10 Best Years In WWE History

8. 1987

Steve Austin Vince McMahon Raw 1997
WWE.com

1987 was a commercial behemoth for the WWF.

Buoyed by the smash-hit WrestleMania III mega event, which famously saw Hulk Hogan bodyslam Andre The Giant, the WWF did incredible business on its subsequent house shows. The first 'Mania turned the WWF into a household name - III propelled it into the stratosphere.

It was also, of course, the year which saw Ricky Steamboat and Randy Savage contravene the conventional method of working a wrestling match by meticulously planning every last move in advance. While it rubbed some wrestling people the wrong way - George Steele bemoans it to this day - its effects on the wrestling world are still felt now.

The methodology they used to guarantee perfection is now Standard Operating Procedure in WWE. Nowadays, road agents will run through a match with those involved, structuring almost every detail to maximise the crowd reaction.

Some spontaneity has been lost, but the mark-out moments from a convoluted reversal sequence often make up for it.

The Survivor Series also made its debut in a year which saw the Federation introduce winning concepts that would live through eras, scandals, tragedies and name changes.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!