Okay, so I wanted to put together a definitive 1997 WWF roster list. I’ve been a huge wrestling fan since I was a kid, and 1997 was such a pivotal year, right before the Attitude Era really exploded. I figured it would be a fun project to document it all. So, I started digging!
My Research Process Begins
First, I brainstormed every wrestler I could remember from that time. You know, the big names like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels… the obvious ones. I made a simple list on my notepad, just jotting down names as they came to me.
But, my memory’s not perfect, So I started search something to see if there are other wrestlers I didn’t think of.
Compiling and Refining
I put together a rough list. It was pretty messy, though. Some wrestlers were listed under their ring names, some under variations. It was all over the place.
I started organizing things. I decided to go with their most common ring names for consistency. Then, I grouped them, very roughly, into categories like “Main Eventers,” “Mid-Carders,” and “Tag Teams.” That was my initial structure.
It wasn’t perfect, and I’m sure some people might disagree with where I placed certain wrestlers, but it was a good starting point for my own understanding.
The Finishing Touches
Finally, I went back to the top of my list, and I cleaned everything up. I made it all look consistent,I think I did my best.
This whole project was a lot of fun. It really took me back to my childhood, remembering all those classic matches and storylines. It also made me appreciate just how stacked the WWF roster was in 1997. No wonder it was such an exciting time to be a wrestling fan!
