10 WWE Superstars Who Found a Second Life Thanks to the Attitude Era

The Attitude Era was one of the most popular periods in pro wrestling. Superstars were breaking the barriers to become mainstream celebrities, and new fans were flocking to Monday Night Raw to see what all of the hype was about.

The late 1990s and early 2000s were a wildly different time than today. In some ways, the Attitude Era was a good thing. The business thrived, more people became interested in the product, new Superstars rose to the top and many memorable moments were created.

It was also bad in a lot of ways. Women were often objectified on a weekly basis, which makes going back and watching some of those old episodes cringe-inducing, especially when you know those women were great wrestlers who deserved better opportunities than pillow fights.

Still, not only did many Superstars find fame during this time, but plenty of people also received a second chance to reinvent themselves.

Let's look at some of the people who altered the trajectory of their career by changing their character during the Attitude Era.

The character of Goldust was technically created before the Attitude Era began. He debuted in 1995, while most people would agree the Attitude Era began the following year.

The reason Goldust is included on this list is that he helped usher in the Attitude Era with his controversial, boundary-pushing gimmick while reinventing himself at the same time.

Prior to becoming Goldust, Dustin Rhodes was a bland babyface in WCW. He wore basic trunks and had almost nothing to separate him from the hundreds of other wrestlers who looked just like he did.

Wearing a gold bodysuit, painting his face and becoming obsessed with filmmaking turned him into one of the most intriguing characters WWE has ever had.

At first, Goldust seemed like he would just be another goofy heel. Then he had a Backlot Brawl with Roddy Piper at WrestleMania 12 and completely changed how people perceived him. He wasn't just some guy who liked to make people uncomfortable. He was a dangerous competitor who was not afraid to shed some blood.

Any wrestler who wishes to repackage themselves should study Goldust because he put on a masterclass in how to alter your persona the right way.

Steve Austin was mostly known as a tag team wrestler and midcard talent during his days at WCW. He changed up his act when he went to ECW, but it wasn't until his famous "Austin 3:16" speech that he became a new man.

Before Survivor Series 1996, Austin was mostly known as The Ringmaster. He was managed by Ted DiBiase for a short time and even carried the Million Dollar Championship.

Becoming Stone Cold Steve Austin in 1996 is what saved his career. From that point forward, Austin was one of the most popular stars in the world.

If he wasn't allowed to drink beer, swear and beat people up on television, Austin may have remained a midcard talent for the rest of his WWE career.

The Texas Rattlesnake needed that freedom the Attitude Era offered because without it, he would not have been nearly as interesting to the general public.

Rocky Maivia came into WWE with a lot of promise. He had good looks, an enviable physique and the pedigree of being a third-generation wrestler. Vince McMahon probably saw him as a walking dollar sign like a cartoon character.

Unfortunately, the crowd didn't buy into his smiling babyface character. Chants of "Die, Rocky, die" began filling the arena every time he stepped through the curtain.

When he became The Rock and joined The Nation of Domination, everything started to click. The Great One found his voice as a heel and used it to become one of the top stars in the business.

His quick wit served him well and earned him a reputation as one of the best talkers in WWE, but it was his exciting matches that kept the WWE Universe invested

His trio of WrestleMania main events with Austin still stand out to this day as one of the greatest multiyear feuds in WWE history. If he had not turned heel and become The Rock, Rocky Maivia would not be the household name Dwayne Johnson is today.

Mick Foley put in several years in ECW and WCW as Cactus Jack. He was hardcore before it was cool, but he was not allowed to use that gimmick when he came to WWE.

Instead, Foley was repackaged as Mankind. He was an individual who liked to pull out his own hair, wore a leather mask and seemed unhinged, to say the least.

A character like this will either thrive or fail. There is no middle ground when you are playing somebody so weird. Foley made it work, and his popularity eventually led to him winning the WWE Championship.

Foley didn't stop there. Not only did he bring back his Cactus Jack character, but he also introduced us to Dude Love. He had three unique gimmicks on top of his real persona.

He thrived during the Attitude Era and became one of the most beloved WWE Superstars of all time. If he had tried to do any of this during any other era, he would not have been nearly as successful.

The Hardy Boyz spent a few years in WWE working as enhancement talents before they were given a chance to succeed in the tag team division.

They drastically changed their appearance and adopted a look straight out of Hot Topic. They looked like they would be just as comfortable at a rave as they would inside a wrestling ring.

They helped bring hardcore wrestling to a mainstream audience with their death-defying stunts in ladder matches alongside Edge, Christian and The Dudley Boyz.

They were the definition of cool at the time and made wrestling accessible to a new generation of kids who dressed just like they did.

If they had been forced to wear regular tights and work standard matches, Matt and Jeff Hardy might not be the legends they are today.

Even in pro wrestling, the idea of The Undertaker should not have been as successful as it was. The only reason it has lasted this long is Mark Calaway's talent and ability to reinvent himself.

When the Attitude Era changed everything in WWE, The Deadman was forced to change with it. He adapted his gimmick to be more contemporary, but if he didn't shift gears and become The American Badass, he might not have stayed at the top of the mountain.

Instead of coming out to orchestral music with fog and dark lights, The Deadman rode to the ring on a motorcycle while Kid Rock or Limp Bizkit blasted through the arena's speakers.

He changed everything about how he looked, spoke and wrestled. Few people have managed to make a transition like this and remain one of the most popular Superstars on the roster.

Taker eventually went back to his Deadman persona, but his days as a biker stand out as many people's favorite iteration of The Undertaker because it was so cool.

Shawn Michaels was already a former world champion when he formed D-Generation X with Triple H, but the group helped ensure he stayed at the top.

Before DX, The Game was The Connecticut Blueblood. He was a snobby jerk who turned his nose up at everyone and fancied himself as a cut above the rest.

Embracing a more controversial style helped both men reinvent themselves into one of the most popular acts in WWE history, and they also helped a handful of other Superstars along the way.

Billy Gunn, Road Dogg, Chyna and X-Pac all benefitted from being part of the most popular stable in WWE. They pushed boundaries and kept fans guessing about what ridiculous stunt they would pull off next.

The Heartbreak Kid probably would have been fine during the Attitude Era because being a ladies' man will always make it easy to be a heel, but Triple H would not have found the same level of success without being able to be a rebel in DX.

Before the internet made every bit of information easy to find, a lot of people only knew Vince McMahon as a WWE commentator and did not know he owned the company.

For a lot of younger fans at the time, the Montreal Screwjob is what made them realize just how much power he wielded behind the scenes.

The incident at Survivor Series 1997 made Mr. McMahon into a real villain in the eyes of many people. Instead of hiding backstage and hoping fans would forget about it, McMahon embraced his role as the evil tyrant and became one of the biggest heels in the industry as a result.

He was no longer the play-by-play announcer being mocked by Jesse Ventura and Jerry Lawler. He was a brash, outspoken billionaire who flaunted his power in everybody's face. It was so easy to hate him, and he made sure to use that to his full advantage.

He redefined what it meant to be an authority figure in pro wrestling and put over several Superstars throughout the Attitude Era by allowing them to beat the life out of him for the entertainment of the fans. If he hadn't done what he did at Survivor Series 1997, he would never have become the Mr. McMahon we know today.