10 WWE Superstars that were precursors to the Attitude Era

#2 Vader

The Man They Call Vader

The first man to unofficially break the "no touching" rule for WWE authority figures, Vader burst onto the promotion's scene in early 1996 by knocking then-President Gorilla Monsoon off television.

The Mastodon was one of the more physical wrestlers of this New Generation time period and his work often pushed the envelope, leaving many fans questioning if what they saw was real. Ahead of his time, Vader gave many fans a taste of "Attitude" well before it became the company's slogan.

In addition to the total destruction of WWE's President, Vader's physicality led to several memorable moments during the pre-Attitude era. Who could forget his stellar performance as a bloody mess at In Your House: Final Four or the brutally-stiff debut match of Ken Shamrock from May 1997's In Your House?

While the Attitude Era began in late-1997, Vader had attitude well ahead of, as Vince McMahon called it, "a far more innovative and contemporary creative campaign".