10 Biggest Turning Points For WWE In 1997

10. Shawn Michaels Loses His Smile

EFFECT: Instead of Michaels, Bret Hart would now face Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13

Imagine a WWE world (or Universe, if you like buzzwords) where we don't get Hart vs. Austin at WrestleMania, a world without perhaps the greatest WWE match of all time? Does Austin become the megastar that he does without heroically passing out in a pool of his own blood?

Austin's performance in that match went a long way in proving his viability as a future main eventer.

Certainly a Hart/Michaels match would have been really good, and probably more exciting without the restriction of having to fill an Iron Man match's length, but the smart money was on Austin long term. Michaels bowing out with the questionable knee injury only opened up Austin's highway to heaven.