How Reviving An Attitude Era Classic Would Make WWE WrestleMania 35 Unmissable

The Austin/Lynch parallels stacked up at a rate as rapid as Becky's rise through the ranks. The number of coincidences were astonishing, particularly when she was taken away from an audience ravenous for more. Nia Jax' errant right fist in 2018 wasn't quite as devastating at Owen Hart's fudged tombstone 21 years earlier, but the impact in the crowd felt the same when WWE had to share the news that their hero was consigned to the bench.

Lynch's relatively quick comeback didn't allow for much of an absence, but hearts didn't need motivating to grow fonder - she was and is the most popular performer in the company based on crowd reactions and wider audience perception, and though there's not been enough time just yet to classify if this is a passing fad or a permanent fascination, the discussion has come at the exact right time to turn hirsute reactions

Curiously, the time WWE lost 'The Rattlesnake' the longest was immediately followed by a period in which they steered into prosperity hitherto unseen. An empire was rebuilt on his shoulders, but his neck literally couldn't withstand the weight after all those years of graft. Far from being desperately missed after the infamous November 1999 hit-and-run write-out, Austin's tragic legacy was that he wasn't really missed at all. The star quality he'd brought back to the industry had rubbed off on The Rock, who in turn was better at giving the rub than Austin himself. Mick Foley was a star on his own terms, The Undertaker was giving his tired 'Deadman' schtick a breather in place of the briefly-popular 'American Bad Ass' and Triple H morphed into arguably the best wrestler in the world.

Furthermore, the space he occupied in Vince McMahon's day was freed up for other endeavours. McMahon was always known for looking after his top guys, but a lack of Stone Cold conversation seemed to trickle down to midcarders getting far more attention. 'The Game' himself was a real and kayfabe beneficiary of this - he was at becoming a regular in the writers room and the McMahon homestead when an on-screen relationship with Vince's daughter Stephanie created IRL feels between the storyline heels.

As with Charlotte's show-stealing Survivor Series display, 2000 was suddenly all about 'The Game'. And just like how 'The Man' came around again, 'The Bionic Redneck' was also repaired and ready to return...

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