5 WWE Superstars who changed the perception of people about wrestling 

#1 CM Punk

The Best in the World

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.