Wrestling Stars From The 90s Who Are Still In The Business

Wrestling fans around the world have long debated when the World Wrestling Entertainment “Attitude Era” officially ended sometime after the fall of promotions World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling. Some, for example, would say that the Attitude Era concluded once WWE chairman Vince McMahon cut his famous “Ruthless Aggression” promo inside of the ring that, ultimately, played into the debut of John Cena. Others, however, would suggest that far too many aspects of the Attitude Era continued to be featured on WWE programming well after that moment and through the summer of 2008, when the promotion embraced a TV-PG format that portions of the audience reject to this day. Whatever you think of Attitude Era, nobody can deny it shaped a generation and changed the wrestling landscape forever.

A handful of noteworthy and famous stars from the Attitude Era and the 90s in general continue to be featured on WWE programming during the 2018 WrestleMania season. Triple H, Stephanie McMahon and Kurt Angle are key figures of what may be the biggest storyline to play out on WWE television during the spring. Matt Hardy is WOKEN, and Jeff Hardy may soon turn into the nefarious Brother Nero at the Hardy Compound. Both men made their names during what some would consider to be the heights of the Attitude Era. Some stars from the Attitude Era who currently aren’t main characters in WWE feuds remain in the business, in different aspects, as of March 2018. We start with a man that helped shape the careers of a couple of noteworthy acts prior to their monster fame.

15 Gangrel

To put things into perspective, Gangrel was considered a veteran when he returned to the WWE during the mid-90s just in time for the Attitude Era. He started in the business during the late 80s and endured a brief WWE stint in ’94-’95. He returned in 1998 and was one of the more underrated acts as the leader of The Brood. He helped to polish the likes of Edge, Christian and the Hardys, all top tier names in the business.

He left the WWE following the Attitude Era and hit the indie circuit for a lengthy run. If you can believe, the 49 year old still in the business whether it be attending wrestling conventions, performing at indie shows or helping local talent at his wrestling school.

14 The Headbangers

Here is a name you may not have expected to see among WWE Attitude Era stars still performing in the business. Mosh, along with Thrasher, made up the Headbangers duo that held the WWE Tag Team Titles despite not always producing the best matches on cards.

They returned to the company in 2016 on SmackDown following the second go of the brand split, but they never made much of a splash on the blue portion of the roster before heading back out to the independent scene. As of March 2018, Mosh and Thrasher are both available for bookings at smaller shows, events and conventions, where they still wrestle as a team and interact with fans. According to Thrasher’s Twitter page, he is also a General Manager at Youfit Health Clubs.

13 Tommy Dreamer

Tommy Dreamer may not have been an active full-time member of the WWE roster during the Attitude Era, but he has to be considered one of the best babyfaces of that time for his work in ECW. It was in ECW where Dreamer became a hardcore icon and the cornerstone of that promotion who helped carry it up through its demise in 2001.

Afterward, Dreamer made the expected move to the WWE, and he also competed in Total Nonstop Action/Impact Wrestling. In June 2012, Dreamer opened the House of Hardcore wrestling school and promotion. He works and promotes shows for HoH to this day, and some of those events feature other stars from the Attitude Era who are still in the business as of March 2018.

12 Bob Holly

Bob Holly earned his nickname Hardcore Holly during the Attitude Era, when he became one of the stars of a division that featured wrestlers competing throughout arenas, in hotel rooms and pretty much anywhere else cameras and microphones could travel. Probably the highlight of his WWE career occurred when the promotion turned Holly suffering an actual injury during a match with Brock Lesnar into a feud that ended when Lesnar defeated Holly in a championship match at the 2004 Royal Rumble.

Holly ventured into the independent scene after he and the WWE parted ways in 2009, and he remains active working smaller shows on weekends. Those who have seen Holly as of late would probably be impressed by his physique and conditioning. After all, this former Attitude Era star is 55 years old.

11 Super Crazy

While Tommy Dreamer was the heart and soul of the original ECW brand who remained adored by passionate fans of that product through the promotion's death, Super Crazy was one of the high-flyers who attracted WWE and WCW fans to a product they had never before seen. Crazy’s matches with the likes of Yoshihiro Tajiri that were featured on those old ECW television shows that aired in the middle of the night in many markets helped expose him and the organization to new viewers, and his entertaining style eventually landed him a job with the WWE.

Crazy, no disrespect meant, is a little heavier these days than he was in the late 1990s and mid 2000s, but he still takes to the skies for companies such as Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL).

10 Juventud Guerrera

Juventud Guerrera hasn’t always had the best reputation behind the scenes for a number of alleged reasons. Fans who either don’t care or don’t know about such matters probably only remember watching Guerrera either in ECW or during his days in WCW, when he became one of the stars of the Cruiserweight division and earned that company’s Cruiserweight Championship in the 90s.

Guerrera, Super Crazy and Psicosis formed the stable the Mexicools on the SmackDown brand in 2005, but that group didn’t exist for long before Guerrera and the company parted ways in early 2006. Now, over one decade since he was last a full-time member of the WWE roster, fans can still see “The Juice” in action for shows at independent promotions such as House of Glory.

9 Al Snow

Fans who last watched Al Snow when he was a member of the WWE during the Attitude Era, the WWE’s failed reboot of the ECW brand or during the early stages of his run in what is now known as Impact Wrestling may actually not recognize the former leader of the J.O.B. Squad today. Snow worked hard to get himself into phenomenal shape, to the point that he actually looks better today than he did during the Attitude Era.

Those who would see him wouldn’t be surprised to know he remains active in the business as of the spring of 2018. Along with being a trainer at his own wrestling academy, Snow conducts weekend wrestling seminars for smaller promotions, and he also makes appearances at events and conventions.

8 Marty Jannetty

Inching towards his 60s at 58, Marty Jannetty might continue to wrestle till he gets inducted into the Hall Of Fame. Seriously though, the dude has campaigned for years going on various rants pertaining to his potential induction – we believe those rants haven’t helped his cause one bit.

He grew in popularity just before the Attitude Era - alongside Shawn Michaels the two became a beloved tag team, though he lost his way once the two split. Just imagine, he was considered a veteran at that point in his career and at 58, he’s still going with the likes of Hardcore Holly recently posting a photo alongside Jannetty after a live indie event. Who knows what it’s going to take for the former IC Champion to finally hang up the boots for good.

7 Bubba Ray Dudley

Those of you who only follow the WWE may not realize Bully Ray is very active in the wrestling business beyond an upcoming appearance where he and teammate Devon will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as members of the class of 2018. His best run as a solo worker occurred in TNA/Impact Wrestling, where he won that promotion’s world championship. Following his stint with that organization and a final stop in the WWE, Bully Ray wrestled for independent promotions and also Ring of Honor.

In February 2018, Bully Ray confirmed that he is retired as an in-ring worker, but he continues to make appearances for ROH, House of Hardcore, conventions, the YouTube show Being the Elite and, occasionally, the WWE. He is also featured on the SiriusXM's Busted Open program.

6 X-Pac

Sean Waltman, who WWE fans remember as X-Pac for his time in D-Generation X during the Attitude Era, wasn’t always the most beloved figure of that stable or on the WWE roster, in general. You may have heard of the term “X-Pac Heat,” which involved the wrestler receiving negative reactions from fans when he was a babyface because they were so tired of seeing him in matches and storylines.

Later in life, X-Pac experienced multiple personal setbacks, but he has seemingly worked hard to overcome those demons and become a seemingly likable individual who interacts with fans in-person and via social media. Along with hosting his own podcast that has, in the past, featured WWE performers, X-Pac also performs on smaller shows and makes appearances at wrestling conventions.

5 Mick Foley

It is probably for the best that Mick Foley, the hardcore legend who sacrificed brain cells, his body and probably years of his life for the business he loved, is no longer a full-time member of the WWE. Foley was repeatedly embarrassed as the storyline General Manager of the Raw brand by both Stephanie McMahon and Triple H in segments that were difficult to watch because they did little to get anybody over. Foley was eventually replaced by Kurt Angle, who will have a WrestleMania match alongside former Ultimate Fighting Championship champion Ronda Rousey versus McMahon and Triple H.

Foley, meanwhile, continues to appear at shows and conventions to discuss some of the most famous and more memorable moments of his Hall of Fame career. Odds are those of you attending WrestleMania will be able to see Foley somewhere if you wish.

4 Billy Gunn

Who only knows what could have been had Billy Gunn not tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone while at a powerlifting meet in 2015? This offense caused him to be released by the WWE in November of that year. Perhaps Gunn, who became a star as one-half of the New Age Outlaws during the Attitude Era, would still be working in the business either behind the scenes or as an on-air character for the WWE had that never occurred.

Following his dismissal from the WWE, Gunn competed for multiple promotions, and he even journeyed overseas to work for New Japan Pro Wrestling. Those of you who watch Being the Elite may have noticed Gunn partake in a humorous segment regarding his famous theme song in June 2017. Like others, Gunn also appears at conventions these days and at small indie events.

3 Scott Hall

The incredible rise of Scott Hall as Razor Ramon in the WWE during the 1990s and, later, during the Attitude Era as one of the founding members of the New World Order has been overshadowed by the many stories of his fall throughout the 2000s. It doesn’t feel as if it was all that long ago when it seemed Hall was destined to be one of many individuals associated with the wrestling business to die at an early age.

Thanks to Diamond Dallas Page and numerous attempts at rehabilitation, it appears Hall is doing much better and has found peace. As of the first few months of 2018, he is making appearances at conventions and small shows, some of which include fellow Kliq members such as Kevin Nash, X-Pac and Billy Gunn. Hall’s story having a happy ending is nearly miraculous considering where he was when at his worst.

2 The Jackal

It’s hard to believe but the same dude that played the role of The Jackal back in the Attitude Era is the one responsible for bringing in Chris Jericho to New Japan and setting up the monster matchup between Y2J and Omega. Known as Don Callis, his real-name, the 54 year old is working as a commentator for New Japan. Before either of them knew it, New Japan employees flew out to discuss Jericho’s involvement with the company - in large part thanks to Callis and his long-time connection to Chris.

Aside from setting up the monster matchup, Jackal is now the Executive Vice-President of Impact Wrestling, alongside TNA alum Scott D’Amore. We wish the former Oddities member all the best in trying to resurface Impact’s credibility – it won’t be easy that’s for sure.

1 Road Dogg Jesse James

We end with an interesting example of an Attitude Era star who has somewhat of a surprising role in the business today when you reflect upon his career, as a whole. Road Dogg Jesse James was never seen as the greatest worker or smartest in-ring general during the Attitude Era, and he had some rather unflattering things to say about his former company and former employers while wrestling for TNA/Impact Wrestling. Time heals all wounds, so goes the saying, and the Road Dogg returned to the company where he became famous to work behind the scenes in 2011.

He and Billy Gunn brought the New Age Outlaws back to Raw in 2013, and the duo won the tag team titles in January 2014. Those of you with a keen eye can still catch Road Dogg in the background of some shows, as he as a big-time for a producer in WWE as of March 2018. Oh, you didn’t know?

NEXT: Late Wrestlers From The Attitude And Ruthless Aggression Eras