10 Ideas That WWE Stole From Other Companies
6. The Rebellious Anti-Authority Stable
D-Generation X were lewd, crude, and out-of-control. A key component of the Attitude Era’s unparalleled success, DX didn’t care who they offended as they raised hell and made Vince McMahon’s life a nightmare.
They weren’t wrestling’s first group of rebellious anti-heroes, however. WCW had already tread that path with the New World Order, whose 1996 formation blew the wrestling world apart, and pushed WCW to beat WWE for 84 consecutive weeks in the ratings war.
Personality-wise, there were few similarities between DX and the cool, cocksure nWo invaders, but Vince McMahon knew he had to transition to an edgier product following the Hall and Nash defections, and D-Generation X were vital. Along with the likes of Stone Cold and The Rock, they helped make WWE worth watching again, and their legacy remains unblemished despite numerous half-hearted revival attempts over the years.
They were a huge success, and pivotal in ushering the company-defining Attitude Era that would go-on to drag the company out of the ratings doldrums and, eventually, help put WCW out of business.