D-Generation X
D-Generation X (a.k.a. Degeneration X, D-X or DX) was a faction in the World Wrestling Federation from 1997 to 2000. The group was formed in late 1997 when real-life friends Shawn Michaels and Hunter Hearst Helmsley started teaming together in the ring. Along with Helmsley's 'bodyguard' Chyna and Michaels' "insurance policy" the late Rick Rude (Rude left shortly after for WCW), they formed D-Generation X. They had many heel and face turns.
The group was a major change from the WWF's previous "family-friendly" image: they would make obscene gestures, swear on TV and tell opponents to "suck it." Their theme music was intended to sound like controversial band Rage Against The Machine. They used the motto "You make the rules, and we'll break 'em." The group drew a lot of heat from the fans, but eventually became faces. They were an integral part of the Attitude Era, a period in the organization's history where they received a large amount of attention from mainstream media outlets and the general public.
The name D-Generation X was taken from an opinion column by Phil Mushnick, which appeared in TV Guide, in which Mushnick lambasted wrestling's primarily-Generation X fanbase as degenerates, dubbing them Degeneration X.
On-screen, however, the name was taken from Bret Hart who claimed that Shawn Michaels and Triple H were nothing more than degenerates. D-Generation X's first feud came against Bret Hart and his Hart Foundation. This fued ended in November 1997 at the Survivor Series pay-per-view in the infamous Montreal Screwjob which led to Bret leaving the company along with two of the remaining three members of the Foundation. The only one that remained in the WWF was Owen Hart and he continued his feud with D-X, specifically Triple H, until mid-1998.
"D-Generation X" was also used as the title for the WWF's monthly pay-per-view telecast in December 1997.
DX army
On March 29, 1998, the WWF held WrestleMania XIV, its annual flagship event. Shawn Michaels was the WWF Champion, Triple H was the European Champion, and they had recruited boxer Mike Tyson to act as the 'Special Enforcer' in the main event of the night featuring Michaels against Stone Cold Steve Austin. At the end of the match, Tyson turned on D-Generation X and cost Michaels the match. The real reason for this was that Michaels had suffered a back injury which needed surgery; as it turned out, Michaels would not wrestle again until 2002. Michaels was out of D-X and next night, Triple H declared himself to be the new leader of D-X. He recruited X-Pac and The New Age Outlaws, a tag team of The Road Dogg and Billy Gunn, to form a new D-X. X-Pac, who had just been signed from World Championship Wrestling, cut a promo where he responded to then-WCW wrestler Hulk Hogan's live interview that alluded to X-Pac's recent release from the promotion.
The "new and improved" D-X were just as anti-social as the first version, yet they became extremely popular and eventually turned face. During this time, they would be involved in several storylines and skits - including a feud with the rival Nation of Domination and a video package where they raided Atlanta, the home of WCW. At one point the they even attempted to "invade" (with a tank and military dress) a live broadcast of WCW Monday Nitro that happened to be going on in the same town as that night's live WWF Raw is War program (they made it to the arena, but were barred entry). For about a year, D-Generation X stayed together. Triple H and Chyna then went to join Vince McMahon's 'Corporation', and Billy Gunn pursued a singles career. The only remaining members were Road Dogg and X-Pac.
D-X is believed by many to be heavily influenced by WCW's nWo (although Vince McMahon has denied this on many occasions), and was created to battle with WCW in the ratings war. Both D-X and the nWo included members of the famed Clique. In spite of this D-X was still one of the most popular groups in the company's history and was far more successful than the nWo.
Nation of Domination parody
D-X, along with comedian Jason Sensation, parodied the Nation of Domination on the July 6, 1998 episode of RAW, with each member of D-X dressing as a Nation member and impersonating their characterictic mannerisms. The segment was somewhat controversial in that several member of D-X were in blackface.
| Nation member: | D-X member: | Parody character: | Distinguishing features and mannerisms: |
| The Rock | Triple H | The Crock | Self-deprecating catchphrases, exaggerated version of The People's Elbow. |
| D'Lo Brown | Road Dogg | B'Lo Brown | Chest protector, head-shaking, use of the word "brother." |
| Mark Henry | X-Pac | Mizark Henry | Pecs which went "all the way around to the back", voracious appetite. |
| The Godfather | Billy Gunn | The Gunnfather | Use of the word "Westside." |
| Owen Hart | Jason Sensation | Owen Hart | Large prosthetic nose, nasal voice, costume made out of caution tape, use of the word "damn." |
The end of an era
In late 1999 the group reformed to include every member except for Shawn Michaels, Chyna and Rick Rude. From then until mid-2000 D-X 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. Gunn's storyline involved him getting thrown out of D-X when he lost his cool. X-Pac was 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 title. This marked the start of what many fans nicknamed "Corporate-D-X", (Much like the Corporate Ministry from the previous year). However the group was officially dubbed the McMahon-Helmsley Faction - it had earlier gone by the name "McMahon-Helmsley Regime." Edge & Christian referred to the group as "The Fac-gime", combining both words, faction & regime.
The following month The Rock defeated Triple H at Backlash in a match which featured Steve Austin's brief return to the WWF before his long term return in October 2000. Though Triple H would regain the title the following month at Judgment Day, the group gradually broke apart. By late 2000 Triple H was a solo star, while other members went the same way. On a November edition of RAW is WAR the group temporarily rejoined (save for X-Pac) to take on Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko and Perry Saturn (The Radicalz) in an 8-man tag team match which D-X won. The match included the group doing their old D-X entrance as well as telling the crowd to "suck it!" It was the symbolic end to D-Generation X. However, the members of D-X (excluding Triple H) along with K-Kwik, then Road Dogg's tag team partner, went on to have a feud with the Radicalz that month, eventually leading up to a match at Survivor Series, involving the same 8 wrestlers except for Triple H, who was replaced by K-Kwik. The Radicalz won the match.
In 2002, on the episode of RAW after the breakup of nWo, Shawn Michaels and Triple H entered the ring to D-X music. However, this did not last as Triple H turned on Michaels; he had teased a D-X reunion as a ploy to appease Michaels and lure him to the ring before giving him a Pedigree and starting a long feud between the two.
References
- Obsessed With Wrestling. Retrieved 2/24/2005.