10 Images That Proved 2017 Was Wrestling’s Craziest Year Ever

3. Stars Of War

Adam Cole
WWE Network

Very little happens by accident in WWE, which is perhaps why the company took so few shots of the WarGames exterior during a match many thought would never ever happen under the watch of Vince McMahon.

Triple H had allegedly pitched the idea as far back as 2002, but was given the Elimination Chamber as a clunky compromise. Under his watch, NXT has redefined and repurposed several old tropes in a manner that delights young fans and rings loyal to nostalgic older heads looking for a brand new fix. The slightly rejigged format didn't remotely harm the entertainment value of the nine-man war, it enhanced it.

Vince McMahon promotes Sports Entertainment for a reason, and typically much of the athleticism and endeavour was undone by a moment of sheer superstardom from easily the biggest potential breakout performer in the match. Riding a wave of confidence from an excellent spell in Ring Of Honor, Adam Cole looked ready made for WWE's main roster, and manufactured a moment of glory amidst the double-caged terror. In doing nothing, he took everything.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation for nearly 10 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 65,000,000 total downloads. Within the podcasting space, he also co-hosts Benno & Hamflett, In Your House! and Podcast Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Podcast. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, Fightful, POST Wrestling, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has provided in-person coverage of some of the biggest pay-per-views and Premium Live Events in wrestling history, including WrestleMania, Survivor Series, All In & Double Or Nothing in destinations such as New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live.