Memorable Moments in Wrestling (4) - D-Generation X

D-Generation X (DX) was 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.

DX is generally considered as one of the most popular stables in professional wrestling history, not to mention, one of the most notable. After its original run, the group underwent several roster changes, and disbanded in 1999.

• How it all begins

Off-screen, DX was the brainchild of Paul Levesque (Triple H) and Michael Hickenbottom (Shawn Michaels), who wanted to be paired together in a stable including Joan Laurer (Chyna). According to Triple H, WWF management wanted to keep members of off-screen stable "The Kliq" (Michael Hickenbottom, Paul Levesque, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash and Sean Waltman) a part, so they were hesitant to pair the duo together at first.

Triple H and Shawn Michaels united after Michaels turned heel when he hit The Undertaker with a steel chair at SummerSlam. Initially getting together as allies aiding Michaels in his subsequent feud with The Undertaker as a result of SummerSlam, however the duo officially got together at the One Night Only pay-per-view when Triple H, Chyna and Rick Rude (then Michaels "insurance" policy) helped Michaels capture the WWF European Championship from British Bulldog.

• DX (The Original)

On October 13, 1997, the group officially granted to themselves the name "D-generation X" for the first time and debuted their trademark slogan, "Suck it!". The name of D-Generation X was taken from Bret Hart who claimed that Shawn Michaels and Triple H were nothing more than degenerates. D-Generation X's first feud was against Bret Hart and his Hart Foundation. This feud was unique because it involved two rival heel factions fighting with each other, however the feud ended at Survivor Series 1997 when Shawn Michaels won his 3rd WWF Championship in the Montreal Screwjob, which led to Bret leaving the company along with 2 (Jim Neidhart and Davey Boy Smith) of the remaining 3 members of the Hart Foundation. By this point, DX has capture the WWF Championship and European Championship as well as their 'victory' in the feud with the Hart Foundation. With these they solidified their status as the lead stable in the company.

On 7 December 1997, "D-Generation X" was later used as the title for a WWF In Your House pay-per-view. Michaels headlined the event as he was disqualified in a WWF Championship title defense against Ken Shamrock but was able to retain his WWF championship. Earlier that night, Triple H defeated Sgt. Slaughter with the help of Chyna in a Boot Camp match.

On December 11 edition of RAW (aired December 22), Michaels sacrificed the WWF European Championship for his DX teammate Triple H by letting Triple H pin him for the title in a farcical match.

However at Royal Rumble 1998, Michaels suffered a serious injury after The Undertaker back dropped him onto the casket when the 2 men faced each other in a Casket Match. Michaels smashed his lower back on the casket, causing him to herniate 2 discs and crush one completely. The injury eventually forced Michaels to drop the WWF title to Stone Cold Steve Austin at Wrestlemania XIV and retire from active wrestling for 4 years.

• DX Army

After Michaels retires, Triple H assumed full leadership of DX and recruited Sean Waltman aka X-Pac (who had recently been fired from WCW) and the WWF Tag Team Champions, New Age Outlaws (Billy Gunn and Road Dogg) into the stable.

While the group were intended to remain as heels (bad guys), they became hugely popular and were eventually pushed as faces (good guys). During this time, they feuded with The Rock and his group the Nation of Domination and then later, Vince McMahon's group Corporation. The group remained united and hugely popular throughout all of 1998 and into early-1999. On editions of RAW in April and May, DX went to a "war" with WCW Nitro and "invaded" their headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.

However on November 23, 1998, Shawn Michaels returned to WWF but not as a wrestler; instead, he replaced Sgt. Slaughter as the WWF Commissioner, a portrayed match maker and rules enforcer, joining Vince McMahon's group, Corporation, as a heel.

Throughout 1999, DX members gradually turned on one another. Chyna eventually turned on Triple H and joined the Corporation. Triple H, himself turned heel and joined The Corporation at WrestleMania XV by helping Shane McMahon retain the WWF European Championship when he betrayed his fellow stablemate X-Pac during the match. Shortly after this incident, Billy Gunn, frustrated at being "held back", also turned heel and departed from D-Generation X, therefore reducing the members to just Road Dogg and X-Pac (with Tori). X-Pac, however, began to share a bond with then-babyface, Kane, holding the WWF Tag Team Championship twice which resulted in Kane becoming associated with the faction but was never officially a member of DX.

• DX reformation (The faction's downfall)

On October 25, 1999, the group reformed as a heel stable when Triple H and X-Pac helped New Age Outlaws defeat The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin. From then until mid-2000, DX remained a strong and united group. In early 2000, however, Billy Gunn was placed out of action for several months after suffering an injury against the Dudley Boyz. On-screen, Gunn's storyline involved him getting thrown out of DX because "he lost his cool". X-Pac teamed with Road Dogg, but the two never reached the heights of the New Age Outlaws.

At WrestleMania 2000, Vince McMahon turned on The Rock and aided Triple H in retaining his WWF title. The group was officially dubbed the McMahon-Helmsley Faction. The following month, The Rock defeated Triple H at Backlash. Though Triple H regained the title the following month at Judgment Day, the group gradually broke apart. By late 2000, Triple H was a solo star.

On the November 6, 2000 edition of RAW, 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 8-man 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!" with the DX chop. It was the symbolic end to D-Generation X.

Links:

1) Shawn Michaels officially named D-Generation X stable

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCtJnJRFeCs (Thanks to daniel1929)

2) Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H (WWF European Championship)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gur21UjrQpI&feature=related (Thanks to LJascony)

3) DX invades WCW

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEnHCwXD-BA (Thanks to WrestleManiaV1)

4) DX mocks The Nation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm5rvwcarFA&feature=related (Thanks to TASKABOYkindJack)

5) DX vs. The Radicalz (DX last match)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBtaGY6TEyg (Thanks to VWAVideos)