The Attitude Era is often looked upon as a golden era for WWE. Raw and WCW's Nitro both pulled in record numbers of viewers on Monday nights for most of it. It was during this time that WWE took over for good, partially thanks to their move to this new style in attitude, with raunchier storylines, more violence, and realistic characters (for the most part). It is held in high esteem by most fans.

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To this day, the company constantly reminds its audience of it and touts it whenever they can. But it was certainly a product of its time. The late 90s was rife with controversial shows like The Jerry Springer Show and South Park. A lot of what happened during the Attitude Era was awesome, but plenty of it doesn't hold up two decades later. We've chosen ten moments that show off each side of this era.

10 Awesome: Jericho Wins The Title

Technically we're starting with a moment from 2000, but the Attitude Era does expand into 2001. Chris Jericho had only been with WWE for about eight months. He was gaining popularity but wasn't viewed as a major contender. He insulted Stephanie McMahon, enraging her husband and WWE Champion, Triple H. That set up a non-title contest to open an episode of Raw. Chris Jericho used Triple H's anger to his advantage, goading him into putting the title on the line.

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With the APA protecting him at ringside, Jericho pulled off an unthinkable upset that got one of the biggest ovations in Raw history. Unfortunately, the win only came because referee Earl Hebner counted quickly. It's a shame that Jericho was forced to give back the title, but it was a great moment that proved the fans were behind him as a major player.

9 Doesn't Hold Up: The DX Invasion

The Monday Night Wars ran from 1995 until 2001. Raw and Nitro went head to head almost every week. WCW dominated for 84 straight weeks, but once the WWE took over, their confidence grew. That's when the DX invasion angle happened. On a Monday night in 1998, Raw and Nitro took place within a few miles of each other. DX decided to visit WCW.

Triple H, X-Pac, Chyna, and the New Age Outlaws dressed in camo and drove around in a fake tank to WCW's show. At the time, this was wild to see on television. But WWE has run this footage back countless times and it gets less funny each time.

8 Awesome: The Wedding

In 1999, the McMahon family became a prominent fixture of WWE television. That included the debut of Stephanie McMahon. She was portrayed as a pure, innocent girl who wouldn't hurt a fly. Fans swooned as she fell in love with Andrew "Test" Martin. Through her brother fighting Test and a stint of amnesia, the lovebirds were to be married on an episode of Raw.

It was a brilliant segment, with everything seemingly going to plan. Vince expected his rival Triple H to intervene, so he said that if you weren't invited or a member of the family, you'd be fired if you showed up. Triple H still did, and... well, fans remember the rest. The concept of what he did wouldn't fly in today's world, but the entire segment was done well enough that it's still a treat to watch.

7 Doesn't Hold Up: Mae Young's Hand

A lot of things done in the Attitude Era were intended to shock audiences. That was the case when former Olympian Mark Henry began dating 80-something-year-old Mae Young. The two were often seen in wildly inappropriate acts each week.

The biggest surprise came when Mae Young was revealed to be pregnant. It was a storyline that never worked, wasn't believable and, worst of all, had a silly, gross payoff.

6 Awesome: Bret Hart Snaps

Many argue that 1997 was the best year in terms of quality storytelling in WWE, and they could be right. A highlight was Bret Hart's descent into madness. With things changing around him, Hart grew frustrated. It all boiled over on a March episode of Raw after a loss in a Steel Cage match.

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Bret Hart went off on a profanity-laced tirade aimed at Vince McMahon. Vince wasn't known as the on-screen owner and was just a commentator to most fans. Bret airing his grievances felt like something real and set the tone for two huge angles going forward: Bret as the bad guy who complains and Vince as the evil Mr. McMahon.

5 Doesn't Hold Up: The Greater/Higher Power

Higher Power

While ratings were at an all-time high in 1999, proper storytelling wasn't. The Greater Power angle is the perfect example. For months, The Undertaker did heinous things at the behest of a "greater power" who was also called a "higher power" at times. The reveal finally came and it turned out to be Vince McMahon. Looking back, it makes no sense.

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The idea that Vince planned for his daughter to get kidnapped by Undertaker is illogical enough, but it doesn't stop there. Vince said the whole thing was done to get the WWE Title off of Steve Austin. The problem is that Undertaker began talking about a "higher power" in January of 1999, when Austin wasn't even champion. This supposed elaborate scheme made no sense.

4 Awesome: Tyson And Austin

Kevin Nash has gone on record saying that this was the moment where he knew the WWE had beaten WCW. In January 1998, WWE brought in Mike Tyson to be the special guest enforcer for the main event of WrestleMania. His first appearance in a WWE ring was interrupted by the hottest star in the company, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.

Austin got right in Tyson's face, claiming it was an insult that he was known as the "baddest man of the planet." Austin flipped Tyson off, prompting a pull-apart brawl between the men that involved Tysons entourage and WWE officials. It was an iconic moment that got media coverage around the world.

3 Doesn't Hold Up: Drunk Hawk

Writer Vince Russo often liked to blend real life with his storylines. Sometimes it was a good idea, but some made you feel like someone needed to stop him. That was the case with the 1998 angle where Legion of Doom member Hawk came to the ring drunk on a weekly basis.

Hawk suffered from a battle with alcoholism outside of the ring. Bringing it to the screen was distasteful and disrespectful in every single way.

2 Awesome: Mrs. Foley's Baby Boy

It's one of the most famous moments in wrestling history. On the January 4, 1999 edition of Raw, Mankind battled The Rock for the WWE Title. The Rock was everything you want in a champion in terms of looks and charisma. Mankind wasn't, but the fans gravitated towards him. It set the stage for an emotional battle.

The match turned into a huge brawl between DX and the Corporation at ringside. While that happened, Steve Austin showed up to a thunderous ovation from the crowd. He laid out The Rock and helped Mankind win the title to become the unlikeliest of champions. Since this was a pre-taped episode, the live WCW Nitro commentary team spoiled the result, but it backfired: hundreds of thousands of viewers switched over from their show to watch Raw!

1 Doesn't Hold Up: I Quit Match

The Rock and Mankind top both sides of this list. Their feud continued to grow and it led to the I Quit Match. The concept was that there were no rules and you could do whatever you wanted to your opponent until they verbally said they quit. The match happened at the Royal Rumble and is nearly impossible to watch back.

The Rock handcuffs Mankind and proceeds to bash his head in with a steel chair over a dozen times. Violent, vicious shots where he holds nothing back. The documentary Beyond the Mat shows Foley's family in tears at ringside. Awful.

NEXT: 10 Attitude Era Stories WWE Could Never Get Away With Today