Ronda Rousey's WrestleMania 34 bow will most likely be considered the industry standard for spectacular debuts for generations to come, but Sable's 'Grandest Stage' showcase was an underrated second place spot 20 years prior.
She was at the time about to become a commercial force on par with Rousey's own appeal - albeit utilising WWE's smoke and mirrors far more than the UFC trailblazer ever required. Sable went from valet to vicious victor in a deeply cathartic turnaround from TV sh*tkickings taken by Luna Vachon and others.
In an important twist on the usual mixed tag formula, The Artist Formerly Known As Goldust and Marc Mero were the passive participants, with Sable the glorious protagonist. Vachon provided the craft of the graft and deserves kudos too - the wrestling industry requires the star-makers as much as it does the products of their own inglorious grit.
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 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 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, 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. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett
