WWE’s Biggest Icons & Their Impact On The Wrestling World

Out of all of the different sports and entertainment circuits in the world, WWE can perhaps be considered the best when it comes to producing worldwide sensations and celebrities.

There are countless stars who got their start in WWE then branched out afterwards and now enjoy a life of luxury as actors, influencers or entrepreneurs. But who are the biggest WWE stars, and what impact did they have on the wrestling world? Well, let’s find out. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the biggest WWE icons and the impact they were able to have on the world of wrestling.

Batista

No article discussing the biggest modern WWE stars would be complete without mention of Batista. Batista had a long and notorious career that lasted decades. Batista was particularly known for his impressive, intimidating physique that he developed during his bodybuilding days before joining the WWE. He was also known for his no-nonsense attitude and dominance both inside and outside the ring. Not only was Batista one of the top WWE stars for years, he even created his own move that is now commonplace in wrestling; the Batista bomb. After WWE, Batista transitioned to Hollywood and became a respected actor, but that doesn’t mean he forgot his time with the WWE. Batista continually refers back to his days as a wrestler – he recently gifted a producer of a new film he is working on a personalized World Heavyweight Championship belt, the same version he won while competing in WWE.

The Rock

Next up, we have The Rock. This wrestler is so interconnected with WWE that he is often the first person people think of when they imagine popular WWE stars. The Rock is primarily known today for being an ultra-celebrity, being featured in countless Hollywood films and having millions of followers on social media. However, Dwayne Johnson originally rose to fame through WWE, where he was a fan favorite who routinely drew in new viewers and boosted the popularity of the promotion. In fact, it’s not a stretch to say that The Rock played an integral role in bringing WWE into the mainstream. Dwayne was one of the first wrestlers to star in Hollywood movies. Perhaps the most notable of these was The Mummy, where he played a villainous half-scorpion, half-man that captivated audiences and exhilarated children. This helped to give legitimacy to WWE, and while there are other stars who have managed to branch out after being a wrestler, The Rock is perhaps the most famous of them all.

During The Rock’s time, WWE skyrocketed in popularity, with many people referring to it as the golden age of wrestling. More sponsors entered the fray, more fans tuned in, and gambling circuits and sportsbooks became commonplace. It’s no coincidence that the search term “how to bet on sports” peaked during the same time period The Rock was on top of the world. The impact that The Rock had on the wrestling world cannot be understated. Without Dwayne Johnson, the world of WWE may never have experienced the same levels of success that it did during those golden years. While Dwayne Johnson is now seen as more of an celebrity and movie star rather than a wrestler, he still looks back fondly on his WWE days and acknowledges how important they were for catapulting him into stardom.

John Cena

There is nothing more to say about John Cena that hasn’t already been said. Everyone knows John Cena – even your grandma is likely familiar with the name. John Cena is not only one of the most famous WWE stars but he’s also one of the most famous celebrities on the planet. John Cena comes from humble beginnings. At the start, he was just a likable wrestler that everyone enjoyed watching for his antics and “never give up” attitude. However, John Cena’s stardom got taken to a whole new level in 2002 and onwards with his famous phrase: “You can’t see me”. This catchphrase and the accompanying hand gesture quickly spread across the globe and made John Cena a global sensation. This reached far beyond just wrestling fans – even people who had never heard of WWE knew about John Cena and his catchphrase. This turned out to be incredibly beneficial for the WWE. At a time when the promotion was already experiencing tremendous growth thanks to stars like The Rock and Batista, John Cena’s worldwide appeal brought even more people to WWE and significantly contributed to its growth. Today, John Cena is one of the biggest Hollywood actors in the world, but like Dwayne, he also acknowledges just how important his WWE days were. He’s also an avid philanthropist who works with several charities and organizations that help people all across the world.

The Undertaker

Last but not least, we have The Undertaker. Unlike most other WWE icons, The Undertaker is primarily famous for being a wrestling star. This still rings true today – most people know of The Undertaker because of his notoriety in WWE. This is a testament to just how popular and successful he was in WWE – even after featuring in a handful of movies and being in the public eye for decades, most people only know this wrestler because of WWE. It’s hard to accurately explain just how important The Undertaker has been for the WWE. Even decades after the golden years of WWE, many of us still get giddy when we hear his classic walkout theme. There has never been a wrestler quite like The Undertaker. While most of WWE revolves primarily around theatrics and trash talk, The Undertaker was all business. It was rare if not unheard of for this wrestler to even say a word.

To many of us, there was something uniquely appealing about The Undertaker that filled us with excitement and intrigue to see what was going to happen next. While the impact The Undertaker had on the wrestling world can’t be measured, it’s undeniable that he is one of the most influential wrestlers ever. During his career that spanned multiple decades, he was almost always the highlight of most storylines. He was almost more of a legend rather than a regular wrestler, and because of this as well as many other factors, he had fans everywhere exploding with excitement whenever he entered the ring.

We hope this trip down memory lane has given you a better insight into some of the biggest WWE stars and how they affected the wrestling world. WWE has given birth to some of the most famous celebrities on the planet, and the effects they have had on wrestling cannot be understated. Some of these stars captivated entire generations – names like John Cena and The Undertaker have even transcended barriers and become known worldwide.