Why 1997 Was The Greatest Year In Wrestling History
4. The Crow Stalks The Rafters
Having spent large parts of 1996 wrestling with his own identity and distancing himself from his so-called friends, it was on the 21 October 1996 edition of WCW Nitro that wrestling fans first saw Sting don his legendary black and white Crow-inspired look.
For the Stinger, 1997 was likely his hottest ever year. And to make this all the more brilliant, it was a year where Sting barely uttered a word. Throughout '97, this multiple-time World Champion kept himself to the rafters and the shadows, only making fleeting in-ring appearances as he maintained a watchful eye over the antics of the nWo.
After an entire year of build, Sting finally got his hands on 'Hollywood' Hogan at Starrcade '97. The build was phenomenal, the hype was real, and the significance of Sting toppling Hogan and the nWo to take back the World Heavyweight Championship for WCW was massive.
Sure, that Starrcade match itself was a dud once the bell rang, but that didn't take away from the huge reaction to Sting standing tall as that PPV went off the air. It was more than just Starrcade that made 1997 special for Sting, though, and the year-long arc of this WCW staple in '97 was something that had never been seen before in the wrestling world - with a vibrant, neon-adorned screaming babyface turned into a brooding, judgemental mute.