WWE has scarcely been shy of family legacies being carried on by their younger generations, as families such as the Flairs, the Mysterios, and the Harts have been in or around the market-leading pro wrestling group for decades. Further down the card, though, sit those forgotten generational talents, whether they’re forgotten because their ancestors didn’t reach mainstream success or because they have failed to carry on their family mantle.

Second and third-generation talents have been imperative to WWE’s continued success. Even today, Jacob Fatu, ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio, and Charlotte Flair have continued to make their families proud – and they’re not the only ones.

The following list of WWE wrestlers which includes active in-ring talent only (so no Ava or Tamina, for example), will be ranked based on in-ring skill, character effectiveness, and drawing ability.

27 Brooks Jensen Has Struggled To Find Himself

Brooks Jensen’s Father: Bull Buchanan

Admittedly, Brooks Jensen doesn’t share a particularly great family tree; Bull Buchanan was a WWE wrestler for four years, but he failed to make an impact. His son has inherited that trait, too, as the second-generation Buchanan has failed to find himself in NXT over the past three years. A now-defunct partnership with Josh Briggs was fun, if inconsequential, while his current (kayfabe) storyline of being fired has been lackadaisical.

26 Uriah Connors Remains A WWE Prospect

Uriah Connors’ Father: Fit Finlay

It’s almost unfair to include the 22-year-old Uriah Connors among some of the all-time greats but alas, he is a third-generation pro wrestler, being the youngest son of long-time WWE backstage staffer, Finlay. He signed with the company in late 2023 and his televised appearances have been largely confined to the C-level NXT LVL UP, though a recent Main Event outing, which has often been viewed as a gateway to the main roster, suggests WWE sees big things in Uriah’s future.

25 Lexis King Should Be A Bigger Star

Lexis King’s Father: Brian Pillman

A direct descendant of a talker and worker as prolific as the late Brian Pillman shouldn’t have had any qualms about making it big in WWE – unless you’re Lexis King. King, 31, came to NXT in 2023 following a lengthy, yet meaningless stint with All Elite Wrestling. Immediately denouncing his deceased father, Lexis seemed destined for the big-time, that was until he lost to Carmelo Hayes in his first NXT Premium Live Event attraction.

Subsequent losses to Oba Femi, Dragon Lee, and Riley Osborne left Lexis King in the lower midcard of WWE developmental, a spot he is destined to maintain for the foreseeable future.

24 Tonga Loa Has Become A Laughingstock

Tonga Loa’s Father: Haku

Tonga Loa should count himself immensely fortunate that he comes from a predominantly Samoan heritage as, without it, he would be at the front of the unemployment queue. Indeed, Loa is a terrible in-ring worker whose art of botching has made him the laughingstock of the main roster.

He originally debuted in WWE over a decade before his reemergence, though, as he portrayed Camacho, the oft-forgotten muscle to Hunico. Even then, his misfortunes between the ropes were evident.

23 Arianna Grace Has Shown Some Promise

Arianna Grace’s Father: Santino Marella

Arianna Grace arrived in NXT while the promotion was undergoing a significant facelift following the euphoria of its Black and Gold excellence. Gone were Rhea Ripley, Shayna Baszler, and Bianca Belair, and in their place were Roxanne Perez, Cora Jade, and Nikkita Lyons, who were pushed heavily as part of NXT’s next generation. This, in turn, left Arianna fighting for a spot to fit in – but she’s shown immense progress in the past two years.

A new role as the on-screen liaison between NXT and TNA, where her father, Santino Marella, sits in the Director of Authority seat, has fitted her nicely thus far. So long as she stays on track in-ring-wise, she’ll take over NXT once the Roxanne Perez’ and Cora Jades have moved on.

22 Carlito Has Undergone A Major Fall From Grace

Carlito’s Father: Carlos Colon

Carlito was rarely an uber-popular talent, however, his euphoric Backlash 2023 comeback, an event which emanated from his native Puerto Rico, told you otherwise. The jacked second-generation talent returned in front of an audience who cherished him and his family’s contributions to the nation’s pro wrestling scene and, in turn, vocalized to WWE executives that Carlito deserved a second run.

He was indeed re-signed to WWE and made his official return at that October’s Fastlane – but this wasn’t the same Carlito who had appeared five months earlier. Gone was the panache and enthusiasm, and in their place was a man cashing his checks. Now bizarrely a part of The Judgment Day, Carlito’s days are spent looking up at the rafters, doing the job for Damian Priest, Braun Strowman, and Jey Uso, to name but a few.

21 Berto Has Achieved Nothing In WWE

Berto’s Father: Humberto Garza Jr.

Berto – the former Humberto Carrillo – may currently be a non-factor on WWE programming, but his origin story in the sports entertainment empire seemingly had him lined up as this generation’s de-facto Lucha babyface. He arrived on the main roster in style after less than a year in NXT, tangling with the likes of then-Universal Champion Seth Rollins and then-United States Champion AJ Styles from the off.

Things quickly turned sour for him, though, and he now resides on SmackDown as part of Santos Escobar’s Legado del Fantasma unit. His cousin, Angel (Garza), has accomplished slightly more than he has.

20 Angel Is A Former NXT Cruiserweight Champion

Angel’s Uncle: Hector Garza

Signing with WWE shortly after his cousin did, the once-named Angel Garza wasted little time making a name for himself under the bright lights of the NXT Arena, toppling Lio Rush for the now-defunct Cruiserweight Championship six months after he debuted. A brief reign it may have been, the suddenness of the title swap and the fact it had been placed on a talent like Angel left the second-generation performer carrying himself like a champion.

Similarly to Berto, losing the championship a month later marked the end of Angel Garza’s WWE success. He has been cast in numerous alliances ever since, his current being in the aforementioned Legado del Fantasma faction.

19 Carmella Has Been Consistently Good, Not Great

Carmella’s Father: Paul Van Dale

While Carmella’s father, Paul Van Dale, may not be a name that stands out as much as other established stars, ‘Mella remains a second-generation talent; her dad was a wrestler himself and worked a handful of enhancement matches for WWE. Carmella has brought endless success to the Van Dale family name, having been a six-time champion in WWE and winner of the inaugural women’s Money in the Bank match.

‘The Princess of Staten Island’ has been an average in-ring worker, which shines through exponentially in an era in which workrate is at its highest value. Good matches have come her way, and she has been somewhat popular for much of her run, but she’ll never be a world-class performer as long as Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair are on the same payroll.

18 Dragon Lee’s WWE Failing Isn’t His Fault

Dragon Lee’s Father: La Bestia Del Ring

News breaking in December 2022 that Dragon Lee had opted to put his eggs in WWE’s basket brought both confusion and excitement. Lee had already wrestled a handful of matches for AEW and seemed destined to land there full-time, plus WWE hasn’t held a strong track record when it comes to their handling of top international prospects .

That mishandling continued with the masked descendant of La Bestia del Ring. Following a relatively positive NXT run that included a North American Championship reign, Dragon Lee is now no more than a part of the furniture on Monday Night RAW, blindly chucked into The LWO on account of him being Latino. Lee remains a decent worker – when he gets a chance to display it.

17 Jimmy Uso Has Struggled On His Own

Jimmy Uso’s Father: Rikishi

The dissolution of The Usos at SummerSlam 2023 was a breakup thirteen years in the making, but its fallout was nothing short of embarrassing. A brotherly feud in early 2024 was fine and provided some intense moments, however, their WrestleMania 40 showdown was one of the worst in history. Jimmy’s subsequent exile from The Bloodline was justified following this.

While the leaner Uso brother is currently inactive, it’s easy to assess him as a singles act in comparison to his brother. Jey has flourished on his lonesome, becoming a legitimate household name, whereas Jimmy remains in the shadow of those he is associated with.

16 Natalya Is A WWE Lifer

Natalya’s Father: Jim Neidhart

With a WWE tenure spanning almost two decades, six Guinness World Records for WWE success, and family ties to Bret Hart, Natalya has certainly lived up to the success that was forecast for her upon lacing her first pair of boots. Debuting on the main roster on the post-WrestleMania SmackDown in 2008, ‘The Queen of Harts’ has remained a devoted WWE staffer, always on hand to help a new talent emerge.

From a talent perspective, Natalya lacks the fire needed to stand out and, therefore, has become something of a background actor. You know she’s there, but there’s no incentive to care. A shame, given the esteemed legacy she follows.

15 Solo Sikoa Has Been A Failed Main Event Project

Solo Sikoa’s Father: Rikishi

Had Solo Sikoa not been awkwardly bulldozed into the role once held by Roman Reigns, he would’ve ranked higher; his in-ring work isn’t terrible, he’s a believable brute force whose Samoan heritage shines through on the constant, and his character work pre-Bloodline 2.0 was exceptional.

The issue is that he indeed is the new Roman Reigns, much to the behest of viewers. As good as he may be, Solo Sikoa is nowhere near the level of Reigns, with Triple H’s incessant main event push of Sikoa being akin to that of Vince McMahon’s pre-‘Tribal Chief’ handling of Reigns.

14 Charlie Dempsey Has Been A Superb NXT Act

Charlie Dempsey’s Father: William Regal

Charlie Dempsey’s biggest weakness is that he has outlived his stay in NXT. The son of one of the finest technical practitioners ever in wrestling would shine on the main roster if called up – which puts into question why, exactly, he remains in NXT. Dempsey has the basics down to a tee, is a decent enough promo, and has an in-ring skillset that many RAW and SmackDown wrestlers lack .

At just 27-years-old, Dempsey is lightyears ahead of many of his NXT peers, and with a handful of Main Event rubs having come his way, it should only be a matter of time before the NXT Heritage Cup Champion trades the cup in for pastures new.

13 Bo Dallas Is Still Finding His Feet As Uncle Howdy

Bo Dallas’ Father: Mike Rotunda

Bo Dallas’ initial portrayal of the Uncle Howdy persona during the final months of the late Bray Wyatt’s career was questionable. Dallas, who had previously been cast as a happy-go-lucky babyface, struggled to settle into the role of a spooky supernatural creation from the mind of The Fiend, but he got there – in 2024.

Dallas’ return to WWE following the tragic passing of his brother was met with great acclaim, as he took up the reigns of The Wyatt Sicks, continuing Bray’s legacy with a beautiful depiction of his eerie creations. Being flanked by a gaggle of performers comfortable performing as such characters has helped Bo massively, as while he may not quite be on the level of Bray Wyatt, he’s so near to reaching the same pedestal Windham Rotunda was on.

12 Andrade’s Second WWE Run Hasn’t Been Incredible

Andrade’s Father: Brillante

Andrade would’ve been ranked far lower here had it not been for his recent incredible series of matches on SmackDown vs. Carmelo Hayes. ‘El Idolo’ and ‘HIM’ have immense chemistry together that has seen them carry the blue brand in-ring-wise, delivering the style of feud that WWE traditionally flounders at executing.

Outside the Hayes rivalry, though, Andrade’s second WWE stint hasn’t been anything to write home about. He got a sizable pop upon his Royal Rumble comeback and had a featured match at WrestleMania 40, but his winning of the WWE Speed Championship, a title that is the modern equivalent of the 24/7 Championship in terms of its importance, has pinpointed exactly where WWE executives view him; a mid-card lifer.

11 Tama Tonga Has Been An Excellent Bloodline Addition

Tama Tonga’s Adopted Father: Haku

WWE’s presentation of the new Bloodline incarnation in the ruins of WrestleMania 40 has been mixed, though it began on a hot note with the acquisition of Tama Tonga. Long rumored to be WWE-bound, Tonga arrived on SmackDown’s post-‘Mania broadcast, viciously assaulting and exiling Jimmy Uso to the same degree that the original Bloodline had done to many rivals.

Tonga has remained a good hand between the ropes, too, wrestling some decent matches in the King of the Ring tournament, and brought the WWE Tag Team Championship back to The Bloodline pre-SummerSlam. Tonga would be viewed higher within the group’s ranks, had it not been for the June 2024 addition of Jacob Fatu; nonetheless, Tama Tonga has been a great signing.

10 Ludwig Kaiser Has Shone In 2024

Ludwig Kaiser’s Father: Axel Dieter

Traditionally, when a wrestling stable is formed , it is to present one name as the star, with lackeys around them to take the beatings and pinfalls. That was originally the case with Imperium, as Gunther is the group’s prime focus, and Ludwig Kaiser, Giovanni Vinci, and Axel Tischer were the fall guys.

In 2024, though, after ending a six-year alliance with Vinci, Ludwig Kaiser has shone as Gunther’s right-hand man and as a singles act. His pursuit of the Intercontinental Championship that ‘The Ring General’ made famous again made for excellent programming, and, again, his positioning alongside Gunther, rather than in his shadow, has brought newfound credibility to Imperium, leading them to become a top act on Monday Night RAW.

Jey Uso’s Father: Rikishi

Though not without his misfortunes, Jey Uso has been an immense highlight of The Bloodline’s main event domination. Beginning his time in the stable’s history as the inaugural challenger to Roman Reigns’ career-defining arc as ‘The Tribal Chief’, Uso transformed into a legitimate headline attraction. His in-ring work transcended the already incredible body of work he had produced, and his abilities with a microphone in hand became some of WWE’s best.

Breaking free from the group in 2023 brought him mixed results. Ugly matches vs. Roman Reigns and Jimmy Uso yielded bad publicity for Jey’s in-ring skill level, but a brief partnership with Cody Rhodes – which resulted in their instantly iconic Fastlane 2023 presser – elevated him back to a marquee spot. Now some four years on from The Bloodline’s origins, ‘Main Event Jey’ is riding high as WWE Intercontinental Champion.

8 Dominik Mysterio Was WWE’s Top Villain For A Lengthy Spell

Dominik Mysterio’s Father: Rey Mysterio

Dominik Mysterio turning heel on his father, Rey, was forecast from the second Dominik became a contracted WWE wrestler. When it happened, though, there was no telling the level of heat coming ‘Dirty Dom’s’ way. He metamorphosized from a boring, generic babyface into the epitome of what all good pro wrestling heels should be.

He’s become a solid wrestler as well, as his two spells as NXT North American Champion proved throughout 2023. Enjoyable matches with Wes Lee, Trick Williams, and Dragon Lee came his way, all while he was changing the stable game on Monday Night RAW with The Judgment Day, and now, with Liv Morgan by his side, Dom remains at the forefront of WWE’s villain list.