The Decline of the World Wrestling Empire

This video is the final part of the forthcoming rise and fall of the WWF Video. It provides an overview of how the company declined (in a manner of speaking) in the years following their zenith of the Attitude Era (1997-2001) until their absolute nadir in 2005. While there were great moments, it sheds some light on their current state and downward spiral that has taken them there.

Purchase of WCW (Vince McMahon*), Goldberg, Eric Bischoff* returns, Scott Steiner, Diamond Dallas Page* unveiled, Ric Flair debuts, The Rock and Hulk Hogan staredown, nWo's debut (Scott Hall & Kevin Nash*), Steve Austin* meets the nWo, nWo promo, The Rock's ambulance is hit by a Hogan-driven semi, Booker T attacks Vince, ECW Invasion (Sandman, Tommy Dreamer and others), Lance Storm debuts, Dreamer & RVD* debut, Raven, Van Terminator, Sabu at One Night Stand, WWFers (Tazz, Dudleyz, Raven, etc.) join their ECW alumni (Storm, Mike Awesome, Dreamer & RVD); Awesome Bomb on Masato Tanaka (Joey Styles*), Flair defeats McMahon, Brock Lesnar - Goldberg staredown, Mr. Perfect returns, Rey Mysterio Jr. debuts, "Got Milk" attack by Kurt Angle on the Alliance, The Rock* uses the Rock Bottom on Booker T, Mr. America is Hulk Hogan, The return of the Undertaker at WM, Ric Flair Night on Raw, Chris Benoit receives a standing ovation, Eddy Guerrero wins the title, Jerry Lawler returns, McMahon celebrates the defeat of the Alliance, Shawn Michaels returns and beats Triple H (Jim Ross*), Mick Foley throws Randy Orton into the tacks (Lawler*), terrorists attack the Undertaker, "Kiss My Ass" Club debuts with William Regal and Vince McMahon*, Angle uses a dart gun on the Big Show, Matt Hardy* returns and attacks Edge, Angle and Sharmell, Triple H* and the Katie Vick vignette, Goldust* confronts Triple H & Flair, Angle-Hogan, Chris Jericho* - first Undisputed Champion, Tough Enough opener, Taker boots The Rock, JBL* laces Eddy, Brock wins the Hell in the Cell, Triple H sledgehammers Austin (JR*), Brock superplex on the Big Show explodes the ring, Triple H & RVD in the Elimination Chamber's debut (Bischoff*), Taker defeats the Ortons, Michaels' elbow on Jericho, The Hardyz get the better of the Undertaker, Benoit headbutts Kane in the first "Money in the Bank", Taker uses lightning, Orton's entrance, Christian's entrance, Show double-suplexes Brock & Angle, Angle-Michaels staredown, Eddy-RVD ladder match, Angle jumps Tazz, Triple H - Batista staredown, Regal's "Power of the Punch" on Edge, McMahon's limo explodes, Kane's ladder-burning entrance, Ron Simmons' "Damn!" to the Iron Sheik, "Get the F Out" campaign, X-Pac tope con hilo on Tajiri, Hogan & Edge win the belts, Big Show's pose, Evolution's debut (Triple H*), Rey's entrance at WM19, Taker* uses the Last Ride on John Cena, Michaels* as Hogan, Cena* vs. JBL, Booker T* vs. Jericho, Eddy* hugs Rey, Kane unmasks (Lawler*), Triple H* and Evolution turn on Orton, Cena debuts against Angle*, Christian turns on Edge, Batista Bomb on D-Von Dudley, Brock's ill-fated Shooting Star on Angle, Cena uses the F-U on Jericho, Triple H returns and Pedigrees Angle (JR*), Austin as Santa confronts Vince on Tribute to the Troops, Austin stuns Roddy Piper, The Rock, Scott Hall & Eric Bischoff (JR*), Orton & Brock win the belts (Michael Cole*), Batista wins at WM21, Michaels wins the title after returning (JR*), Benoit & Guerrero celebrate at the end of WM20.

[Please note this video is only one part of a forthcoming video and it is certainly limited in its scope. It is meant to be enjoyed and perhaps educate.]

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• pro-wrestling
• wrestling

[TheBestfujiever]

what the fuck is the World Wrestling Empire?

[wrestlingscout]

@TheBestfujiever It seemed to be a better title than "The Decline of the WWF/WWE."

[TheJustin8990]

@jbbresers 2005 was still good i started watching early 2005 :P and it was good but then i stoped later 2006 amd came back to it in later 2008 and i was like what in the hell happend here :S

[TheJustin8990]

its weird to see eric with black hair again im so used to it being white now haha

[TheTwilightSagaSucks]

vince also used the wrestling companys money to promote his wife for senator

[wrestlingscout]

@johnnyrainbow50 Part of the "fun" of this video was to imagine what could've been. Realistically though, most of those big WCW stars weren't going to take a DDP deal (big pay cut to go on the road). They got major mileage out of it in spite of that, but were unable to make it work.

[wrestlingscout]

@Lover950830 I strongly disagree. The Internet was pretty vibrant during the Monday Night Wars, it wasn't as prevalent in our lives and wasn't as widespread, but it was certain around and impacting the pro-wrestling world.

I think quality booking, storytelling and in-ring action can still suspend disbelief and people can enjoy pro-wrestling for what it is. The "Summer of Punk" seemed to prove this in many ways.

[johnnyrainbow50]

@the1musiclad Not really if you consider the fact that he invested billions into the XFL which totally flopped, he could have used 1/3 of that to get all the top stars into the WWE at the time.

[the1musiclad]

@johnnyrainbow50 - that would have been far too much investment on one angle. It's a businness and there's only so much you can get back in buy rates and merch.

[Lover950830]

@jbbresers In a deeper perspective, you might not know this but the main reason pro wrestling's downfall is: the IWC (Internet Wrestling Community)!

Since the internet went full throttle across the world in the 21st century, everybody's been saying "wrestling is fake", "UFC is real". I hate hearing that crap tbh. This is because the internet actually made ppl smarter.

About the IWC, they basically destryoed their sense of enjoyment.