Following the Attitude Era was always going to be an uphill battle, but the WWE Ruthless Aggression Era was up to the challenge. An influx of new talent was being phased in with the remaining talent to create one of the deepest rosters in WWE history. So much so that they were able to create two separate brands, with one occupying Raw, while the other moved to SmackDown. The era established its own identity, and stars that carried the company into the future.
Having the deepest roster in WWE history didn’t keep the Ruthless Aggression Era from experiencing the same problems as past eras. With more PLE’s came the problem of producing main events that may not have been worthy of that slot. WWE was inconsistent with its main events, with some blowing the roof off, while others performed in front of crickets. Below, we will look at the best and worst of these main events from the Ruthless Aggression Era.
Best: Kurt Angle v The Undertaker (World Heavyweight Championship Match; No Way Out 2006)
Many believe that this match should have been saved for WrestleMania, and from the result, that’s probably where it should have taken place. Semantics aside, we should all be lucky that this match took place, as it’s one of the best of the Ruthless Aggression Era.
This match had everything. The technical mastery shown by both men was only matched by their ability to turn the contest into a brawl. Everything they did was perfect; it was a match that no one wanted to end. It may not have been on the right card, but at least we bore witness to a legendary match between two of the greatest men to step into a wrestling ring.
Worst: Triple H v Kevin Nash (Hell in a Cell Match for the World Heavyweight Championship; Bad Blood 2003)
We were deep into Triple H’s reign of terror when he stepped into Hell in a Cell against his former Kliq mate. WWE leaned heavily on the history between the two men to tell a fun story as they marched towards hell. It was just inconvenient that once they got inside the cell, nothing of note happened. Not even the inclusion of Mick Foley could help this championship match.
No one wanted to see this match. The Hell in a Cell stipulation helped to inject some violence into the contest, but it wasn’t enough to save it. Kevin Nash was past the point of putting on a good match, as he and Triple H lumbered to each spot. It was too slow and didn’t include any of the great spots we associate with Hell in a Cell. The crowd applauded only when the match was over.
