Your Favorite year of your favorite promotion

[Poop Master Flex]

So I was reading the thread Most Enjoyable Organization/Promotion (P.S. Thanks to whoever made that thread for inspiration) and it got me thinking of all the great moments from the promotions I liked the best. It brought me back to years like 1983 for the AWA when business was red hot and Hulkamania was starting up, or the late 80's of Jim Crockett promotions when the 4 horsemen were feuding with the Super Powers, it was years like these that got me watching wrestling in the first place and are a huge reason why I love wrestling so much. Each promotion has its fair share of strong years and its fair share of weaker years.

Now this thread isn't about your favorite promotion (theirs already a thread for that), but its about the best year of your favorite promotion. With that said here's my question, what is your favorite year of your all time favorite promotion and why was that your favorite year?

Personally my favorite year was the year 2000 for the WWE. Despite the fact Austin was gone most of the year this is one year that really stands out in my mind. For myself this year had everything, it started with the Royal Rumble (which had 3 great matches and a solid rumble) and progressively got better as the year went on. The year 2000 gave us the Radicalz, the resurgence of the Tag Division (with E&C/Hardyz/Dudleys feud), HHH's best year in the business (IMO), Kurt Angle becoming a main eventer, a great title run by the Rock, the return of Austin and countless great matches. In a nutshell the year 2000 had it all and was by far my favorite year for the WWE.

How about the rest of you, what is your favorite year of your favorite promotion and why do you consider that year your favorite. Any responses welcome just give reasons why it was your favorite.

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

My favorite promotion has always been the WWE and my favorite year was 1997 with 1998 being a close second.

A few reasons why the year was fantastic:

New Match types: This was the year in which we saw unique matches like the "I Quit" match the "Hell in a Cell" match for the first time. Both matches were classics. We also got to see the first fatal fourway match ever in the WWE in 1997 and that was a good match as well.

The rise of Stone Cold Steve Austin: My favorite superstar and the second biggest star that WWE has ever produced rose to prominence this year. In the first half of the year he was the best in ring performer for the WWF, no mean feat considering that the roster contained the likes of HBK and Bret Hart. In the second half he was limited in the ring due to his injuries but he made up for it with his fantastic promos. He was by far the MVP for WWF for the year.

The Hart Foundation and DX: Two stables which changed pro wrestling were formed in 1997. DX were a bunch of frat boys who specialized in lewd jokes. HBK was fantastic in DX and I really got into his character for the first time since I had started watching( I started in 1996). I had also never imagined that the Hitman would be able to play a heel as convincingly as he did as a leader of the Hart Foundation. The Hart Foundation generated a lot of heat in its tenure and the match they had with Austin's team at Canadian Stampede was another great match that year.

Undertaker, Mick Foley and HHH and the beginnings of The Rock: Its hard to believe but these guys were actually not all that prominent that year with the focus being mainly on Austin, Hart and HBK in that order. But that does not mean that they were doing nothing. Taker was a champion at the start of the year and had awesome matches throughout the year. HHH and Mick were tearing down the house in the midcard which was perhaps a sign of the things to come. Rock also turned heel in this year and started exhibiting facets of his personality due to which he would become legendary. Also KANE debuted in this year and was one of the hottest things in wrestling when he debuted.

Sunny: Can't forget her. Most probably the sexiest diva ever.

 

[yohawk13]

the best promotion is wwf, now wwe obviously because they are still around + they beat out and bought wcw. ecw was revolutionary but not the best promotion or they would still be around today. Personally, I think the best year(s) in wwf, now wwe, are 1998-1999... arguably the best storyline writing of all time. I dont think we will ever see another era quite like the Attitude Era. For those who were there to root for austin, the rock, dx, the nation of domination, owen hart, taker, hhh, the oddities, foley's 3 characters, and all the insane crazy ass matches (dumpster match, empty arena match, buried alive, inferno match, etc.) I hope you realize what you watched and didnt take it for granted like i did. I made the mistake of thinking that was always how professional wrestling was. Now I look at todays stuff and quite honestly it sucks. Like, BAD. But, I still have hopes that one day, we will see someone (like Austin or the Rock) take wrestling to heights that it was in the late 90's. Long live the Attitude Era AND THATS THE BOTTOM LINE... because the GREAT ONE SAID SO... have a nice day!

 

[realoldskoolfan]

World Class circa 1983-84. the Von Erich-Freebird fued was in full swing. Ric Flair and Harley Race coming to town to defend the NWA title against anyone of the VE boys. Chris Adams, Iceman Parsons, Devastation Inc. it really changed after David died in 84. if he lived, things would have been lot different today.
Crockett 87/88. The 4 Horsemen. Dusty. Nikita. Sting becoming a star. The Midnight Express-Rock n Roll Express fued. Barry Windham.
AWA 1983-85. as stated above. the beginning of Hulkamania. The High Flyers. Nick Bockwinkel. The Road Warriors coming in and dominating. Sgt. Slaughter. Curt Hennig breaking on the scene.
UWF/Mid South 1986-87. Freebirds. Terry Taylor. Fantastics. Sheepherders. DiBiase. Duggan. Steve Williams winning the UWF title in Oklahoma with Barry Switzer in his corner. Eddie Gilbert. Rick Steiner and Sting getting there start. Devastation Inc. Jim Ross starting out. in 86, they were arguably the best promotion in the country.

 

[mrchanbong]

i would say WWE/WWF 1999/2000, had some classic feuds and matches and i just started watching it in summer 99 and one of the strongest rosters they have had

 

[Disturbed]

I had no trouble answering this because the first year that popped into my mind was, WWF 2001. It was an amazing year with some amazing matches. Vince purchased his rival company WCW and they had that invasion angle which wasn't that good but look at all the matches that year. Rock vs Austin Wrestlemania 17, TLC 2 Wrestlemania 17, Shane o' Mac vs Angle King of the ring I think, Austin vs Angle Summerslam, Booker T vs The Rock Summerslam. I will never forget the year 2001 and I think it had the overall best Wrestlemania of all time. I hope one day we can have another year as exciting as 01.