When Marc Mero returned from injury in late 1997, he found himself in a WWE different from the one he had left earlier in the year. Gone was the black and white, of good and bad. The content of the shows was edgier and Monday Night Raw had developed a new attitude unlike any the company had displayed before. The move to a more adult-oriented program saw Sable, on-screen valet and real-life wife of Mero, thrive. She was a beautiful blonde bombshell that captivated fans with her screen presence and undeniable sex appeal. She had no problem strutting to the squared circle in leather bodysuits, or significantly less, giving those 18-35 fans exactly what they wanted. Mero, undergoing a heel turn, would berate and humiliate her for this. He would shove her into the background and attempt to steal the spotlight. As "Marvelous" Marc Mero, he would rob fans of laying eyes on the beautiful Sable in favor of touting himself as the greatest wrestler on the planet. Sounds like an effective heel, right? For brief moment of time, he was. Then he found himself lost in the background of a rivalry between Sable and Luna, then stuck as the sidekick of Jacqueline during her rivalry with his ex. What was an initially promising change of direction led to Mero descending into the undercard, becoming a glorified jobber left to drop opening match bouts to Al Snow, Droz and Steve Blackman. The biggest slap in the face came in late 1998 when he lost to freakin' Gillberg in a match that sent him packing from WWE. The heel turn and subsequent feud with Sable brought Mero's career crashing down and the athletic performer never received another real opportunity to star in big time professional wrestling again.
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.
