

Yeh, I feel one coming to, they'll probably call the High Definition Era... I'm excited to see what's going to happen with TNA and WWE. As TNA develops a stronger fanbase and new talent, it might be like WCW vs WWF all those years ago. I don't like it how the WWE say that all the wrestlers in WCW like flair was and they say there were in the WWE for their career.

 

[NYSandman]

It really is a big time, and the WWE has two forks in the road to follow. Either continue pushing these young, hungry guys, guys like Punk, Kennedy, Orton, etc., or turn the company into WCW.

They have to be willing to put some of the veterans egos' aside, and allow these kids to shine. MOTB was basically comprised of almost nothing but newcomers, and it was a fine match. I was pleasantly surprised to see Punk win that match. Maybe it does, in fact, show that the company finally understands what needs to happen.

As far as John Cena being the next Hogan? Not in this universe. I AM NOT SAYING THIS TO BASH CENA! How, though, can he be the next Hogan when he gets 60-70 percent of the crowd booing him? Satan used to be in the crowd cheering Hogan.

I really cannot think of anyone in the company right now who has quite the pop of the Rock, Austin or Hogan. HHH and Shawn are huge, but you cannot expect them to usher in this new era.

Vince will have to build a new Hogan from scratch, it seems, and I can't imagine who it will be.

 

[incrediblesim]

Great thread idea!

IMO the idea is now more obvious than ever with Orton, Edge and Punk all having key roles at WM. If WWE book their younger guys right then the "New Generation" maybe closer than we think. IMO guys that are left from the Attitude Era - Kane, Taker, HBK and HHH are already starting to help get this new generation over with the crowd.

IMO the key players in this next crop of talent are-

Face of the WWE- John Cena- Like it or not, he will be taking the role that Hogan, Austin and The Rock once had.

Randy Orton- If he can improve his backstage attitude and improve his mic skills the he really is the way forwards. He has wrestling ability beyond most others on the roster.

Edge- He has established himself already, IMO he should end Takers streak at W/M 25. Because he has now Main-Evented W/M he has won so many titles he might not be the guy who can carry the company by himself but he can carry a brand by himself.

MVP- Hasn't put a foot wrong so far in the WWE. I think he is one good storyline away from making it big. Hell if they were to run a faction storyline then he could be the inspirational leader of a modern-day Nation of Domination. He needs a better entrance IMO and I think he needs to get rid of The Power Ranger suit.

CM Punk- He has a loyal fanbase already if he is given the right level of push he could become a cult hero almost. I think a feud against HHH could happen with him eventually getting a win at a key PPV. It could be built with HHH as the heel and Punk beating the odds by beating HHH.

Mr Kennedy- Has lost a lot of steam since last year but IMO they should draft him back over to S/D and then either- 1. Turn him face, because honestly he has good mic skills and isn't bad in the ring. He has a brash, anti- hero style similar to that of Austin but because of his character we don't see it as much. 2. Re-Run the who is Vince's son thing with Kennedy and then build him as the a guy who gets everything he wants and have him cheat his way to winning the title from Taker at Summerslam.

Jeff Hardy- What an idiot! Its going to take some building for him to get where he was- the feud with Jericho was looking good. If he can get to that level again with him getting the fan pops then the future is bright.

Well thats my two cents on the "New Generation" I know I might have missed some guys out. What do you guys think?

 

[NYSandman]

Great thread idea!

IMO the idea is now more obvious than ever with Orton, Edge and Punk all having key roles at WM. If WWE book their younger guys right then the "New Generation" maybe closer than we think. IMO guys that are left from the Attitude Era - Kane, Taker, HBK and HHH are already starting to help get this new generation over with the crowd.

IMO the key players in this next crop of talent are-

Face of the WWE- John Cena- Like it or not, he will be taking the role that Hogan, Austin and The Rock once had.

Randy Orton- If he can improve his backstage attitude and improve his mic skills the he really is the way forwards. He has wrestling ability beyond most others on the roster.

Edge- He has established himself already, IMO he should end Takers streak at W/M 25. Because he has now Main-Evented W/M he has won so many titles he might not be the guy who can carry the company by himself but he can carry a brand by himself.

MVP- Hasn't put a foot wrong so far in the WWE. I think he is one good storyline away from making it big. Hell if they were to run a faction storyline then he could be the inspirational leader of a modern-day Nation of Domination. He needs a better entrance IMO and I think he needs to get rid of The Power Ranger suit.

CM Punk- He has a loyal fanbase already if he is given the right level of push he could become a cult hero almost. I think a feud against HHH could happen with him eventually getting a win at a key PPV. It could be built with HHH as the heel and Punk beating the odds by beating HHH.

Mr Kennedy- Has lost a lot of steam since last year but IMO they should draft him back over to S/D and then either- 1. Turn him face, because honestly he has good mic skills and isn't bad in the ring. He has a brash, anti- hero style similar to that of Austin but because of his character we don't see it as much. 2. Re-Run the who is Vince's son thing with Kennedy and then build him as the a guy who gets everything he wants and have him cheat his way to winning the title from Taker at Summerslam.

Jeff Hardy- What an idiot! Its going to take some building for him to get where he was- the feud with Jericho was looking good. If he can get to that level again with him getting the fan pops then the future is bright.

Well thats my two cents on the "New Generation" I know I might have missed some guys out. What do you guys think?

On the next Hogan:

We must ask ourselves, "What makes a monster babyface these days?"

In the Hogan era, the babyface was sort of like a superhero. He was all good, and spoke about prayers, believing in one's self, being good, clean, fair and wholesome. He connected with the crowd through their sense of what is right, and also communicated well with children. THAT is a MUST.

But, think of Austin. This man gave the middle finger as a salute, swigged beer in the ring, cursed, cheated whenever he could, and spat in the face of his elders and authority figures. I loved him. You loved him.

The Rock was a trash talking, egomaniacal, nasty arrogant bastard, and we all loved him.

Would the Rock or Austin lasted in Hogan's time? Hell, NO! They would have been booed out of the arena, and so universally hated that Bin Laden would cower to see it.

Now, we have another generation, apart from Austin/Rock. I think, however, the Austin/Rock formula would still be better than the Hogan formula. Everyone is pissed, broke, miserable and mad these days, at least it seems that way.

Cena does have aspects of a modern face. I really don't know why people don't take to him. I'm not a huge fan, but I can't say WHY I'm not. I'm just not.

I think that, again, Cena may be a little too sugary. What I mean is, he is always preaching about working hard, struggling, being brave, saluting and showing respect. We should admire that, but the sad fact is most people don't. Throw a little more attitude on him. Turn him heel for awhile, and then slowly start turning him back. I think when he finally becomes a face again, it may be for the right reason.

There are currently not too many young guys who look like they can wear the crown. I don't know. I just can't think of anyone.

Maybe the days of a big, monster face are over, and the current formula of giving us a choice in who we love and hate will remain. Maybe it SHOULD stay that way.

 

[AnthonyMango/NoFate007]

I think the issue of the solitary monster babyface is more complicated than it used to be even in the Attitude Era, and Austin/Rock wouldn't work as much.

As you stated, we had Hogan buttering everything up, then we had Austin and the Rock tearing it all down. Cena's too close to Hogan, yeah, and others are too close to Austin/Rock. I think the healthiest choice is the one in the middle, a mix of them. Someone who is clearly the good guy in the situation (ie, he doesn't pull stunts like punting someone in their appendix wound lol) however, doesn't pull the early Superman routine from the comics of "always listen to your parents kids, and if you find some money, take it to your local authorities!" Someone who is cocky to piss off the heels, has a sense of humor, but also shows a sense of camaraderie to fellow faces. The closest I can see to someone filling that role is CM Punk, but I find him a little bland in the ring right now so I'm hoping he adapts and adds some more to his game. I can't see Cena being that type of guy, but being more of the Hogan type. That way, the people that are attracted to that type of a character get what they want, but hopefully it isn't the #1 thing they push, or else they'll repel the fans that have been sticking it out and hoping for some edginess. Kennedy I can see becoming more of an Austin, Morrison being more of a Michaels, and MVP being more of the Rock, so Punk, in a way, I can see becoming Triple H-esque.

 

[dizzle]

I can see John Morrison as a main eventer in the future. He's got the looks, athletic ability and talent to step into Shawn Michael's shoes when he decides to hang it up. Santino Marella seems to be over with a lot of you guys here, but I don't see him being around long term. He's been around for a year or so now and he hasn't been involved in anything memorable. I'm 29 now, and I've watched wrestling in one form or another since my early childhood. I've seen dozens of guys like Marella come and go over the years, and none of them seem important to me. CM Punk is also extremely popular at the moment and I don't really understand that either. I see him "at this point in his career" as a flavor of the month. How are you going to take him seriously 10 years from now if his moniker is still the straight edge superstar? He's going to need a character overhaul at some point, there simply isn't that much to him at this time. Basically the point I'm attempting to make is that the WWE is on it's way. There are guys who are emerging right now who will carry the brand in the future, I just don't think CM Punk is the next Ric Flair...

 

[Kcorthe]

I have wondered about this myself. Is this the turning point of a new era for the WWE?

I love Shawn Michaels and I love The Undertaker...I always have, and I always will....HOWEVER, I think this needs to be their last year. Its not that neither of them can put on good matches anymore, but its just that them staying is doing nothing for the WWE. 'Taker and Michaels signify an old era, and that era won't end until they're gone. This also goes for Kane and Triple H; 2008 should be HBK's, 'Taker's, and Kane's final year in the WWE....and I would say Triple H too, but I think he is still gonna be wrestling for the next five years or maybe even longer. Sorry, but I just see it happening that way.

HHH is currently 38 years old. He will be 39 in July. Do you really think he's gonna retire soon? HHH will be here until at least his early-to-mid 40's. But if it was up to me, I would have his last match be at WrestleMania 26, so about two years left. But that's just me.

Anyway, I am really, really ready for the next generation...but I just don't see it happening until some of those guys leave, and that won't happen until at least the end of this year, or maybe even later than that.

WrestleMania 25 should be the end for Undertaker and HBK, with Kane ending shortly after.

That's all my opinion. Edge, Orton, Cena, Kennedy, Punk, Morrison, MVP, Carlito, Umaga, Jeff Hardy, & Elijiah Burke should be the top main eventers of the next generation.

 

[incrediblesim]

On the next Hogan:

We must ask ourselves, "What makes a monster babyface these days?"

In the Hogan era, the babyface was sort of like a superhero. He was all good, and spoke about prayers, believing in one's self, being good, clean, fair and wholesome. He connected with the crowd through their sense of what is right, and also communicated well with children. THAT is a MUST.

But, think of Austin. This man gave the middle finger as a salute, swigged beer in the ring, cursed, cheated whenever he could, and spat in the face of his elders and authority figures. I loved him. You loved him.

The Rock was a trash talking, egomaniacal, nasty arrogant bastard, and we all loved him.

Would the Rock or Austin lasted in Hogan's time? Hell, NO! They would have been booed out of the arena, and so universally hated that Bin Laden would cower to see it.

Now, we have another generation, apart from Austin/Rock. I think, however, the Austin/Rock formula would still be better than the Hogan formula. Everyone is pissed, broke, miserable and mad these days, at least it seems that way.

Cena does have aspects of a modern face. I really don't know why people don't take to him. I'm not a huge fan, but I can't say WHY I'm not. I'm just not.

I think that, again, Cena may be a little too sugary. What I mean is, he is always preaching about working hard, struggling, being brave, saluting and showing respect. We should admire that, but the sad fact is most people don't. Throw a little more attitude on him. Turn him heel for awhile, and then slowly start turning him back. I think when he finally becomes a face again, it may be for the right reason.

There are currently not too many young guys who look like they can wear the crown. I don't know. I just can't think of anyone.

Maybe the days of a big, monster face are over, and the current formula of giving us a choice in who we love and hate will remain. Maybe it SHOULD stay that way.

Couldn't agree more. At the moment the Austin/Rock type face appeals to everyone. Cena is too much of a Ned Flanders to appeal to everyone. Fair enough the kids love him but to be the face of a company you have to be liked by the majority. Maybe its the WWE creating a new hero for the new generation of fans. I for one would like to see this year being the one where we get Cena's heel turn and have him feud of over the IC Title because it would add credibility (to the title) definetly- Cena doesn't need to be top dog in order to sell merchandise. He has lost a lot of steam that he had whilst on Smackdown- I think he should be drafted back for two reasons- 1. If he was a heel we could have the obvious Cena-Undertaker feud (However you then run the chance of him ending Takers streak). 2. His matches would look better edited on S/D.

 

[jontabs]

Couldn't agree more. At the moment the Austin/Rock type face appeals to everyone. Cena is too much of a Ned Flanders to appeal to everyone. Fair enough the kids love him but to be the face of a company you have to be liked by the majority. Maybe its the WWE creating a new hero for the new generation of fans. I for one would like to see this year being the one where we get Cena's heel turn and have him feud of over the IC Title because it would add credibility (to the title) definetly- Cena doesn't need to be top dog in order to sell merchandise.

I think the problem with Cena is that during his major title run, he was indirectly trying to be the "next hogan". Take a look, most his matches would be him being beat up on, getting some spots in, then suddenly, he"hulks up" (not as obviously as Hogan though), hits the "5 moves" of doom, and bam, another win.

The thing is, Hogan IS Hogan, what he does only works for him. That same formula won't work for Cena. Personally, I was a huge Cena fan during his Thuganomics phase with his ad libbed raps and throwback jerseys. But when the whole "my time is now" crap started, they started billing him as the "underdog", the "never say die" type guy, which isnt really all that original.

Cena's huge I'll give him that, but I think the WWE has "polished" him up too much so to speak. He's too squeaky clean for older fans to take seriously, but the kids will eat him up.

For me, the WWE blew a big chance to reinvent itself when they didnt do a double turn at WM 22 in Chicago. Fans were going wild for HHH and we're hating Cena big time. Perfect environment for a double turn if you ask me.

 

[jontabs]

As for the other talent in the WWE, I think it starts with the IC title and the tag division. Think of the number of great main eventers who came from the tag team ranks. Bret Hart, HBK, Austin, Jeff Hardy (not quite yet but potentially), Booker T, JBL, etc

Giving them a mid card title validates them as someone to be taken seriously. Enough giving the IC title to HBK, Hardy, or Y2J who are already over. Let the young guys hold it. Look at Cena, he was catapulted into stardom with his US title reign. So was Booker T . Going back even further, it was very rare that the WWF champ in the attitude era didnt first feud over the IC title.

By building up the lower card titles, then the other talent will get more exposure and legitimacy.

I hope the WWE does the right thing with people like Carlito, Shelton, CM Punk, Cryme Tyme, Kennedy and MVP (hope they dont screw up his US title reign).

A new era can start, as long as HHH aint holding people down anymore, and they actually use their talent, WWE's future looks bright.

 

[incrediblesim]

Giving them a mid card title validates them as someone to be taken seriously. Enough giving the IC title to HBK, Hardy, or Y2J who are already over.

I agree but at the moment the IC Title is being dragged throught the mud. It needs 1 solid big champ (IMO Cena) who defends it regularly to drop it to a Punk, Shelton, Elijah (Would by my choice) Carlito or Umaga at Summerslam (or any other major PPV).

 

[jpfizzle]

When I posted in here the other day I was really dismissive of the idea of having a new Era anytime soon, but the more I've read of the last few posts the more I've come round to the idea. I dont agree with all posts however, I dont see why we cant have a new era with guys like Michaels and Taker, Trips and Kane, these guys are still huge draws and so long as they can still physically wrestle, let them, they dont always have to be in the main picture, obviouls for the time being Taker and Kane will be as they are champions, but Triple H has the potential to really make a change now and drop into the upper mid card allowing a few of the upper mid carders to step up and attempt to fill his position, this way if the new era falls on it's ass they can use Triple H as a security blanket.

A new era, it sounds exciting... and why not have it now?

Randy Orton, Edge, Jericho, MVP, Kennedy, John Morrison... these are my personal top 6 guys in WWE atm, have all of these guys on Raw feuding with people like Cena, CM Punk, DH Smith (ridiculously underrated) Elijah Burke, cody rhodesand a few others and you have alot of great feuds in the making, and some real big names whoes star power is just waiting to be exposed.

Have Undertaker, Trips, Michaels, Batista, Kane and all of the rest of the Main eventers on Smack down and ECW, occasionaly putting over a new talent such as Kofi Kingston.

until recently I have underrated the depth WWE has in its rosters right now, this is the strongest it's been since 1999.

 

[AnthonyMango/NoFate007]

It looks like the majority of the listings have the WWF/WWE eras as:

1. The Golden Age
2. The New Generation
3. Monday Night Wars
4. The Attitude Era
5. The Invasion
6. Brand Extension

The 7th on Wikipedia seems to be classified as WWEHD, but really, we haven't seen anything huge happen roster-wise because of the switch, so I see no reason to dub it that. Looks like we're caught in between "the Brand Extension" and "the as yet unnamed era we're talking about that will occur in the next 1-3 years". So I guess "Brand Extension" would be the answer you're looking for, Seal.

 

[incrediblesim]

I think we have seen transitional periods like this before in the WWE-

1. Before the Wars- A lot of new talent broke waves in the WWE in the period leading upto the Monday Night Wars.

2.Brand Extension- I think the WWE had a hangover from the party that was the Attitude Era however this time it was masked by the talent they had coming from ECW/WCW.

I think thats what we have been through again- but this time there was no War or anything to mask it off. I honestly think we could be in for a good year this year.

 

[WrestlingRevealedCom]

That's another thing. WWE doesn't have as much to choose from in terms of new talent.

Right now, they basically just have their own developmental program to choose from. There's no ECW or WCW to take talent from (and vice versa).

Plus, ROH and TNA aren't exactly producing wrestlers that fit the WWE mold. Harris and Killings fit the mold because they're both big and can both slow down to adapt to the WWE style of wrestling.

 

[Danmen001]

I think It will be quite a few years before we do move into the 'Next Era', of wrestling entertainment.

The WWEHD era, I believe is a fair enough assessment. Although I reckon there is a second part to that. We havne't had much to say for in the HD era, other than HD of course. The second part of HD, will probably the 'Next Generation' time. When younger stars start to step up their game. Bring what they can to the table and perform as ME players.

When the time comes, not for a while most likely. We will see the start of another era of wrestling.