WWE History Vol. 27: Hulk Hogan's Successors

#4. Bret 'The Hitman' Hart

Bret 'The Hitman' Hart as WWE World Champion

Bret Hart had reigned as a transitional champion, but after Luger's failure to catch on with fans, the WWE decided to throw their full weight behind him as the face of the company.

A big impetus for this change was the Royal Rumble held in 1994. Luger and Hart both double eliminated each other, with two different officials raising their arms. When Hart's arm was raised, the cheers were enormous. Luger's reactions were far more subdued.

Hart would recapture the WWE Championship from Yokozuna at WrestleMania that year, finally becoming the face of the company.

What happened next: The Hitman would dominate the World Championship picture in WWE for the next five years, racking up an impressive five reigns and defeating a veritable who's who of the wrestling world at the time.

While Hart would never measure up to Hulk Hogan in terms of popularity, both with wrestling fandom and the mainstream media, his rock solid technical performances are fondly remembered by fans from the era, and his stewardship of WWE is generally regarded as a success.

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#5. Stone Cold Steve Austin

Stone Cold Steve Austin at the height of his popularity

Bret Hart would eventually leave the WWE for rival WCW in the much ballyhooed aftermath of the Montreal Screwjob. The next biggest star in the company, Shawn Michaels, was struggling with lasting injuries and personal issues, so he could not be the new face of WWE.

In the aftermath of the Screwjob, Vince McMahon decided that wrestling should evolve to reflect changing social consciousness. All American do gooders were the past, and fans liked grittier, edgier characters in other forms of media. Even Superman grew out his hair and listened to heavy metal during this era, and wrestling needed to adapt.

To that end, Stone Cold Steve Austin became the antihero face of the WWE's Attitude era, eschewing prayers, training, and vitamins for cursing, middle fingers, and beer.

What happened next: Finally, the WWE had a bonafide Superstar on their hands as the face of the company. Steve Austin was LUDICROUSLY over during the Attitude Era. If Steve Austin had said "if you want me to sit down in the ring and read a newspaper for twenty minutes, give me a Hell Yeah", the fans would have responded in the positive.

He racked up multiple Championship reigns, and other than a botched heel turn, he was the most popular Superstar in the WWE during his era, possibly in all of wrestling as well. Unfortunately, nagging neck injuries forced him to retire from active competition, but there's little doubt he helped WWE win the ratings war against WCW.