5 Huge 'What If' moments of the Attitude Era
The Attitude Era is often seen by fans as the pinnacle of WWE if not all of Professional Wrestling. Lasting from 1997-2001, its edgy, in-your-face style, mass of superstars and shocking moments, it's hard to argue that it truly was a fantastic time to be a fan.
Austin. Rock. Mankind. Kane. Undertaker. Triple H. Hardyz. Jericho. All these stars got their best runs during that time and fans can now look back fondly at the late 90s and early 2000s.
But there are plenty of what if moments from this time period. Moments that would've shocked the wrestling world for years to come. Here are 5 of the biggest What If moments of arguably, the most successful era in professional wrestling.
What if Chyna had become WWF Champion?
In the summer of 1999, there was controversy surrounding the WWF Championship. At the Fully Loaded pay-per-view in July, Triple H defeated The Rock in a Strap Match to become the number one contender at Summerslam.
However, a lot happened in the two months between the PPVs, with the contendership going to the Rock, Mankind and most notably, Chyna. The ninth wonder was the first woman to be the number-one contender for the gold, and although she never received that title match, she still made history.
But what if Chyna had won the title from Stone Cold at Summerslam?
Being the first female World champion would've been a shocking moment for sure. I can't see her reign lasting too long, as asides from Chyna, WWF's treatment of women at the time was not great. Still, it would've made for an interesting story, and some big headlines for the company, at a time when the WWF were bursting onto mainstream media.
What if Triple H hadn't faced the Undertaker at WrestleMania X-Seven?
2001 was not the best year for Triple H. After failing to recapture the WWF Championship at the Royal Rumble, the Game would also fail to defeat the Undertaker at WrestleMania, have a brief stint as Intercontinental and Tag Team Champion, before tearing his quad in June, and being sidelined for the rest of the year.
But did you know there was a different plan for WrestleMania?
The original plan was for a Boxing match to take place at the show of shows, between Triple H and former heavyweight champion, Mike Tyson. However, when this came to nothing, the plan was changed to the Deadman.
NFL Quarterback Ray Lewis was also considered as an opponent for the Game, as well as Shawn Michaels, who returned the next year in an Unsanctioned match at Summerslam.
The other huge moment of 2001 for Triple H was, of course, his injury. Apparently, if he had never got injured, Triple H would've turned face and feuded with Austin for the title. In addition, Chris Jericho had said how the plan was for a Jericho-Austin feud, and HHH taking on Chris Benoit for the Intercontinental title.