If You Miss The Attitude Era, This WWE Quiz Is For You
- by Johnny Gonzales
- – on
- in Sports
There was a time when wrestling was a lot more simple it is now. Back in the 70's and 80's, the sport was as popular as ever, but the athletes performing back then were very black and white. There was the good guy, usually a righteous American figure who told kids to stay in school and eat their vitamins, and then there was the bad guy, usually a savage foreigner who had no honor and often cheated to win.
As we know, real life just isn't that simple, people are much more complicated than that. So in the mid-nineties some changes started to occur, lines were blurred between exactly who was a face (good guy) and who was a heel (bad guy). These events would eventually lead into what would be a paradigm shift in what wrestling was all about, we're talking of course, about the Attitude Era.
Do you remember back when the WWE was known as the World Wrestling Federation? Do you remember huge iconic superstars like The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, who made it cool to defy authority, but still come off as a hero? If you think you know the Attitude Era, then take the quiz and prove it.
This guy got screwed in the Montreal Screwjob
If there’s one thing any wrestler should know when working for the WWE, it’s to never mess with Vince McMahon. This rule even applied to the top champion of the time in 1997. This Canadian athlete was on his way to leave WWF for their competitor WCW, but told Vince that he refused to drop the belt to long-time rival Shawn Michaels in the process. Vince seemingly agreed, but then fixed the match so that the leaving champ would lose under false pretenses.
Who was the Undertaker’s long time manager?
Considered to be the greatest character wrestler of all time, to this day, there’s still yet to be anyone quite like The Undertaker. From his amazing athletic prowess in the ring for someone his size, to the mere presence he created from physically existing, The Undertaker was bound to be a WWE legend from the beginning. Although he was originally managed by Brother Love, he would quickly move onto to another manager who would go on to be just as memorable as the Dead Man himself.
This scandalous stable was formed by HBK and Triple H
This stable has two words for you, but we won’t be listing them here because it’s pretty vulgar. By the time the Attitude Era came along, the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels was already a 10+ year vet in the WWE at that point, and Triple H was quickly becoming an established pro as well. It was when they formed this team however, that they were both cemented as wrestling legends forever. What was the name of this authority-defying group of troublemakers?
The heroic alter ego of wrestler Gregory Helms
Who said that superhero wrestlers couldn’t exist during the Attitude Era? Although this quiz is all about the period of WWE that dropped the Saturday Morning Cartoon types of wrestlers, leaving the line between faces and heels blurred, Gregory Helms figured he’d bring back at least one part of that formula in a big way. Fully equipped with a cape, mask, and his self-described “superhuman strength”, what is the name of this hammy superhero that called the WWF his home?
Which of these isn’t one of Mick Foley’s wrestling personas?
Mick Foley is something of an anomaly when it comes to wrestling legends. Not only is he one of the most well-respected wrestlers in the business, but he’s the only person in history to reach the highest point of success and popularity under several different personas. While The Undertaker may be the greatest character wrestler of all time, Mick Foley was somehow able to create three of the best. He has so many in fact, that it may be hard to remember which ones they were.
This wrestling program was actually coined by The Rock
While the right look and proficiency in the ring are two marks of a great wrestler, The Rock was evidence that there’s one thing that’s even more important than that. Described by many in the industry as “mic skills”, the one attribute that really sent The Rock into stardom was his incredible charisma. The Great One was known for coining some memorable phrases that people still quote to this day, and one in particular that would actually become the title of one of the longest lasting programs in wrestling.
He beat The Rock and Steve Austin in one night to become WWF Champion
There’s been many different types of championship belts that have come and gone over the WWE’s long history, but some of the ones that have vanished aren’t exactly gone. Once in awhile, two belts of equal worth end up merging together, when the two wrestlers who own them come head to head to see who is the better man. This is exactly what happened in 2001 when the WCW Championship and WWF Championship were unified, after this wrestler somehow defeated then-champions The Rock and Steve Austin in one night.
This olympic gold-medalist made his debut to the WWE in 1999
One aspect about the Attitude Era that really changed the world of wrestling, was Vince McMahon’s claim to introduce more “real” elements into the show, and that included new additions to the roster. Well you can’t get much realer than this wrestler who made his debut in 1999. This superstar was branded as the sole “real wrestler” in the WWE, given the fact that just three years prior he won a gold medal for wrestling in the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Kane set this record for most Royal Rumble eliminations in 2001
One of the “big four” WWE events held every year, the Royal Rumble is a fan-favorite for many. Instead of a normal one-fall match, wrestlers have to toss their opponents over the ropes and into the outside in order to eliminate the competition until only the victor remains. With usually 30 competitors duking it out, entrants must stay on their toes if they wish to make it to the end. This wrestler had little trouble however, when they set a then-record of 11 eliminations during the 2001 Royal Rumble.
Who tied Stephanie McMahon to a cross and attempted to marry her?
As it turns out, even if you’re the daughter of the man who runs the place, you’re still not spared from any shenanigans that may happen during a WWE show. Just ask Stephanie McMahon, when she was kidnapped by a disturbing cult, and almost forced to marry a certain wrestler before being saved at the last moment by Stone Cold Steve Austin. Maybe she would have said “I do” if they had just asked her nicely, instead of tying her to a cross in the middle of the ring.
Who was the last Hardcore Champion before the belt was retired?
One of the coolest championship belts that unfortunately met its end after a short four year run was the Hardcore Championship, introduced in 1998, and given an early retirement in 2002. This belt was unique in that whoever was holding it had to defend it at all times due to the “24/7 rule”, which allowed challengers to try and pin the champion for the belt at any moment, so long as a referee was present. Who was the final champion to hold the belt before it was sadly discontinued?
In what kind of match did Kane beat Steve Austin for the WWE Championship?
Kane was a rare case where a wrestler had become infamous before even stepping foot into a WWE ring. Taunted by his former manager Paul Bearer, The Undertaker was told that his younger brother he had thought died in a fire that killed their parents when they were children was actually still alive, and was coming back to get revenge on him. He quickly proved to be one of the most destructive forces in the WWE, soon beating current-champ Steve Austin for the belt in this type of match.
His epic WWE debut included a countdown clock for the new millennium
Anyone who was alive and old enough to remember 1999 will recall just how big of a deal it was to everyone that we were entering into the new millennium. From cartoons, to the news, you couldn’t change to a single channel on TV without being reminded that the year 2000 was fast-approaching. The WWE didn’t escape the craze either, instead teasing the fans with a mysterious millennium countdown clock that would eventually mark the debut of one of the greatest superstars to enter the squared-circle.
What name did JBL go by before taking on his Wall Street gimmick?
Near the tail-end of the Attitude Era, and the beginning of the Ruthless Aggression Era, JBL was introduced as being one of the greatest heel-champions of all time, often butting heads with the then up-and-coming John Cena. What a lot of newer fans tend to forget however, is that JBL didn’t always go by his wealthy, Texan, business man persona. For much of the Attitude Era, JBL often teamed up with tag team partner Faarooq, originally going by this name instead.
Who became the oldest WWE Champion when he won the belt in 1999?
One of the coolest aspects of the WWE is the interesting and diverse range of people that can be seen entertaining crowds day in and day out. Besides there being numerous different races and cultures that are represented by the business, and there being more support for female wrestling everyday, they also have no discrimination when it comes to age. As it turns out, the oldest person to ever become WWE Champion was 54 when they won the belt back in 1999.
Who made their debut during the very first Hell in a Cell match?
While a standard wrestling match between two pros is always entertaining, it’s also important to introduce new ideas once in awhile so that the crowd doesn’t get too bored of seeing the same thing too many times. While many new match types didn’t last long after being introduced, Hell in a Cell is still a crowd pleaser, ever since it was introduced in 1997. Coincidentally, a certain wrestler also made their debut during the first ever Hell in a Cell, unceremoniously ripping the cell door off of its hinges.
What famous celebrity helped Steve Austin win the title at Wrestlemania XIV
When you show up to a WWE show, you never know what to expect. While surprise appearances from rare wrestling superstars can be a treat in itself, sometimes even bigger surprises can be had when current celebrities make guest appearances. Stone Cold Steve Austin isn’t usually one to ask for help, being a lone wolf, but he sure got it from this celebrity when they interfered during his Wrestlemania XIV match with Shawn Michaels, helping him win the WWE Championship in the process.
Who infamously tossed Mankind off of the Hell in a Cell cage?
Did we mention not to try this stuff at home? While normal wrestling matches already have a certain degree of danger to them, things were taken to the extreme during a Hell in the Cell match involving Mankind. Known for doing wild stunts, Mankind coaxed his opponent to follow him to the top of the 16 feet high structure, and consequently would end up being thrown off of the cell and through a table. If that wasn’t enough, he’d return and get slammed through the cell itself as well.
Who didn’t hold the Tag Team belts with Kane during this era?
While Kane is often referred to as the “Big Red Monster”, and is arguably one of the most unstable wrestlers on the roster, he’s actually had a surprising number of tag team championship runs with many different partners. Kane has held onto the tag team belts for an impressive 12 times in total, making it hard to keep track of every single partner he’s had over the years. Which one of these wrestlers was not there to bask in tag team gold with the Big Red Machine?
Who did Booker T first win Tag Team gold with in WWE?
Booker T was one of the wrestlers who actually had many accolades before even arriving to the WWE, once described by JBL as being “the best acquisition that WWE got when they bought WCW”. Extremely talented, and full of charisma, it’s a shame that Booker didn’t get nearly as much gold in the WWE as he did when he was with WCW, but he did manage to obtain the tag team belts four times during his run. Who was his first tag team champion partner?
Things changed when the normally heroic Hulk Hogan returned as...
While this 1996 event happened shortly before what many consider to be the start of the Attitude Era, this was definitely a sign of things to come. After being the top baby face in probably all of wrestling for over a decade, and a hero to millions of fans across the world, Hulk Hogan would make his return to betray former partner Macho Man Randy Savage, in what many consider to still be the greatest heel turn of all time. What name did he start going by?
Before he was called The Rock, what name was The Great One known by?
It can be strange to see one of your favorite wrestlers go through a name change, whether it be a temporary gimmick, or something more permanent, but something interesting to look at are some of the names wrestlers used to use before they became well known for who they are today. The Rock is known for being a face with many heel tendencies, but when he first debuted in the WWF under a different name, he was a pure baby face.
Who was the first wrestler to win a Royal Rumble from the #1 entrant position?
There’s no denying that right from the start of the match, not every wrestler has an equal opportunity to win a Royal Rumble. Since all 30 entrants enter the ring one by one over time, this means that the later entrants are much more likely to win than those who enter the ring earlier into the match. Once in awhile however (3 times to date), someone from the #1 entrant spot comes out on top. Who was the first to accomplish this?
This wrestler tragically lost his life due to a freak accident during his entrance
Well many people to date like to call wrestling “completely fake”, and the matches are first and foremost held for entertainment, there is no doubting the dangerous that each athlete puts themselves into every time they enter the ring. Unfortunately, during an elaborate entrance in which a well-known wrestler under the gimmick “The Blue Blazer” was being brought to the ring via a large crane, something went wrong and the professional fell to his death. What was the real name of this late wrestling legend?
Which belt was unified with the Intercontinental Championship by RVD in 2002?
We already talked about the fate of certain championship belts that have eventually become defunct over the course of WWE’s history, with some of them getting dropped altogether, and many of them actually merging with belts of equal value. Sometimes however, fans can forget just which classic belts got merged with those that are still currently-active. One notable example would be the championship belt that Rob Van Dam unified with the Intercontinental belt after he defeated former-champion Jeff Hardy in 2002.
Vince McMahon had a shocking surprise when WCW was purchased by…
As already evidenced by the Montreal Screwjob, it’s never a good idea to mess with Vince McMahon. Apparently this person didn’t get the memo when they decided buy WWE’s biggest rival WCW, from right under Vince McMahon’s nose, who at the time was planning on merging it with the WWE. What made this sudden move even more devastating is that this wasn’t just done by some random person, but actually by one of the very few people that were close to McMahon.
Big Show originally went by this name when he made his debut to WWE in 1999
When someone is as big as Big Show, they can be hard to miss, and their name can be just as hard to forget. What many people may forget however, is that the Big Show wasn’t always the Big Show, often being labelled as simply “The Giant” when originally working with WCW. After he eventually moved over to the WWE however, he initially didn’t have any extra labels, and initially just went by his actual birthname instead. What was it?
Who sold out and became the “Corporate Champion” during Survivor Series 1998?
Through all the constantly shifting storylines and alliances that have gone on over the years, there’s been one thing that has been consistent for decades now, and it’s that the people running the WWE are the bad guys (at least in kayfabe). With that in mind, there’s nothing that can make fans turn on their favorite wrestlers more, than when they decide to side with “The Man”. Here’s a hint: before he became the “Corporate Champion” he was the “People’s Champion.”
Who was Stephanie McMahon about to marry before Triple H got to her first?
Poor Stephanie McMahon, whereas normal girls her age where going out with her friends and having fun, she always seemed to be dealing with drama caused by her father’s company. Not long after Undertaker’s botched attempt at a forced marriage, Steph was all set up to marry her sweetheart Test. Somehow Triple H got to her first, and got married to her using a drive-through chapel in Vegas. Although reluctant at first, she actually ended up falling in love with the wrestler. Talk about Stockholm syndrome.
She became the first female Royal Rumble entrant in 1999
One of the most exciting parts about experiencing a Royal Rumble, is that you never know what to expect. Besides the obvious participants that you’d expect to see, there’s always the chance that you can see the return of an injured wrestler who has been gone for months, or even a surprise appearance from a legend who has been retired for years. Even more rare than either of these events however, is the arrival of a female participant, of which there’s only ever been three.
Who was revealed to be the “Higher Power” of The Corporate Ministry?
Once upon a time The Undertaker had his own stable called the Ministry of Darkness, and Vince McMahon had an opposing one called The Corporation. Eventually, Shane would kick his father out of the Corporation and combine forces with The Undertaker to create The Corporate Ministry, a massive stable that was lead by the mysterious Higher Power. Eventually, to the shock of some fans, and to the disappointed sighs of others, the true identity of the Higher Power was revealed.
What special variation of the mandible claw did Mankind sometimes use?
There’s no doubt about it, Mankind is one freaky fellow. Despite the fact that he covered what he believed to be his “disfigured face” with a grotesque mask, and he often devoted time to pulling out clumps of his own hair during matches, what was really disturbing about this wrestler was how mentally tormented he seemed to be. That being said, he could also be really funny, like whenever he’d decide to use this alternate variation of his mandible claw finishing move.
When asked about the Montreal Screwjob, Vince uttered this famous line
Stepping back for a moment, let’s take another look at the infamous Montreal Screwjob match that saw Vince McMahon tricking Bret Hart into losing his final WWE match. Before this, Vince was more known publicly as the lead ringside announcer than owner of the company, but the incident would lead to him revealing more of his actually position to the audience. In an interview after the Screwjob, Vince was asked if he thought he had screwed Bret. His response is one of the most quotable lines in WWE history.
Kane and Vader once had a mask vs. mask match, who lost?
Reserved traditionally for Mexican luchador wrestling, mask vs. mask matches involve the two opponents battling for their honor, with the loser being forced to remove their mask, and reveal their face in shame. As it just so happens, two popular wrestlers during the Attitude Era wore masks; the already well-established Vader, and the much more enigmatic Kane. Just as the stipulation said, the two wrestlers had their match, and the loser was forced to remove their mask, for all to see.
Which attitude era wrestler still has regular matches to this day (2017)?
Okay, so maybe you know your Attitude Era stuff from back in the day, but let’s see just how far your knowledge of it extends to modern day wrestling. Countless numbers of superstars have come and gone over the WWE’s rich history, some cemented as legends, and others long forgotten. While most of the classic wrestlers have retired, some refuse to stop. Do you know which one of these Attitude Era wrestlers still has matches as a roster regular in the WWE to this day?