The WWE’s Attitude Era had some cracking matches, complemented by larger-than-life storylines. But which matches arguably define the Attitude Era?
Ringside Intel picked 10 matches, which we believe defined one of the most popular eras in WWE history.
1. Stone Cold Versus The Rock At WrestleMania 17
2001 marked one of the most brutal ‘No Disqualification Matches’ in WWE history. It featured The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Vince McMahon at Wrestlemania 17.
It is difficult to think about two wrestlers that defined the Attitude Era as much as Rock and Stone Cold. Both men were also two of the most popular wrestlers, so this match had to be in our overview.
2. The Undertaker Versus Mankind At King of the Ring 1998
Talk about brutal matches, this is another one that comes to mind in most wrestling fans of my generation. The epic match between Mankind and The Undertaker at King of the Ring still speaks to us today.
As the years pass, more details about the match appear. We all knew that Mankind was incredibly beat up from that match, but what we did not know is that The Undertaker was wrestling with a broken foot as well!
3. Stone Cold Versus Vince McMahon At St. Valentine’s Day Massacre 1999
There were plenty of grudge matches during the Attitude Era, and one of them was between Stone Cold Steve Austin and WWE’s Chairman Vince McMahon at Valentine’s Day Massacre.
Stone Cold and Vince McMahon had an epic rivalry that went on throughout this WWE era. Even the name of the pay-per-view was weird for this match and we absolutely love it!
4. Edge and Christian Versus The Dudley Boyz Versus The Hardy Boyz At Wrestlemania 17
Wrestlemania 17 was arguably one of the best Wrestlemanias for the WWE. Not only did it feature Stone Cold versus The Rock, it also included a tag team ladder match that would put tag team wrestling on the map.
WrestleMania 17 was the breakthrough opportunity for Christian and Edge as well as the Hardy Boyz. Alongside the Dudley Boyz, they put on a ladder match that would go down in history as one of the best.
5. Mankind Versus The Rock During Raw 1999
Not all of the biggest matches in this overview take place during a pay-per-view. In fact, one of them was a match between The Rock and Mankind during Monday Night Raw.
The Rock and Mankind have a storied history. Unfortunately, this match is often forgotten because of their iconic tag team The Rock and Sock Connection.
6. Triple H Versus The Rock At Judgement Day 2000
Like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock has a number of matches that defined the Attitude Era. In addition to the matches already on our list, he also defined with his well-known Iron Man Match against Triple H.
One of the things that made this match so great was the performance of both Triple H and The Rock, but also the involvement of several superstars at the end of the match. Since this also included The Undertaker, no wonder this match made it high up our list!
7. Triple H Versus Cactus Jack At The Royal Rumble 2000
Triple H and Mick Foley are on this list multiple times as well, as their epic match at the 2000 Royal Rumble also made our list. It is sometimes difficult to keep up with Mick’s characters, but this time he was fighting as Cactus Jack.
If Triple H and Mick Foley weren’t suffering from injuries before this match, but they certainly did after this one. It was absolutely brutal, and therefore a defining moment in Attitude Era history!
Also, I would like to point out how crazy Mick Foley is. The man got put through a cage, had a tooth sticking through his nose and fell of a cage with a single match with The Undertaker, only to then be hit by barbed wire by Triple H at the Royal Rumble!
8. The Rock Versus Hollywood Hulk Hogan At WrestleMania 18
As a wrestling fan, some moments are simply etched into your brain for life. For me, the moment The Rock faced Hollywood Hulk Hogan is certainly one.
The match between Hulk and The Rock was so special for many reasons. It was one of the few times where these two larger than life characters would be in the ring together. I doubt we will see anything like this again.
9. Luna Vachon Versus Sable At In Your House 1998
When you think back at the Attitude Era, you will think of more than just brutal matches. You will also think about some of the most beautiful women in the company’s history which includes Sable.
While Sable is remembered by most people because of her looks and because she is the wife of Brock Lesnar, she is so much more than that. In fact, she was an excellent wrestler that was often underestimated because of her beauty.
Obviously, the Evening Gown Match was supposed to appeal to male fans. But Sable and Luna did something amazing, they showed that real female wrestlers were about more than just parading around in their underwear.
While Sable still did what the WWE asked of her, Luna and Sable did more than just show their undergarments, which was a turning point for the women’s division in that era.
Luna and Sable went on to have one of the best feuds in the women’s division.
10. The New Brood Versus Edge And Christian at No Mercy 1999
The Hardy Boys eventually took over from Edge and Christian as “The New Brood,” leading to an epic match at No Mercy 1999.
There are a couple of matches that defined the career of the Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian. However, this is one of the matches every wrestling fan remembers and will remember for the rest of their lives.
As you may have noticed, many superstars that had a defining match in this era have been featured numerous times. So, one could argue that these superstars had the biggest impact on the evolution of the WWE and their success going forward.
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