Wrestlers closely associated with the Attitude Era include (see also Characters/WWEAttitude page for a complete list of wrestlers who debuted in this period):
* '''Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin''', who established the tone for much of the era as the biggest and most popular star in the business since Wrestling/HulkHogan.
* '''[[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]]''', the first [[WrestlingFamily third-generation]] superstar of the WWF, and the headlining {{face}} of the company during the last years of the era.
** '''Wrestling/TheNationOfDomination'''; a [[MalcolmXerox black supremacist-themed]] PowerStable created by '''[[Wrestling/RonSimmons Faarooq]]''', until The Rock [[TheStarscream took over]]. Includes:
*** '''Wrestling/MarkHenry''', ''The WorldsStrongestMan'' (a RealLife title attributed to Henry himself, after winning multiple strongman competitions)
*** '''Wrestling/AhmedJohnson''' A powerhouse from the [[Wrestling/WWENewGenerationEra New Generation Era]] and former Intercontinental Champion who initially opposed the Nation.
*** '''Wrestling/DLoBrown''' The group's, light-footed, trash-talking, head-shaking LightningBruiser.
*** '''[[Wrestling/CharlesWright The Godfather]]''', formerly "Kama Mustafa", until he turned pimp. Known most by his female escorts known to fans as the "hos".
*** '''Wrestling/OwenHart''', at which point the stable was renamed "The Nation" due to Owen being, [[TokenWhite well, white.]] [[FatalMethodActing Infamously died]] during a live pay-per-view in 1999, which caused further controversy when Vince [=McMahon=] decided that {{the show must go on}}.
* '''Wrestling/VinceMcMahon''', who played a larger-than-life version of himself ("Mr. [=McMahon=]"), a CorruptCorporateExecutive who primarily feuded with Stone Cold throughout most of the Attitude Era.
** '''Wrestling/TheCorporation'''; a stable comprised of hand-picked wrestlers representing Mr. [=McMahon=], their goal was to secure the WWF and "crush the rebels" who did not fit with [=McMahon=]'s vision of a legitimate business. Includes the following:
*** '''Wrestling/ShaneMcMahon''', Vince's RealLife son and CoDragons with The Rock of The Corporation. Shane [[DragonAscendant later betrays his father to form]] "The Corporate Ministry" with The Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness.
*** '''Wrestling/KenShamrock''', a [[UsefulNotes/MixedMartialArts mixed martial artist]] and "The Most Dangerous Man on the Planet" by way of UsefulNotes/{{U|ltimateFightingChampionship}}FC.
*** '''Wrestling/{{Test}}''', [[{{Kayfabe}} The bodyguard of]] Music/MotleyCrue turned Corporation enforcer, who was romantically involved with Stephanie [=McMahon=] until Triple H came into the picture.
*** '''The Corporate Stooges''', Vince's personal flunkies whose duties ranged from getting his coffee, to wrestling if need be. Comprised of Wrestling/PatPatterson, the company's first Intercontinental champion and Gerald Brisco, a former Wrestling/{{N|ationalWrestlingAlliance}}WA champ and tag team legend with his brother Jack. Despite these accolades, they were largely incompetent henchmen and in part because of their ages lost most of the matches they took part in.
*** '''Wrestling/BigBossMan''', a violent ex-prison guard and Mr. [=McMahon=]'s personal enforcer.
*** '''The Mean Street Posse''', '''Pete Gas''', '''Rodney''' and eventually '''Joey Abs''' Shane [=McMahon=]'s friends and personal flunkies from the mean streets of Greenwich who severed as his own version of the Stooges.
* '''Wrestling/TheUndertaker'''
** '''Wrestling/MinistryOfDarkness'''; led by The Undertaker, this {{cult}} kidnapped wrestlers and performed "satanic rituals", turning them into new disciples of the stable. Includes:
*** '''Wrestling/PaulBearer''', The Undertaker's long-serving manager and Kane's [[{{Kayfabe}} father]]. Initially sided with Kane against Taker during his debut, but server under Undertaker again once he started the Ministry.
*** '''[[Wrestling/TheAPA The Acolytes]]''' ([[Wrestling/JohnBradshawLayfield Bradshaw]] and Faarooq), a massive, mid-card, Texas brawler and the ousted leader of the Nation respectively turned brutal heel Tag Team. They later becoming the '''APA''' ("[[OnlyInItForTheMoney Acolytes Protection Agency]]")
*** '''The Brood''' ([[Wrestling/DavidHeath Gangrel]], Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}} and Wrestling/{{Christian}}), a stable of [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Vampire-like]] blondes based on ''TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade'' and ''Film/TheLostBoys'' who eventually align themselves with the Ministry. Of note, Gangrel has fangs and drank [[{{Kayfabe}} blood]] from a golden chalice. They are notable for being the start of Edge and Christian's career as a tag team duo.
*** '''Viscera''', The former King of the Ring winner, Mabel who was kidnapped by the Ministry and transformed into the group's Gothic heavy.
*** '''Mideon''', The former WWF Tag Team Champion, Dennis Knight aka the [[WrestlingDoesntPay wrestling pig farmer]] Phineas I. Godwinn. Like Viscera, he was kidnapped by the Ministry and he becomes the group's seer complete with an eye in a mason jar.
* '''Wrestling/ShawnMichaels'''; unfortunately, due to his career-stopping back injury, Shawn would only appear sporadically during the "official" Attitude Era timeline, and never in a wrestling capacity.
** '''Wrestling/DGenerationX''' (or "DX"); known for their raunchy antics (such as playing strip poker in the ring and throwing a barbeque while nearly in the nude), DX paved the way for the Attitude Era. Its members include:
*** '''Wrestling/TripleH''', Shawn's NumberTwo, who later became the most prominent {{heel}} in the company during much of the era.
*** '''Wrestling/{{Chyna}}''', billed as "The Ninth Wonder of the World"
*** '''[[Wrestling/SeanWaltman X-Pac]]''', formerly "The 1-2-3 Kid" during the early part of the New Generation Era, coming back from a stint in [[Wrestling/{{WCW}} another company down south]], he joined DX as the group's rowdy but [[WeakButSkilled skilled]] FragileSpeedster.
*** '''Wrestling/TheNewAgeOutlaws''' ([[Wrestling/RoadDogg "Road Dogg" Jesse James]] and [[Wrestling/BillyGunn "Badd Ass"/"Mr. Ass" Billy Gunn]]), [[OddCouple a verbose, charismatic, promo-cutting, dynamo and a tall, athletic, powerhouse]] who dominated the Tag Team division in the first half of the Attitude Era.
* '''Wrestling/MickFoley''' (aka '''[[PsychopathicManchild Mankind]]''', '''[[NewAgeRetroHippie Dude Love]]''' and/or '''[[BloodKnight Cactus Jack]]'''), whose first WWF Championship (as Mankind) win coincided with Wrestling/{{WCW}}'s infamous "FingerpokeOfDoom" segment and turned the tide of the "Wrestling/MondayNightWars".
* '''Wrestling/{{Kane}}''', The Undertaker's [[{{Kayfabe}} half-brother]], of whom he had an on-and-off feud with.
* '''Wrestling/{{Sable}}''', the first major breakout female star of the Attitude Era, who helped set [[MsFanservice the standard]] for future WWE Divas.
* '''Wrestling/{{Goldust}}''', a flamboyant, AmbiguouslyGay[=/=]CampStraight GorgeousGeorge who flirted and groped his (mostly male) opponents. His bizarre and vulgar behavior is often claimed to be one of the things that started the Attitude Era.
* '''Wrestling/StephanieMcMahon''', Vince's RealLife daughter, who {{kayfabe}}d married Triple H to seize control of the company from her father, forming the "[=McMahon=]-Helmsley Faction/Regime", dominating most of the late era.
* '''Wrestling/KurtAngle''', a gold medallist at the [[UsefulNotes/OlympicGames 1996 Atlanta Summer Games]], who had probably one of the most successful rookie years of any WWE superstar in history.
* '''Wrestling/BigShow''', who was the first major defection from WCW to WWF.
* '''Wrestling/ChrisJericho''', who jumped ship to the WWF in 1999 after languishing in WCW's midcard for years and went on to become a bigger success than he ever was in WCW.
* '''Wrestling/ChrisBenoit''' and '''Wrestling/EddieGuerrero''', along with '''Wrestling/DeanMalenko''' and '''Wrestling/PerrySaturn''', jumped ship to the WWF from WCW in 2000, signaling the beginning of the end of the Monday Night Wars. Collectively, they were known as the "Radicalz".
* '''The Hardy Boyz''' (Wrestling/MattHardy and Wrestling/JeffHardy), '''[[Wrestling/TheDudleyBoys The Dudley Boyz]]''' (Bubba Ray and D-Von), and '''Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}} & Wrestling/{{Christian}}''', who feuded with each other on and off for the last couple of years of the Attitude Era and raised the bar for tag team matches of all kinds in the company, including the first "Tables, Ladders & Chairs" match.
* '''Wrestling/ValVenis''', an ex-porn star who was already one of the WWE's most sexually suggestive superstars, then he slept with someone's wife/girlfriend/sister/valet etc., usually leading to him getting his ass kicked for his troubles.
* Scotty 2 Hotty and Grand Masta Sexay, better known as '''Too Cool'''; the tag team won fans over with their post-match dancing antics. They would eventually be joined by...
* '''Wrestling/{{Rikishi}}''', one of the many members of the famous [[WildSamoan Anoa'i]] WrestlingFamily. His signature move was the "Stinkface", where an opponent is downed at the turnbuckle of the ring, leading to the "Phat Man" smothering his enormous ass in their face.
* '''Wrestling/RightToCensor''', a late-Attitude Era stable led by Wrestling/{{ECW}} alumnus Wrestling/StevieRichards that was opposed to the "smut" in the WWF. They were [[TakeThat a blatant mockery]] of the "[[MoralGuardians Parents Television Council]]", which was leading opposition to the WWF's [[DarkerAndEdgier risque direction]]. Led by former Wrestling/{{ECW}} talent, '''[[Wrestling/StevieRichards Steven Richards]]''', the group also consisted of lower mid-card muscle, '''Bull Buchanan''', WWF Divas, '''Wrestling/{{Ivory}}''' and '''[[Wrestling/StacyCarter The Kat]]''' (though for the Kat, not by choice), and the reformed '''Val Venis''' and the former Godfather here known as '''The Goodfather'''. The WWF ''did'' eventually go in a LighterAndSofter direction, although that was due more to Linda [=McMahon=]'s failed political campaigns, the terrible fallout from the Benoit tragedy, and the rise of Wrestling/JohnCena.
* '''Wrestling/TrishStratus''', who started her career in the midst of the Attitude Era as a standard valet for the midcard tag team "T&A" (Test and [[Wrestling/MattBloom Albert]]) before [[TookALevelInBadass breaking out]] as a major wrestler. To date, she still holds the most Women's Championship reigns in the company's history.
* '''Wrestling/{{Lita}}''', a GirlNextDoor valet, whose lucha libre and high flying skills as well as showing that MusclesAreMeaningless when it comes to taking on men (as bodybuilder Chyna, who at the time was stronger than Triple H, did before), helped take women's wrestling to the next level. Together with The Hardy Boyz, they formed "Team Extreme".
* '''Wrestling/TheJOBSquad''', a midcard PowerStable originally consisting of '''Wrestling/BobHolly''', '''Wrestling/AlSnow''', and '''Wrestling/TooColdScorpio''', and later '''Wrestling/TheBlueMeanie''' and '''Gilberg''', who are self-aware of [[TheGenericGuy their places in the card]].
* Wrestlers who would fight for the WWF Hardcore Championship (where title matches were [[Wrestling/{{ECW}} Extreme]] [[GarbageWrestler rules]] and had a "24/7 rule" that required it to be defended 24/7 in any location). Along with Mankind, the first Hardcore Champion, and the Big Boss Man, there was also:
** The Holly Cousins, '''Crash Holly''' and '''[[Wrestling/BobHolly Bob "Hardcore" Holly]]''', "[[BlatantLies Super Heavyweights]]" and a part-time tag team, who fought each other as much as they fought opponents. Crash, who won the title 22 times (the second most championships reigns in the era) and was the one who established the 24/7 rule in the first place, would be dubbed the "Houdini of Hardcore" for his quick getaways upon winning or retaining the title.
** '''Wrestling/SteveBlackman''', a legitimate martial artist nicknamed "The Lethal Weapon".
** Former wrestlers from Wrestling/{{ECW}} including '''Wrestling/{{Raven}}''', the sadistic {{Grunge}} heel who holds the record for most Hardcore title reigns at 27, '''{{Wrestling/Tazz}}''', the PintSizedPowerhouse, Human Suplex Machine who provided Kurt Angle one of his earliest known feuds and '''Wrestling/AlSnow''', a {{Cloudcuckoolander}} who carried and talked to a mannequin head named Head with him.
* '''Wrestling/VinceRusso''', the head writer of the WWF from 1996 to October 1999; any of his successes can really be attributed to [[ExecutiveMeddling Vince [=McMahon=]'s editing and input]].
* '''Wrestling/TheOddities''', a PowerStable that started as a [[CircusOfFear scary circus sideshow]] {{Heel}} act before [[HeelFaceTurn turning face]] and eventually going through RedemptionDemotion[=/=]BadassDecay and being dismissed in early 1999.
** '''[[Wrestling/DonCallis The Jackyl]]''': The original leader, who was replaced by Sable
** '''[[Wrestling/JohnTenta Golga]]''': Formerly known as '''Earthquake''', he now wore a mask that was supposed to [[{{Kayfabe}} be covering a physical deformity]].
** '''[[Wrestling/GiantSilva The Giant Silva]]''': A UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}ian rookie who was, well, ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin.
** '''Wrestling/LunaVachon''': Originally referred to as the "Prom Princess," legendary AxCrazy badass female wrestler known for her FacialMarkings and harsh voice.
** '''Wrestling/{{Kurrgan}}''': A 7-foot Canadian wrestler who had previously been in the Jackyl's ForeignWrestlingHeel group the Truth Commission before [[BreakupBreakout the team was scrapped for his singles push]].
** '''Music/InsaneClownPosse''': Recorded their theme song and would rap the Oddities to the ring. Turned heel on their way out of the company.
** '''[[Wrestling/GeorgeSteele George "The Animal" Steele]]''': {{Ring Oldie|s}} and TeamPet, he joined near the end of their run.
* '''Wrestling/JimRoss''' and '''Wrestling/JerryLawler''', the signature commentators of the era. Ross was the fat and lovable southern face-leaning commentator while Lawler was a former Memphis wrestling legend who practically drooled over the divas (and the heels) at any chance he'd get.
* '''Wrestling/MichaelCole''', got his start in this era as a backstage interviewer.
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