The Greatest Wrestlers Of The Attitude Era

What is “Attitude”?

For countless members of the WWE Universe, the word is synonymous with the most contentious, chaotic and controversial time period in all of WWE history.

The Attitude Era is what many consider to be the greatest period in professional wrestling history

Up to this point, wrestling was almost always centered on a more family friendly atmosphere. However, as the 90s approached its end, that would soon change.

With more violence, sexual overtones, and controversial storylines, the Attitude Era went over the limit and then some

It would change the way in which people viewed professional wrestling, and generate a tremendous following in the process.

Gone were the cartoony gimmicks and standard good guy vs. bad guys routines

Wrestlers had an edge to them, as the line between good and bad was blurred. Matches became more violent, as tables, ladders and chairs were all introduced on a regular basis.

“Stone Cold” Steve Austin

"Austin 3:16 says I just whooped your a**!"

With that proclamation at King of the Ring 1996, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin set into motion a veritable revolution that would forever change the face of sports-entertainment. At the center of that revolution over the next several years was The Texas Rattlesnake himself, whose clashes with authority and take-no-prisoners approach to, well, everything inspired an entire generation of Superstars to speak their minds and take charge the very essence of The Attitude Era.

There was nothing complicated about Austin, whose true passions never seemed to extend beyond raising hell and a few celebratory cold ones to his lips. But what Austin lacked in flashy ring gear and theatrics he more than made up for in personality, which oozed from The Texas Rattlesnake like venom whenever he entered an arena. When the sound of breaking glass heralded the arrival of "Stone Cold," the WWE Universe knew that, as Jim Ross would say, "business was about to pick up."

Big Show

They say it's all about first impressions, and few Superstars have introduced themselves to the WWE Universe quite like Big Show did during St. Valentine's Day Massacre in 1999. Tearing through the ring canvas to attack "Stone Cold" Steve Austin during The Texas Rattlesnake's Steel Cage Match with Mr. McMahon, the goliath shockingly tossed Austin into the side of the unforgiving cage with such force that the entire panel gave way, inadvertently granting "Stone Cold" a victory by freeing him from the structure.

Despite technically failing in his initial task to aid The Chairman, the former WCW World Heavyweight Champion was quick to earn a reputation as a near-unstoppable angry giant, performing such imposing feats as pulling down the TitanTron and chokeslamming The Undertaker through the ring to the arena floor. Any Superstar foolish enough to make things personal with Big Show as The Big Bossman did by mocking the juggernaut's deceased father would pay dearly.

The Dudley Boyz

We've never been to Dudleyville, but if Bubba Ray & D-Von are any indication of its populace, we won't be vacationing there anytime soon. With unnerving, faraway stares behind their taped, thick-rimmed glasses, the brothers from different mothers ventured from ECW in South Philadelphia to WWE in 2000. With the Dudleys came the savage, hardcore tendencies that made them the most dangerous tag team in The Land of the Extreme namely their penchant for driving their opponents through tables.

Despite their heinous behavior, the take-no-prisoners duo would eventually become fan favorites, sending the WWE Universe to its feet in anticipation whenever Bubba would exclaim, "D-Von, get the tables!" The pine-splintering impact that followed would send crowds around the world into a frenzy.

Not long after debuting in WWE, the Dudleys found themselves at the center of a tag team renaissance in WWE, clashing with Edge & Christian and the Hardys in the first-ever Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match at SummerSlam 2000 and an explosive rematch at WrestleMania X-Seven

Edge & Christian

Whether rolling with the vampiric Gangrel, racing to the ring through the crowd or holding classic five-second poses "for the benefit of those with flash photography," Edge & Christian continuously reinvented themselves both inside and outside the ring.

But even if you take away Edge & Christian's ridiculous(ly cool) sunglasses, pompous posedowns and their unique ability to "reek of awesomeness," what you're left with is one of the most technically sound tag teams to ever compete in WWE. Mixing mat-based proficiency and high-impact aerial attacks, the pair flourished in the intensely competitive tag team division during The Attitude Era, historically winning WWE's first two Tables, Ladders & Chairs Matches at SummerSlam 2000 and WrestleMania X-Seven, respectively.

Goldust

If you weren't the least bit creeped out by Goldust during The Attitude Era, you must not have been paying attention. Flummoxing opponents with his strange attire and freakish, unpredictable behavior, this gold-and-blackhued horror show used his twisted mind games to earn an impressive 11 championships in WWE, including the Intercontinental, Hardcore and World Tag Team Titles. Much of Goldust's early success was attributed to a little maneuver he called "Shattered Dreams," and you know what? It's painful just thinking about that one, especially if you possess a pair of "golden globes."

Even more head-turning than The Bizarre One's in-ring accomplishments were his extracurricular activities, which included "filmmaking," a very public relationship with his "director" Marlena and his outrageous pairing with the demented Luna Vachon.

Bret “Hit Man” Hart

The landscape of WWE began to shift drastically in 1997 thanks to the bold actions of gritty, hard-edged Superstars like "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and Bret "Hit Man" Hart was perhaps the most vocal critic of what the WWE Universe would come to know as The Attitude Era. Surprisingly, WWE Universe members continued to gravitate toward the irreverent Texas Rattlesnake and the flamboyant Shawn Michaels, a trend Hart viewed as an affront to his more traditional values.

"Hit Man's" relationship with rebellious American crowds would continue to sour, as an aggravated Hart touted the ethical superiority of his Canadian countrymen over fans in the United States and around the world. Suddenly, the ring general once applauded for his technical abilities became notorious for his scathing commentaries on the loose morals of his fellow Superstars and the crowds that admired them. Hart's frustration with WWE even prompted "Hit Man" to shove Mr. McMahon to the canvas during an in-ring confrontation on the March 17, 1997, edition of Raw six months before a Stunner to The Chairman ignited the iconic Austin-McMahon rivalry.

Shawn Michaels

From forming the rebellious D-Generation X alongside Triple H to playing an (unwitting) role in the shocking incident at Survivor Series 1997 to his alignment with "Iron" Mike Tyson at WrestleMania XIV, Shawn Michaels' proximity to controversy throughout the 1990s makes The Showstopper one of the founding fathers of The Attitude Era. And if you're not down with that, we've got two words for ya

Well actually, we've got a few more words than that. Although Michaels was absent during a sizable portion of the Attitude Era due to a debilitating back injury, the 2011 WWE Hall of Famer's impact was felt throughout the years "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and The Rock were raising hell and eyebrows, respectively.

HBK's over-the-top and brash persona paved the way for so many other Superstars prone to bucking the establishment, while his earlier high-flying collisions with the likes of Bret Hart and Razor Ramon set the bar high for an entirely new generation of risk-takers.

Kane

Through hellfire and brimstone, Kane made his explosive WWE debut at Badd Blood: In Your House in 1997, attacking his brother The Undertaker during the first-ever Hell in a Cell Match pitting The Phenom against Shawn Michaels. With that bold statement which included tearing the door off the Cell itself The Big Red Monster set the tone for his destructive WWE career.

Seeking retribution against Undertaker, who allegedly started a funeral home fire that left him physically and psychologically scarred, Kane would go on to lash out against the entire WWE roster. The unhinged psyche of The Devil's Favorite Demon made him an immediate challenger for WWE's most elite titles. In a memorable First Blood Match with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at King of the Ring 1998, Kane captured his first-ever WWE Title.

Kurt Angle

After winning a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics with a broken neck, no less celebrated amateur wrestler Kurt Angle would find his way to WWE in late 1999. Clad all in red, white and blue, Angle attributed his success to his "Three I's" (intensity, integrity and intelligence), all the while lambasting members of the WWE Universe who did not live by his example.

Standing in stark contrast with The Attitude Era's popular renegades like "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, D-Generation X and The Rock, the earnest, self-congratulatory "American hero" didn't exactly connect with the WWE Universe at the time, but he excelled despite the disapproval of crowds around the world. Capturing both the European and Intercontinental Titles in February 2000 making him a "EuroContinental Champion" Angle went on to win the King of the Ring Tournament and the WWE Championship to round out one of the most impressive rookie years in WWE history

Chris Jericho

With his flashy attire, irreverent demeanor and a complete lack of verbal restraint, WCW expat Chris Jericho fit right in when he debuted on Raw during the height of The Attitude Era on Aug. 9, 1999. Boldly interrupting The Rock (more on him later), The Ayatollah of Rock ‘n' Rolla introduced himself as a "new hero" and the "party host" of the WWE Universe, even having the brass to call The Great One an "idiot." Needless to say Y2J incurred the wrath of The Brahma Bull that night.

But Jericho's ability to get under just about anyone's skin made him stand out in an era defined by microphone masters, with Jericho laying waste to his opponents with acidic insults more than a decade before CM Punk dropped his first "pipe bomb." Some of the worst recipients of Jericho's rapier wit were Kurt Angle and Stephanie McMahon, who received a particularly unflattering and long-winded nickname from Y2J that we can't publish here.

In the ring, Y2J was equally impressive, making WWE history by becoming the first-ever Undisputed Champion at Vengeance 2001 when he defeated both "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and The Rock in a single night.

Mick Foley

During The Attitude Era, you might have known him as the unhinged Mankind, the barbaric Cactus Jack or the tie-dyed lothario Dude Love. Today, however, we salute Mick Foley for his myriad contributions to sports-entertainment during the 1990s and that doesn't just include being able to withstand a 20-foot drop off Hell in a Cell at King of the Ring 1998.

Competing in legendary clashes with The Undertaker, Triple H and The Rock, "Mrs. Foley's Baby Boy" utterly captivated the WWE Universe, overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds and putting his body on the line in an effort to fulfill his lifelong dream: to become WWE Champion. Foley would accomplish that lofty goal on the Jan. 4, 1999, edition of Raw.

The Rock

Everyone smelled what The Rock was cooking during The Attitude Era. The grandson of "High Chief" Peter Maivia and the son of Rocky Johnson, The Rock was seemingly destined for in-ring greatness from birth but few could have anticipated the heights "The Most Electrifying Man in All of Entertainment" would someday reach.

The smiling, tassel-wearing Rocky Maivia attracted a great deal of attention at Survivor Series 1996, where he was the sole survivor of his squad, and was applauded for his Intercontinental Championship victory over Triple H the following year. Despite his clean-cut appearance and positive outlook, it wasn't until The Rock lashed out at the WWE Universe in frustration that crowds truly began to gravitate toward him.

Triple H

Refined, ceremonial and just a tad bit obnoxious, "The Connecticut Blueblood" Hunter Hearst-Helmsley was utterly despised by the WWE Universe when he debuted in 1995, promoting the proper "etiquette" he honed growing up in posh Greenwich, Conn. Witnessing Helmsley parade himself down the entrance ramp to Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" in luxurious robes before arrogantly bowing in the ring, the WWE Universe could hardly imagine this pompous competitor would one day become synonymous with "Attitude."

Embracing his inner rebel, Helmsley, now known simply as Triple H, joined up with his "Kliq" cohort Shawn Michaels to form D-Generation X perhaps the most controversial faction in sports-entertainment history. After HBK left WWE due to injury in 1998, Triple H became DX's leader, bringing X-Pac and The New Age Outlaws into the degenerate fold as the group caused chaos in WWE, raising the ire of Mr. McMahon and anyone else unfortunate enough to assume authority during WWE's most rebellious era. Triple H even led a DX invasion against Monday Nitro, literally bringing "The Monday Night War" to the rival organization's doorstep.

The Undertaker

The Undertaker was already a two-time WWE Champion and undefeated at WrestleMania by the time The Attitude Era truly began picking up steam, but The Phenom would nevertheless continue breaking new ground throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The Undertaker's harrowing, wince-inducing Hell in a Cell Match with Mankind at King of the Ring 1998 quickly became the stuff of legend, and his sibling rivalry with Kane captivated the WWE Universe as the brothers battled in hellacious grudge matches, including the first-ever Inferno Match at WWE Unforgiven in 1998.

Not content with championship gold or other in-ring conquests, The Undertaker would make the ultimate power grab in 1999, when he formed The Ministry of Darkness and held Mr. McMahon's daughter for ransom. The Phenom's demand? Complete and total control of WWE. Although "Stone Cold" Steve Austin played countless mind games with The Chairman throughout The Attitude Era, The Undertaker truly hit Mr. McMahon where it hurt.

Top 10 Attitude Era Wrestlers