10 Most Influential Moments That Were Precursors To The WWE Attitude Era
8. Hollywood Backlot Brawl
Another moment that pre-dated the Attitude Era yet could've just as easily taken place during it came at WrestleMania XII.
For the biggest show of the year in 1996, Vince McMahon turned to Rowdy Roddy Piper to help counter the star power that WCW had been presenting with the likes of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage. Piper was tasked with taking on Goldust in a street fight labeled the "Hollywood Backlot Brawl".
This match would've fit in well during the Attitude Era for multiple reasons. For one, the match was performed with a level of physicality and violence that was not often seen on WWE television or even pay-per-view. In addition to wielding a baseball bat and using an automobile as weapons, Piper landed some stiff punches to the head of Goldust in what was a pretty brutal bout for 1996.
The whole affair lightened up a bit when the company spliced in footage of the infamous OJ Simpson Ford Bronco chase scene during the event. In addition, the match ended in the ring when Piper stripped Goldust of his wrestling attire, revealing the plus-sized lingerie that Goldust had on underneath his gear.
The brawl quickly went from a serious street fight to sports-entertainment before devolving into a weird attempt at comedy, but it would've fit right in with the product in 1999.