DX’s antics. Vince McMahon. Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Rock. Triple H. Shawn Michaels. Hollywood Hulk Hogan. Mick Foley. The Dudley Boyz. The Hardy Boyz. Undertaker. Kane. Big Show. John Cena. Bah Gawd we can’t forget Jim Ross behind the booth either. The WWF had it a run where it was must watch television due to the entertainers they had. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY put on a better show in the early 2000s than the WWF. It has not been as big as it was during the attitude era, but let’s take a trip down memory lane, and reminisce on what made the WWF awesome.

The Entrances

WrestleVideo – Stone Cold Steve Austin makes his Epic Entrance

Arguably the best entrance in the history of the WWF, when the glass shattered, everyone knew what time it was. The walk to the ring was always a pleasure to watch as well. I mean Steve Austin had me slamming two cans of pop together on top of the patio. No other sport had what the WWF had with entrance music. When the entrance music played, the fans knew exactly who it was and would react immediately. Whether if it was “Are you Ready” or the Rock screaming “If you Smell” or the glass shattering, the WWF superstars hit on all cylinders when it came to picking out their entrance in the attitude era.

D-Generation X

Probably the most controversial group at the time, DX knew how to put on a show. Photo Credits to prowrestling.fandom.com

WWE- D-Generation X’s Greatest Moments

The top 10 moments barely do justice to how entertaining DX was to watch. Impersonating the owners of the business they work for, getting Mike Tyson to join them, DX knew exactly what the fans were looking for. And if you want to talk about political incorrectness, look no further than Shawn Michaels, Triple H, X-Pac, Road Dogg, and Billy Gunn. They had children all across the country yelling “Suck It.” They had people everywhere giving the sign for suck it. One of the most entertaining groups in WWE’s history, DX was the embodiement of the Attitude Era. And if you don’t agree with that, well I got two words for ya.

Vince McMahon

Vince McMahon had his fingers on the controls, knowing exactly what the fans were looking for during the Attitude Era. Photo Credits to Whatculture.com

Vince is still CEO of the WWE, and he was a very active CEO during the Attitude Era. One of the better heels in recent history, Vince and his family had their bouts with Steve Austin, The Rock, Big Show, and of course DX. McMahons were always a good entertainers, always putting on a show.

Attitude Pop – Stone Cold & Mr. McMahon Segment

One of the many memorable Smackdown moments, when McMahon heard the glass shatter, he knew exaclty what to do to put on a show. On top of that, Vince’s act of shutting the lights out, disregarding the fans is what makes Vince one of the many moments that made him one of the best entertainers in the business.

Also, what a memorable walk out and a Conor McGregor level strut to the ring, EVERY SINGLE TIME.

prgoons – WWE Vince McMahon – Power Walk

The Rock

One of the biggest stars in Hollywood today, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson got his entertainment start in the WWF. Dubbed “The most electrifying man in sports entertainment”, and boy did Rock live up to that name.

Arnie Garcia – The Rock at his Best!

The Rock garnered more fan attention than any other WWF superstar at his peak. The fans constantly chanting “Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!” Every time Rock would cut a promo, starting off with “Finally, the Rock has come back to…” The Rock had plenty of lines that were beloved by fans. Always drawing big crowds, the Rock could captivate any audience with his humorous words and smack talk to other superstars. The WWF wanted the Rock to bring it, and he did just that.

Talk about an all time intro as well. Once his music started, the sound of fans applause and screams were deafening. As a kid, I could smell what the Rock was cooking. One of the more famous finishing moves, I remember imitating the people’s elbow on my buddies. I would mimic the words I heard him say after he “layeth the smacketh down.” He was truly the People’s superstar.

Stone Cold Steve Austin

I touched on him earlier, but Steve Austin, the “Texas Rattlesnake”, made it cool to drink beer and disrespect authority. You could call it what it was, but that was what he was beloved for. He would literally perform his famous Stone Cold Stunner to the CEO, yes, the CEO, and give the bird to his body on the ground . After that, would jump up on the turnbuckle and slam some beers. Very politically incorrect, but, a spectacle to watch.

I mean the guy got ‘arrested’ after Stone Cold Stunning the bossman.

DoubleZWWE – The First Stone Cold Stunner on Vince McMahon

He also blew up the DX’s bus, the DX express.

Asif Hasan – “Stone Cold” Steve Austin Blows Up The DX Express at WWF Smackdown

The fun that was the combination of Stone Cold and The Rock fighting against DX together was always fun to watch. I mean Steve Austin literally blew up a bus on live television. This is something that was aired. If that was aired today, imagine the blowback. The political incorrectness and the beer slamming of Steve Austin is a huge piece of what made up the WWF. And that’s the bottom line, cause Stone Cold said so!

The Hardy Boyz

My personal favorite superstars at the time. I remember eating the bowls of fruity pebbles locked in to smackdown where the Hardy Boyz are facing off against the Dudley Boyz or Edge & Christian for the millionth time. And it ruled, every single time. Tables, Chairs, Ladders, those matches had it all.

The high flyers were always captivating to watch and see what they would do next. The Hardy Boyz were those high flyers.

WWE – The Hardy Boyz’ insane ladder attacks

They didn’t have the character of guys like HHH, Stone Cold, or the Rock, but they were always fun to watch.

John Cena

DoubleZWWE – John Cena and Big Show Battle Rap

The so-called “Dr. of thuganomics”, Cena made a splash in the WWE with some curious battle raps. Also, the fits that John Cena would wear to the ring, they made jean shorts cool. The sideways hats, the sneakers, the shirts he would wear, Cena was certainly character.

In just this video, Cena ripped on Big Show’s body, then preceded to talk about Show’s mother, and finished off by calling him the white fat Albert. Don’t think that would fly to well in today’s media driven world. With that being said, Cena is very comparable to the Rock in how he had his finger on the pulses. The fans loved him, they looked forward to his battle raps and his in ring activity.

Cena’s popularity came a little after than the attitude era, but he was still a massive star in the wrestling world. A very good entertainer, and another one of my favorites, John Cena is one of the best WWE attitudes of all time. Even though you couldn’t see him.

Undertaker and Kane

I will go to by deathbed thinking Undertaker and Kane were brothers. That being said, those two were pretty big rivals. The matches those two men would put on as well were always a treat to watch. Undertaker would ride a motorcycle some nights to the ring. Masked Kane peaked everyone’s interest. Those two never really said much, Undertaker more so than Kane. But they were no characters like Stone Cold, Triple H, or Rock. They just went out and fought whoever was up against them. The “Brothers of Destruction” was the duos name, and they never made huge waves, but they were certainly interesting guys to follow.

The Best Moments of the WWF Attitude Era

WWE – The Rock Promo Raw 12/4/00

This is the single best promo I have ever seen.

WWE – Tyson and Austin brawl on Raw

WWE – Undertaker throws Mankind off the top of the cell

WWE – “Stone Cold” gives his iconic “Austin 3:16” speech

Those are just scratching the surface of all the best moments of the WWF Attitude Era. I can’t think of a entertainment product that pushed more boundaries than the WWF did. For that same reason is why it was must see TV through the late 90s into the early 2000s. Nobody set up storylines better than the WWF, the promos for matches. The WWF did everything right although its political incorrectness.

It was one of those things that parents wanted to keep their kids away. With good reason too. Who would want their kids seeing Stone Cold slam beers, or the Rock call everyone candy asses? People were getting put through tables, hit with chairs, think parents wanted their kids to see that? But for the same reasons that the parents didn’t want their kids to watch, are the same reasons that the WWF was as big as it was. The video games that the WWF made were awesome too. WWF No Mercy on the Nintendo 64 is easily a top ten video game all time. Getting too play as your favorite superstar and hit other players with tables, ladders, and chairs, how is that not fun?

It was fun reliving the best moments of the WWF, now go find your old Nintendo 64 play some No Mercy, and when your watching the Rock star in Hobbs and Shaw, remember the times he layethed the smacketh down.

Featured Image. The Hardest WWF Attitude Era Quiz You’ll Ever Take! Photo Credits to whatculture.com.