The Secret History Of WWE’s Ruthless Aggression Era | Wrestling Timelines

June 12, 2006 - The D-Generation X Reboot

On June 12, 2006, D-Generation X reforms. They are no longer transgressive, genuinely loathsome heat merchants with a bold and disruptive vision of pro wrestling’s future. They are the establishment, and they use their sway to amuse themselves. At least somebody finds it funny.

Triple H and Shawn Michaels, just like they had between 2002 and 2004, dominate the top of the card. At least then, they were entangled in a long (and sometimes interminable) grudge programme. Tonally, at least, the story warranted the slot and the focus. In 2006, however, their act is woefully unfunny and lightweight. It feels like a thinly-veiled excuse for Triple H to make d*ck jokes and portray a cool guy babyface who is tougher and funnier than everybody else.

They feud with Vince McMahon, the excruciating premise of which is that DX imply that their boss is a homosexual on a weekly basis. Using a chicken as a marketing visual and “code”, Vince McMahon likes c*cks.

DX defeat McMahon underlings the Spirit Squad in the main event of Vengeance on June 25. They defeat Vince and Shane in the SummerSlam semi-main on August 20. They work in the midcard at Unforgiven, technically, but their match against Vince, Shane and the Big Show is the second-longest on the card (25:04), and is a heavily promoted Hell In A Cell match. They go over, and the big visual gag is DX smearing Vince’s head across Big Show’s bare ass. This is puerile - uncut, high-grade Vince McMahon indulgence.

DX actually do a job to the rave-reviewed Rated RKO tandem of Randy Orton and Edge, which is scuppered by injury.

Meanwhile, John Cena is still positioned as the top guy in a highly acclaimed series with Edge. There is a newness and sense of weight to WWE’s main event scene, at least on Monday Night Raw. There is also a sense of trivial nothingness polluting the product elsewhere…