The Attitude Era was the era that changed everything for WWE. It brought the company back from the brink and led WWE into an era of unprecedented success. The era created new stars, making wrestling cool to watch again.
As great as the era was, the match quality dipped a bit. The focus was more on shock value and story development than the in-ring product, but that doesn’t mean that there weren’t some classics. Throughout the era, when it mattered most, wrestlers stepped up and gave us some of the best matches in WWE history.
Hulk Hogan vs The Rock (WrestleMania 18)
The meeting of two titans is one of the greatest matches in WrestleMania history. When Hulk Hogan returned, most were expecting a showdown with Steve Austin, but instead, we were given this instant classic that established the further careers of both Hogan and The Rock.
Their match was never going to be technically sound; that’s not how either man worked. It was a tapestry of suspense and a master class on how to work the crowd. They were even smart enough to pivot when the Toronto audience dictated that they do so. The Skydome was rocking for the whole match and showed how a great Attitude Era crowd can add so much to a match.
The Rock vs Mankind (WWE Championship Match; Raw 1999)
The Rock and Mankind were a defining feud of the Attitude Era. Their battles ranged all over the map, but for sheer importance, it has to be their championship match on Raw that tops the list.
This match embodied everything great about the Attitude Era. There was chaos that started from the beginning and didn’t let up. The inclusion of the Corporation and DX meant that there was going to be action at ringside as well as between the ropes. It was as entertaining as any match would get and included one of the best finishes in wrestling history.
Stone Cold’s surprise return to aid in Mankind’s first WWE Championship was a heartfelt moment that also tipped the scales in the Monday Night Wars. A win-win-win.
The Rock vs Steve Austin (WWE Championship Match; WrestleMania 17)
Stone Cold and The Rock were the two men who led the Attitude Era. It was their natural chemistry that turned everything they did into gold, and they were the main reason that WWE was brought back from the brink.
Their WrestleMania 17 main event was the culmination of years of storytelling. It was an incredibly entertaining match that featured two titans doing whatever they could to walk away as the WWE Champion. Both being babyface’s made for an interesting dynamic, but the Texas crowd pulled more in favour of Austin.
This match was by far the best of their WrestleMania encounters. It was perfect in execution and included one of the most shocking heel turns in company history.
The Undertaker vs Mankind (Hell in a Cell Match; King of the Ring 1998)
Mankind was the perfect opponent for The Undertaker. He had his dark side and was just as demented as The Deadman. Their matches were always great, but it was this one in particular that will stick with both men forever.
There are better Hell in a Cell matches out there, but none that were as memorable as this one. The action was as violent as one would expect, but it was Mankind’s two cringeworthy spots that made this match an all-timer. It was the clear disregard for Mankind’s safety that made those falls ridiculous and brought everyone out of their seats.
We all wondered if he was ever going to walk again, and his insistence on continuing the fight made this match a near-perfect car wreck.
Bret Hart vs Steve Austin (Submission Match; WrestleMania 13)
What can be said about a match that anyone with a pen has covered? Bret Hart and Steve Austin had a great rivalry, which was filled with various matches that showed off the technical gifts of both men. As great as they were, none could ever hold a candle to one of the greatest matches in WWE history.
The realism that followed everything Austin and Hart did was perfect. This wasn’t a wrestling match, this was a fight, plain and simple. No two other men could have executed the style as well as Hart and Austin. It was everything that we all wanted it to be, and it contained the fabled double turn that sparked an era.
Edge & Christian vs The New Brood (Ladder Match; No Mercy 1999)
Before the TLC matches became a household name, two teams showed that the world was possible. Two teams that were still trying to prove themselves were given a chance in a stipulation that no tag team had been in before.
No one really knew what to expect from Edge, Christian, and The Hardy Boys. The tag team dynamic was new to the ladder match, but oh boy, did these four men show the world something. There was so much creativity behind everything that they did, with great double-team moves and fantastic use of the ladder. This match was the starting point for everything that followed, as it was the catalyst for the TLC matches that followed.
Triple H vs Cactus Jack (Street Fight for the WWE Championship; Royal Rumble 2000)
This was the match that made Triple H a star. He had been pushed toward the main event and needed someone to legitimize him. That is when Mick Foley was called to action, and he work his butt off to show to everyone Triple H belonged in the main event.
Foley was always able to turn up the violence, but we saw another side to Triple H here. He was relentless in his attacks on Foley and earned the respect of many wrestling fans. This was the perfect type of street fight with great spots, dramatic storytelling, and a brutal end with a pedigree on thumbtacks. It was a pleasant surprise on a stacked card.
TLC II (TLC Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship; Wrestlemania 17)
There are many imitators out there, but there will never be any match that can replicate the greatness that was TLC II. After the first iteration, at SummerSlam, was a rousing success, WWE decided to run it back, and Edge & Christian, The Hardy and Dudley Boys were more than happy to oblige them.
Their TLC was exactly what we all needed it to be. It took all the best parts from previous tag ladder matches and amped up the action to another level. The ladders were bigger, the spots were non-stop, and there was carnage at every turn. It was amazing that the men were able to walk away following the conclusion.
Of course, TLC cannot be mentioned without bringing up that phenomenal spot when Edge speared Jeff Hardy off a ladder. It was the perfect exclamation point the match needed to make it one that is still talked about today.
More From LWOS Pro Wrestling
Header photo – WWE – Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.
You can check out WWE programming on Netflix (Raw), USA Network (SmackDown), The CW (NXT), Tubi (WWE Evolve), A&E (WWE Superstar Sunday – Rivals, WWE LFG, and Greatest Moments) and Peacock (WWE Main Event as well as archives and premium live event streaming). Follow WWE on social media to relive top moments and matches on YouTube, and catch fast-paced action on X (WWE Speed).
