The Attitude Era featured every new wrestler joining the company looking to break out and become a star. Opportunities were given to anyone gaining momentum enough to get over and make a name during the controversial time. Unfortunately, not everyone was able to find that level of relevance in the promotion.
WWE made the Attitude Era feel like the perfect time to take risks and experiment with ways to get over. Those risks didn’t always work out as some names never once felt important in the bigger picture. Fans didn’t connect in the way that is typically required for talents to get to the next level. WWE saw the following wrestlers from the Attitude Era never once being relevant.
9 Steve Williams
Jim Ross being a close confidant to “Dr. Death” Steve Williams saw him getting a WWE contract with plans for a huge push. The Brawl for All was even designed for Williams to steamroll over the others since he had a great fighting background.
Rumors of a feud against Steve Austin was going to come if he won the entire tournament, but a shocking loss basically ruined his career. Anything Williams did after that felt insignificant as the company lost faith and led to a faster release without ever being relevant in WWE.
8 Dan Severn
Another wrestler with a fighting background to join WWE during the Attitude Era was Dan Severn. WWE wanted to have an NWA faction of wrestlers representing the brand with former WCW ties managed by Jim Cornette.
Severn was the most credible wrestlers with names like Jeff Jarrett, Bart Gunn, Bob Holly and the Rock n Roll Express all following Cornette’s leadership. Unfortunately, nothing worked for Severn who always came off as an afterthought. Not even follow up feuds with Ken Shamrock and Steve Blackman could get him over in time.
7 Brakkus
The look and weightlifting competition background of Brakkus saw him getting a few opportunities in WWE. Vince McMahon tried to take it slow with Brakkus since he had no wrestling experience before WWE and couldn’t pick it up quickly towards the end of the New Generation Era.
Brakkus was sent to ECW for a learning experience as part of the working relationship with WWE at the time. McMahon tried to use Brakkus again in the Attitude Era, and the same problems continued. Fans didn’t care one bit about Brakkus despite his massive physique.
6 Essa Rios
One common issue for WWE was their light heavyweight division always failing compared to the WCW success they tried to copy. Essa Rios became the new face pushed in the division as Light Heavyweight Champion with Lita as his manager.
The fans clearly only cared about Lita as this turned into another Marc Mero/Sable situation where Rios couldn’t get over as much. WWE eventually having them split up led to Lita having a huge push, while Essa faded away into obscurity.
5 Viscera
The New Generation Era stint of Mabel ended badly when he was fired shortly after winning the King of the Ring and flopping in a main event role injuring others. WWE brought him back during the Attitude Era under the name Viscera. The Undertaker needed some familiar names to join his Ministry of Darkness faction.
Viscera getting added to the group helped him hold a roster spot down for a few years, but he always felt like a background player when the team needed bodies. WWE primarily had Viscera in forgettable hardcore division segments after the Ministry of Darkness disbanded.
4 Bull Buchanan
Bull Buchanan was placed into various roles as someone added to the roster for depth in the Attitude Era. The Big Boss Man forming a tag team with Buchanan and mentoring him saw the fans refusing to care about either man.
WWE did a solid job with the Right to Censor act getting huge heat, but Buchanan was the least relevant member that rarely spoke. The entire stint of Bull went by without the ability to make an impact. John Cena even tried adding Buchanan as a bodyguard during the era change, and that was his final chance before a release.
3 Shawn Stasiak
WWE tried to give Shawn Stasiak a few different characters that never worked in the Attitude Era. The first chance using his real name saw him trying to live up to the legacy of his father and former WWE Champion Stan Stasiak.
A slow start caused a massive pivot to a wilder character named Meat at the love slave to Terri Runnels. Neither worked, and inspired him jumping ship to WCW. Stasiak returned at the end of the Attitude Era and tried the absurd Planet Stasiak character that portrayed him as a fool, but most fans still didn’t care.
2 Tiger Ali Singh
The history of WWE has seen some successful acts being recycled and used again. However, it can also blow up in one’s face as seen with Tiger Ali Singh. WWE tried to give Singh the same exact gimmick as Ted DiBiase playing a rich heel paying fans to do embarrassing things.
Everyone could see the act was a rip off and not as innovative in the Attitude Era. WWE eventually moved Singh into a managing role for the tag team of Chaz and D-Lo Brown. All three wrestlers suffered since Tiger wasn’t over enough to lead his own group.
1 Bart Gunn
The Smoking Gunns tag team ending saw Billy Gunn finding more success in the New Age Outlaws and D-Generation X. Bart Gunn didn’t have the same fate when trying to find his ideal role to remain part of the WWE world long term.
The shocking Brawl for All tournament should have helped, but fans still didn’t care. Most fans rooted for boxer Butterbean to knock him out at WrestleMania 15. WWE placed Bart into a tag team with Bob Holly as the New Midnight Express, and it failed badly.