5 current WWE villains who would have been successful in the Attitude Era
The Attitude Era was one of the greatest periods in WWE history. Fueled by edgier storylines and adult-oriented content, the promotion reached unprecedented heights. In addition to capitalizing on the buzz surrounding the feud between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Mr. McMahon, WWE managed to create several megastars, including The Rock, Mick Foley, Triple H, and Kurt Angle.
In the years that have followed, the company has attempted to recapture the heights it scaled during the late '90s and early '00s but to little avail. Several fans believe that the PG product is holding back the creative team and some of the stars on the roster.
With that being said, here are five current WWE villains who would have been successful in the Attitude Era:
#5. Sami Zayn delivers consistent performances
Although he hasn't always been booked strongly, Sami Zayn has consistently been one of the most entertaining performers on the WWE roster. Whether he's playing a babyface or heel, the reigning Intercontinental Champion embraces the character given to him and finds a way to connect with the audience.
Zayn is also one of the best in-ring workers on the planet and can put on a great match with almost anybody. He would have been right at home with the larger-than-life personalities of the Attitude Era.
#4. Kevin Owens was tailor-made for the Attitude Era
As evidenced by his career before joining WWE, Kevin Owens is more than comfortable pushing the envelope. Even though he's an excellent in-ring worker, the former Universal Champion would have been able to adapt to the style of the Attitude Era without too much difficulty.
Owens won the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's "Brawler of the Year" award three times in a row and would have been at home in the late '90s. He's also excellent on the microphone and would have been able to test himself against some of the best talkers in professional wrestling history such as The Rock and Steve Austin.
#3. The Miz can have a great program with anyone in WWE
The Miz is one of the most versatile members of the WWE roster and can have an entertaining program with almost anyone. A natural heel, the Ohio native is adept at winding up the audience and his opponents. The Miz is also one of the most entertaining promos in professional wrestling today.
As evidenced by his performances on Talking Smack when given more creative leeway, the former WWE Champion would have been an outstanding performer in the Attitude Era. He is also an underrated in-ring worker and has improved tremendously during his time on the main roster.
#2. Roman Reigns would've been a top star in any era
Roman Reigns initially struggled to find his footing when he was pushed as the heir to John Cena. However, the Georgia Tech standout has come into his own as The Tribal Chief and is one of the most complete performers in professional wrestling today.
The Universal Champion's body language, facial expressions and charisma set him apart from the rest of the pack. This version of Reigns would thrive at the top of the card in almost any era of professional wrestling. He would have been the perfect fit to be Vince McMahon's Corporate Champion.
However, unlike the modern day where there is a lack of top babyfaces, Reigns would have had an ideal foil in Stone Cold Steve Austin.
#1. Paul Heyman is one of the greatest to ever do it
Paul Heyman is inarguably one of the greatest managers of all-time. He has been a focal part of WWE programming since his return alongside Brock Lesnar in 2012.
Over the last decade, The New Yorker has not only been an outstanding performer but has also been an invaluable source of knowledge for performers off-screen. Heyman would have had the same impact if he had been a manager in WWE during the boom period and would have elevated the stars that he worked with.
However, for the majority of the Attitude Era, Heyman was in charge of ECW. Once the promotion closed in April 2001, he joined WWE's creative team and even worked as an announcer when Jerry Lawler left temporarily.