I've personally skipped some years. But I bought the last one primarily because for the first time in a WWE game since as far as I can remember, 8 superstars can be in the ring at once (for decades 6 has been the max if I'm not mistaken). Maybe by the time I'm dead they'll finally have 5v5 so I can do a complete survivor series match. They really need to get back to multi-team matches, though. Tag team triple threats and fatal four ways are not possible which is an issue. But they always seem to improve on something each year. I like how reversals aren't infinite anymore as well. It was too unrealistic, and also too easy for experienced players with good timing, to be able to reverse at all times. And while there's still some glitches to be worked out, the mechanics/animations for springboard moves, weapons, and the OMG moments are improving every year. And the create a superstar options, man. I made some of my all time best looking CAWs, and all the user created content you can download. Plus every year they sell you on a debuting/returning superstar (Rousey, Angle, Goldberg, etc) so it's hard not to want them. I really enjoyed the last one. Haven't played in a few months since I'm on the Fortnite train but looking forward to playing as Ronda on the next one.

But yeah, No Mercy for N64 and Smackdown 2 for PS1 were the two I played the most. They came out around 2000-ish so I was playing games more than ever at that age. Here Comes the Pain was great too, and SvR 2007 had the coolest General Manager mode back when that was a thing. After that they really fluctuated in quality, but I no longer play them for the story modes or online opponents. I mainly just play with my kids who are young and like wrestling so all I care about is if you can have a fun elimination match or ladder match or extreme rules or royal rumble (eliminations are AMAZING now, way more realistic than ever before). There's occasionally a glitch but rarely does it effect much; we just act like the spot was botched lol

Whats the point in just keeping $40. Give it to someone who will take joy in spending it and you might find joy as well

I suppose this is something that took a long time to complete, as surely everyone isnt sitting around taking turns nonstop. With that said I'm itching for more. How much longer we got?

I wonder if this is really a thing. Personally I think playing the same game over and over again every year is what happens with every sport-related game, and the only way anyone can keep enjoying them, be it WWE, UFC, Madden or whatever, is if they are highly skilled and have other highly skilled players to play against. Now the online stuff has needed some touching up forever and it'll probably never be perfect. But I enjoy the hell out of beating up my son on the last one as much as I did beating up my friends on Smackdown 2 or No Mercy. The amount of things you can do compared to the old days (environmental/weapon moves, taking Rocky down with a spear while he's running the ropes for a Peoples Elbow, all the different ways you can design your characters, etc) are for more complex and fruitful. I still get an occasional surprise. Single player games aren't dying, but the amount of single player stuff you can do on multiplayer games is dwindling because multiplayer is where it's at on competition based games. Still mad there's no GM mode or that the story mode isn't deep enough? Create your own, or else go play Skyrim or Fallout or something that's more infinitely customizable.

Seems the last couple years they just play "spin the wheel" with all the planned matches and wherever it lands is who gets the cell matches. With that said, I think it's probably because, great as they are, AJ and Joe aren't really trying to do huge bumps at this point in their careers. They're trying to maximize on the remainder of their in-ring careers while they're still in top form. On the other hand high spots are Hardy's bread and butter. They're gonna kill him but he doesn't care and it doesn't seem WWE does either. Fact is, like Mick Foley (and unlike Styles and Joe, who can take big bumps from time to time but are athletic enough it isn't necessary), grudge matches involving unbelievably ugly spots is Hardy's specialty and what gets him over the most.

Pretty sure the casket match at the Rumble happened the following year. May be wrong but I'm thinking after the casket match Taker went away long enough to miss Wrestlemania 10. In fact I'm certain, because Yoko won the Rumble leading up to Mania 9 and Taker was attacked by Gonzalez. It was the first time they used the "rumble winner gets title shot at mania" deal. So basically either you hold that stipulation off until the following year or you have Savage win the Rumble to challenge Bret. Macho Man never won the rumble so that sounds good to me. Nothing against Yoko. He can lose to Taker at Mania, but defeat him during the Summer to become number one contender, win the belt, retain against Taker in the same Rumble match (giving Yoko the rubber match win for added credibility), and still drop it back to Bret at Mania 10 (who for all intents and purposes still co-wins the Rumble and loses the classic opener to Owen). So basically by restructuring Mania 9 and the events leading up to and coming after, you can still have the same Wrestlemania 10 because it was an alright show.

I believe that when a contract expires, wrestlers can work and there is not a no-compete clause. The clause is generally for when the contracts are terminated. I could be totally wrong there but I seem to remember another wrestler in recent years who was reported to have bookings already in place for after their contract expires.

I think must have I had too many positive things to say about Reigns post-Summerslam. Not sure. I haven't been keeping up but I believe I was +78 recently. Oops. Glad you put Piper where he belongs. Without him being the amazing heel he was, Wrestlemania 1 wouldn't have been as big. Once he turned face he was over as possible. Piper and Roberts particularly were over enough and such great talkers they would have had a great run with the strap in the any other era. I wasn't there to experience it, but their WWE-produced DVDs from years back have me convinced they were massive, MASSIVE stars.

I love me some Bossman but putting him there instead of Piper is rather criminal.

As for #8 of Ruthless Aggression it's probably Rey due to longevity, merch sales, and never getting lost in the shuffle (until towards the end when injuries kept bugging him but we were arguably into the next era by that point)

But yeah, your order is pretty spot on. The current era on paper should be at the top as I think as a whole there's more pure talent in those 8 than any other 8. But the writing is not there to put them there; not just booking matches but overall character development. Only Bryan (Mania 30) and arguably Punk (MITB '11) have been able to capture a single unforgettable, time-stopping moment that captured the hearts of millions, while Hogan, Savage, Warrior, Bret, Shawn, Austin, Rock, HHH, Taker, Foley, Edge, Cena, etc have had NUMEROUS.

I mean, it's really not as unbelievable as you might think. Surely he's exaggerating about "one hand tied behind his back" but I wouldn't be surprised if he thinks he can beat him. Not that I think he could, but I'm not saying he couldn't beat him, especially in amateur wrestling without strikes. Let him get a few MMA fights in and we'll see how serious he is and how well his grappling game works and it'll be easier to judge. Pretty sure he's got a reach advantage and is probably in better cardiovascular shape as well as being younger. I'd personally love to see another pro wrestler really hit big in MMA, and you really never know how well someone is gonna catch on, but Swagger's a tough cat who could probably wipe the floor with at least 80% of the WWE locker room as it is. I wish him the best of luck and maybe in 2-5 years that fight could realistically happen.