10 Things Everyone Gets Wrong About WWE's Attitude Era
8. The Wrestling Was Infinitely Better
"Today's in-ring style is boring."
This is a common complaint among the PG Era's many decriers, and it's not without merit. The modern main event style is extremely repetitive, with most big matches devolving to mindless finisher kickout-fests by the end, and WWE's heavy restrictions undoubtedly curb their roster's creativity and athleticism.
Attitude's style was far looser by comparison. The era isn't short of classics, with matches like Rock vs. Austin ('Mania X-7), TLC I-III, and Triple H vs. Cactus Jack (Royal Rumble & No Way Out 2000) standing among the best in WWE history. The problem is that almost everything below the upper-midcard was woefully bad, and many of Attitude's bigger bouts were derailed by catastrophic clusterf*** booking, leaving the era's back catalogue surprisingly thin.
From Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco's 'Hardcore Evening Gown' match to the dreaded Kennel From Hell, Attitude's in-ring output was often atrocious, with undercards largely populated by dreadful plodders like Viscera, Mideon, and Ahmed Johnson. Even the likes of Curt Hawkins and Aiden English would wrestle circles around these duds.
That's not to say there aren't bad matches in 2017 (because there certainly are), but PG's quality floor is far higher than Attitude's, even if the action isn't half as visceral as it once was. Athletic standards are higher than ever before, and the sport's evolution can't be stopped.