WWE: Rise and fall of the eras; How RAW and SmackDown started

WWE is the biggest wrestling promotion in the world today. Since inception up until 2002, the company went by the name of ‘World Wrestling Federation,’ (WWF). It was only after a lawsuit by the World Wildlife Fund that they had to come up with another name for the organisation. We take a look at some of the most interesting things every WWE fan should know:

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The golden age of Wrestling

It was in the year 1984 that the WWE went mainstream with the arrival of Hulk Hogan. This was considered a period of boom in pro-wrestling, or as fans would call it - The Golden Age of Wrestling.

The birth of Monday Night RAW

In 1993, WWE Raw was born and WWE went into prime time. It was during this time around that Hulk Hogan left the WWE for WCW, and we saw guys like The Hit Man, Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker rise to prominence.

Start of the Attitude Era

1997 marks the beginning of the Attitude Era which featured edgier content and characters. The likes of Steve Austin, The Rock, Kurt Angle, and DX were the major stars during this time. This was arguably the most beloved era in the history of WWE.

Here Comes Smackdown

In 1999, before WWE Smackdown which eventually just became a blue-tinted, post-produced episode of WWE Raw, other ideas kicked around regarding what the show would feature. One such rumour was that WWE Smackdown would feature only woman’s wrestling. But due to lack of talents in the women’s division at the time, it was difficult to implement the idea.

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WWE conquers WCW

WWE became the biggest wrestling promotion it is today after its buyout of World Championship Wrestling in 2001. This followed major WCW stars sign with the WWE. Guys like Scott Steiner, Booker T, and Goldberg to name a few.

The beginning of Ruthless Aggression Era

2002 brought about a new era in professional wrestling. An era which is not as celebrated a period to be as it deserves to be. Some of the most notable and unforgettable matches took place during this time.

WWE goes PG

As the name suggests, PG Era was when WWE shifted its focus from a more edgy product, to family-oriented. This toned-down era came around 2007 which had fans longing for the return for the good old days of wrestling. A period where WWE was the least favourite amongst fans, and a time where John Cena became the poster boy of the company.

The current product

Dubbed by WWE as the beginning of Reality Era, which sees real-life events become part of a storyline. This is led by the likes of Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Dolph Ziggler, and Daniel Bryan. The biggest pro is that women are pushed to the forefront unlike any other time in WWE history.

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