Year WWE had most complete roster

[Scuba 06]

2000 had to be the best roster WWE had top to bottom, not necessarily the best talent but every area on the roster was accounted for.

Main Event - Rock, HHH, Austin, Taker, Kane, Foley, Show, Angle,
Midcard ->
Tag-Team - E&C, Dudleyz, Hardyz, Too Cool, APA, N.A.O
IC/EU Div. - Y2J, Benoit, Guerrero, Saturn, X-Pac, Regal Rikishi, Venis, Godfather, D'lo,
Hardcore Div. - Snow, Blackman, Tazz, Bob Holly, Crash, Raven
Light-weight Div. - Taka, Funaki, Malenko, Rios
Womens- Chyna, Ivory, Lita, Trish, Jacqueline,

These are most I could think of but im sure theres for more talent I may not have mentioned. Look how much stronger the midcard was. Today everything is main event. This is with everyone on one brand. Only about 7 or 8 guys on top. And a lot of guys in the midcard like Y2J and Benoit who often folded into that mix.

I would say 97 was pretty strong too.

ME- Hart, HBK, Taker, Sid, Austin, Mankind, Vader, Kane
Midcard->
Owen, Bulldog, Pillman, Shamrock, HHH, Rock, Goldust, Faarooq, Ahmed J.
Tag/Stables - HF, DX, NOD, L.O.D, N.A.O. Headbangers, Godwinns

No divas and no light-weight divison yet though i think.

 

[Kaneanite]

I STRONGLY believe WWE could come close to this again but the writing is just too bad. Back then it seemed like every single person on the roster, or at least most and all of the important ones, had their own storyline. Nowadays you have guys like Sheamus who should be main-eventing or SOMETHING but with a month or so until Mania what's he doing? Nothing. People need storylines.

The other aspect that this has and the now-WWE could have but doesn't is the tag-division. The current tag division (if you can even call it that) is so bad I don't even need to talk about it.

Fix those 2 things and it's looking good for the 2011 'E'

 

[Caitiff]

The scary thing is, as soon as I saw this topic, I said to myself "2000." But, since you already did that one, I have to come up with another year. So, I took a trip to the internet, and I think I found one that's a bit better.

In 2003, WWE had a bit stronger roster, in my opinion. Granted, I don't remember all the storylines on both shows, but I'l put the guys up, as I remember them.

Ric Flair (I have no idea where to put this, but it's Ric fuckin' Flair!)

Main Event:
Steve Austin, The Rock, HHH, Undertaker, Kane, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, Scott Steiner, Goldberg, Shawn Michaels

Mid-Card:
Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Batista, Randy Orton, William Regal, Rey Mysterio Jr. (Rey Mysterio is his uncle's name. He'll always be "Jr." to me.), Orlando Jordan, John Cena, Big Show, Edge, RVD, Booker T, Goldust, Eddie Guerrero

Tag Teams:
Full Blooded Italians, APA, Rikishi and Scotty 2 Hotty, La Resistance, Bashams, 3 Minute Warning, Jericho & Christian, Kane & RVD, Hollys, Dudley Boyz, Los Guerreros, WGTT

Cruiserweights:

Kidman, Tajiri, Rey Mysterio Jr., Jamie Noble, Nunzio, Crash Holly, Ultimo Dragon, Spanky, Paul London, Spike Dudley

Women:

Trish Stratus, Jacqueline, Victoria, Lita, Molly Holly, Gail Kim, Ivory

I'll grant that the brand extention hurt WWE's roster. but, at this point, I honestly believe that WE had the roster to actually pull off two full, seperate shows. This was th only year in which thebrand extention full worked, in my opinion. And, that fact, alone, makes this the best roster in wrestling history, to me.

 

[rge2010]

2003 - you forgot Brock Lesnar and Hulk Hogan?

The roster was so loaded which is why the Brand Extension happened a year earlier. It was definately the strongest point for WWE in terms of talent.

 

[legendkiller1979]

The answer is 1987.

Main Event: Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Andre the Giant, King Kong Bundy, Paul Orndorff, Roddy Piper Ricky Steamboat, Ted Dibiase

Mid card: Jake Roberts, Brutus Beefcake, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Harley Race, Rick Rude, Bam Bam Bigelow, Greg Valentine. Junk Yard Dog, One Man Gang, Ken Patera, Don Muraco

Tag Teams: Hart Foundation, Demolition, British Bulldogs, Rougeau Brothers, Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff, The Islanders, Killer Bees, Young Stallions.

This list features over a dozen hall of famers, and this list was made off the top of my head. The tag team division was never as stacked as it was in '87. It was this roster that put 93,000 people in the silverdome for wrestlemania III. The attitude era roster was fabulous, but I think the '87 roster had more stars all the way through.

 

[jaekob2011]

I think WWF had the most talent ever in 1988. I think also we have to pay attention to where the stars were in their careers at the time! I think 1999 was a good year too.

 

[Takerfan93]

I would say 2002 definately because by then WWE had aquired a lot of WCW talent and a lot of up-and-comers from the next generation were rising; you had:

HHH, Undertaker, The Rock, Jericho, Edge, Kurt Angle, Stone Cold, Booker T, Big Show, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, Brock Lesnar, John Cena, Randy Orton, Ric Flair, HBK, Batista, Christian, Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall all there - I know they weren't all main eventers at the time but they were all in some way significant or popular.

 

[rowingisgood11]

2002-2003

Main Event- Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle, Undertaker, Triple H and Evolution, Goldberg, Shawn Michaels, Jericho, and the Rock as he was finishing his in ring career

Mid Card- Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Masked Kane Jeff Hardy, RVD, Rey Mysterio, Edge, the Members of Evolution going for Tag Team and Intercontinental Titles, John Cena, and Big Show

Tag Team- Evolution, Booker T and Goldust, Kane and Hurricane/Bradshaw, Angle/Benoit (First WWE Tag Team Champions), Mysterio/Edge, Los Guerrero's, Team Angle/Worlds Greatest Tag Team, Basham Bros, MNM.

This has to be the most complete roster ever assembled. Just go ahead and look at the roster on Smackdown Here Comes the Pain. I just started playing it again for shits and giggles and their roster is effing insane. There's so many stars that are on there and everything these superstars did was still entertaining.

 

[brighamosity]

I'm thinking the same thing Caitliff said, but I'm thinking more 2002, but for the same reasons he stated. Like others have said, WWE had that huge roster from purchasing WCW. But it didn't get incredible until the WCW holdouts came over. nWo, Hogan, Scott Steiner, Rey Mysterio, Goldberg, Ric Flair, Eric Bischoff, and Brock Lesner all came to WWE during 2002*. (Not 100% positive on that, but I think so.)

 

[M.karthik vijay]

Definitely the wwe roster is in no way better now than it was during the near end of the attitude era. The rock, austin,hogan,eddie,jericho,edge,christian,undertaker,kane,brock lesnar,hbk etc., the rock,austin,hbk,taker are inferior to none from today's roster. Now its just cena nd randy as taker nd hhh r leaving sooner r later.

 

[Scuba 06]

Yes I suppose in terms of having a lot of star power wwe acquired that in 2001 from a WCW/ECW. Than in 02 got names like Hogan and Lesnar. Yeah they had a lot of talent but i said what i was getting at was how almost everyone on the show had a purpose or a spot on tv. Because there was so many guys from 01-03 so many never got used, others got fired. Plus i dont think in terms of production the midcard nor the main event was nearly as good. The tag-team division in 2000 was probably amonst the best ever. Jericho and Benoit were always in a feud and brought prestige to the Ic title. Plus in 2000 you still had rock on show full time, hhh was at the top of his game, foley was still there for a while, austin did what he could but came out strong near the end of the year when he returned to the ring. I think it was a really succesful year in terms of everybody doing their part.

 

[wwf1998]

1992; it started off with one of the most stacked rumbles of all time... this was also the last year before alot of the veterans left and wwe went new generation starting in 93.

the names in the rumble alone made this the most stacked roster on the planet at the time...

flair
taker
roberts
savage
a young HBK
martel
valentine
hogan
etc.
and yokozuna debuted with the company near the end of the year as well; and everybody knows yoko was a beast in 93 and 94

 

[reed214]

i would have to agree with a few of them, 03 and 05 i think were the best. it wasnt anytime in the 90's b/c from the late 80's till about 98 WCW/NWA had a much much better roster from top to bottom. to have shelton,eddie,edge,jericho,booker t,rvd,rey,kurt angle,paul london (say what u will,he was great in ring),christian,randy orton all in their prime,with hbk,hhh,jbl,undertaker,kane,trish stratus' knockout body,the new blood of kennedy, lashley and morrison, and batista getting to the next level...best wwe roster ever.

 

[harrythem]

For me, roster-wise, it was 2001. You had the super-overs such as Austin & Rock, the next level in Angle/Taker and the upper guys in Benoit/Jericho/Kane.
Tags like Dudleys/E&C/Hardys and all the rest. (and that was BEFORE the WCW/ECW guys showed up)

Sure a lot of talent wasn't used correctly but, on paper, that was the best year roster-wise

 

[steinerscrewdriver]

1992; it started off with one of the most stacked rumbles of all time... this was also the last year before alot of the veterans left and wwe went new generation starting in 93.

the names in the rumble alone made this the most stacked roster on the planet at the time...

flair
taker
roberts
savage
a young HBK
martel
valentine
hogan
etc.
and yokozuna debuted with the company near the end of the year as well; and everybody knows yoko was a beast in 93 and 94

This was going to be my answer all the names you mentioned then throw in piper, kerry von erich as the texas tornado, sid vicious, mr perfect as flairs side kick and the return of the legion of doom at wrestlemania. IMO make it the most stacked roster of all time.

 

[nwocongo]

I know alot of fans see this as WWF/e's dark ages because WCW was growing in popularity but 93-94 was my favorite time, maybe due to my age. I know this was around the time frame when Hulk, Flair, and Savage jumped ship but to name a few others-

Undertaker was really emerging into stardom, HBK, Diesel, Razor Ramon and Bret Hart were also growing alot. Than you've got the likes of, Yokozuna, Owen Hart, 123 Kid, British Bulldog, Hacksaw, Jerry Lawler, Lex Luger, Bam Bam Bigelow, Doink, Double J and Dean Douglas I think showed up around this time.
Also had Krush, Giant Gonzalez nearing the end of his career, Mr. Perfect, DiBiase and IRS, Brutus Beefcake, Bob Backlund, Rick Martel, Tatanka, and Tito Santana. And if you want to stretch it into 95 thats when Psycho Sid, HHH, Golddust and Isaac Yankem(Kane) showed up

Tag teams were'nt to bad either
Steiner Bros, Smokin Gunns, Headshrinkers, Quebecers, Heavenly Bodies, Natural Disasters, Bushwackers, Mo and Mabel, Money INC, Nasty Boyz and different combinations of Marty Janetty, Razor Ramon, 123 Kid and Sparky Plug teamed up from time to time.
Maybe not as deep as when they added all the WCW talent in around '02 but still nothing to scoff at.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

In 2003, WWE had a bit stronger roster, in my opinion. Granted, I don't remember all the storylines on both shows, but I'l put the guys up, as I remember them.

Ric Flair (I have no idea where to put this, but it's Ric fuckin' Flair!)

Main Event:
Steve Austin, The Rock, HHH, Undertaker, Kane, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, Scott Steiner, Goldberg, Shawn Michaels

Mid-Card:
Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Batista, Randy Orton, William Regal, Rey Mysterio Jr. (Rey Mysterio is his uncle's name. He'll always be "Jr." to me.), Orlando Jordan, John Cena, Big Show, Edge, RVD, Booker T, Goldust, Eddie Guerrero

Tag Teams:
Full Blooded Italians, APA, Rikishi and Scotty 2 Hotty, La Resistance, Bashams, 3 Minute Warning, Jericho & Christian, Kane & RVD, Hollys, Dudley Boyz, Los Guerreros, WGTT

Cruiserweights:

Kidman, Tajiri, Rey Mysterio Jr., Jamie Noble, Nunzio, Crash Holly, Ultimo Dragon, Spanky, Paul London, Spike Dudley

Women:

Trish Stratus, Jacqueline, Victoria, Lita, Molly Holly, Gail Kim, Ivory

I'll grant that the brand extention hurt WWE's roster. but, at this point, I honestly believe that WE had the roster to actually pull off two full, seperate shows. This was th only year in which thebrand extention full worked, in my opinion. And, that fact, alone, makes this the best roster in wrestling history, to me.

I think you are probably right on here, plus Hulk Hogan was still there and Brock Lesnar was beginning to make an impact, and wasn't Kevin Nash still a member of the roster?

There is a few talents, like DDP and Scott Hall, who came in during or just after the Invasion, but most of the WWE and ECW guys who were brought into the company during 2001-2 were still around (even on Velocity/Heat), and the sheer number of big names in the company at this point were astonishing.

With TNA not on the same level as WWE, and their big stars mainly being former WWE cast-offs and veterans, I highly doubt we will ever see a roster of such size, strength and depth as the one WWE could boast in 2003.

 

[Mr. HD]

I say 2002-2003.

The Main Event Level was heavy duty talent, but more importantly, the Tag Team Division was loaded with all sorts of different Tag Teams. It got so much attention. Random people thrown together could've made the belts work. It's a shame what that Division has become today.

The undercard had a lot of great up and coming superstars. The Cruiserweight Division even had a lot of talent, along with the Divas Division. From top to bottom, the Roster had enough to fill every position.

 

[Santiman21]

1992, without a doubt, Ric Flair, Hogan, Macho Man, Jake the Snake Roberts, Earthquake, every division was solid... MR PERFECT

 

[relentless1]

2003 definetly. you had Hogan, HHH, Lesnar, Goldberg, HBK, Undertaker, Eddie, Benoit, Angle, RVD, Nash, Booker T, Stiener, Jericho, Orton, Bischoff, Batista, Flair and the list goes on and on, I think as far as talent goes, 2003 was STACKED

 

[RJJ]

I think it's 2002. The roster was amazing.In the main event we have Rock, Austin, Hogan, Taker, Y2J, Lesnar, HHH, Michaels, Angle. In the midcard Benoit, Kane, Booker, RVD, Hardyz, Dudleyz, Edge, flair, eddie, Christian, Nash, Hall, Show. It was one helluva roster.

You can also make a case for 2003. Smackdown was full of great "wrestlers" guys like angle, lesnar, benoit, hass, shelton, eddie..and the list goes on. Raw on the other hand was full of big names, goldberg, austin, hhh, hbk, rock, rvd, stiener, flair, booker, kane, nash...etc.