5 Attitude Era storylines WWE would never use today

The Attitude Era - to many fans, it is the WWE at its absolute peak, when stars like 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, The Rock, Mick Foley, and The Undertaker ruled.

It's easy to look back at the brief few years of the late-90s to early-2000s fondly, as wrestling was at its arguably highest of popularity in the mainstream, as the WWF, WCW and ECW all thrived.

With that said though, not everything about the Attitude Era was all rosy, as some storylines used at the time would not fly today. Whether it be due to sponsorship deals, how the company has changed since, or how the fans have developed in the years since, there are some Attitude Era stories fans will never see replicated.

Here are five Attitude Era storylines that WWE would never, ever use today.

#5 Mae Young and Mark Henry

The relationship between Mae and Mark Henry led to some very uncomfortable viewing during the Attitude Era

A storyline that will live on in infamy for years to come, this sordid relationship involved the World's Strongest Man Mark Henry and Mae Young. Then known as Sexual Chocolate, Henry would even get Young pregnant, defying all medical knowledge about the 77-year old former Women's Champion. A weird storyline that nobody enjoyed, the culmination came when Mae went into labour, only to give birth to a mannequin hand.

Weird at the best of times and tasteless at the worst of times, the story was immediately dropped, and remained so for over a decade, until the hand, now a grown man appeared in 2012 on RAW 1,000. Simply put, there's no way WWE would do something like this in 2019, as the headlines alone would be greatly damaging to the company.

#4 Kiss my A** Club

After embarrising his Superstars, McMahon got a taste of his own medicine curtosy of Rikishi and The Rock

When the WWF vanquished the Alliance once and for all at Survivor Series 2001, Vince McMahon wasn't quite done just yet. The next night on RAW, McMahon allowed the Alliance commissioner William Regal (a WWF turncoat during the Invasion), to get his old job back, if he kissed McMahon's buttocks.

Over the years, McMahon would induct many into the club, mostly babyfaces he was feuding with, including the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels.

As the company is in the public eye more than ever before now, it seems the idea of kissing the boss' wrinkled posterior doesn't seem like such a great idea. If nothing else, the image of a man or woman forced into such a disgusting act being broadcasted on live TV would deter many fans from tuning in.

#3 Val Venis

Venis captured the European and Intercontinental titles whilst competing as the adult actor

When Sean Morley joined the WWF in 1998, his character was a first for the company.

As the company and its fans embraced a new-found Attitude, Morley's character was the envelope-pushing Val Venis, a former adult film actor turned wrestler. Whilst a goofy character like this would presumably doom a young up-and-comer today, Venis definitely made it work, capturing the European and Intercontinental titles during his time.

The problem with Venis though, is that he was a product of the times, as the company embraced edginess and controversial gimmicks, though this time could only last for so long. By his final years in the company, Venis' adult-past was completely dropped, as he became just another Superstar.

Now with a PG rating, don't expect anyone of Venis' profession to make the jump to WWE anytime soon.

#2 The treatment of women

Sable would become one of the biggest female stars during the Attitude Era

This isn't an exact storyline, as for pretty much the entire Attitude Era (and for a good while after), women weren't exactly treated with much dignity. Seen as little more than eye candy, matches between females were often seen as bathroom breaks by the best and fans, and perverse entertainment by the worst.

The WWF didn't exactly push their women as athletes (with the odd exception, e.g. Chyna), as matches would often be contested in all manner of fluids, from gravy to mud to chocolate pudding.

Contrast that to today, when women are not only seen as equal to men, but too many fans, have better storylines than their male counterparts.

Whether it be Triple H drugging Stephanie, or the Dudleys slamming Mae Young through a table, this stuff simply would never fly today.

#1 The Corporate Ministry

The Corproate Ministry aimed to destroy Steve Austin

In 1999, there were two factions with one common goal: the destruction of Steve Austin. On one side, there was the Ministry of Darkness, a demonic pact led by The Undertaker. On the other, there was the Corporation, led by the McMahons, who had warred with the Rattlesnake for other a year.

Eventually, the two sides came together, and despite their might, they couldn't topple the Bionic Redneck. What they did do though, was things that certainly wouldn't fly in WWE today, including one segment where the Deadman slit his own wrist to make a blood sacrifice.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the group would then abduct Stephanie McMahon, nearly forcing the one innocent soul in 1999 WWF into an unholy wedding with The Undertaker.

If WWE tried this today, there'd be no shortage of sponsors ready to pull the plug.