The Attitude Era allowed WWE to completely change the dynamic of their television product with less guidelines. WWE wanted to take bolder risks with the audience clearly interested in the new things they tried to create an edgier show. Romance became a huge part of WWE for the first time with more than just a couple of women on the roster.
The storylines involving romance would see differing results for better or worse. Fans loved the strong relationships to deliver entertainment or help the talents in play stand out. Unfortunately, there were also the lackluster duos who either lacked chemistry or couldn’t make their direction work. Find out just what caused the ideas to either thrive or flop.
10 Mark Henry & Mae Young
The worst romantic angle of the Attitude Era featured Mark Henry and Mae Young engaging in the strangest relationship. Henry adopted the Sexual Chocolate gimmick shortly after the Nation of Domination ended.
The elderly retired women's wrestling legend returned to WWE consistently in comedic angles. Henry and Mae dating created such embarrassing segments like their night together and Young giving birth to a hand. WWE goes out of their way to avoid showing moments between these two as it crosses the line from what they believe in today.
9 Meat & Terri Runnels
WWE placed Terri Runnels in a few romantic pairings once she split up with Goldust ahead of the Attitude Era starting to take things in new directions. Shawn Stasiak’s run as Meat made him the lover of Terri who followed the orders of her and her teammates in the PMS faction.
The running joke was that Meat was too tired to perform in the ring after sharing moments of intimacy with Runnels backstage. Stasiak’s career struggled due to this starting him off on the wrong foot, and Terri admitted it was among her least favorite storylines in wrestling.
8 X-Pac & Tori
The heel version D-Generation X in 2000 saw Triple H putting a strong core of wrestlers behind him to help him retain power as the WWE Champion. X-Pac ended his tag team with Kane to once again become part of the faction led by Triple H.
Kane's ex-girlfriend Tori turned on him as well to start dating X-Pac. The run together did add something new for DX as Tori also helped Stephanie McMahon on a few occasions. Tori ended up taking part in dangerous bumps during DX's matches against the Dudley Boyz using Bubba's fascination with putting women through the tables as part of the gimmick.
7 Test & Stephanie McMahon
The first official storyline for Stephanie McMahon in WWE after The Undertaker stopped stalking her on behalf of Vince McMahon was a relationship with Test. Stephanie fell for Test shortly after their interactions together when Test was a member of Vince’s faction known as The Corporation.
The chemistry was there and led to a strong storyline involving Shane McMahon. Test won the respect of Shane after having a brutal match against each other. Triple H coming into the picture ended the angle with Test never getting his revenge.
6 Spike Dudley & Molly Holly
Everyone loves the story of underdogs finding success together, especially when it is a likable couple. Spike Dudley and Molly Holly were strongly connecting with the audience due to their romantic storyline of trying to get together despite their relatives hating each other.
The Dudley Boyz and Holly cousins continued to battle it out as Spike and Molly’s love won out. Spike even had a great moment standing up to a heel Steve Austin when he insulted Molly. WWE made a mistake ending the angle without a strong payoff when Molly betrayed Spike to become The Hurricane’s sidekick.
5 Vince McMahon & Trish Stratus
The instances of Vince McMahon having romantic moments with some of the top female performers in the company had polarizing results. Trish Stratus was in the most controversial romantic angle that is still criticized strongly today.
Vince used his power to enter a relationship with Trish that lasted for months. Moments like making out in front of a comatose Linda or Vince degrading Stratus made the audience feel uncomfortable. Trish did get her payoff turning on Vince in his big match against Shane at WrestleMania X-Seven.
4 Kane & Tori
WWE tried to make Kane a face in 1999 after the first run as the most intimidating heel monster character. One of the ways to soften up Kane featured him ending up in a relationship with the new star Tori.
Fans enjoyed the couple with both wrestlers benefiting from it. Kane now had a weakness to make fans care for him and Tori had her first major moment after a failed feud with Sable. WWE might have made a mistake breaking them up to place Tori in D-Generation X when looking back at their chemistry.
3 Matt Hardy & Lita
The chemistry between Lita and the Hardy Boyz allowed them both to thrive when forming the Team Xtreme faction. Lita didn’t have that bond with Essa Rios and thrived when getting to adopt the daredevil style like Matt and Jeff.
The real-life relationship between Matt and Lita started to become part of the television storyline. WWE eventually made them an official couple with a big kiss segment. Their relationship would become a part of their careers heading into the Ruthless Aggression Era where things would fall apart.
2 Eddie Guerrero & Chyna
WWE signing Eddie Guerrero would land him in a program with Chyna when they had chemistry as opponents. The romantic pairing was unlikely, but it was what both wrestlers badly needed at the right time.
Eddie showcased his personality more with the hilarious promos and character work adding to the angle. Chyna had a new storyline with layers outside of just wrestling men or playing the serious character. The eventual end even worked out with Eddie’s jealousy over Chyna’s photo shoot helping him to turn heel.
1 Triple H & Stephanie McMahon
The wedding between Stephanie McMahon and Test ended with Triple H revealing he married a drugged Stephanie at a cheap chapel. No one could have predicted such a ridiculous idea in theory would lead to big success.
The big reveal came that Stephanie was in all along and wanted to get revenge against her father by marrying his enemy. Triple H and Stephanie had instant chemistry with both talents getting to the next level together. Stephanie found her groove as a heel and Triple H was now in a legitimate top spot without feeling out of place.