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The WWE Attitude Era has, it is safe to say, stood the test of time as one of the most iconic periods in wrestling history.
As one of the boom periods in sports entertainment, the Attitude Era did, in the eyes of many, even eclipsed the Rock n' Wrestling Era that saw Hulk Hogan bring professional wrestling into the mainstream, and the global entertainment spotlight.
WWE: Remembering the Attitude Era and its stars
Though there is some debate as to when the Attitude Era officially began, it is easy to trace its roots back to 1997 - the year in which Stone Cold Steve Austin started building a head of steam, Bret Hart was controversially beaten in his homeland of Canada, and Shawn Michaels and Triple H formed D-Generation X, the most controversial faction in WWE history.
The Superstars and rivalries of the Attitude Era have lasted long in the memory of many fans. Austin's feud with Vince McMahon might just be beyond compare. The Rock began to blossom into one of the most charasmatic performers on the roster. Undertaker's battles with his 'brother', Kane, left fans in awe, and just how Mick Foley managed to keep up with his many and various characters is anybody's guess!
Despite all of that, though, there were still countless of other Attitude Era Superstars that proved popular, without necessarily being the first names you think of when you look back at that time in wrestling.
Some were main eventers, some opened the show, some only just about made the show - but they all had their moments. Here, we take a look at a handful of WWE Attitude Era stars that you totally forgot you loved...
#5 The Headbangers
Mosh and Thrasher were The Headbangers, a tag team who debuted in WWE at the tail end of 1996, before starting to find prominance at the start of the Attitude Era the following year.
The Headbangers weren't exactly the dominant tag team of their day - that title would probably have to go to The New Age Outlaws.
However, that isn't to say that they didn't enjoy some success. They featured at WrestleMania 13 in Chicago and, a few months later, actually became WWE tag team champions thanks to a victory in a fatal four-way match at Ground Zero. The night saw them celebrate wildly in amongst the crowd at the arena, but the celebrations were cut short, given they lost the titles a month later.
#4 Vader
While the Attitude Era boasted a huge roster of varying talents, shapes and sizes, there were few more powerful than Vader.
The Rocky Mountain Monster first made a big impression on WWE in 1996, challenging for the WWE title against Shawn Michaels at Summerslam of that year as a heel.
Not long after the debut of Kane in WWE, the Big Red Machine made Vader one of his first victims, leading to the two having a match that Kane dominated, before visciously assualting the big man with a wrench, cracking him right over the head.
Vader: One of the Attitude Era's top big men
Unfortunately, while Vader returned to action soon after, he never quite reached the heights as a babyface that he did while working as a heel, and promptly left WWE with the Attitude Era still in full flow in 1998.
Vader was, of course, an established wrestling star both before and after his time in WWE during the Attitude Era, starring for various promotions around the world. He sadly died in 2018.
#3 Droz/Puke
Another relatively unsung Superstar of one of the boom periods of professional wrestling, Darren Drozdov made his WWE debut during the Attitude Era in 1998. The former NFL player attracted the attention of Vince McMahon - someone who is always a fan of the extreme - for his bizarre skill of being able to vomit on cue.
Darren Drozdov had aligned himself with the Legion of Doom before they split during a UK pay-per-view late in that year. Afterwards, he had a short run as a heel in WWE that ended tragically when he sustained an injury during a match against D-Lo Brown at a taping of SmackDown in October 1999.
Attitude Era star's career ended by injury
The pair had been attempting to execute Brown's trademark running powerbomb, but an awkward landing broke two vertebrae in his neck. Despite emergency surgery and intensive care afterwards, Droz was left initially without any movement below his neck.
He has since been able to regain some movement in his upper body, but continues to use a wheelchair and requires constant care. Given SmackDown was taped as opposed to airing live that night, footage of Droz's accident has never been broadcast.
#2 Sunny
Sunny, one of the Attitude Era's most popular Superstars, was every bit as influential to WWE back then as many of the company's top performers are today.
Before The Man, Becky Lynch established herself as the hottest property in WWE, and Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks were among those tearing the house down, closing out shows and amassing major social media followings, there was Sunny.
Sunny: One The Attitude Era's brightest stars
Sunny wasn't an accomplished in-ring performer, nor was she your typical 'Diva,' either. She first joined WWE in 1994 as a member of their television broadcast team, but, before long, she was utilized as an on-air talent - specifically a manager.
First, she managed Chris Candido, who wrestled as Skip. Together they formed the Body Donnas; their ranks bolstered to tag-team level when Tom Prichard joined them. She steered them to the WWE tag team championships, before going on to manage The Godwinns, Smoking Gunns and Legion of Doom.
She would continue to play a big part in the early years of the Attitude Era as a ring announcer and backstage interviewer, before leaving WWE before 1998 was out.
#1 D-Lo Brown
At the onset of the Attitude Era, D-Lo Brown's WWE started with humble beginnings. He was, to begin with, simply a body in a suit with the Nation of Domination, and someone we rarely saw actually compete in the ring.
When The Rock assumed control of The Nation, D-Lo came out of his shell and we saw more and more of him. In 1998, he won the European and Intercontinental Championships at the same time, one of just four men to ever do so in WWE history.
D-Lo Brown: The Attitude Era's proudest European champion
He particularly embraced the European title, amusingly adapting his ring introduction each week to reveal that he was residing in a different European city.
He went on to work and wrestle with and alongside Nation members, The Godfather and Mark Henry but, as the Attitude Era eased away, D-Lo left WWE in 2003 and joined what is now Impact Wrestling, before featuring in Japan and on the Independent scene before a very brief return to WWE in 2008.
Now 47, he still wrestles occasionally and appears on the meet-and-greet circuit.
