WWE’s Ruthless Aggression era officially began on June 05, 2025, with a heartfelt promo cut by Vince McMahon, begging for some ruthless aggression from his roster. Some can also point to the month prior to this, when the WWE ran their “Get The F Out” campaign, relinquishing their old format and retiring the “WWF Attitude” moniker.
While theAttitude Eraof the WWE brought an edgier side to the business, its successor blended a more brutal side with realism, blurring the lines of kayfabe forever. It also created some of the biggest stars that are still around today, turning mid-card talent into bonafide main event superstars.
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This list will cover 12 of the greatest Ruthless Aggression moments that defined the era, and what made them so special. There will undoubtedly be moments that are left off this list, but with how long the era was, a list of 50 moments or more may become a burden to get through.
12Return Of The Deadman
“You’re Not Real! I Buried You Alive!”
From 2000 to 2003, The Undertaker traded in his funeral attire and organ music for a gimmick based more in reality, as the American biker. He rode a motorcycle to the ring, wore a bandana, and began using The Last Ride, a crazy powerbomb that looked like it could crush your spine.
When Kane, Undertaker’s kayfabe brother, buried him alive at the 2003 Survivor Series PPV, he had no way of knowing just how much of the character would die on that night.The Undertaker would makehis return at WrestleMania 20, four months later, bringing back his Deadman gimmick.
His hair may not have grown out enough to reminisce about his old self, but bringing out Paul Bearer and the urn was a beautiful touch. Kane selling his fear was top tier too, as it looked like he really saw a ghost.
11Money In The Bank Ladder Match
Win Your Chance At A WWE Championship Match
If WrestleMania wasn’t big enough of an event already, how about a multi-man match where the winner gets a guaranteed WWE Championship match? Throw in a ladder and a briefcase suspended above the ring, and you havethe Money in the Bank match.
There was something special about not only the match, but what winning it meant. While it wasn’t a guarantee that you wouldwinthe title, having that opportunity to cash in the chance at any time you want, within the year, was an exciting event to be a part of.
There’s nothing more thrilling than hearing the briefcase holder’s music playing out of nowhere, and the wrestler storming the ring with the intention of winning a championship. The match set many careers on the path of success, including Edge’s monumental rise to his role as the Rated R Superstar.
10Kane’s Unmasking
The Burns Were On The Inside
From the moment of his arrival, Kane was a fearsome character that you wouldn’t want to find yourself in an empty alley with. He was the brother of The Undertaker, wore a mask to conceal his burnt appearance, and was determined to destroy anything in his path.
In terms of debut, it’s hard to think of one greater thanKane ripping the door off the Hell in a Cell chamberand attacking The Undertaker. Five years of domination, championships, and chokeslams to hell came crashing down when a loss on Raw meant Kane had to remove his mask.
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The moment was a big deal back in the day, even if the result was a mixed bag. Kane revealed that his burns were actually on the inside, highlighting psychological damage, and some of his greatest moments involved setting Jim Ross on fire and electrocuting Shane McMahon by his family jewels.
9The Elimination Chamber
Over 16 Tons Of Steel And Chain
When you have a structure that stands 16 feet tall, weighs over 16 tons, and is made of steel and chain, you may as well call itthe Elimination Chamber. It’s where careers went to get shortened, as those who stepped inside it were never the same.
The six men involved in the original chamber match included Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho, Booker T, Rob Van Dam, and Kane. The participants should have listened to Booker T, who predicted something bad was going to happen, as an RVD five-star frog splash crushed Triple H’s throat during the bout.
You know an idea is a good one when it sticks around, and just like the Money in the Bank ladder match, the Elimination Chamber has remained a staple in the WWE. Sure, the structure has changed over the years, but the brutality and mayhem remain the same.
8John Cena’s Debut
He Truly Possessed Ruthless Aggression
During the Ruthless Aggression era, there was no wrestler more complete than Kurt Angle. A pure wrestling machine, Angle would hold open challenges to anyone cunning enough to take him on, and he finally met his match against a young man by the name ofJohn Cena.
Fans still get goosebumps to this day when they revisit this moment, as Cena shouts “Ruthless Aggression” before slapping Angle in the face and hitting him with a takedown. He may have lost the match to Angle, but he won a lot of respect from the WWE universe on that night.
Even The Undertaker shook his hand in a backstage segment, something that can only be earned. The crazy thing is that Cena was almost fired later on, but a change in persona and the creation of the Doctor of Thuganomics saved his career and created one of the greatest champions in WWE history.
7The Arrival Of Eric Bischoff
Monday Night Raw’s New General Manager
The Monday Night Wars were a crazy time during the Attitude Era, as Vince McMahon’s company went head-to-head on a weekly basis against Eric Bischoff’s WCW. To think that Bischoff would join the WWE one year after WWE’s purchase of WCW felt like a fever dream.
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He was equally hilarious and cruel, and though he did not cut an imposing figure in the ring, he could certainly wrestle with the best of them.
When AC/DC’s Back in Black hit the speakers, for the first and last time, thanks to copyright,Bischoff made his debut on Raw, becoming the new general manager. Unfortunately, the WWE ruined the surprise by showing him backstage with Booker T, but his appearance on WWE television was still shocking.
Bischoff was also the man behind the Elimination Chamber match, at least in kayfabe, and was a part of so many great, and not-so-great, memories. Though he departed five years later in 2007, Bischoff left a long and lasting impression on the WWE during his time.
6Austin Vs. Rock III
One Last Time At WrestleMania
There are three things that are certain in life: death, taxes, andStone Cold Steve Austintaking on The Rock at WrestleMania. The Ruthless Aggression gave us the third and final decision of this historic rivalry, and it did not disappoint.
Their trilogy started at WrestleMania 15, with WrestleMania 17 serving as part two. What their third match didn’t have that the previous two years did was a WWE Championship to fight for. This match was for pride.
It’s crazy to think that this match actually went down, with The Rock’s limited schedule and Austin’s injury problems. He stated that his elbows were pretty much shot going into the match, and all of his limbs were going numb throughout the match.
5ECW One Night Stand
This One Was For The Hardcore Fans
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a lot like religion to wrestling fans looking for something different. It was chaotic and bloody, but it also introduced the world to legends like Rob Van Dam, The Dudley Boyz, and Sabu.
In 2005, the WWE held the ECW One Night Stand event, holding the show at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York and hitting every nostalgic beat they could. ECW legends like Tommy Dreamer, Terry Funk, and Beulah McGillicutty all made appearances in what was a monumental show.
And the main event? Headlined by John Cena defending against RVD, who had cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase. Everything was wrapped up to perfection with an RVD pinfall win that was counted by Paul Heyman, bringing the ECW crowd to erupt into cheers.
4Ric Flair’s Retirement Match
“I’m Sorry. I Love You.”
They say that if you plan to go out, you might as well go out big, and Ric Flair did just that. At WrestleMania 24, Flair took on Shawn Michaels in singles action, with the stipulation that if Flair lost, he would have to retire and leave the WWE.
In a contest that went beyond 20 minutes, Flair and Michaels gave us one of the greatest examples of age being just a number. What made the ending so beautiful was Michaels' last words to Flair before hitting a Sweet Chin Music and finishing him off for good.
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This moment could have been a top-3 contender on this list, had it not been for Ric Flair’s need to be in a wrestling ring. Despite retiring in the WWE, Flair made several more appearances in a wrestling capacity, including a not-so-memorable participation in an AEW match.
3Eddie Guerrero Wins Undisputed Championship
Eat, Sleep, Can’t Defeat Latino Heat
The Ruthless Aggression era gave fans two very different experiences with Raw and SmackDown. While both were excellent products at the time, SmackDown put a major focus on building new stars for the main event, giving a chance to some who were often left in the mid-card.
The greatest example of this is Eddie Guerrero, who was mostly involved in the Intercontinental and Tag Team Championship picture. When he finally got his shot, Guerrero put the beastBrock Lesnardown and won his first and only WWE Championship.
The moment became infamous with Guerrero’s body flying through the air, almost like it was frozen in time, before landing his signature Frog Splash. On that night, Latino Heat reigned supreme, and his championship win was the result of passion and tenacity.
