There was plenty to be excited about when it came to WWE's product in 1997. Steve Austin was rolling, D-Generation X was introducing an edginess to the shows that they desperately needed and Sable was catching on as the sexpot of the company. All three acts were tremendously popular and The Rock was gaining steam heading into the new year. As the old saying goes, "the night is always darkest before the dawn" and that proved to be the case as the company delivered one of its worst shows leading into its biggest boom period. Shawn Michaels went out of his way to make Ken Shamrock look bad in the night's main event for the WWE Championship. Three matches in the middle of the show ended in disqualifications, including the poorly conceived boxing match between Marc Mero and Butterbean, and no match really excelled past average status. The Disciples of Apocalypse and Los Boricuas turned in another lethargic match in a long line of them while Taka Michinoku and Brian Christopher highlighted why WWE's attempt to launch a light-heavyweight division failed so miserably. A poor show overall that was not without its few bright spots. Owen Hart's return and attack of Shawn Michaels felt like the beginning of a major push, Kane's presence during Undertaker's match with Jeff Jarrett furthered the angle between the Brothers of Destruction and the program involving Mero's treatment of Sable added another chapter. Still, the quality of the show was so putrid that it is difficult to look at the overall broadcast was anything other than abysmal.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
A poor show overall that was not without its few bright spots. Owen Hart's return and attack of Shawn Michaels felt like the beginning of a major push, Kane's presence during Undertaker's match with Jeff Jarrett furthered the angle between the Brothers of Destruction and the program involving Mero's treatment of Sable added another chapter. Still, the quality of the show was so putrid that it is difficult to look at the overall broadcast was anything other than abysmal.