5 most extreme moments in WWE's PG era

WWE changed their product from a TV-14 to PG rating on July 22, 2008. The move was geared towards attracting more sponsors to the company. It signaled the end of Ruthless Aggression and ushered in the PG era.

As a result, superstars with edgy personas had to change their gimmicks to more family-friendly characters. This meant a reduction in violence and more heavily scripted promos.

This shift, which catered mostly to a younger audience, was unpopular with the predominant demographic of 18-35 year old males, who were used to an edgier product.

However, even during the PG era, sports entertainment has retained some extreme moments. The company has still found a way to cater to hardcore fans, although the product is no longer centered around edgy content. These moments are among the most brutal in the company's history, even though they occurred in one of its most politically correct eras.

Without further ado, let's count down the three most extreme moments of the PG Era.

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#3: Dean Ambrose throws Chris Jericho into a pile of thumbtacks at WWE Extreme Rules 2016

At WWE Extreme Rules 2016, Chris Jericho and Dean Ambrose met in an asylum match. This was a rematch from their clash at Payback, which The Lunatic Fringe won. The steel cage match took a gory turn when Ambrose brought thumbtacks into the ring and dropped Jericho on to them.

Post-match, Y2J shared bloody images of his back on social media to the horror of the fans. The match showcased the Ayatollah of Rock'n'Rolla as one of the toughest in the business and authenticated one of the most extreme moments of the PG Era.

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#2: Shane McMahon jumps off a twenty-foot cell at WWE WrestleMania 32

At WWE WrestleMania 32, Shane McMahon faced The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match with the control of RAW at stake. The Phenom dominated the match as expected, picking up his 23rd win at the Show of Shows. However, the most enduring image from that match came outside the cell, with McMahon setting up the Deadman on an announce table.

Shane O’Mac proceeded to jump off the 20-foot cell and land on the table as Taker moved out of the way. Audible gasps filled the arena, with officials rushing to check on the former kayfabe WCW owner. McMahon went on to finish the match in a losing effort but the daredevil stunt he pulled earned him the respect of all the fans in attendance and watching worldwide due to how extreme it was.

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#1: The Fiend is burned alive at WWE TLC 2020

At the TLC 2020 Thunderdome pay-per-view, Bray Wyatt faced off against long-time WWE rival Randy Orton in a Firefly inferno match. The contest involved many extreme spots, including the Fiend's arm being set on fire before running into an RKO. However, the finish ended up being the most unexpectedly extreme moment the product had seen in a long time.

Taking advantage of the absence of a live crowd, the company staged an ending which involved the Apex Predator pouring gasoline on his fallen foe and burning his lifeless body. This set the wrestling community ablaze (no pun intended) because it was as extreme a moment as any from the Attitude and Ruthless Aggression eras. It definitely stands out as one of the edgiest in the PG era.

What are your thoughts on the PG era? Do you think WWE should have more edgy moments? Sound off in the comments section below!