Transcript
Speaker: Welcome to Queens Ring Podcast, where we celebrate the past, the present, and the future of professional wrestling. We're your hosts, Charity and Keri, your go-to duo for life in the squared circle.
Speaker: And today's episode is centered around the ruthless aggression era. And before we kick off the episode, kind dive into it, let's talk about the podcast for a moment.
Speaker: On Instagram, we have surpassed 500 followers. Thank you. Thank you. Yes. Thank you. I think as a whole, on all social media platforms, we are over 4,000 followers.
Speaker: Amazing. Amazing. So um if you guys don't already follow us on Instagram, please go follow us on Instagram. I feel like we're more active on there on threads than TikTok.
Speaker: then talk But that one Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan video that we have on TikTok has... Almost 3 million views. 3 million views.
Speaker: Thousands, thousands of comments. What the hell? Who knew that that was going to pop off? And why that one specifically popped off, but when we try to recreate it, nothing else popped off.
Speaker: It'd be like that, I guess. I guess. They were trending at the time. Yes, but it's even still growing. that People are still commenting on it. Yeah. Like, Every day we go in there, oh, we got so many comments. And and it's just on that post.
Speaker: What the hell? But no, thank you guys for following us. You know, we're gonna continue to push out content. im Not just podcast content, but we're pushing out wrestling content. So make sure you follow us and vibe with your girls.
Speaker: Speaking of wrestling, because guess what? We're a wrestling podcast. If you're listening to this, as we are recording, yesterday was night one of WrestleMania. Yes. And...
Speaker: It ended on a nice, crazy note. Okay, Seth Rollins has Paul Heyman on his side. who And Paul Heyman hit Roman in the jugulars.
Speaker: In the jugulars? Did you say in the jugulars? In the boing-oings.
Speaker: In the, um, dang, I tried to think of another one. Just know there was betrayals, okay? Yes. You know, night one, a lot of people are not happy with night one. I feel like we kind of knew what was going to happen. i mean, there was surprises within the matches, how they ended, things like that. but we kind of knew how it was going to go.
Speaker: But, you know, the crowd is a very quiet. They're not loud at all. doesn't feel like a WrestleMania crowd. And you know wrestlers, like, feed off of the crowd's open.
Speaker: What do you expect from them if you guys are just quiet as hell? Eh. Be screaming whole dang time. You should have just given us the, you should have just given us tickets and we would have just been the whole crowd for you.
Speaker: We would have been on the camera every single time. Just screaming. Night two is sha tonight. Hopefully it is good. Hopefully there's some surprises, some shocking moments i think yeah last night the only shocking one was obviously the betrayal of paul hayman which ends the five year reign of the bloodline together um every member is now gone what a time and we said becky may be lira's uh tag team partner and then carrie says she's seen soraya probably too
Speaker: Yeah, but who knows? We'll see. So hopefully that actually comes as a surprise surprise. Yes, we need some surprises. It's WrestleMania. And I feel like the entrances aren't doing nothing. Yeah, Like, gear's okay, but, like, nothing's...
Speaker: major, major. Literally only Tiffany's, I feel like, and understood the assignment. And Jay. but yeah Tiffany understood the assignment. She was like little Barbie doll. That was cute. That was cute.
Speaker: CM Punk. Oh yeah, CM Punk had um his song played live. um Charlotte had the background was like a hotel in her name. Yeah, nothing really WrestleMania, you know what i'm saying? Like, come on, guys. It's the biggest stage of them all. Get it together.
Speaker: Yeah, I to do with the... So, hopefully this one will be good, because, you know, got Bianca, we got Rhea, we got Cena, we got Cody, you know? So, hopefully this one will be a little better. But, yeah, let's jump into the episode. Yeah.
Speaker: The Ruthless Aggression era is definitely such an underrated time in w WWE's history. It officially kicked off around 2002 when the Attitude Era ended.
Speaker: So in this moment, w WWE was trying to redefine itself as an A company post-WCW-ECW buyout. In this era, you had a mix of veterans from the Attitude Era, up-and-coming superstars, and the tone just felt a little more gritty.
Speaker: So what is the Ruthless Aggression Era? So the Ruthless Aggression Era was a time about risk-taking, rebuilding, and redefining. The era from mid-2002 to around 2008 derived from He Who Shall Not Be Named's famous Ruthless Aggression speech challenging the WWE roster to kind of step up.
Speaker: It marked a transition in more athletic, competitive, in-ring wrestling with new rising stars. And what made it stand out? It stood out with its blend of edgy storylines like the Attitude Era and its new focus on realism, building future superstars and showcasing their wrestling abilities.
Speaker: Matches became more technical and athletic. The shift in character development changed. The WWE became a monopoly during this time. having bought out WCW and ECW, which happened right before this era started.
Speaker: So let's jump in to some of our favorite defining moments. As we always say, guess what? Bippity boppity boo, this is our favorite defining moments. Ours.
Speaker: Ours, the queens. So I'm sure you have your own, but this is us. Thank you. So... was about to start singing, but...
Speaker: um One of my favorite moments in this era would be the rise of smackdown as its own wrestling show so everybody knows about monday night raw know how big it is how they are always trying to make it bigger and better every episode monday night raw had been the center of the w.e for years but in the ruthless aggression era We saw the brand split, which gave each show their own roster, titles, and more.
Speaker: While Raw had star power, SmackDown became a wrestling fan's show. SmackDown at the time had Paul Heyman running creative. And everybody knows how good Paul Heyman He's good. can He can come up with some stuff.
Speaker: We know this. He was more into creating storylines, in-ring excellence, and building the superstars of tomorrow. This led to SmackDown getting what is called the Core Six.
Speaker: So the Core Six is Kurt Angle, Crispin Law, Eddie Guerrero, Edge, Rey Mysterio, and Chavo Guerrero. These six men carried the show week by week, putting on amazing matches, whether it was tag team matches, single matches, or even Iron Man matches.
Speaker: SmackDown was the birth of a lot of top superstars. Paul Hayden played to people's strengths, he let them wrestle, let them prove themselves in the ring, the production was tighter, they had a fresh commentary team in Michael Cole and Taz, and who can forget the iconic fist on the state?
Speaker: And the ruthless aggression era of SmackDown is personally one of my favorites, you know, witnessing some of My favorite superstars rise like John Cena and grow Batista when he switched over to SmackDown and anne Randy Orton when he switched over and had that rivalry with The Undertaker. Definitely.
Speaker: So one of my favorite moments is the intro to the Money in the Bank contract. Royal Rumble at the time was the sole event that ensured wrestler a shot for the championship.
Speaker: But then the Money in the Bank match came along in April 2005 at WrestleMania 21. The idea for the match was created by then WWE wrestler Chris Jericho and former WWE writer Brian Gerwitz.
Speaker: go work i don't know how to pronounce his name. It was Brian. b Brian. The Money in the Bank ladder match not only elevated the careers of rising superstars like Edge, who won the first ever match,
Speaker: but also embodied the aggressive, opportunistic spirit that defined the era. It gave wrestlers a new way to break through the ranks, make an immediate and lasting impact on WWE's storytelling and the path to the championship.
Speaker: If you don't know, this event is known for its signature ladder match where several superstars battle to retrieve a briefcase hanging above the ring. The briefcase contains a contract that allows the winner to challenge for a world championship at any time within a year, often leading to surprise cash-ins and shocking title changes.
Speaker: Money in the Bank continues to be one of WWE's most exciting and must-see events. The 2024 Money in the Bank broke several records. It became the highest grossing WWE arena event in Canada's history.
Speaker: with over 45,000 fans attending the four events over the weekend. also It also set a record for the most watched Money in the Bank of all time, with viewership up 46% from last year.
Speaker: Even merch sales were up from last year's record, and fan experience packages also set a new revenue record. So we got some record breaking.
Speaker: So we got some record breaking. um Another one of my favorite moments in the Ruthless Aggression era would be the rebirth of ECW.
Speaker: So the return of ECW in the mid-2000s was definitely a highlight of the Ruthless Aggression era. The show had everything, and holding the reins of it was once again Heyman.
Speaker: Matches were raw and violent, and fans packed in the venue every week. The Rebirth had many highlights, including Heyman's promo where he called out JBL on Edge, the Deadlies vs. Tommy Dreamer in Sandman, and RVD cashing in the Money in the Bank briefcase on John Cena.
Speaker: We even had CM Punk's debut in ECW and more, but unfortunately, the lows began to hit ECW. The vibe quickly shifted from underground sanitized.
Speaker: There were too many rules being placed on the hardcore brand, and WWE made ECW its own brand with its own arena. They watered it down, and the fans turned on it eventually.
Speaker: And once he who shall not be named won the ECW championship, it was a wrap for the show. And honestly, very disrespectful, because what does he know about any of that?
Speaker: First of all, putting that man in a do-rag. Please, don't piss me off. Oh, it's already half-it. It's already pisses off. However, though it did fail in the end, we cannot forget what it gave us.
Speaker: It introduced us and elevated stars like CM Punk and John Morrison. It gave vets proper send-offs like Dreamer and Sandman. And showed everyone how important authenticity and fan connection is.
Speaker: And I definitely have to re-watch ECW. Because I haven't seen it in a while. So I definitely have to re-watch them.
Speaker: Period. So my second one is the debut of my man. Of John Cena. Okay.
Speaker: I'm telling you. This was my man. This was my first wrestling man.
Speaker: So, Cena made his unforgettable w w debut on june WWE debut June 27, 2002, when he answered Kurt Angle's open challenge with two bold words, ruthless freaking aggression. Well, that's three. That's three words.
Speaker: That's three, but two with this aggression. That moment didn't just introduce a new superstar and mark the beginning of a new era. Cena's arrival symbolized a shift from the attitude era to a more intense and competitive phase in WWE. wwe Besides the beginning struggles to fully grasp the persona, Cena's debut resonated with fans, particularly the younger generation who were drawn to his charismatic presence and athletic style.
Speaker: His popularity grew quickly, leading to a series of successful storylines and title reigns. During this era, Cena won the WWE Championship three times and the w WWE United States Championship three times.
Speaker: Cena quickly established himself as a top star and main eventer. With his unmatched charisma and connection to the crowd, Cena quickly rose to the ranks and became one of the defining faces of the Ruthless Aggression Era.
Speaker: His evolution from a hungry rookie to a main event powerhouse helped shape the direction of WWE during the time and brought new energy. My final one is going to be the women's division.
Speaker: So the Ruthless Aggression Era became a pivotal moment for women's wrestling in the company. It was still battling against the bra and panties matches from its previous era, but the women were not backing down from showcasing their wrestling skills, and the seeds of the women's evolution that would follow years and years later were planted.
Speaker: With Trish, Lita, Victoria, Molly, Holly, and Jazz kicking things off for the women, we were able to see the strength, wrestling ability, and high-impact storylines the women wrestlers could do.
Speaker: From the next wave of women like Melina and Mickie James to the transitional period which brought us women like Beth Phoenix and Layla, the women fought tooth and nail to prove they were more than eye candy.
Speaker: The women's division stood out in this era because it was the first time WWE women were taken seriously as performers. There were actual storylines and feuds had heat. Characters had depth and distinct personalities.
Speaker: They felt real and not just cookie-cutter. It stood out because it was defiant and gave us some of the most iconic moments in women's history. Power to the women.
Speaker: My third one. What? I'm just kidding. Power to the women. Man.
Speaker: I'll just say what what's on my head at the time. We know this. So...
Speaker: so My last one is the first and elimination chamber. The first ever elimination chamber match took place at the Survivor Series 2002 event.
Speaker: It featured six Raw superstars competing for the World Heavyweight Championship. The first match involved Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Booker T, Rob Van Dam, Kane, and Chris Jericho.
Speaker: This event was created by Triple H in the the then general manager, Eric Biscoff. Eric Biscoff? wait.
Speaker: Biscoff, who can't? Eric Biscoff. Clearly, I can't talk. The structure of this event combined elements of a steel cage like Hell in a Cell and the unpredictability of the Royal Rumble.
Speaker: The Chamber's brutal nature featuring steel chairs, plexiglass pods, and metal grates quickly ce submitted its legacy as a career-altering battleground. Over two decades later, the Elimination Chamber has evolved from a once-a-year spectacle into a cornerstone of WWE's PLE calendar.
Speaker: Elimination Chamber had its historic moments as well, including the first Women's Elimination Chamber in 2018 and even tag team iterations. Elimination Chamber has transcended its original purpose, becoming a rite of passage for rising stars in a stage for unforgettable moments or rivalries.
Speaker: And of course, we can't forget our honorable mentions, like Kane and Masking for the very first time. us, Krusty Burnt Face.
Speaker: Not Krusty Burnt Face.
Speaker: Lita and Trish main eventing Raw. Evolution... Evolution. Evolution attacking Scott Steiner. And Undertaker switching from the American Badass to the Deadman.
Speaker: The Rise of Edge. And the highlight of the Cruiserweight division. So is cultural impact of the Ruthless era?
Speaker: You know, this time was a cultural reset for wrestling fans. It created a whole new generation of megastars, some of which we see still headlining today.
Speaker: From John Cena, Randy Orton, Edge, and Rey Mysterio to Eddie Guerrera and Borky Beans Burton. That's Brock Lesnar, by the way. This era gave fans heroes they could grow with.
Speaker: The era focused more on in-ring work and less on shock value. working hard on character growth and long-term storytelling. It elevated wrestling's quality and fans started to demand more for matches.
Speaker: It was a grind era, about lasting instead of being the loudest, and shaped what the business is today. um know that's right. And of course, with all things comes criticism.
Speaker: This period in the WWE was, like we said, during a time that they were trying to rebu rebuild the company, and what it was in its identity.
Speaker: While some of the women thrived, others were not so lucky. The bra and panty matches continued along with the lingerie contest and playboy ties. The diva search treated women like accessories and not athletes, and many talents were either misused or ignored.
Speaker: WWE had not learned from the Attitude Era, and storylines were still problematic, from the Lita and Kane storyline to the character of Muhammad Hassan, from JBL in Germany, and the man who shall not be named, thinking he can say whatever he wants.
Speaker: There was no self-awareness when it came to the real world. WWE would talk about new stars, but would often book the same stars over and over again. Cruiserweights and tag teams got buried.
Speaker: Gimmicks and characters were a hit or miss. With no real competition, some ideas in the company were often criticized as lazy. They sure were. lazy the ruthless aggression era gave us legends chaos and unforgiving unforgiving unforgettable well i mean we don't forget stuff we don't you know what unforgiving it is unforgiving some of those moments they get
Speaker: but also unforgettable, and some growing pains along the way. Its legacy and hard work can be seen in today's programming and the effort put in to give us high-impact wrestling, long-lasting storylines, and amazing women's matches.
Speaker: Now, let's hear from you. Make sure you let us know your favorite moment in the ruthless aggression era. Let's go. Hit them comments. Baby boo.
Speaker: But I think that's going to conclude it for this week. Concluded. I'm sorry. Concluded. Okay.
Speaker: Make sure you join us next week because we have a little surprise. Surprise, surprise.
Speaker: We have a little surprise episode for you guys. You will not want to miss that. Charity, where can the people find you? You can find me at Livin' Lavish with Lonnie.
Speaker: on Instagram and TikTok. And you can find me at CarrieVicious on Instagram and TikTok. Thank you for stepping into the ring with us this week and hanging with your girls.
Speaker: Make sure to like and subscribe for more exciting episodes every Wednesday. And head on over to our Instagram and TikTok Queens Ring podcast. We love interacting with the wrestling community, so do not be shy. Don't be shy.
Speaker: Until then. Keep your crowns high and your shoulders off the mat.
