Last Updated on March 11, 2024 by Avik Das
Professional wrestling might have boomed in the 1980s, but its popularity sky-rocketed in the 1990s, owing to the rise of the WWE Attitude Era. On the verge of losing the ratings war with WCW in Monday Night Wars, WWE was coerced to change the way their product was made. The company began producing more risque segments and introducing exciting rowdy characters led by Stone Cold Steve Austin, thus giving birth to the greatest professional wrestling era in history, the Attitude Era.
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The famous era remained intact for almost five years, starting in November 1997 and ending in May 2002, a year after the demise of the rival company, WCW. The tag team, mid-card, women’s, and the main event divisions had the star power. Each character of the WWE Attitude Era was distinctive, which was the reason for WWE’s record-breaking ratings each week.
We take a trip down memory lane in this article and look at the greatest Attitude Era wrestlers in WWE history.
#10 Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle reached his peak in the WWE Ruthless Aggression Era, but he was still a big star in the Attitude Era. With the tag of Olympic gold medalist, he made a remarkable debut in 1999 while remaining unbeaten for a few months.
Following his triumphs as the Intercontinental and European Champions, Kurt Angle received a massive push, which made him a WWE Champion. He pinned The Rock at one of the best Attitude Era PPVs, No Mercy 2000, to win the gold. T
#9 Chyna
Chyna’s larger-than-life character in the WWE Attitude Era uplifted the women’s at that time, showing women were competent giving men tough competition in terms of strength, muscle power, and bravery. For all these reasons, Chyna was termed the ‘Ninth Wonder of the World’.
The prestigious Intercontinental Championship was captured by Chyna twice, and she even challenged the WWE Championship. Her Intercontinental Championship victory makes her the only female to attain the herculean feat till now. Unsurprisingly, she won the WWE Women’s Championship once. She was not only one of the greatest women wrestlers ever but also one of the most popular names from that famous roster.
#8 Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels had already spent nearly a decade in WWE prior to the arrival of the WWE Attitude Era. Therefore, he was already an established star and a big headline of the New Generation Era and the best Attitude Era PPVs. He brought success from the New Generation Era to the Attitude Era.
HBK was one of the big faces of the legendary stable DX, who were rebels and didn’t like following rules. The bold approach garnered interest from a myriad of fans, making him immensely popular. Even though the flamboyant Superstar missed a majority of the Attitude Era, his impact was still worth remembering. He was one of the reasons for the arrival the of era through his in-ring skills and charisma, showing others what needs to be done to be the ‘Showstopper’ in a wrestling ring.
#7 Mankind
Mick Foley’s devotion to each character he played made him one of the greatest in the business. Whether the brutish Cactus Jack, maniac Mankind, or the happy hippie Dude Love, Mick Foley glued fans in their seats with exemplary portrayals of each character. However, Mankind is the gimmick that brought him colossal success, including holding the WWE Championship in the late 90s.
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While Mankind made a huge statement by taking a shocking bump from the top of the cell at King of the Ring 1998, the following year, he won the WWE Championship an impressive three times, with the first one coming with a victory over The Rock. His incredible achievements in that era make him one of the iconic names among Attitude Era wrestlers.
#6 Kane
Kane’s vehement debut appearance at Badd Blood: In Your House 1997 made headlines. By breaking the cell’s gate with his bare hands, The Devil’s Favorite Demon interrupted the bout between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels, with the result going in the latter’s favor.
Kane won his first and only WWE Championship in the Attitude Era, beating Stone Cold Steve Austin, even though the title reign was forgettable lasting just a day. He was a wrestler with an impregnable persona, with his sibling rivalry with The Undertaker standing out the most.
#5 Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon was the wicked boss whom everyone in the WWE Attitude Era roster despised for misusing his power and manipulating fair decisions with his evil tactics. But Stone Cold Steve Austin refused to bow down to the boss’ vile actions, thus giving us the beer-chugging anti-hero persona. The rivalry also made Vince McMahon an in-ring performer.
His ability to create significant heel heat turned him into a noteworthy bad guy from the WWE Attitude Era. His brilliant work as a wrestler was a reason he won the WWE Championship once in that era. Not to mention he loved saying ‘You Are Fireeeed’, making it his iconic catchphrase.
#4 The Undertaker
Given The Undertaker’s storied WWE career of three decades, he would be a top star in any era of wrestling when he was part of the roster, including the WWE Attitude Era roster. The Deadman was already a main eventer and two-time World Champion before the arrival of the Attitude Era.
At the beginning of the WWE Attitude Era, Undertaker and Kane had an incredible feud, with both clashing against each other in rigorous matches that had different stipulations. In 1999, his evolution and creation of Ministry of Darkness gave his character a new edge, with him becoming a headache for Mr. McMahon apart from Stone Cold Steve Austin.
#3 Triple H
Triple H debuted in the New Generation Era with a Connecticut Blueblood, but the gimmick didn’t take him that far. Things, however, turned around for him following the arrival of the Attitude Era and the formation of DX, which was co-founded by Triple H.
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Even though Shawn Michaels left DX, under the leadership of Hunter, the group reached the culminating point as New Age Outlaws and X-Pac joined the stable. The rise of revolutionary DX was the reason for WWE’s ratings boost during Monday Night Wars. Triple H headlined the best WWE Attitude Era PPVs, including the main-eventing WrestleMania 2000. The Game was crowned the WWE Champion in this era, while his subsequent romantic storyline with Stephanie McMahon made them a power couple.
#2 The Rock
The Rock’s unwavering rise at the top started in the WWE Attitude Era. Being a third-generation wrestler, the grandson of Peter Maivia and the son of Rocky Johnson, had a shaky start to his career in WWE despite an early push. The crowd refused to embrace Rocky Maivia until he turned heel and became The Rock. Combining his cheeky catchphrases with his witty insults, The Great One reached such great heights that nobody ever had predicted.
Owing to the wrestling blood in his veins, The Rock wasn’t just a phenomenal talker but also a gifted performer, producing epoch-making matches with Mankind, Triple H, and Stone Cold Steve Austin. He was also a headliner of the best Attitude Era PPVs, which ranks him among the most distinguished professional wrestlers of all time.
#1 Stone Cold Steve Austin
Who else would top the list of greatest Attitude Era wrestlers other than the glass-shattering rebellious anti-hero Stone Cold Steve Austin? The flamboyant Texas Rattlesnake’s WWE career peaked following the unforgettable promo as King of Ring 1996 winner.
He fought against the injustice of Vince McMahon, making him a rioting anti-hero. While he was the continuous maineventer in that era, his rivalries with The Rock, Vince McMahon, Triple H, and The Undertaker were among the most impressive feuds in wrestling history.
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Avik Das is the founder of Sportsheed. He is a sports lover with broad knowledge of Professional Wrestling, MMA, Football, and Cricket. He has an English major and has previously written articles for various sports and entertainment websites
