5 PG Era Superstars Who Should Have Been WWE Champion
In the summer of 2008, the WWE decided to move on from the majority of the elements of the Attitude Era and become more conservative. The company chose to have a PG television rating so this new era was called the PG Era. It was a move criticized by many of the WWE’s hardcore fans but it was a way to stay afloat and have a more kid-friendly programming.
John Cena was the face of the company during this era and the WWE failed to develop future superstars. The era ended in early 2014 when CM Punk abruptly left the WWE and the Reality Era was born.
But just like any other eras, there are some worthy superstars who should have won the WWE championship. Yes, superstars like Jeff Hardy, Sheamus, The Miz, Alberto Del Rio, and Daniel Bryan became WWE champions during the PG Era but these five deserved to be too.
Here are five PG Era superstars who should have been WWE champion, as well as some honourable mentions.
Honourable Mentions: R-Truth, Ryback, and Ted DiBiase Jr.
R-Truth had an amazing run as a heel in 2011 that culminated in a WWE championship against John Cena at Capitol Punishment. Although unsuccessful, it led to the formation of the Awesome Truth that faced Cena and The Rock at Survivor Series. R-Truth failed a Wellness Policy test after that and he never got pushed to the main event again.
Ryback, on the other hand, was given an undefeated streak after his re-debut in 2012. It resulted in a WWE title match against CM Punk at Hell in a Cell but lost. He followed it up by being in a Triple Threat Match at Survivor Series against Punk and Cena. During the match, The Shield made their debut and Ryback never got main event push again.
As for Ted DiBiase, he had all the tools to become WWE champion. He had charisma, he has the look, he was marketable since he starred in The Marine 2, he can wrestle, and he can talk. But after the breakup of Legacy in early 2010, it all went downhill for DiBiase as he was booked like a loser until he was released in 2013.