dd23beatlesfan1
Getting Noticed By Management
For many fans, 1997 is considered to be one of the greatest years in the history of professional wrestling, especially on the American side.
WCW was at the very peak of it's powers with the NWO storyline as red-hot as ever, the rise of DDP, and the ongoing NWO feud with Sting. Goldberg's streak began, and the stars of the cruiserweight division were putting on 5 star matches on a weekly basis. WCW was the hottest and biggest wrestling organization in America (if not the world) at that point.
ECW officially entered the echelon of top pro wrestling organizations by going to ppv for the first time, with their edgy, groundbreaking product. Feuds like Tazz and Sabu, the rise of Rob Van Dam, the feel-good comeback of Terry Funk, and the dominance of Shane Douglas and his stable the Triple Threat made ECW a can't miss show.
The WWF, from a business standpoint was by many accounts in bad shape, as they were still on their 4-5 year decline, to the point many insiders feel they almost went out of business. They had the lowest drawing WM in history with WM 13. But by the Summer, things began to turn around, and by the end of the year, the WWF was on the threshold of getting back their throne as the top wrestling organization. This was thanks to what many critics and fans feel to be the greatest year in the history of WWE from a creative standpoint. The rise of Stone Cold and Mick Foley onto borderline main event status, as well as the rise of Triple H and the Rock, Bret Hart's career renaissance as a heel in America and babyface everywhere else, Shawn Michaels' antics throughout the year which led to the formation of D-Generation X, the Undertaker getting a long overdue and deserved run with the WWF Championship, the debut of Kane, as well as the birth of the Mr. McMahon character, made for an amazing year from a creative standpoint. The WWF also had arguably the two greatest matches in the company's history in the same year, Bret Hart and Stone Cold at WM 13, and the first ever Hell in a Cell Match between the Undertaker and Shawn Michaels.
The question I pose to everyone on this thread/poll is who do you think was the greatest pro wrestler in 1997? Whichever criteria you use in judging the greatest pro wrestler is up to you. Do you value who drew the most money and ratings? Do you value who had the most charisma and great mic skills? Do you value in-ring work and amount of 5 star matches? Do you value how important and influential they were to the wrestling business in that particular year? Do you value who garnered the most mainstream press and media coverage for wrestling? Or a combination of all those factors? Or other things? Whatever your criteria is, who, in your mind, was the greatest pro wrestler for 1997.
Again, I specifically state 1997, that is the only time period that this thread is about. If Hulk Hogan is your choice, then what he did in the WWF in the 80's bears no weight on this particular subject. This is only for Hulk Hogan's work in 1997. Same with all the other options. What they would go on to do, or what they did before 1997 does not matter one bit. This is all about a wrestler's work in 1997.
Also, this is only for the American promotions, mainly WWE, WCW, and ECW. Wrestlers from other countries (Canada, Mexico, Japan, etc.) that wrestled in these organizations (Rey Mysterio, Bret Hart, Ultimo Dragon, Konnan, etc.) are eligible, but wrestlers from other countries that wrestled in foreign companies exclusively (Mitsuharu Misawa, The Great Muta, etc.) are not eligible for this particular discussion. I have an "Other" option listed, but here are some of the lead candidates....
Bret Hart: Bret Hart had arguably the finest year of his career in 1997, as he was never better on the mic, he had the most interesting character of his career with his innovative duel heel/babyface Anti-American role. He was also still at his peak from an in-ring standpoint, including having arguably the greatest match in WWE history at WM 13 with Stone Cold Steve Austin. And though it was only for a brief time, thanks to the Montreal Screwjob at Survivor Series 1997, Bret was the hottest star in the business at the end of 1997.
Dean Malenko: Dean might seem like an odd choice at first, but he truly had a stellar year. He was the anchor and focal point (along with Rey Mysterio) of WCW's crusierweight division, providing the technical wrestling style in cruiserweight matches in contrast with the lucha-libre-influenced high flying style of others. He was also ranked No. 1 in Pro Wrestling Illustrated's PWI 500 list, at a time when that achievement still mattered.
Diamond Dallas Page: DDP was unquestionably WCW's breakout star for 1997. While other WCW veterans like Sting and Lex Luger had major career revivals, DDP became one of the hottest and most popular stars in the business thanks to an amazing series of matches with Randy Savage and as one of the leading babyfaces to stand up to the NWO. DDP also got over thanks to his "Diamond Cutter" finishing move and the many innovative ways he implemented the move in his matches. He also quietly built up quite a catalog of great matches on Nitro throughout the year.
Hollywood Hogan: Sure, by this point, Hogan was stinking out the joint more than having solid matches, but Hogan was still, by far, the No. 1 heel in the business during 1997. He still dominated the world title scene and was still the biggest wrestler in the mainstream at this point. Hogan, as the leader of the NWO, was the focal point for the most popular wrestling organization in the world at this point.
Rey Mysterio Jr.: There was no wrestler in the business, that was more innovative in the ring, at this point in time, than Rey Mysterio Jr. He was the lead babyface in the cruiserweight division, and he more than anyone else made the cruiserweight division "must see television" which played a major role in causing WCW to dominate the WWF in the ratings. Rey had arguably the match of the year with Eddie Guerrero at Halloween Havoc that year, a match that served as the apex of the cruiserweight division in WCW.
Rob Van Dam: What DDP was in WCW, and what the Rock was in the WWF, Rob Van Dam was for ECW, aka: the major breakout star for that company. During ECW's successful "invasion" angle on Monday Night Raw, RVD was the focal point of the ECW side, as he was pitted against a number of WWE stars and passed that test with flying colors. As a heel, he won over many of the ECW faithful with his mind-blowing moves and laid-back demeanor. Rob found his groove as a character and worker during this year, a year that would help him to develop into arguably the greatest star ECW ever produced.
Rocky Maivia/The Rock: Known as Rocky Maivia for most of the year, he was pushed early on by the WWE as a future "franchise player." He won the I-C title from Triple H early on, but failed as a babyface character despite an impressive run of matches and in-ring athleticism. Once he was turned heel and joined up with the Nation of Domination, he quickly blew past everyone else in the stable as the biggest star, and as one of the most charismatic guys on the mic in wrestling. He'd go on to become much bigger, obviously, but this was the year when we all got to see Dwayne Johnson turn into "The Rock."
Sabu: Sabu, had already reached his peak as a revolutionary attraction in the business by this point, but he was still a major focal point for ECW. During 1997, he had an iconic feud with Tazz, as well as remaining in the world title picture. He also was another major piece of the ECW "invasion" angle in WWE.
Shane Douglas: Shane Douglas was the lead bad guy in ECW still, dominating the title scenes, fist as the TV Champion, then as the world champion during the latter part of the year. He formed the best incarnation of the Triple Threat stable (with Chris Candido and Bam Bam Bigelow) and ran roughshed over ECW.
Shawn Michaels: 1997 was truly a banner year for Shawn Michaels for the right reasons, as well as the wrong reasons. He went back and forth between babyface and heel throughout the year resulting in some great moments, like underrated matches with Stone Cold and Davey Boy Smith, his legendary first feud with the Undertaker that resulted in the first ever Hell in a Cell Match, and of course his legendary feud/rivalry with Bret Hart which culminated with the Montreal Screwjob. But most importantly of all, HBK formed D-Generation X, arguably the greatest stable in the history of WWE. Michaels also had some rough patches in the year due to injuries that resulted in periods of time off, as well as personal issues that results in some seriously unprofessional moments. HBK in the ring, was arguably at his best during this point, and outside the ring, he was at his worst.
Sting: Some might think that Sting shouldn't count in this poll, beings he only wrestled about one match in the entire year of 1997. But it is absolutely impossible to talk about the year of 1997 in pro wrestling without mentioning Sting. Never, in the history of the business, as a wrestler gotten so popular and over with the crowd by going so long without an official match as Sting did. His feud with Hulk Hogan and the NWO, is arguably the most well thought out and booked feud/storyline in the history of the business. Stone Cold Steve Austin may have been the hottest rising star in the business, but Sting was the most popular and beloved established star in the business in 1997. He's gotta be in the discussion.
Stone Cold Steve Austin: Speaking of Stone Cold, the WWE in 1997 was basically centered on Stone Cold Steve Austin, a trend that would result in the WWE taking back the lead in the ratings war with WCW and that would eventually cause them to win the war. This was the year that Stone Cold became a mega-star. It was the greatest "rise" of a wrestler ever seen to that point, and since. Memorable matches with Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Owen Hart, the Rock, memorable moments like winning the Royal Rumble, his classic match with Bret Hart at WM 13, stunning Vince McMahon at Madison Square Garden, and throwing the Rock's IC title in the river, Stone Cold was such a huge part of WWE during this year. This was also the last year before Stone Cold's neck injury that caused him to change his style to a more brawling style in the ring.
Tazz: Tazz was the other breakthrough star for ECW during this year. 1998 would end up being his peak year where he won the world title and was the lead person in ECW, but 1997 is where it all started. Where Tazz first became a major player on his own for ECW. Tazz was one of the first guys to have a shoot-fighter/UFC styled gimmick, and no one in the business at that time made fans feel like he was such a legit bad-ass like Tazz was able to do.
The Undertaker: The Undertaker, throughout his 25 year career in WWE" was also the "conscience" and leader of the WWE roster, and 1997 was no exception. In a year of rising stars like Stone Cold, Mick Foley, the Rock, and Triple H, mixed with long-time WWE veterans like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, who could sometimes serve as a volatile presence in the locker room, Taker was the steady presence that held everything together. Outside of the locker room, Taker finally earned his first "real" world title reign that lasted a good 5-6 months. It wasn't a major drawing success, by no means, but it helped business stay steady for the best things to come. Along with having classic matches with Mick Foley, Steve Austin, Bret Hart, and Shawn Michaels, Taker had the greatest year of his career up to this point in 1997.
Other: There's plenty of other great wrestlers to choose from for 1997. Some others to consider: Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, Ric Flair, Goldberg, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Roddy Piper, Ultimo Dragon, Davey Boy Smith, Goldust, Ken Shamrock, Mick Foley, Owen Hart, Triple H, the Dudleyz, Raven, Terry Funk, Tommy Dreamer, etc.
So, who in your mind was the greatest pro wrestler, on the American side of things, for the year of 1997?
WCW was at the very peak of it's powers with the NWO storyline as red-hot as ever, the rise of DDP, and the ongoing NWO feud with Sting. Goldberg's streak began, and the stars of the cruiserweight division were putting on 5 star matches on a weekly basis. WCW was the hottest and biggest wrestling organization in America (if not the world) at that point.
ECW officially entered the echelon of top pro wrestling organizations by going to ppv for the first time, with their edgy, groundbreaking product. Feuds like Tazz and Sabu, the rise of Rob Van Dam, the feel-good comeback of Terry Funk, and the dominance of Shane Douglas and his stable the Triple Threat made ECW a can't miss show.
The WWF, from a business standpoint was by many accounts in bad shape, as they were still on their 4-5 year decline, to the point many insiders feel they almost went out of business. They had the lowest drawing WM in history with WM 13. But by the Summer, things began to turn around, and by the end of the year, the WWF was on the threshold of getting back their throne as the top wrestling organization. This was thanks to what many critics and fans feel to be the greatest year in the history of WWE from a creative standpoint. The rise of Stone Cold and Mick Foley onto borderline main event status, as well as the rise of Triple H and the Rock, Bret Hart's career renaissance as a heel in America and babyface everywhere else, Shawn Michaels' antics throughout the year which led to the formation of D-Generation X, the Undertaker getting a long overdue and deserved run with the WWF Championship, the debut of Kane, as well as the birth of the Mr. McMahon character, made for an amazing year from a creative standpoint. The WWF also had arguably the two greatest matches in the company's history in the same year, Bret Hart and Stone Cold at WM 13, and the first ever Hell in a Cell Match between the Undertaker and Shawn Michaels.
The question I pose to everyone on this thread/poll is who do you think was the greatest pro wrestler in 1997? Whichever criteria you use in judging the greatest pro wrestler is up to you. Do you value who drew the most money and ratings? Do you value who had the most charisma and great mic skills? Do you value in-ring work and amount of 5 star matches? Do you value how important and influential they were to the wrestling business in that particular year? Do you value who garnered the most mainstream press and media coverage for wrestling? Or a combination of all those factors? Or other things? Whatever your criteria is, who, in your mind, was the greatest pro wrestler for 1997.
Again, I specifically state 1997, that is the only time period that this thread is about. If Hulk Hogan is your choice, then what he did in the WWF in the 80's bears no weight on this particular subject. This is only for Hulk Hogan's work in 1997. Same with all the other options. What they would go on to do, or what they did before 1997 does not matter one bit. This is all about a wrestler's work in 1997.
Also, this is only for the American promotions, mainly WWE, WCW, and ECW. Wrestlers from other countries (Canada, Mexico, Japan, etc.) that wrestled in these organizations (Rey Mysterio, Bret Hart, Ultimo Dragon, Konnan, etc.) are eligible, but wrestlers from other countries that wrestled in foreign companies exclusively (Mitsuharu Misawa, The Great Muta, etc.) are not eligible for this particular discussion. I have an "Other" option listed, but here are some of the lead candidates....
Bret Hart: Bret Hart had arguably the finest year of his career in 1997, as he was never better on the mic, he had the most interesting character of his career with his innovative duel heel/babyface Anti-American role. He was also still at his peak from an in-ring standpoint, including having arguably the greatest match in WWE history at WM 13 with Stone Cold Steve Austin. And though it was only for a brief time, thanks to the Montreal Screwjob at Survivor Series 1997, Bret was the hottest star in the business at the end of 1997.
Dean Malenko: Dean might seem like an odd choice at first, but he truly had a stellar year. He was the anchor and focal point (along with Rey Mysterio) of WCW's crusierweight division, providing the technical wrestling style in cruiserweight matches in contrast with the lucha-libre-influenced high flying style of others. He was also ranked No. 1 in Pro Wrestling Illustrated's PWI 500 list, at a time when that achievement still mattered.
Diamond Dallas Page: DDP was unquestionably WCW's breakout star for 1997. While other WCW veterans like Sting and Lex Luger had major career revivals, DDP became one of the hottest and most popular stars in the business thanks to an amazing series of matches with Randy Savage and as one of the leading babyfaces to stand up to the NWO. DDP also got over thanks to his "Diamond Cutter" finishing move and the many innovative ways he implemented the move in his matches. He also quietly built up quite a catalog of great matches on Nitro throughout the year.
Hollywood Hogan: Sure, by this point, Hogan was stinking out the joint more than having solid matches, but Hogan was still, by far, the No. 1 heel in the business during 1997. He still dominated the world title scene and was still the biggest wrestler in the mainstream at this point. Hogan, as the leader of the NWO, was the focal point for the most popular wrestling organization in the world at this point.
Rey Mysterio Jr.: There was no wrestler in the business, that was more innovative in the ring, at this point in time, than Rey Mysterio Jr. He was the lead babyface in the cruiserweight division, and he more than anyone else made the cruiserweight division "must see television" which played a major role in causing WCW to dominate the WWF in the ratings. Rey had arguably the match of the year with Eddie Guerrero at Halloween Havoc that year, a match that served as the apex of the cruiserweight division in WCW.
Rob Van Dam: What DDP was in WCW, and what the Rock was in the WWF, Rob Van Dam was for ECW, aka: the major breakout star for that company. During ECW's successful "invasion" angle on Monday Night Raw, RVD was the focal point of the ECW side, as he was pitted against a number of WWE stars and passed that test with flying colors. As a heel, he won over many of the ECW faithful with his mind-blowing moves and laid-back demeanor. Rob found his groove as a character and worker during this year, a year that would help him to develop into arguably the greatest star ECW ever produced.
Rocky Maivia/The Rock: Known as Rocky Maivia for most of the year, he was pushed early on by the WWE as a future "franchise player." He won the I-C title from Triple H early on, but failed as a babyface character despite an impressive run of matches and in-ring athleticism. Once he was turned heel and joined up with the Nation of Domination, he quickly blew past everyone else in the stable as the biggest star, and as one of the most charismatic guys on the mic in wrestling. He'd go on to become much bigger, obviously, but this was the year when we all got to see Dwayne Johnson turn into "The Rock."
Sabu: Sabu, had already reached his peak as a revolutionary attraction in the business by this point, but he was still a major focal point for ECW. During 1997, he had an iconic feud with Tazz, as well as remaining in the world title picture. He also was another major piece of the ECW "invasion" angle in WWE.
Shane Douglas: Shane Douglas was the lead bad guy in ECW still, dominating the title scenes, fist as the TV Champion, then as the world champion during the latter part of the year. He formed the best incarnation of the Triple Threat stable (with Chris Candido and Bam Bam Bigelow) and ran roughshed over ECW.
Shawn Michaels: 1997 was truly a banner year for Shawn Michaels for the right reasons, as well as the wrong reasons. He went back and forth between babyface and heel throughout the year resulting in some great moments, like underrated matches with Stone Cold and Davey Boy Smith, his legendary first feud with the Undertaker that resulted in the first ever Hell in a Cell Match, and of course his legendary feud/rivalry with Bret Hart which culminated with the Montreal Screwjob. But most importantly of all, HBK formed D-Generation X, arguably the greatest stable in the history of WWE. Michaels also had some rough patches in the year due to injuries that resulted in periods of time off, as well as personal issues that results in some seriously unprofessional moments. HBK in the ring, was arguably at his best during this point, and outside the ring, he was at his worst.
Sting: Some might think that Sting shouldn't count in this poll, beings he only wrestled about one match in the entire year of 1997. But it is absolutely impossible to talk about the year of 1997 in pro wrestling without mentioning Sting. Never, in the history of the business, as a wrestler gotten so popular and over with the crowd by going so long without an official match as Sting did. His feud with Hulk Hogan and the NWO, is arguably the most well thought out and booked feud/storyline in the history of the business. Stone Cold Steve Austin may have been the hottest rising star in the business, but Sting was the most popular and beloved established star in the business in 1997. He's gotta be in the discussion.
Stone Cold Steve Austin: Speaking of Stone Cold, the WWE in 1997 was basically centered on Stone Cold Steve Austin, a trend that would result in the WWE taking back the lead in the ratings war with WCW and that would eventually cause them to win the war. This was the year that Stone Cold became a mega-star. It was the greatest "rise" of a wrestler ever seen to that point, and since. Memorable matches with Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Owen Hart, the Rock, memorable moments like winning the Royal Rumble, his classic match with Bret Hart at WM 13, stunning Vince McMahon at Madison Square Garden, and throwing the Rock's IC title in the river, Stone Cold was such a huge part of WWE during this year. This was also the last year before Stone Cold's neck injury that caused him to change his style to a more brawling style in the ring.
Tazz: Tazz was the other breakthrough star for ECW during this year. 1998 would end up being his peak year where he won the world title and was the lead person in ECW, but 1997 is where it all started. Where Tazz first became a major player on his own for ECW. Tazz was one of the first guys to have a shoot-fighter/UFC styled gimmick, and no one in the business at that time made fans feel like he was such a legit bad-ass like Tazz was able to do.
The Undertaker: The Undertaker, throughout his 25 year career in WWE" was also the "conscience" and leader of the WWE roster, and 1997 was no exception. In a year of rising stars like Stone Cold, Mick Foley, the Rock, and Triple H, mixed with long-time WWE veterans like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, who could sometimes serve as a volatile presence in the locker room, Taker was the steady presence that held everything together. Outside of the locker room, Taker finally earned his first "real" world title reign that lasted a good 5-6 months. It wasn't a major drawing success, by no means, but it helped business stay steady for the best things to come. Along with having classic matches with Mick Foley, Steve Austin, Bret Hart, and Shawn Michaels, Taker had the greatest year of his career up to this point in 1997.
Other: There's plenty of other great wrestlers to choose from for 1997. Some others to consider: Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, Ric Flair, Goldberg, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Roddy Piper, Ultimo Dragon, Davey Boy Smith, Goldust, Ken Shamrock, Mick Foley, Owen Hart, Triple H, the Dudleyz, Raven, Terry Funk, Tommy Dreamer, etc.
So, who in your mind was the greatest pro wrestler, on the American side of things, for the year of 1997?
