The Monday Night War was one of the most successful periods in wrestling history. WCW thrived, developing from a distant second-biggest wrestling promotion in the world to a very close competitor with WWE, going so far as to win the ratings war for a stretch, and arguably offer the more entertaining product. These shifts pushed WWE to become its most entertaining self, ushering in the Attitude Era.

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For as fondly as so many fans remember the Monday Night War era, there were a number of potentially great stars from that time who didn’t fit in with the edgier product either of the big promotions were pushing, or who were wrestling purists lost in the shuffle of bigger personalities. On the flip side, in the present era, there are a number of stars who are doing fine but may well have fit in better during that white-hot period twenty years ago. This article takes a look at five current wrestlers who would have been better in the Monday Night War era, and five past stars who’d be better off now.

10 10. Better Off In Monday Night War: Jon Moxley

From his WWE run as Dean Ambrose, to his outside efforts as Jon Moxley (including his current work with AEW) there is one consistent truth—the guy is skilled at portraying a violent, unhinged character. Moxley is arguably getting more of an opportunity to be himself these days, outside WWE’s current PG umbrella. However, during the Monday Night War, when blood flowed freely and it wasn’t unusual for profanity to come up in promos, Moxley truly could have been in his element.

Add on the man’s in-ring talent, and he could have worked classics opposite Steve Austin or Ric Flair. While he remains an upper-tier star in the business, working during the Monday Night War era might have made Moxley a legitimate household name.

9 9. Better Off Now: Billy Gunn

Billy Gunn was a top tag team star for much of his career, including the Monday Night War era when he went from half of the Smoking Gunns cowboy team to being the muscle of the New Age Outlaws. WWE eventually tried him out with a singles push that included winning the King of the Ring tournament and challenging The Rock, but he never quite clicked on his own.

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Gunn had the misfortune of coming of age when Steve Austin, The Rock, and Triple H were all emerging as all-time legends, with guys like The Undertaker, Mick Foley, Kane, and The Big Show occupying high profile spots just beneath them. While Gunn wouldn’t necessarily be the face of WWE were he in his prime today, he could likely garner a more sustained run as an upper card singles performer, and perhaps even garner a world title reign.

8 8. Better Off In Monday Night War: Mandy Rose

WWE’s Attitude Era saw its outlook on women’s wrestling morph. With Alundra Blayze and her era of the women’s title bygone, Sable revitalized women’s wrestling based on her sex appeal, which paved the way for more well-rounded in-ring talents like Trish Stratus, Lita, Ivory, and Molly Holly to come rise to the fore.

When Mandy Rose debuted, some critics were quick to dismiss her as just a pretty face, but she has shown steady improvement as a worker. In the Monday Night War years, she may well have garnered a spot right alongside Stratus and company in the Women’s Championship mix.

7 7. Better Off Now: Dean Malenko

Dean Malenko is widely respected as one of the greatest in-ring workers of all time. His size and limited mic skills put a ceiling on his career ambitions. That’s not to mention that his body had more mileage on it than other Cruiserweight stars like Eddie Guerrero, Chris Jericho, and Rey Mysterio when Malenko did garner a national spotlight with WCW.

Today, Malenko’s talent would almost certainly get him signed to his choice of NXT or AEW. Moreover, with guys like Daniel Bryan having paved the way, he might garner a serious chance in the upper card, if not the main event level.

6 6. Better Off In Monday Night War: The Miz

During his reality television rise to fame, The Miz made no bones about being a big WWE fan. That sensibility shows through his mic game feels more reflective of stars like The Rock most anyone else working today.

Miz’s big personality and work ethic did get him to the main event level for a time in WWE. In the Attitude Era, when he could have cut a little looser on his promos, Miz may have gotten a more sustained run at or around the top. His ring work, while respectable, seems to have limited his upper card potential in the modern era.

5 5. Better Off Now: Curt Hennig

Curt Hennig had the total package. He was a terrific in-ring technician, had a deceptively big body, was skilled on the mic, and had star looks. He garnered high profile runs in WWE and WCW, but it’s remarkable to think that his only claim to being world champion came in the latter days of AWA, when that title’s world championship status was a bit spurious.

Hennig largely fell victim to hitting his prime during the original Hulkamania run and thus never getting a chance to be the top guy in WWE. From there, while he remained a major star. During the Monday Night War, however, he was less attractive than fresher main event faces like The Rock in WWE or Diamond Dallas Page in WCW, let alone established top guys like Sting or The Undertaker.

4 4. Better Off In Monday Night War: EC3

There are ways in which EC3 has followed the ethos of the Monday Night War. After an uninspired run in WWE developmental as Derrick Bateman, he left for Impact Wrestling where he honed his craft and emerged a top-level star, before bouncing back to WWE. However, in WWE he quickly felt like a square peg trying to fit round holes. His limited technical game and emphasis on personality made him an awkward fit for NXT. On the main roster, he quickly got lost in the shuffle among other guys with impressive physiques and strong mic skills.

In the Monday Night War, when EC3 might have more legitimately leveraged equal, national promotions against each other, he may have had a much better opportunity to stand out and better his prospects when moving between brands.

3 3. Better Off Now: Madusa

Madusa had the misfortune of peaking when American wrestling put little to no emphasis on women’s wrestling. Her considerable talent got her featured valet roles with WCW and a run with the somen’s division anchored around her in WWE. However, over a period of years when neither company was prepared to really invest in building a roster of female talent, Madusa largely languished, underutilized.

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Had Madusa not burned bridges on her way out of WWE, perhaps she could have been a player during the years coming out of the Monday Night War, when stars like Trish Stratus, Lita, Victoria, and Mickie James were performing at a high level. She’d be best off now, though, if she were in her prime working talents like Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Sasha Banks.

2 2. Better Off In Monday Night War: The Authors Of Pain

AOP

The Authors of Pain are a big man tag team that can go in the ring. Perhaps WWE will circle back around to properly featuring them the way they garnered a spotlight in NXT. Up to the time of this writing, however, they have struggled to get screen time on the main roster.

Back in the Monday Night War era, the AOP may well have been a hot commodity as a team with a unique look, presentation, and set of physical assets. They might have made particularly compelling foils for powerhouse teams like The Road Warriors and The Steiner Brothers then.

1 1. Better Off Now: Owen Hart

Owen Hart was relegated to a supporting role for his first years with WWE, before he got his big chance with a heel turn opposite his brother Bret. Given the opportunity to show off his unique personality, The King of Harts became a cult favorite and a fringe main event guy who could hang with anyone in the ring and kill it in promos.

In today’s wrestling world, Hart’s relatively small size wouldn’t have been the same obstacle it was in the 1990s. Hart could realistically win a world title.

NEXT: 10 BIGGEST MOMENTS FROM THE MONDAY NIGHT WARS, RANKED