WWE:2005 vs 1999

[Paralyzer Z]

Another year comparison

Today we have 2005, the year i first began to watch wrestling at all. Near classics such as both Angle/Micheals matches, Batista/HHH Hell in a cell, and the the original Money in the bank ladder matches. Other great matches include: Eddie/Rey ladder match, Vengeance triple threat, and orton/taker wrestlemania.

In 1999 we had the middle of the attitude era. A decent wrestlemania, the epic Austin/McMahon rivalry, and the very beginning of the rise of Triple H. Stone cold Steve Austin was the center focus here as he would be for most of the attitude era. Oh and how could I forget the Rock/Foley feud.

My pick is 2005 as 1999 from the stuff I have seen from it was only great at the beginning while 2005 was consistently good through the year.

In which year was WWE's product better? Why?

 

[mulvey187]

hmmmm tough question !! two unbeilevable years 4 wrestling fans but i think the edge goes slightly to 1999 Although 2005 had some great fueds and matches it set the course for the repetitve bullshit we have had in the last 5 years with Cena and Batista constantly dominating while putting on poor quality matches with little fan intrest in fueds.The year 1999 showcased some of the most talented wrestlers of the attitude era on full display for example the mid card was stacked with entertaining characters such as Dlo brown,Val Venis,Ken Shamrock,The Godfather and X-pac.
Also contrary to 2005 it showcased the debuts of talent that would carry the WWF/E into the next 7 years such as Edge and Christian,The Hardy boyz,The Dudley Boyz,Bradshaw,Kane and The Big Show.also the year contained exellent fueds such as the extremely underated The Rock vs Mankind,The rock vs Austin and featured triple h breaking into the big time along with without a doubt the best performances of Paul wights career this is why i think that 1999 was better than 2005

 

[Rockyfolifebo!!!]

This is a toughy, because I'm a DIEHARD AE fan for life. But 2005 was a hell of a year. We ushered in new stars (Cena, Batista, Eddie, Edge, etc) and even brought back some old ones (Hogan, Piper). With 1999, you had guys start to rise quickly (Rock, HHH, Mankind, Big Show). Plus, back then everyone was somewhat over and had their own unique personality. I'm sorry, I gotta go with '99 on this one. You had so many memorable moments (the beer truck incident, unholy wedding, this is your life, etc.) Plus, if my memory serves me right, this was around the time I started watching wrestling.

BTW, R.I.P to Owen Hart ('99) and Eddie Guerrero ('05)

 

[IHW]

I too started watching in 2005, and for that reason... 2005 was better.
I loved the Orton and Taker saga, and Edges rain as Mr. Money In The Bank. I enjoyed it because it was the beginning of John Cena, and at the time he was still entertaining.

 

[jnapoli85]

2005 couldn't come close to the AE era of matches and feuds. Also one main thing 99 had over 05 was the mid card talent was almost as good if not equal to the main event stuff. I hardly ever walked away from the TV.

 

[S.J. Maximus]

I don't think this is even close. Obviously people who started watching in 2005 are going to favor 2005 because that's the year they know and 1999 is just "overrated". As someone who started in 1994, I can tell you that 1999 was better. We had the Rock and Triple H reach the top of the mountain (just like Cena and Batista did in 05) but I'd say Rock and HHH reaching top guy status is more epic than Cena and Batista reaching top guy status. We also had the debuts of Y2J and Kurt Angle, and Chyna was more over in 1999 than any 2 divas combined in 2005. Although Taker got hurt in 99, he was better on the mic and ring in this year than he was in 05 and I think the midcard (New Age Outlaws, Venis, Rikishi, X-Pac,) was more entertaining than Shelton Benjamin, Maven, and Renee Dupree

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

2005 was the better year because the year was consistently entertaining all throughout. In 2005 the year started in the Wrestlemania build up with exciting new stars like Cena and Batista with Orton, Edge, and Mysterio building up their momentum.

It also helped that the build up for WM and the overall PPV was good.

After WM you had the fallout feuds and the exciting one month draft lottery which, I still see, as the biggest game changer for both RAW and Smackdown!. RAW got Angle, Cena, Carlito, The Big Show and Smackdown! got Benoit, Orton, Batista, and Christian. This all created fresh feuds and storylines for the entire year.

You had a hot Summer with HBK/HOGAN, ECW and that whole Matt/Lita/Edge thing.

After the Summer there was a RAW vs. Smackdown! Rivlary. Ok this is done so many time but before 2005 the WWE did a good job separating the brands so anything that involved and cross-brand feuds back then was considered OMG!!!

The of course 2005 ended in Hell in a Cell with Orton and Undertaker.

2005 was a good year for the WWE. PWI hates it for some reason, but I felt they kept both shows consistent and entertaining throughout the year. Of course this would lead to a downfall in 2006 when Smackdown! gets rapped of its talent and RAW redoes an unexciting DX reunion (ok it was cool for 2 weeks).


1999 was an avarage year it had its highs but there were a lot of dry spells (May to August) then (November and December). The highlight of this year was Triple H's main event rise but even that was convoluted with titles switching hands every month.

 

[King Patrick Star]

Following my formula...

1999 – On the WWF World Title scene, we had Mankind, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Triple H, Mr. McMahon, and the Big Show holding Attitude Era Belt.

2005 – On the WWE Title scene, we had John Bradshaw Layfield holding my favorite WWE Title Belt and John Cena introducing the infamous Spinner Belt. On the World Title scene, we had Triple H and Batista holding the Big Gold Belt.

I have to say this goes to 1999. 2005 was a pretty good year with JBL and HHH playing the role of Ric Flair in their respective versions of the Four Horsemen, but it 1999, in my opinion, was just a more exciting year. 99 had two of my favorites of all time at the top along with Mankind, Undertaker, Triple H, and Big Show. Add Vince to the list of Title holders and you have yourself one of the most unpredictable year in WWE history.

 

[coldasicex5]

1999 x100

the highest rated raw match took place that year

McMahon, Austin, Rock vs Shane, Undertaker, HHH. The fans were going nuts from beginning to end

 

[therockiswwf]

2005 was far better than 1999. 1999 maybe one of the worst years ever for the WWE (I'm not joking about the ever part, it was really really bad). Anyone who says 1999 was better than 2005, please good back and actually watch the year of 1999, you will be surprised.

1999:
Vince Russo
Mae Young giving birth to a hand
Mae Young having regular matches
Really boring PPVs
A lot of bad storylines
Big Show winning the title for no reason (at the time, and I can't believe I'm saying this, Test would of made a much better choice to win the title at Survivor Series)
Ministry of Darkness was just complete and utter crap
Vince being the Higher power
Very few great matches
Debra being the Womens champ
Vince being arrested for hitting HHH's car (with Vince's own car) while Ken Shamrock running over Steve Blackman and not getting arrested

2005:
Had many great matches
Cena abd Batista's rise to the top
First MITB
The PPVs were not strong but they were a lot better than the PPVs of 1999
Had some bad storylines but again, nothing like 1999's storylines
The mid-card was pretty good during this year

2005 was a good (not great) year. It had a lot of great matches and actually had a great year for the mid-card. 1999 was a horrible year, just complete crap.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

1999 is one of those really shitty overrated attitude era years. People remember it in hindsight really favorably, and they remember the highlights you see, but if you ever go back and try to watch the 1999 season it's hard to do. You feel dumber after watching most of it.

2005 was a tremendous mix of in ring classics, storylines, drama, new guys coming up, old guys who still had it, etc.

For fuck's sake stop using ratings to say the tude era was better. first off, ratings can't be compared directly from 1999 to 2005 because the market changed so much, that's like comparing Lou brock's salary to Curtis Grandersons. Second, Jersey Shore gets higher ratings than Raw, so if you think about it, for Raw to get higher ratings, they should try to be like Jersey Shore. Coincidentally, the Tude era was actually quite a bit like jersey shore, so maybe you tude era marks WOULD like that.

I challenge anyone who says 1999 to go out and find the 1999 Raw pack and watch it start to finish and tell me it's anything but utter ridiculous shit that barely resembles a wrestling show.