WWE News: Former WWE writer reveals what kickstarted the Attitude Era
What's the story?
Former WWE and WCW head writer Vince Russo was a guest on 'The Steve Austin Show Unleashed' recently. He spoke about a variety of topics, primarily based around the period that he helped make famous, the Attitude Era.
Russo believes that it was the arrival of Mike Tyson to WWE, that actually launched the Attitude Era into high gear.
In case you didn't know...
Vince Russo is probably the most polarizing figure in all of professional wrestling. He is known for dismissing professional wrestling as 'fake', and taking a dig at wrestling fans as 'marks'.
Over the years, he's been a part of some of wrestling's most infamous moments. Whether it was making himself an onscreen figure and WCW Champion, or putting the strap on David Arquette, his decisions have caused much derision.
What cannot be argued, however, is that under his creative leadership the company reached heights it had never known.
The heart of the matter
Vince Russo spoke about Mike Tyson's arrival in WWE and how it launched the Attitude Era. (H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcript.)
I believe this was the start of the Attitude Era. Vince's decision to bring Tyson in to WWE when he was suspended for biting Evander Holyfield's ear was freaking genius. Who knows what Vince spent, but that money he spent catapulted WWE. That is what I mean when I say that Vince was a visionary. He saw that; it was genius.
What Russo is referring to is the fact that Mike Tyson bit his opponent Evander Holyfield's ear during their fight in June 1997. This infamous act increased his notoriety and made him a perfect figure for WWE's highly controversial Attitude Era.
What's next?
Vince Russo has his own podcast now where he reviews RAW and SmackDown Live every week, hardly ever in a favourable manner. His digs at Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens are all over the internet, for those who want to see.
Author's take
I'm not the biggest fan of Russo, but hey, he's an integral part of wrestling history. And yes, he did revel in the 'shock' factor of the Attitude Era, so one must give the devil his due.
As for the Tyson-Austin segment, I remember it quite vividly and would echo Russo's opinion about its importance.
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