The PG Era has had its fair share of ups and downs. Many fans complain about the current state of WWE and their complaints aren’t completely unjustified. WWE makes quite a few baffling decisions in regards to their creative department but sometimes they surprise us all and give us a memorable moment that has a chance to live forever. These are the moments from the PG Era that will live forever.
#11 – Dolph Ziggler Cashes In Money In The Bank
Since the inception of the Money in the Bank briefcase we’ve seen quite a few cash ins. But something about this one made it seem a little more special. Dolph Ziggler had been climbing the ladder in WWE for many years and it felt like this was what his entire career had been leading up to. No one deserved this moment more than Dolph Ziggler and it was truly epic. Sadly things didn’t go so well for Ziggler in the months that followed but that’s a story for another article.
#10 – Seth Rollins Turns On The Shield
Coming off of a feud with Evolution, The Shield was the hottest thing going in WWE. The group seemed more unified than ever which is why it was such a shock to see Seth Rollins turn on his brothers. It was a great twist that no one saw coming and no one will forget.
#9 – The Ultimate Warrior’s Speech
Many people were convinced that they would never see The Ultimate Warrior in the WWE again let alone see him be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. That all changed in 2014 when Warrior became a WWE Hall of Famer and made an appearance on Raw. He delivered a truly heartfelt speech and unfortunately he passed away only a few hours later. May he rest in peace.
#8 – Edge Retires
This was a shocking moment that absolutely no one saw coming. Shortly after defending his WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 27, Edge announced to the world that he would no longer be able to continue wrestling for fear of his health. His announcement came out of nowhere and his presence in the WWE or lack thereof is definitely noticeable.
#7 – CM Punk Parts Ways With WWE
The night after the 2014 Royal Rumble is a night that will live in infamy. CM Punk decided it was time for him to part ways with WWE and then he left the building and the company. The months that followed came to be a very confusing time for WWE and CM Punk fans alike. Punk has since come clean about the events which led to his departure and he’s also signed a contract with UFC. It remains to be seen as to whether we will ever see Punk in WWE again but the months of mystery that followed his departure will stick with the fans forever.
#6 – Brock Lesnar Returns
Brock Lesnar is another one of those names that most people believed would never make his way back to WWE. The night after WrestleMania 28 Brock surprised everyone by showing up and confronting John Cena. It had been many years since the fans had seen Brock in a WWE ring and he managed to make quite the impact in the years that followed his return.
#5 – The Nexus Debuts
Nexus had one chance to make an impact on WWE and they knocked it out of the park. The group made their intentions well known in only a few short minutes. They were here to take over the WWE. The group’s debut is still talked about to this day and will continue to be talked about for many years to come.
#4 – Daniel Bryan’s WrestleMania Moment
Daniel Bryan had quite the journey to the main event of WrestleMania 30. It was painfully obvious that WWE didn’t want Bryan to headline WrestleMania but the fans left the company with no choice. After many months of battling The Authority, Bryan finally got redemption with a WWE Championship win at the show of shows. The image of a stadium full of people raising their arms to chant “YES!” along with Daniel Bryan as he holds the WWE World Heavyweight Championship high above his head is truly iconic.
#3 – The Rock Returns
For many years the fans waited for The Rock to return with no sign that it would ever happen. Weeks before WrestleMania 27 it finally happened. The Rock returned to announce that he would be hosting WrestleMania 27 and in only a few short minutes he reminded us why he will always be The Great One.
#2 – CM Punk Walks Out With The WWE Championship
CM Punk’s pipebomb promo set the wrestling world on fire. The WWE was at one of its hottest points during the PG Era leading up to the 2011 Money in the Bank pay-per-view. The pipebomb promo was one thing but seeing CM Punk blow Vince McMahon a kiss as he walked out with the richest prize in the industry is absolutely unforgettable.
#1 – The Undertaker’s Streak Ends
This moment will be debated until the end of time. Was it the right call to end the streak? Everyone has their own opinion and whether you agree with the decision or not you have to admit that the moment will stick with you forever.
