Wednesday, July 13, 2011

D-GENERATION X

D-Generation X (also known and spelled as Degeneration X, DX and D-X) was a professional wrestling stable in WWE (previously the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment). The group originated in the midst of the WWF's "Attitude Era" from 1997 to 2000. Their gimmick was that of a gang of rebels who acted and spoke as they pleased, no matter how provocative.
After its original run with members Rick Rude, Chyna, Triple H and Shawn Michaels, the group expanded to become a mainstay of the Attitude Era with new additions X-Pac, the New Age Outlaws and Tori until it disbanded in August 2000. After a teased reunion in 2002, DX reformed in June 2006 as the duo of Triple H and Shawn Michaels for the remainder of the year and again in August 2009 until March 2010, shortly before Michaels' retirement. They reunited at the 2010 Tribute to the Troops for one night only.
According to Triple H, WWF management wanted to keep The Kliq, of which he and Michaels were members, apart, so they were hesitant to pair the duo together at first.DX, however, was officially incarnated on August 11, 1997, as Michaels took on Mankind in the main event of RAW is WAR. During the match, Triple H and Chyna both interfered on Michaels behalf as the two were feuding with Mankind, towards the end of the match Rick Rude returned to the WWF revealing himself as Michaels bodyguard or "Insurance Policy" after helping Michaels win the match after a chairshot to Mankind.The following week on the August 18, 1997, RAW, Michaels and Triple H teamed up to take on Mankind and The Undertaker, only to lose the match by disqualification after Michaels used a chair on Undertaker.Michaels would eventually face the Undertaker at In Your House XVII: Ground Zero on September 7, 1997, with Triple H, Chyna, & Rude all interfering on Michaels behalf at certain points during the match. On September 20, 1997 at the WWF One Night Only pay-per-view in Birmingham, England. Along with then-heels, Michaels, Chyna, and Triple H, Michaels' "insurance policy", Rick Rude was also an original member of the group. Triple H and Michaels united when Michaels became a villain after hitting The Undertaker with a chair at SummerSlam.Initially getting together as allies aiding Michaels in his subsequent feud with the Undertaker, DX officially got together at the One Night Only pay-per-view when Helmsley, Chyna, and Rude helped Michaels win the WWF European Championship from the British Bulldog.
Though the group maintained a united front against The Corporation, Billy Gunn became frustrated at Kane's presence and The New Age Outlaws' inability to win the Tag Team Championships from X-Pac and Kane. Following one such defeat on the April 29 edition of Smackdown, Gunn became angry at X-Pac.The following week on Sunday Night Heat he apologized to X-Pac, but attacked him when X-Pac's back was turned, citing his frustration at being "held back" and departing from D-Generation X, therefore reducing the members to just Road Dogg and X-Pac.Over the following weeks, Gunn would continue to attack X-Pac and Road Dogg, often being chased away by Kane.In July, Triple H and Chyna told Billy Gunn that Road Dogg and X-Pac were making a lot more money from D-Generation X's royalties than the other three (due to them still using the name as a tag team). This led to a tag match at Fully Loaded whereby the winners would get the rights to use the D-Generation X name, which Road Dogg and X-Pac won. Though not officially a member, upon winning the Tag Team Titles from The Acolytes on August 9, Kane, under encouragement from partner X-Pac, uttered his first words without help from a voice box, said words being "Suck it"
On the November 6, 2000 edition of Raw is War, the group temporarily rejoined (except for X-Pac, who was injured) to take on The Radicalz (Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, and Perry Saturn) in an eight-person tag team match, which DX won.The match included the group doing their old DX entrance, as well as telling the crowd to "Suck it!" It was a symbolic end to D-Generation X. Chyna, Billy Gunn, Road Dogg and K-Kwik, Road Dogg's new tag team partner, however, feuded with the Radicalz that month, eventually leading to a match at Survivor Series. The Radicalz won the match.
After that, DX remained unseen and largely unspoken of until Shawn Michaels returned to WWE in 2002. On the July 22 edition of Raw at Shawn Michaels' 37th birthday, a week after the breakup of the nWo, Triple H handed Michaels a DX t-shirt and stated he "had an idea," suggesting that the two reform the group. The duo later came out that night to their old music and crotch chops to the delight of the crowd. However, Triple H turned on Shawn Michaels that same night; he had teased the reunion as a ploy to appease Michaels and lure him to the ring before giving him a Pedigree, making Triple H a villain once again.This act led to the in-ring return of Michaels at SummerSlam and was the genesis of a long feud between the two that ended with a Triple H victory during a Hell In A Cell match at Bad Blood in 2004.
On the August 17 episode of Raw, in St. Louis, MO, Michaels and Triple H officially reunited as DX, but as they were in the process of their in-ring promo, Legacy attacked them both.Their first match after reuniting was against Legacy at SummerSlam, which they won.At Breaking Point, however, they lost to Legacy in the first ever Submissions Count Anywhere match in WWE history.At the October pay-per-view Hell in Cell, DX defeated Legacy in a Hell in a Cell match.DX would challenge John Cena for the WWE Championship in a triple threat match at Survivor Series with both men failing to win the title,although they were able to retain their friendship and tag team partnership. On December 13 at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, DX defeated Chris Jericho and The Big Show to win the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match;the first tag team championship reign for Michaels and Triple H as a tag team.
On December 21, Triple H announced that Hornswoggle was the new DX mascot.This came about after Hornswoggle sued DX for emotional and physical distress due to them not allowing him to join DX.After being taken to court where they were ruled guilty by a jury and judge consisting of dwarves, Michaels told Triple H that Hornswoggle could be the mascot. Triple H agreed to it only if the charges were dropped, which Hornswoggle agreed to.On January 11 Mike Tyson, who was the Raw guest host for the night, teamed with Jericho to face DX; however, at the end of the bout, Tyson turned on Jericho and aligned himself with Michaels and Triple H.On the February 8, 2010 episode of Raw, DX lost their Unified Tag Team Titles to ShoMiz (The Miz and The Big Show) in a Triple Threat Elimination Tag Team match also featuring The Straight Edge Society (CM Punk and Luke Gallows.) On the March 1 episode of Raw they lost their rematch for the titles which would be their last televised match before Michaels retired.Michaels and Triple H had a non-wrestling reunion at the 2010 Tribute to the Troops.

No comments:

Post a Comment