WWE has been around for nearly seven decades, and it is the lodestar of the professional wrestling business all around the world. Despite WWE being in the wrestling business for so long, the company became a household name beginning in the 1980s, which started the Golden Era.
While WWE had a couple of successful eras, the Golden Era opened up the opportunity to become a mainstream product. Officially starting back in 1982, the Golden Era lasted 11 years till 1993. Vince McMahon created many gigantic names of the professional wrestling business in this era, who defined the success of WWE in the coming years.
10 The Undertaker
The Undertaker's 30-year-long illustrious career saw him wrestle in different eras, including the Golden Era when he made his debut. While he was part of the era for only three years, he still made a notable impact.
The Deadman kept an unbeaten streak after making his debut in 1990. He won his maiden WWE Championship at the 1991 Survivor Series when he defeated Hulk Hogan.
9 Bret Hart
Even though Bret Hart reached the top as a main event Superstar in the New Generation Era, he still had a stupendous run in the Golden Era. Signing for WWE in 1984, Bret Hart was part of the roster for the majority of the Golden Era.
Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart dominated the tag team division in this era, as the Hart Foundation won the WWF Tag Team Championship twice. He started his singles run after The Hart Foundation was disbanded in 1991. Bret Hart not only won the Intercontinental Championship in the Golden Era but also the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
8 The Iron Sheik
While talking about the greatest heels in the history of the business, Iron Sheik's name should be at the top of the list. The Iranian Superstar entrenched himself as the first biggest bad guy from that era. Needless to say, Sheik was a reason why Hulk Hogan became the greatest babyface back then.
Sheik won the WWE World Heavyweight Title once in his career. Additionally, he also became a Tag Team Champion once with Nikolai Volkoff.
7 Ric Flair
Ric Flair spent the majority of his early days in NWA or later known as WCW. He, however, signed for WWE in 1991, spending just two years of his career in the Golden Era, which was his first run in Vince McMahon's company.
Being a big draw of the business, Nature Boy made a big statement in the Golden Era despite a short stint. He not only won the Royal Rumble match in 1992 but also won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship twice in this era.
6 Roddy Piper
Roddy Piper was certainly one of the more popular stars of WWE in the Golden Era, spending the full era in the company. From 1984 to 1996, he had a 12-year stint until he left for WCW.
Even though Roddy Piper was such a big name back in the day, he never won the WWE Championship. He won the Intercontinental Championship once. His talk show, Piper's Pit, was one of the greatest talk shows in WWE, and helped to start many great feuds.
5 Sgt. Slaughter
Sgt Slaughter had two different stints in WWE in the Golden Era, and he made his mark on both occasions. With a unique gimmick of a Vietnam War veteran, Slaughter got over immensely as a face. He was also an impressive bad guy in his second run in the early 90s.
Slaughter's rivalry with Hulk Hogan was one of the best feuds of the Golden Era. Apart from winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship once, he also main-evented WrestleMania VII.
4 The Ultimate Warrior
The Ultimate Warrior was one of the greatest babyfaces in the Golden Era, other than Hulk Hogan. Vince McMahon signed Warrior in 1986, and he spent five years there until the end of the Golden Era.
The Ultimate Warrior had outstanding feuds with the likes of The Undertaker and Hulk Hogan. He became the first man to hold the Intercontinental Championship and WWE Championship simultaneously at WrestleMania VI where he defeated Hulk Hogan in the main event for the world title.
3 Randy Savage
Regarded as one of the gigantic draws of the business, Randy Savage made the Golden Era memorable with his vibrant persona, wrestling ability, and promos. Savage had one stint in WWE that lasted 11 years in that era.
Savage had noteworthy accolades, as he won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship twice and the Intercontinental Championship once. He main-evented numerous WrestleManias in his career. Savage and his real-life wife as well as his manager, Miss Elizabeth, were known as the first iconic wrestling couple in WWE.
2 Andre the Giant
Known as the 'Eighth Wonder of the World', Andre the Giant helped WWE to bloom immensely in the Golden Era. Standing at over seven feet tall, he was a larger-than-life character on the screen.
Andre, meanwhile, was part of WWE even before the start of the Golden Era. His feud with Hulk Hogan was the biggest highlight of his career. While he won the WWE Tag Team Titles once, he also captured the WWE World Heavyweight Title once. Andre and Hulk Hogan main-evented WrestleMania III.
1 Hulk Hogan
Arguably the most significant name in the Golden Era, Hulk Hogan was not only the greatest star in that era but also one of the greatest ever to grace the WWE ring. Hulk was the face of WWE in the 1980s as well as early 1990s until he departed for WCW.
Being the most profitable name of the era, he headlined multiple pay-per-views and WrestleMania events. He won the WWE Championship five times in the Golden Era, and he also won the Royal Rumble matches in 1990 and 1991 respectively. Facing wrestlers like Randy Savage, Ultimate Warrior, Andre the Giant, and Iron Sheik, Hogan produced some legendary feuds.