10 Ways WWE Could Revive The Attitude Era (Even With A PG Rating)

9. A Motive For All

Triple H Steph
WWE.com

The Hardcore Title 24/7 ruling in its 2000 heyday allowed the WWF to drag even the dimmest stars into the orbit of relevance. Headbanger Thrasher, under the expert stewardship of Chris Kreski, became an entertaining fixture on television. His funhouse pursuit of Crash Holly's belt was so much more fun than so much of WWE's repetitive and formulaic current product.

Providing every character with a reason to exist - an imperative of traditional linear fiction - is something WWE doesn't bother with, 18 years later. Sadly, this is a result of Creative being both inept and under instruction to flatter only those deemed worthy of flattering. It's no longer cynical to suggest that Rusev is too popular for his own good right now; we've seen this bizarre punishment so often in recent years. This mentality is laughable, and must be dropped. In the Attitude Era, talents were rewarded for their popularity. It was a meritocracy born from the need to quash the competition.

As for the solution? Encouraging talents to devise their own ideas would be a start. So many of them are far more likeable and funny on social media that it seems certain they would relish and make use of the opportunity. Introducing a new championship designed for the comedy fodder also-rans is another; the Participation Medal, announced by an oblivious and well-meaning Kurt Angle, is one such idea - something intentionally insignificant to render the premise of fighting for it a punchline in itself.

A Curtis Axel or a Heath Slater would do wonders with something like that.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!