WWE's ratings dropped from the Attitude Era peak as early as 2002, but mostly stabilised throughout the rest of the decade that was, until 2008's shift to PG at least, a sexualised hangover from their mainstream golden era. Even if they'd been responsible, the women still wouldn't have received the credit - it was out in the open that
"Ruthless Aggression" was the label based on what Vince McMahon requested from his talent, but a "Relentless Erection" might have been more in keeping with what he offered to his punters. Presumably assuming that his fans hadn't figured out how the internet worked beyond spending all day on WWE.com, McMahon believed it vital that his shows include copious amounts of stare-bait in the form of Divas matches way more about the skin on show than the in-ring skill.
That, or he just wanted an excuse to hire more women he could repulsively letch over under the guise of his grim artistic vision.
And speaking of grim artistic visions, WWE's bought-and-paid-for ECW brand was suddenly also apart of his single-tissue agenda, and what a playground for debauchery it promised to be.
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett
