5 WWE Superstars who changed the perception of people about wrestling

WWE used to be all and end all in the world of professional wrestling. While it is certainly not the case now as Superstars like Cody Rhodes, Young Bucks and Kenny Omega are scaling great heights without being associated with the company, Vince McMahon and Co. still hold the mantle of being the biggest fish in the pond.

Over the years, WWE has had a large number of wrestlers in its rank. Some of them grabbed the brass ring and went on to achieve unparalleled success while others perished as the competition grew tougher.

But there are a select few who in addition to achieving great success were considered to be trailblazers of their generation. They defined what a wrestler should be for their generations and changed the perception of people about wrestling during their time at the top. They were a huge influence on the future generation of wrestlers who succeeded them.

So without wasting more of your time, Here are, in no particular, order 5 such WWE superstars.

#5 Hulk Hogan

Professional wrestling was pretty much a territorial business before Hulk Hogan came to the forefront. There were small territories that operated in their regions and were affiliated to National Wrestling Alliance, who lead the pack.

He was the first global wrestling superstar. While same can be said about Bruno Sammartino and Andre the Giant who are popular all over the world, they were pretty much winding up their careers when Cable TV and the pay-per-view system took the entire world by storm. Hence, they perhaps did not enjoy the country and worldwide exposure that the Hulkster did.

Before Hulkamania ran wild in the wrestling world, wrestling was still considered a competitive sport or so it was perceived. Hogan was one of the people who brought forth a certain theatric style which we associate with wrestling today.

When he told you to say your prayers and eat your vitamins, you were spellbound by what the man did as he delivered each line with such intensity and passion that made you believe that what he was saying was the gospel truth.

Hogan was one of the true pioneers of the business. Wrestling wouldn't have been the same without him. Numerous WWE Superstars like Edge, Christian, John Cena have collaborated time and mentioned time and again that Hogan was a major reason why they got into the business.

#4 Bret Hart

When Hulk Hogan left WWE in 1993, Vince McMahon tried popping up different superstars as the next Hulk Hogan but failed each time. Lex Luger and Diesel were chalked in to be Hogan's successor but their push was short-lived and to be honest they didn't possess the charisma or in-ring acumen to replace Hogan.

Instead, the company turned to someone who didn't exactly fit into Vince McMahon vision of what a superstar should be. He neither was the biggest superstar around nor did he possess great mic skills but what he did possess was immaculate in-ring skills and an undying love and passion for the business. He was the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be - Bret Hart.

The Hitman was the greatest technical wrestler of his time. He was the most well-rounded performer of his generation and he excelled in every aspect of the game. Starting out as a tag team wrestler as part of the Hart Dynasty, the Canadian legend rose through the ranks in the company at a rapid pace, breaking prejudices and perception on the way to becoming one of the best to ever step inside a wrestling ring.

#3 Stone Cold Steve Austin

The Monday wars between WCW and WWE was one of the highest points in wrestling history. The period from 1993-1998 was when the rating war was at its peak. Both WCW and WWF (E) tried every possible trick to upstage their opponent which resulted in the product becoming edgier, which catered primarily to the youth.

And at the forefront of this revolution was Stone Cold Steve Austin. Regarded as the biggest draw in wrestling history, Austin was unlike anything that we had ever seen before. He was the first anti-hero in the wrestling business who didn't give a damn about your feelings. In the late 90's WWE's presentation witnessed a major overhaul and the product catered majorly to people above the age of 18.

People loved Austin because they lived vicariously through him. Everyone wanted to punch their boss in the face but Austin did it on a weekly basis. Chris Jericho once said that Austin was the single greatest force responsible for the resurgence of the WWE and that he carried the company out of the wilderness and into the promised land. When the glass shattered and the Rattlesnake marched on into the ring, you knew that you were going to see something special.

#2 John Cena

The most polarising figure in the wrestling world, John Cena is considered by many as the successor to Steve Austin. As the company moved from an edgier to a more children friendly product, Cena became the perfect ambassador for the company because of the immense popularity that he enjoyed among the younger audience.

A company loyalist, Cena has been vilified and mocked by the more mature audience who hate his presentation and mock him for his limited in-ring acumen. But despite his limitations, Cena has proven all his naysayers wrong with standout performances against the likes of Edge, Randy Orton, Triple H and Shawn Michaels.

Cena has been a great ambassador for the company with his numerous philanthropic works and proven to be the ultimate good guy in the business.

#1 CM Punk

At one point CM Punk was the hottest star in the independent circuit until he signed with WWE in 2005. He remained just another member of the roster until the summer of 2011. In June of the same year, CM Punk delivered his infamous pipebomb which was basically a rant against his employers and him not being given opportunities.

This promo became a huge talking point as the audience sympathized with CM Punk, the rebel who stood against the WWE establishment which was something that they had since Steve Austin. Punk declared himself to be the Voice of the Voiceless who questioned the system like no one before he had. The grievances he had with the company mirrored the ones the audiences and this is what helped Punk gain an unprecedented following among the fans.

Punk was someone who was not supposed to make it big in the WWE. He didn't have a huge physique, he didn't have the vices most wrestlers had ie, he didn't drink, didn't smoke and he did not do drugs. Punk provided the blueprints for Indy darlings like Daniel Bryan, AJ Styles and Seth Rollins who wouldn't have made it this big in WWE had it not been for Punk and the success that he enjoyed. So in that regard, Punk opened the doors for Indy wrestlers to make a name for themselves in the biggest wrestling promotion in the world.