During its close to 50 years in existence, WWE has been the home for many iconic performers. Each decade has its top stars, and the 1990s are no different. Yet what makes those 10 years so unique is that the company went threw a couple of evolutions and had some peaks and valleys.
So, who were the individuals who truly stood out during a wild decade in the history of the company? We look to answer that question with our ranking of the 10 best WWE wrestlers during the 1990s.
Yokozuna
Yokozuna’s run at the top of WWE only lasted a few years, but it was absolutely dominant. He got huge wins over many of the top stars of the time, including Bret Hart, the Undertaker, and being the man who ended Hulk Hogan’s first run in the company. He was shockingly athletic for his size and continued the tradition of Samoan stars in the business despite playing a Japanese character.
Mankind/Mick Foley
While he wasn’t in the title picture until the final years of the 1990s, Mick Foley created some iconic moments with his characters Mankind, Dude Love, and Cactus Jack, as he helped establish hardcore wrestling with a mainstream audience in matches like Hell in the Cell, the boiler room brawl, and his infamous I Quit match with The Rock. He put his body on the line for WWE fans’ entertainment and completely broke the mold of what a WWE main eventer can look like.
The Rock
The Rock is considered a legend of the WWE in the 1990s, but he didn’t even debut in the company until 1997. However, after flopping in his first year, a heel turn and joining the Nation of Domination began one of the fastest rises to the top in WWE history. By the end of the decade, he was the biggest heel, by far, in the promotion as the “Corporate Champion,” which would set up a face turn that would make him the face of WWE in the early 2000s.
Razor Ramon
Razor Ramon not becoming WWE champion is still one of the big surprises of the 1990s. He oozed charisma, had a great look, and one of the coolest finishers in the industry, the razor’s edge. Despite not reaching the top, he was one of the most beloved Intercontinental Champions in history and was the man who helped put the ladder match on the map with an international audience of wrestling fans
Diesel
Diesel began his WWE run as Shawn Michaels’ bodyguard and, within a couple of years, became the top star in the company. What made “Big Daddy Cool” one of the greatest big men of all-time was that he showed being large didn’t mean you needed to portray yourself as a monster. Diesel was cooler than 95% of the roster and was underrated on the mic. Be it as a babyface or heel, Diesel was money for WWE in the first half of the ’90s.
Triple H
Triple H didn’t win the WWE title until the final year of the decade. However, his impact in the 1990s can’t be overlooked. While he started as a solid mid-card talent when he was a Greenwich blue blood, his true massive impact came in co-founding the most popular faction during that era, DX, then becoming its leader in 1998. Furthermore, he was one of the top IC champions of the era.
The Undertaker
The Undertaker is a WWE legend in multiple decades, and the 1990s are no different. This particular time was unique for “The Deadman” because his character went threw a few microevolutions. He was buried and “died” in his casket match with Yokozuna. Then came back with ner gear.
He showcased more of his mic skills during his storyline with his “brother” Kane, then he became the leader of a bizarre goth faction, the Ministry. Nevertheless, ‘Taker was in many huge matches during the 1990s and was the anchor of the company.
Bret Hart
Bret Hart solidified his spot as one of the greatest of all time during the 1990s. He started the decade as the face of the IC division, then became the face of WWE for several years after beating Ric Flair for the WWE title in 1992. “The Hitman” was one of the company’s greatest heroes ever, and there was no better ambassador for the brand in company history.
Furthermore, he played a huge role in Steve Austin’s rise to the top and proved he could be an effective heel when he led the new and evil version of the Hart Foundation.
Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels had two legendary runs in WWE. But during the 90s, he was at his athletic peak. There was nothing he couldn’t do in the ring, and he had epic matches with anyone. He was the man who inspired high flyers of the modern era like Seth Rollins, Kenny Omega, and Will Ospreay, and was great as either a good guy or a bad guy. During the 1990s, he laid the groundwork for why he is forever known as Mr. WrestleMania.
‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin
Steve Austin may not have been the best mat technician during the 1990s, but he didn’t need to be a ring master (pun intended) because he became one of the company’s biggest stars ever from his sheer passion, intensity, and foul mouth. His finisher, the stunner, is one of the best of all time, and his feud with his boss, Vince McMahon, helped turn WWE into a billion-dollar company after nearly going out of business during the decade. No wrestler was more loved or important than “Stone Cold” in the 1990s.
