They’re bringing back some attitude to wrestling.
The most rebellious, most controversial and most popular faction in the history of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and maybe of the whole professional wrestling scene, is back.
Degeneration-X, the brash, boisterous and belligerent group which WWE Superstars Shawn Michaels and Triple H formed in the mid to late ‘90s has reunited, much to the satisfaction of wrestling fans around the world.
The return of DX may finally bring back what professional wrestling, or "sports-entertainment" has been lacking for several years now – attitude. The WWE has tried, make no mistake. With John Cena, a revamped Undertaker and every other rebel character they’ve built up, they’ve tried to duplicate what DX did back in the ‘90s. Now John Cena is being booed because he’s so one-dimensional, and fans are still thirsty for that rebellious liberating attitude that DX embodied.
The late ‘90s was called the "Attitude Era" of the WWE. The main force behind this attitude was DX. Shawn Michaels, Triple H and their female bodyguard Chyna (and then later Sean "X-Pac" Waltman, "Road Dogg" Jesse James, now known as BG James, and Billy Gunn, now known as Kip James), wreaked havoc on live television and the fans loved it. They defied authority, did what they pleased and looked cool doing it. These guys were the heroes of that generation, rebels without a cause. I don’t know why WWE writers waited until now to bring these guys back together. It’s just TV after all. It’s like the writers taking away Sawyer from Lost and not realizing that he’s the most interesting character there.
For the last couple of years, the WWE has revolved their storylines on ridiculous gimmicks and over-the-top characters. It became more and more like a circus. They’ve played around with gimmicks like The Boogeyman, a face-painted, worm-eating freak, male cheerleaders called the Spirit Squad, superheroes like The Hurricane and even gone as far as talk trash about the late Eddie Guererro. To put it simply, wrestling of this era lacks heart and personality. Hulk Hogan’s era had it. Bret Hart’s era had it. Shawn Michaels and DX’s era had it. John Cena’s WWE does not.
It helps that they’re bringing back Extreme Championship Wrestling, the notoriously violent counterpart, of the WWE, to bring back the good ol blood, violence and testosterone that wrestling used to be about. Coupled with the return of DX, the wrestling scene will get a major landscape.
Hopefully, the reunion of Shawn Michaels and Triple H isn’t just a temporary gimmick to sate rabid fans. The return of DX makes it possible for wrestling to become must-see TV again. DX gives wrestling renewed life and gives its fans renewed interest. Personally, I’m tired of watching white rappers and male cheerleaders wrestling. They’re just poorly written characters that get old far too quickly. It’s time for the WWE to turn to what brought them over the top in the war with World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Otherwise, fans have two words for them.
Not watching.