WWE Rumors: ‘Monday Night Raw’ Reportedly Returning To Attitude Era ‘Mentality’
A mysterious new faction debuted on the latest episode of Monday Night Raw, throwing a petrol bomb at an electrical generator in the process. While the details of the new stable have yet to be fully uncovered, there are reportedly plans in place to introduce more factions to the red brand.
As documented by Cageside Seats, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that the plan is to embrace the “’90s mentality of factions.” If that’s the case, the company might be returning to an Attitude Era aesthetic when it comes to storytelling.
The ’90s saw the company feature a host of groupings on television. From the Nation of Domination to D-Generation X and more, superstars were regularly bundled together in an effort to give them more television time.
Each faction had its own unique gimmick as well. As The Inquisitr recently reported, Vince McMahon supposedly plans on returning to a character-focused product that boasts interesting storylines. Perhaps the new stables tie into this mentality for the product moving forward.
The red brand currently has two prominent stables in the form of The Hurt Business and Seth Rollins’ disciples. The latest group to appear seems to have an anarchist gimmick, which is distinct from the other teams. This could also involve Mustafa Ali, who is rumored to be the WWE hacker.
Sportskeeda also noted that this new mentality could be a response to All Elite Wrestling. The rival promotion has featured factions prominently on its television shows since its inception and they’ve been getting rave reviews.
As The Inquisitr report highlighted, McMahon recently weighed in on AEW’s success and cited its youthful nature as a key element. He then told investors that WWE had to make its product more youthful in an effort to rebound from the current ratings crisis.
The edgy nature of the groups Monday Night Raw has introduced suggests that he’s putting those plans into place. The Attitude Era was popular among the 18-34 demographic, but the company’s focus on PG storylines in recent years seems to have resulted in the loss of that audience.
Last night’s debut — along with other elements of the show — indicated that the promotion is experimenting with ideas to bring back viewers who have vacated during the pandemic. However, it could also be part of the reported initiative to create new stars.
The team-centric approach is also an ideal way to make use of the entire roster. Ever since McMahon soured on stables, many superstars have found themselves struggling to get any air time, as the WWE roster is so large.
