The wrestling boom of the 1980s, the much-loved antics of the Attitude era, right up until todays current PG-rated productthe history of the WWE has been defined by a number of pivotal eras. Of course, there are plenty more than just those three, with the company tracing its roots all the way back to the early 1950s. But these eras didnt simply enter the history books by their own accord. In order for each noteworthy period to have achieved the level of success that it did, a number of ingredients were necessary. There needed to be the right bookers and promoters, capable of changing the game accordingly. There needed to be the right fans to help further the legacy of their favourite characters and gimmicks. But most importantly, there needed to be the right talent. Talent with the qualities to break the mould. Talent with the credentials to lead from the front. Talent with the ability to define a generation. But which of all these pioneering stars has been the most influential of all? This article looks to answer exactly that by taking a holistic view of the WWEs history, identifying some of the most pivotal eras and highlighting the ten key names who defined those generations. Taking a chronological view of events, we must go back to the companys earliest days to find our first generation-definer.
