Second and third-generation wrestlers have immense pressure to follow in their father's footsteps, but these wrestlers had no problem's stepping out of their father's shadows and carving out a very successful career for themselves in WWE.

There have been many outstanding second and third-generation wrestlers that have competed in WWE. Many fans think that these wrestlers shoot right to the top of the card because of their family name. However, reputation doesn't always breed success as some wrestlers have found it hard to follow in their fathers' footsteps.

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The likes of Ted DiBiase Jr, Curtis Axel, and Dustin Rhodes to some extent failed to surpass their fathers in becoming better wrestlers. Nevertheless, the very best of the second and third-generation wrestlers to grace a WWE ring went on to become main eventers and multiple-time WWE world champions. Although they are proud of what their fathers' achieved in the wrestling industry, these wrestlers generated enough star power to become major stars on their own.

10 Randy Orton

Randy Orton WWE World Heavyweight Champion Cropped

Randy Orton is one of the greatest third-generation wrestlers to compete in WWE. The 14-time WWE world champion is coming up to two decades in WWE next year, which is a testament to his longevity and greatness for being in the upper echelons for so long.

Orton's father is "Cowboy" Bob Orton, and his grandfather is Bob Orton Sr. "Cowboy" Bob got inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005, and he was a decent wrestler, but his son has easily surpassed him. The Viper's legacy is already cemented, and he battled with the likes of Triple H and John Cena for the biggest prizes in the business.

9 Mr. Perfect

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Two-time Intercontinental Champion Mr. Perfect had a knack for providing technical masterclasses throughout his illustrious career. Perfect's real name is Curt Hennig, and he is a second-generation wrestler as the son of Larry "The Axe" Henning.

Perfect formed a great alliance with Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, and they were the perfect double act when they worked alongside each other. His talent was superb, and he should have had a run as WWE Champion. Unfortunately, injuries plagued Hennig's WWE career, but he is still best remembered for being one of the all-time great Intercontinental Champions.

8 The Usos

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Part of the legendary Anoa'i Family, The Usos have gone on to become one of the best tag team champions of their generation. The current SmackDown Tag Team Champions are seven-time WWE Tag Team Champions, and they are the sons of WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi.

Whilst Rikishi did win the Intercontinental Championship and some Tag Team Championship reigns, The Usos are far more superior in-ring workers than their old man. The Usos have excelled as heels, and being a part of the Bloodline with their cousin Roman Reigns has added another layer to their characters.

7 Eddie Guerrero

Eddie Guerrero WWE Champion No Way Out 2004

The Guerrero Family has a rich lineage with producing many outstanding wrestlers. However, the pick of the bunch was Eddie Guerrero. Latino Heat may have been the youngest son of Gory Guerrero, but he was better than his brothers Chavo Classic, Mando, and Hector.

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Guerrero joined WWE in 2000 as a member of The Radicalz, but once he became a major star on his own, Eddie was universally loved by the fans. His ascension at No Way Out 2004, when he beat Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship, was one of the most emotional WWE world title victories in history. Eddie had great matches with the likes of Kurt Angle and Rey Mysterio which are still talked about to this day.

6 Bray Wyatt

Bray Wyatt WWE Champion

WWE may have missed the boat with Bray Wyatt as he was a victim of 50/50 bookings. The Eater of Worlds is a proud third-generation wrestler as his father is I.R.S. and his grandfather is Blackjack Mulligan.

Nevertheless, Wyatt is a former three-time WWE world champion as he won the coveted WWE Championship once and the Universal Championship twice. Wyatt had different iterations of his character, but something seemed off as he would always have questionable losses. However, Wyatt certainly had a better career in WWE than his dad, who was generally a tag team wrestler with Ted DiBiase.

5 Owen Hart

Owen Hart Cropped

The Hart family is another wrestling dynasty that produced tons of amazing wrestlers. Owen Hart was the youngest son of Stu Hart, but he had a lot of potential and charisma. Owen took his wrestling to the next level in 1994 when he feuded with his brother Bret, and he won the 1994 King of the Ring tournament.

The King of Harts was an exceptional heel, and he was more than worthy of winning the WWE Championship. Hart never attained the top prize in WWE, but he was a two-time Intercontinental Champion and he was one of the biggest stars in the New Generation era. Sadly, he prematurely died in 1999, but fans and wrestlers alike enjoy going back to revisit some of Owen's greatest matches.

4 The Rock

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It wasn't plain sailing for The Rock after he made his debut at Survivor Series 1996. Fans rejected Rock as Rocky Maivia, but he paid homage to his father Rocky Johnson and his grandfather "High Chief" Peter Maivia. Moreover, Rock was always destined for greatness, but he had to overcome bumps in the road.

RELATED: 10 Things Most Fans Forget About The Rock's Career

Rock's true calling came when he turned heel and joined the Nation of Domination. Rock was an outstanding heel with his persona shining through on the mic. His in-ring abilities have always been great, which is why Rock went on to become a 10-time world champion. Rock surpassed his dad with ease, and he has taken Hollywood by storm as one of the greatest actors in that industry.

3 Bret Hart

Bret Hart Survivor Series 1992 Cropped

Owen Hart wasn't the only member of the Hart family to make their father proud, Bret "Hitman" Hart was arguably the most successful son of Stu Hart's. Undeniably, the Excellence of Execution was one of the most influential wrestlers in WWE in the '90s with his style of wrestling.

Hart did a tremendous job as the face of the company, and his matches with Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin elevated both men to become main eventers in WWE. It didn't matter if Hart was a babyface or a heel, he always knew how to tear a house down.

2 Randy Savage

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The emergence of "Macho Man" Randy Savage in WWE saw him become of the most successful wrestlers in the mid-80's and early '90s. It's easy to forget that Savage is a second-generation wrestler as he was barely mentioned as one. Savage's father Angelo Poffo also has a wealth of experience in professional wrestling, but Savage was far better than his dad.

If it wasn't for Hulk Hogan, Savage may have had more than two WWE Championship reigns in his cabinet. Savage's Intercontinental Championship run, which lasted for 414 days, showed the brilliance that Savage had and his match with Ricky Steamboat at WrestleMania III is often regarded as one of the all-time great matches in the history of WrestleMania.

1 Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns Universal Champion Cropped

Roman Reigns may not be everyone's cup of tea, but the Tribal Chief is the Head of the Table for a reason. Reigns is one of the most successful members of the Anoa'i family, and he is the son of Sika, who was a part of the legendary Wild Samoans with his uncle Afa.

Fans had rejected Reigns as he was shoved down their throats, being groomed to become the new face of WWE. Moreover, turning heel was one of the best things that happened to Reigns in 2020. He is the second longest-reigning Universal Champion in WWE history and closing in on Brock Lesnar's 504 days with the title. Reigns' in-ring work and mic skills have drastically improved, and while aligning himself with Paul Heyman, it has been great to see these two former rivals walk side by side.