WWE Raw 1000th Episode: Why a True DX Reunion Has to Include the New Age Outlaws

“Oh you didn’t know?”

Tell me you don’t know who that is.

For fans of my generation, and for those who loved the Attitude Era of WWE, those four words, and the guitar riff that followed, spark automatic recognition the second you hear them.  

“Your a** better call somebody!”

That’s right, you can’t think of one, without the other.  Just like the tag team who hit the ramp to that introduction.

The New Age Outlaws are one of those duos that are just unforgettable.  Combining controversy with a real devil-may-care attitude, Jesse James and Billy Gunn completely redefined the formula for tag team wrestling, and had a blast doing it.

Simply put, the Outlaws were not your daddy’s tag team.

Billy Gunn, with his movie star good looks and muscled physique, wearing neon green trunks, and dropping them for the crowd whenever the urge hit him.

Gunn was like a bizarre hybrid of Sting and Rick Rude, and his unique image was not the only thing he had going for him.  The fact is, Gunn could get it done in the ring.

He was a good hand, a worker who had the fundamentals, and was able to expand on them, adding in a dash of flair as only he could.  He was able to evolve his game, and made his matches so entertaining that at times it was easy to forget that he had a partner standing on the ring apron.

But, not for long.

The Road Dogg was another character who just defied description.  A skinny white guy with braids, a streetwise attitude, and sarcastic smile that just made you want to punch him in the mouth.

Jesse James also had real ring skills, but perhaps is best remembered for his swagger, that fun-loving persona that was a cross between Dusty Rhodes and Michael PS Hayes.

The two men together were just flat out fun to watch, and it’s because of them that Degeneration X made the splash they did, and achieved the level of success they enjoyed for so long.

On the upcoming 1000th episode of Monday Night Raw, DX is set to kick off the program, and thus far the only two men being advertised are Triple H and Shawn Michaels.

With all due respect to the Game and the Heartbreak Kid, this will not be a true DX reunion without the New Age Outlaws.

I get the fact that WWE is paying homage to two of the biggest stars it has ever produced, and fans all over the world are expecting to see a sizable amount of spotlight projected on them.  After all, Triple H and Shawn Michaels are two of the reasons why WWE was able to defeat WCW during the Monday Night Wars, and achieve the 1000th show mark for Raw.

But, for me, it’s just not DX without Jesse James and Billy Gunn.  Not now, not ever.

And, just as a side note, I for one will always wonder just how big DX’s last “run” could have been, if it had not only been Hunter and Shawn versus Vince McMahon and the Spirit Squad.  Imagine if the Outlaws had been a part of that storyline.  Unfortunately, we will never know.

Any column pertaining to the history of DX would not be complete without recognizing X-Pac, and the Ninth Wonder of the World Chyna.

There is no denying the impact that Pac had on DX, and if any member truly epitomized the rebellious, anti-authority attitude of the group, it was him.  He too brought a swagger and personality that helped make DX a success, and I submit that he belongs on the Raw 1000th episode stage along with Gunn and James.

But seeing Chyna on the 2012 WWE stage would be like seeing, well, Chyna on the 2012 WWE stage.  Honestly, there is nothing else to compare it to, mostly because everything that could occur in that company, every impossible moment that could supposedly never happen, has happened.  After all, you never say never in pro wrestling, and especially not in WWE.

However, in Chyna’s case, considering WWE’s PG rating and the bad press her appearance would inevitably bring, it’s just not happening.

Degeneration X was a great stable, full of talented workers who entertained every time they went through the curtain.  A lot of the credit is due to the man who started it all, as Shawn Michaels was one of the most rebellious, cutting edge performers of his time.  Triple H also deserves recognition, for keeping the gimmick alive, and for leading the charge against rival WCW.

But, the soldiers in Hunter’s army deserve their moment in the sun, because without them, DX would not have evolved, and flourished, past Hunter and Shawn in the first place.  The New Age Outlaws have earned their place in WWE history.  And they deserve a curtain call.

And if you’re not down with, that, well, you know the rest.