10 Reasons Why 1997 Was WWE's Most Important Year Ever

8. Mankind Was Cool, But Here's Cactus Jack And Dude Love Too!

The development of several key performers was the biggest reason why 1997 was so successful for WWE. Mick Foley was one of those guys. When he started in WWE in 1996 as Mankind as a heel, he really made a huge impact in his feud with Undertaker. Once that was over, they were trying to find the right role for him. It turned out that this demented guy made the perfect babyface! That's what the wrestling business was like in 1997. We were tired of the same gimmicks over and over. Foley was smart enough to know that because he adapted as the fans started to warm up with him. What was so fun about Foley in 1997 is that not only did we see Mankind, but we also got to witness the birth of Dude Love and the return of Cactus Jack. If you watched ECW or WCW then you knew who Cactus Jack was. All three "Faces of Foley" had their own characteristics and Foley was talented enough to make it work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlNQ6wvOvqA His feud with Triple H that summer was huge for both guys because Foley got to show off all three personas and earned a lot of respect from the fans. He was a babyface for majority of his career after that. It was a period of growth. That's what 1997 was for a lot of people. Foley's an example of that.