The New Age Outlaws Make Their Entrance in Newcastle, England - WWE SmackDown Live Event [4/19/2013]

Fantastic series of photos showcasing the other main duo of D-Generation X that had been ignored for years by the WWE.

The WWF Champion: Kane [6/29/1998]

Classic Kane will always be the best Kane, but I seemed to have forgotten the fact that the redesigned Winged Eagle WWF Championship used to have the classic logo instead of the scratch one. Weird…

The Rock Models His Poontang Pie Shirt - WWF ShopZone Advert [2000]

When we asked you readers about the worst wrestling shirts a month back, it seems that several of you brought up either the APA “Always Pounding Ass” shirt and this particular one that The Rock is modeling here.

I don’t need to say much, but I will agree with the general consensus here. What the hell were they thinking?

I watched the WWE: The Attitudea Era set last night and could not believe how half-assed the documentary portion was. I felt that the nWo: The Revolution release was similarly rushed but expected due to it being about World Championship Wrestling, s seeing this WWE focused release handled so poorly was disappointing. The documentary just seemed to float around various elements from that particular era of the late Nineties, but no real story is told and any interesting takes and tales about this period are kept short due to how many things they wanted to cram into the fifty or so minutes.

Speaking of that time, what did the Headbangers ever do to get absolutely no love from the WWE? They’re nowhere to be found on the documentary, and I have no knowledge about them leaving on bad terms from the land of McMahon. I know that they semi-retired for years before making a comeback recently, but I’ve always seen them as major early characters from The Attitude Era.

Is there some story there or did the WWE just pass them over to focus more on the legacy of D-Generation X??

Sycho Sid Walks Towards the Ring - WWF RAW Is WAR [3/10/1997]

Not only is this a great shot showcasing a rare look at the WWF cameraman, it also captures the first segment ever during the brand-new Raw Is War program. Instead of the usual opener fans were used to, the show started with Marilyn Manson’s “Beautiful People” and set the tone for a more edgier World Wrestling Federation.

“Long Live Owen Hart” - WWF RAW is WAR [5/24/1999]

After seeing last night’s tribute to Paul Bearer, my mind immediately jumped back to the WWF RAW devoted to Owen Hart. When the news stinger showed up on television touting the “shocking death of a WWF performer live at a wrestling event”, I thought that the upcoming newspiece would definitely be about Mick Foley. I never once assumed it would be about Owen, and I watched the entire Tribute RAW the next day in complete disbelief.

Owen Hart’s death didn’t affect me in the way that Benoit’s did, but this was the first time I could recall everything just stopping for a fallen wrestler.

Gangrel in a Vampire: The Masquerade Advert [April 2000]

This is one of those wrestling things that always confused me whenever I was a teenager. Every time I booted up WWF WrestleMania 2000 for the Nintendo 64, there was this copyright screen at the beginning that claimed:

“Gangrel created by White Wolf. Gangrel is a trademark of White Wolf Inc”

I never really knew that that was all about till I came across this advert in a RAW Magazine recently and hunted down some answers online. Somehow, Gangrel was supposed to be a character from the world of a roleplaying game called Vampire: The Masquerade. The name Gangrel doesn’t come from a specific character from the roleplaying book but is the name of a clan found in the fictional universe where the game takes place. According to the World of Darkness Wiki, Gangrels are described as:

“[C]onsummate survivors. Though stereotyped as primitive and uncultured, they are the Kindred Clan best adapted to the rigors of existing outside the comforts of a city, outside “The Gilded Cage.” Nicknamed Savages, the Gangrel are far more honorable than such a cognomen would imply. Self-reliant and courageous, their shape-changing Discipline of Protean is a prime example of their ability to adapt to survive. Their weakness is reflected in a primal, bestial instinct that clouds their minds.”

Since I don’t see anything  in that description about stiff-looking DDTs and raining blood from the ceiling onto your opponent, I’m guessing the WWF took some liberties with the character. Still, what a strange thing to pull from when creating a wrestling persona…

D-Generation X Don Blackface, Mock The Nation of Domination - WWF RAW IS WAR [7/6/1998]

One of those angles that probably will never be replayed on any telecast or DVD special and definitely something that the WWE would never dare to do in today’s world.

Kane Stands Over a Defeated Vader - WWF Over the Edge: In Your House [5/31/1998]

Kane ended up effectively killing off Vader Time in the World Wrestling Federation completely in this match. This was the end of the feud that the two had kicked off in February of that year, but the things the Mastodon had to say after his loss during the post-match interview did nothing to help the credibility of the former unstoppable monster:

“I came here tonight to compete, I got my butt whipped. I made the biggest mistake of my life, I trained — look at me, I’m so big… maybe, maybe Vader Time’s over.

I ain’t nothing but a big piece of shit. A BIG, FAT PIECE OF SHIT!!

*knocks microphone away*”

By December, Vader would find himself in New Japan Pro Wrestling tag teaming with Stan Hansen.

WWF St. Valentine’s Day Massacre Advert [2/14/1999]

Loved this PPV as a teenager due largely to the fact that a certain 7’3”, 550-pound (kayfabe) behemoth made his WWF debut during this main event. Being the huge WCW mark that I was, I remember being completely shocked at seeing The Giant tear through the mat from underneath the ring in an attempt to get “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

This was before they settled on the name Big Show for the guy, so I remember thinking it was pretty strange to hear Jim Ross enthusiastically sell the fact that “PAUL WIGHT IS HERE!!”.