Current/Former Wrestlers That Would Have Been Better During The Attitude Era

[The Legend Killer]

I think at one point all of us have said that, ?"(insert wrestler here) would have been better during the Attitude Era". Even some superstars that some of us already enjoy could have been much better in the attitude era, or superstars we can't stand that would have been better in the Attitude Era, for me, these are the names that come to mind.

CM Punk- Most of you know that I am not a CM Punk fan, but would never deny his talent. I do think currently, that he is definitely one of the better in-ring performers as far as actual wrestling ability. He does do good promos, but, I don't find them to be anything special. I have some of his ROH stuff, and those promos were ALOT better. WWE's current style doesn't allow him to be as great as he can. I think if CM Punk had been around during the Attitude Era, he would no doubt be thought of as one of the greatest of all time. For some reason, I imagine he would have been part of DX, and had alot of feuds with Chris Jericho later, I don't know why, I just imagine it that way. I think he no doubt could have been known as one of the greatest heels of all time.

Randy Orton- Again, alot of you know that i'm a huge Randy Orton fan, and people give him alot of crap for his in-ring ability and promos. If he was around during the Attitude Era, I don't really see his promos being any different from what we've seen from him as a heel so far, but, I do think his heel gimmick would have worked alot better back then. Back when he was just punting people in the head. As a face, people love him, as a heel, people love him, and it's kind of rare to see that. I do think he works ALOT better as a heel, but, oh well. Anyway, I think an Attitude Era Randy Orton would have been something unbelievable to watch. I don't know why, I think he would have made a great tag-team champion, but, i'm just not sure with who. It's hard for me to imagine him as the Intercontinental Champion anymore, and I can't say he would have been one of the greatest WWE/World Champions of all time back then. I do think that with his heel gimmick though, he could have been known as another one of the greatest heels of all time.

The Boogeyman- I know it's a really off the wall answer, but, with the trend WWE had at the time of of just strange gimmicks, or gimmicks that were meant to make you laugh, I think he would have done great. Teams like Too Cool worked, Kane, Mankind, etc/, The Boogeyman could have been a fun name to have around at the time. I think him and Mankind could have had one oft the strangest, but greatest tag teams in WWE history.

cRYME Tyme - Back during the Attitude Era, when both WWE and WCW liked having rappers around, Cryme Tyme would have been a great addition to have around. For some reason, I keep thinking them and Too Cool would have done some memorable work together. They entertained us today, so, I can't help but wonder what they would have been like back then. I think they would have worked as heels, but more comedic kind of heels you know?

Kaitlyn- Probably the only WWE diva on the current roster that people wouldn't deny her talent (well, Natalya and Beth Phoenix are good too). At the time when the womens division in the WWE was actually more than just something nice to look at, at a time during divas like Sable, Chyna, Lita, Trish Stratus, etc., Kaitlyn could have been something really special.

[AJ]

John Cena by all means....

Not with his goody 2 shoes gimmick but his old Eminem like rebel white rapper gimmick so his promos would have been more edgy and non monotonous and mostly, he wouldn't have to stick with the 5 moves of doom but I'm not sure he would've been the big cash cow poster boy as he is now. He certainly would have been somewhere in midcard/upper midcard.

[Maximo]

John Cena by all means....

Not with his goody 2 shoes gimmick but his old Eminem like rebel white rapper gimmick so his promos would have been more edgy and non monotonous and mostly, he wouldn't have to stick with the 5 moves of doom but I'm not sure he would've been the big cash cow poster boy as he is now. He certainly would have been somewhere in midcard/upper midcard.

He was technically in the attitude era as it pretty much ended at the end 2003, that is if you few the way the matches were (very hardcore) and adult insults/storylines.

[Mighty Boosh]

I thought the Attitude Era was recognized as over before that.

Anyway, I don't know about Punk. He would have fit right in with the attitude era boys, could of had an amazing feud with Stone Cold, may of even got a lot of HHH's spots (remember he wasn't always married to Steph). Thing is, what makes Punk stand out today is he has a bit of that attitude flavor. I think Punk would have struggled with the bigger names and get a push more like Chris Jericho's.

Today Punk has managed to get over by essentially being out of place, so maybe he's better off this way.

Tyson Kidd, Justin Gabriel and pretty much anyone with in ring ability and little charisma. Dean Malenko did pretty well, doubt he'd see as much success wrestling for WWE today.

Drew McIntryre: Talented in the ring, decent on the mic, plus he's Scottish so he's instantly got heat. Everyone was used better in the attitude era, so I think Drew would have gotten more opportunities to show what he can do, maybe could have been HHH and Stephanie's personal hitman in the McMahon/Helmsley era.It would of been interesting to see Drew cut loose with the attitude era, be as mean as he wants and have a tag partner. In the attitude era I could see him as half of a team that could match up to E &C, speaking of a tag team

Antonio Cesaro: I think he powerful style would siut the attitude era really well. Did you see the big swing he hit on The Miz? Awesome and more importantly brutal/, that brutality would fit in with the era. And imagine if Drew and Cesaro set up a tag team of two tough, out speaking foreigners. I think those two would have been a force to be reckoned with the Attitude Era.

R-Truth: As seen from his stuff in early TNA, R-Truth can have as much attitude as anyone. Plus there black guys, but how many that looked like R-Truth? Godfather was like a cartoon pimp, Mark Henry was... God knows, Farooq was one half of the demonic Acolytes, D Lo wasn't as Dark skinned as R-Truth and slightly over the top as well. R-Truth could have done wonders with out PG restraining him, with his dreadlocks and wrestling in jeans R-Truth could have been a gritty, realistic black man. Instead of coming out and shaking his head he could come out and reference real black issues. Imagine if in the late 90's R-Truth lead a second Nation of Domination, with some of the black wrestlers that fell out of favor like Henry and D Lo. Or he could set up an anti-Nation stable, saying the original Nation were too obscure to be taken seriously and weren't relevant enough with modern black problems.

I dunno, it's difficult for a white guy to say this, but the E had R-Truth in the 90's and let him develop his character himself I'm sure they'd have a huge hit.

[WWE Gary]

Without a doubt CM Punk would have been able to exceed his limits ever more so in the Attitude Era than he does today . This would get him super over as a heel . His feuds with Triple H , Foley and Triple H would have been the stuff of legend today .

I think a lot of the top heels like Dolph Ziggler would have done better also , as they would have been allowed to gain a hell of a lot more heat back then .

[AJ]

He was technically in the attitude era

Yes he was but he wasn't the mega star as he is now, he was just trying to make a name for himself, If I recall correctly at first he was just some generic rookie but then he debuted with his rapper gimmick which got him over with fans and the rest is the history. If it wasn't for PG, Cena would be still doing that stuff with some legit in-ring action.

[Turley]

Without a doubt CM Punk would have been able to exceed his limits ever more so in the Attitude Era than he does today .

CM Punk would have lasted about as long as Shane Douglas did. His arrogance and over inflated sense of relevance would have caused him to be run out of town by the guys in the locker-room. His feuds with HHH wouldnt have been the stuff of legend, they would have been burials.

[WWE Gary]

CM Punk would have lasted about as long as Shane Douglas did. His arrogance and over inflated sense of relevance would have caused him to be run out of town by the guys in the locker-room. His feuds with HHH wouldnt have been the stuff of legend, they would have been burials.

Rubbish !

Arrogance and over inflated sense of importance ? So if that prevented success in the Attitude Era how did DX manage then? I don't think there is anybody in WWE history with more arrogance and ego that Triple H . Guess it's ok if you're boning the bosses daughter . Triple H only wishes he was half as good in his day than Punk is today . In my opinion , Punk would have outshone H if he was in the Attitude Era . A feud with Austin would have crapped all over anything Triple H did .

[Turley]

Punk would have outshone H if he was in the Attitude Era .

Do you honestly think that Punk would have been allowed to outshine HHH?

[Goldie79]

Do you honestly think that Punk would have been allowed to outshine HHH?

I agree Turls. Not a chance.
Punk has been pushed into the limelight at a time where an older Triple H has taken a step back, and only wrestles occasionally.

If Punk was there in the early 2000s... where a younger, hungrier... and more ruthless Tripper was around.... well. Tripper would have swatted Punk like the rest of the flies he swatted.

There was still a 'bigger mans' mentality in the Attitude era.... Austin, Rock, Triple H all had big muscular physiques.
If anything I think Punk benefits from the current era... where size is less of an issue, and there is less star quality amongst the roster for him to compete with

[Turley]

Correct. Shane Douglas is a good comparison because his ECW reigns back then could be seen as similar to Punks ROH reigns now. HBK and HHH always went after people that came in with reps from elsewhere.

Ask Vader how well CM Punk would have gone