15 EXACT Moments Failed WWE Attitude Era Gimmicks Actually Got Over

15. The Dudley Boyz (January 24, 2000)

The Dudley Boyz felt a little bit Public Enemy when they first turned up on WWF screens. 

This was less than ideal, since the Public Enemy were an infamous bust, but suboptimal parallels were there to be drawn. Both teams carried tables around. Both teams were rotund. Neither updated their ECW look when entering the big time, which had the obvious effect of them looking small-time. As mad as this might read, if you’ve ever heard Bully Ray open his mouth and say literally anything over the past several years, he was actually smarter than that. 

The Dudleyz quickly disassociated themselves from the bingo hall with a camouflage attire update and started to use tables more liberally. In the sort of blistering sprint that is sadly lost to time, they lost to the Hardyz at Royal Rumble 2000 in the first-ever Tables match. It was incredible, a rapid-fire crowd-pleaser in which every table wreckage followed the next with a glorious blast beat rhythm. As great and as influential as the match was, Bubba Ray and D-Von truly got over and developed an identity the next night on Raw when they blasted Terri Runnels through a table. 

As bleak as this was, following Jeff Jarrett’s move to WCW, a vacancy had opened up for misogyny - and the Dudleyz were very interested in the role. If anything, their one flaw was working too hard. 

Fuelled by the confidence of getting over in the Fed - something that had eluded many ECW acts - the Dudleyz very quickly started whipping out the catchphrases and never looked back.