Why 1997 Was The Greatest Year In Wrestling History

For Bret Hart, 1997 may have ended with him being screwed by the company he'd given the past 13 years of his career to, but '97 was also a banner year for the Excellence of Execution.

Having been an uber babyface act since breaking out into the singles ranks in 1991, Hart represented a new sort of good guy. He didn't have the physique of predecessors like Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior, but Bret instead had a connection to the audience that was undeniable. Relying on hard work and clinical in-ring technicality, and with a cool as f**k demeanour to everything he did, the Hitman ticked a whole lot of the right boxes for a wide variety of demographics.

In 1997 though, things began to change.

Whiter than white good guys were now passé, and rampant fans instead wanted to cheer for edgy, aggressive characters who had traits more synonymous with the classic heels of yesteryear.

The overall reaction to Bret's good guy act had started to wane in 1996, but '97 saw Hart masterfully use this to create something truly different. Snapping in the aftermath of WrestleMania 13, the Calgary icon spent the rest of the year lambasting American wrestling audiences, while simultaneously being embraced as an all-conquering hero in Canada, across Europe, and beyond.

1997 will sadly be forever associated with the Montreal Screwjob, but that year was brilliant from Hart as a character, as a promo, and, of course, between the ropes.