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D-Generation X

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This article is about the stable in WWE. For the Pay-Per-View event, see In Your House 19: D-Generation X
D-Generation X
Triple H and Shawn Michaels during the fourth incarnation of DX in 2006
Tag team
MembersShawn Michaels
Triple H
Name(s)Degeneration X
D-Generation X
DX
D-X
Billed heightsTriple H:[1]
6 ft. 4 in. (193 cm)
Michaels:[2]
6 ft. 1 in. (185 cm)
Combined
billed weight		485 lb. (220 kg)
Former
member(s)		see below
DebutSeptember 20, 1997[3]
Disbanded2009

D-Generation X (also known and spelled as Degeneration X, DX and D-X) is a professional wrestling tag team (formerly a stable) wrestling for World Wrestling Entertainment (previously the World Wrestling Federation). The group originated in the midst of the WWF's "Attitude Era" from 1997 to 2000.[4] Their gimmick was that of a gang of rebels who acted and spoke as they pleased, no matter how provocative.

After its original run, the group underwent several roster changes and disbanded in 1999. After a brief reunion in 2000 and a teased reunion in 2002, DX reformed in June 2006 as the duo of Triple H and Shawn Michaels, until Triple H's quadriceps injury at New Year's Revolution in 2007.[5] Since Triple H's return from injury in 2007, he and Michaels sporadically team together as DX.

History

Formation

Off-screen, DX was idea of Shawn Michaels and Triple H, who wanted to be paired together in a stable including Chyna.[6] According to Levesque, WWF management wanted to keep The Kliq, of which Levesque and Michaels were members, apart, so they were hesitant to pair the duo together at first.[6] DX, however, was officially incarnated on September 20, 1997 at the WWF One Night Only pay-per-view in Birmingham, England. Along with Michaels, Chyna, and Triple H, Michaels' "insurance policy", Rick Rude was also an original member. Triple H and Michaels united after Michaels became a villain after hitting The Undertaker with a chair at SummerSlam.[7] 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.[3][8][9]

On October 13, 1997, the group officially gave themselves the name "Degeneration X" with Shawn Michaels as the leader. Michaels' autobiography suggests that it was then-WWF head writer Vince Russo who first conceived the moniker for the faction. On-screen, however, the name was taken from Bret Hart, who claimed that Shawn Michaels and Triple H were nothing more than degenerates. It was also the first time they spoke their trademark slogan, "Suck it!" They were often shown on television practicing sophomoric/crude humor and rebelling against authority figures in the company, primarily Vince McMahon (then an on-air color commentator) and then-Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter, the latter of which DX made a particular habit of humiliating with the group giving him the nickname of "Sgt. Slobber". D-Generation X's first feud was against Bret Hart and his Hart Foundation. This feud ended at Survivor Series when Shawn Michaels won his third WWF Championship in the Montreal Screwjob, which came about from Bret leaving the company along with two of the remaining three members of the Foundation.[10][11] The only member that remained in the WWF, Owen Hart, continued to feud with DX, specifically Triple H.

"D-Generation X" was later used as the title for a WWF In Your House pay-per-view telecast on December 7, 1997. By this point, DX's capture of the World Championship and European Championship as well as their 'victory' in the feud with the Hart Foundation, solidified their status as the lead stable in the company, with this pay-per-view being representative of that fact. Michaels headlined the event as he was disqualified in a WWF Championship title defense against Ken Shamrock. Earlier that night, Triple H defeated Sgt. Slaughter with the help of Chyna in a Boot Camp match.[12] On the December 11 edition of Raw is War (aired December 22), however, the two were forced to wrestle each other for the European title. In a mock match, Triple H pinned Michaels for the championship.[13]

DX army

In the beginning of 1998, Triple H exchanged the WWF European Championship with Owen Hart.[14][15] At WrestleMania XIV, Shawn Michaels was the reigning WWF Champion and Triple H was the reigning WWF European Champion. They 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, thus starting the "Attitude Era" of WWF.[16]

The following night, Michaels, putting his wrestling career on hold due to back injuries, left the group.[6] Triple H assumed full leadership of D-X and recruited X-Pac—who had recently been fired from World Championship Wrestling—and the WWF Tag Team Champions the New Age Outlaws (Billy Gunn and Road Dogg) into the stable.[6] While the group were intended to remain as heels, they became hugely popular and were eventually pushed as fan favorites. During this time, they feuded with The Rock and his group the Nation of Domination and then later, Vince McMahon's Corporation.[6][17] The group remained united and hugely popular throughout all of 1998 and into early-1999. On editions of Raw is War in April and May, they went to a "war" with Nitro and "invaded" their headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.[17]

Throughout 1999, the members gradually turned on one another. Chyna eventually turned on Triple H and joined the Corporation.[6] Triple H, later became a villain and joined The Corporation as well at WrestleMania XV by helping Shane McMahon retain the WWF European Championship, betraying fellow stablemate X-Pac during the match.[6] Shortly after this incident, Billy Gunn, frustrated at being "held back", also became a villain and departed from D-Generation X, therefore reducing the members to just Road Dogg and X-Pac.[17] X-Pac, however, began to share a bond with Kane, holding the WWF Tag Team Championship twice, which resulted in Kane becoming associated with the faction.[18][19][20]

Reformation in 1999

Triple H displaying the DX "X"

On October 25, the group reformed as villains when Triple H and X-Pac helped the New Age Outlaws defeat The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.[17][21] 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".[17] 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 title.[22] The group was officially dubbed the McMahon-Helmsley Faction.

The following month, The Rock defeated Triple H at Backlash in a match which featured Steve Austin's brief return to the WWF.[23] Though Triple H regained the title the following month at Judgment Day,[24] the group gradually broke apart. By late 2000, Triple H was a solo star. 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.[25] The match included the group doing their old DX entrance, as well as telling the crowd to "Suck it!" It was the symbolic end to D-Generation X. The members of DX (excluding Triple H, who was a villain again) 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 involving the same eight wrestlers. The Radicalz won the match.[26]

After that, DX remained unseen and largely unspoken of until Shawn Michaels returned to WWE in 2002. On the July 22 edition of Raw, 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. Triple H, however, turned on Michaels on 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.[27] This act led to the in-ring return of Michaels at SummerSlam and was the genesis of a long feud between the two.[28]

Michaels displaying the DX "X"

Shawn Michaels and Triple H (2006–2009)

In 2006, a series of events occurred which hinted at a DX reunion. At WrestleMania 22, former members Shawn Michaels and Triple H performed the crotch chop during their respective matches, which was met with loud cheering from the fans in attendance.[29] The two continued to deliver chops in the following episodes of Raw as Michaels feuded with Vince McMahon and Triple H focused on the WWE Championship, repeatedly running into McMahon in the process. On the June 12 edition of Raw, the events came to a head, when, during Triple H's gauntlet match against the Spirit Squad, Shawn Michaels came in to help his former companion. After the duo had laid out the entire Spirit Squad, the two men began to perform their crotch chops. DX continued their brash antics at the expense of the Spirit Squad, Vince and Shane McMahon, and Jonathan Coachman for several weeks and repeatedly took part in blatantly camp product placement during Raw promos.[30][31] Most of their antics involved practical jokes on Vince.

On the June 26 edition of Raw, they added to the list of parodies with Triple H impersonating Vince McMahon, talking about his love of "Dicks" (referring to Dick Ebersol, Dick Clark, and Dick Cheney), while Michaels impersonated Shane McMahon.[32] During their feud, DX defeated the Spirit Squad at Vengeance and on the July 15 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event,[33][34] as well as The McMahons (Vince and Shane) at SummerSlam.[35] At Unforgiven in a handicap Hell in a Cell match that featured The Big Show on The McMahons' side, DX again came out victorious.[36]

DX after Raw went off the air on October 29, 2007

DX's next feud was with Rated-RKO (Edge and Randy Orton). At Cyber Sunday, the fans selected Eric Bischoff over Vince McMahon and Jonathan Coachman to be the special guest referee for the match. Bischoff allowed the illegal use of a steel chair to give Rated-RKO the win. With this win, Rated-RKO became the first team to "defeat" DX in a tag team match since their reunion in June 2006.[30][37] At Survivor Series, Michaels and Triple H got back at Edge and Orton by leading Team DX (Triple H, Michaels, Matt and Jeff Hardy, and CM Punk) to a 5–0 sweep over Team Rated-RKO (Edge, Orton, Gregory Helms, Johnny Nitro, and Mike Knox).[30][38] In 2007, DX challenged for the World Tag Team Championship against Edge and Orton at New Year's Revolution. The fight ended in a no contest after Michaels hit the referee. During the match, Triple H suffered a legitimate torn quadriceps. After the match, DX beat down Rated-RKO with steel chairs and on the announce tables.

Michaels and Triple H teamed up again under the D-Generation X gimmick on the January 28, 2008 episode of Raw defeating Umaga and Snitsky.[39] Despite DX reforming for one night only occasions, both Triple H and Shawn Michaels have used the "crotch chop" since the one night only returns. On the September 29, 2008 edition of Raw, Triple H and Shawn Michaels reunited as DX to take on Chris Jericho and Lance Cade. They won by disqualification, due to Cade and Jericho attacking Michaels with a ladder.[40] After being mocked by John Morrison and The Miz for two weeks, on the 800th episode of Raw, DX defeated the duo. DX made a reunion for the christmas commercial with Kelly Kelly for Raw.

Incarnations

In wrestling

Michaels performing Sweet Chin Music on Chris Jericho
  • Finishing and signature moves

Crotch chop

DX doing their pyro routine with John Cena

When DX formed they began doing a gesture where they would put one arm on each side of their crotch and point down. This was known as the "crotch chop". There is an alternate version of the "crotch chop" where instead of pointing down on each side of their crotches, they point down and make their arms in an "X" formation, over their stomach/crotch. According to Paul Levesque (Triple H), Vince McMahon was hesitant to let them perform the "X" at first, but he was later talked into it.[6] When DX reformed in 2006, however, Michaels said he felt uncomfortable doing the real "crotch chop" so he would do the alternate version, as he had become a born again Christian since the last D-Generation X incarnation.[41]

When DX enters the ring they do a pyro routine. Green X pyrotechnics go off three times, with DX crotch-chopping at each firing. They then pause for a second, then chop once more as the pyrotechnics fire again.

The crotch chop is used in Slumdog Millionaire by Jamal after getting away from persuing security guards

Suck it!

"Suck it!" is DX's signature slogan. This is also used in their popular "Let's get ready to suck it!" routine, originally a parody of Michael Buffer's "Let's get ready to rumble!". The routine starts when Triple H asks the audience "Are you ready?" He then shouts "No, (city name), I said ARE YOU READY?" to elicit a louder reaction from the crowd. He continues and says "Then, for the thousands in attendance, and the millions watching at home. Let's get ready to suck it!" Then when Triple H gives Michaels the microphone, Michaels continues with: "If you're not down with that, we got two words for yah!" To which the crowd usually shouts "SUCK IT!" back at them

Championships and accomplishments

Videos and DVDs

  • WWF - D-Generation X (1998, VHS)
  • WWE - D-Generation X (June 2, 2006, DVD)
    • Identical to the VHS product with the exception of added censorship of profanity and nudity.
  • The New and Improved D-Generation X (February 20, 2007, DVD)
    • The DVD includes the early hints of the fourth incarnation from WrestleMania, through the skits, promos, chaos, and matches that reunited the duo, making life miserable for Mr. McMahon. This DVD has all the DX highlights including backstage interviews and segments, their imitation of the McMahons, the hijacking of the Raw production truck, taking over Raw for a night, and vandalizing WWE's property. It is also notable as being one of the few recent WWE Home Video releases that is kayfabe-based as opposed to showing real-life stories behind the wrestlers.

References

  1. ^ "Triple H's WWE Bio". WWE. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
  2. ^ "Shawn Michaels' WWE Profile". WWE. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
  3. ^ a b "D-Generation X (1st Incarnation) Profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-01-18.
  4. ^ Zeigler, Zach (2007-06-07). "Should HBK hang it up?". Retrieved 2007-06-08.
  5. ^ Hoffman, Brett (2007-01-07). "Devastation". WWE. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Triple H and Chyna (1999). It's Our Time (VHS). World Wrestling Federation.
  7. ^ "Bret Hart vs. The Undertaker for the WWE Championship". WWE. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
  8. ^ "One Night Only results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-01-19.
  9. ^ a b "Shawn Michaels' first European Championship reign". WWE. Retrieved 2008-01-19.
  10. ^ "Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart for the WWE Championship (Montreal Screwjob)". WWE. Retrieved 2007-01-18.
  11. ^ a b "Shawn Michaels' third WWE Championship reign". WWE. Retrieved 2008-01-19.
  12. ^ "In Your House 19:D-Generation X results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-01-19.
  13. ^ a b "Triple H's first European Championship reign". WWE. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  14. ^ "RAW is WAR results, 1998". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  15. ^ a b "Triple H's second European Championship reign". WWE. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  16. ^ "Stone Cold vs. Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship". WWE. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  17. ^ a b c d e "DX Army Profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  18. ^ "X-Pac and Kane Profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  19. ^ a b "Kane and X-Pac's first World Tag Team Championship reign". WWE. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  20. ^ a b "Kane and X-Pac's second World Tag Team Championship reign". WWE. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  21. ^ "RAW is WAR results, 1999". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-01-20. {{cite web}}: Text "title" ignored (help)
  22. ^ "Triple H w/Stephanie McMahon vs. Mick Foley w/Linda McMahon vs. Big Show w/Shane McMahon vs. The Rock w/Mr. McMahon for the WWE Championship". WWE. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  23. ^ "The Rock defeats Triple H to become new WWE Champion". WWE. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
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  25. ^ "RAW is WAR results, 2000". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-01-20. {{cite web}}: Text "title" ignored (help)
  26. ^ "Survivor Series 2000 official results". WWE. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
  27. ^ "RAW results - July 22, 2002". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  28. ^ "SummerSlam 2002 official results". WWE. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
  29. ^ The Rick (2006-04-02). "WWE presents WrestleMania 22". Online Onslaught. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
  30. ^ a b c "D-Generation X (2006 4th Incarnation) Profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
  31. ^ Ed Williams III (2006-06-12). "An extreme awakening makes Cena snap". WWE. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  32. ^ Dee, Louie (2006-06-26). "It happens". WWE. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  33. ^ Hoffman, Brett (2006-06-25). "DX breaks down the Spirit Squad". WWE. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
  34. ^ Zeigler, Zack (2006-07-15). "DX dismantles the Spirit Squad". WWE. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
  35. ^ Hunt, Jen (2006-08-20). "DX beats the odds". WWE. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
  36. ^ Tello, Craig (2007-09-17). "Billion-dollar embarr-ASS-ment". WWE. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
  37. ^ Zeigler, Zack (2006-11-05). "Bischoff creates controversy". WWE.com. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
  38. ^ Dee, Louie (2006-11-26). "D-Xtreme dominance". WWE. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
  39. ^ "RAW results - January 28, 2008". Online World of Wrestling. 2008-01-28. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  40. ^ "Results - Set. 29". Retrieved 2008-09-29.
  41. ^ Tim Quinn (2002-07). "Interview: "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels". Retrieved 2007-10-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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  58. ^ "Stephanie McMahon's first Women's Championship reign". WWE. Retrieved 2008-01-20.

External links

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