WWE RAW in 1997 was still trying to beat Nitro in the ratings. Vince McMahon realized he had to cater to the adult demographic if he were to ever beat his competition. The boss introduced the “Cure for the Common Show” in what would usher in the Attitude Era.
McMahon would start promoting the new product as TV show with wrestling compared to the old mantra wherein fans had wrestling on television. That being said, performers like Bret Hart and British Bulldog prided themselves as wrestlers and put on some high-quality matches.
The Hitman, in particular, did some of the best work of his career on the mic and inside the squared circle. His brother Owen Hart also had several Match of the Year contenders on RAW and at pay-per-view events.
Let’s take a look at some of the best WWE RAW matches of 1997:
Bret Hart vs. Sycho Sid (WWE Championship Steel Cage Match – March 17)
Bret Hart found himself in a steel cage with Sycho Sid. The Hitman had failed to win the title on countless occasions in the lead-up to this match. The in-ring action was kept simple to lay ground for Steve Austin and Undertaker’s interference.
The post-match angle saw Hart cut a blistering promo on the WWE management and locker room. This would lead to the re-emergence of The Hart Foundations as the biggest heels in the WWE.
Triple H vs. Cactus Jack (Falls Count Anywhere Match – WWE RAW, Sept. 22)
Cactus Jack made his WWE debut in this match. The death match icon took on Hunter Hearst Hemsley in a Falls Count Anywhere Match in Madison Square Garden. The Connecticut Blue Blood had wrestled Foley’s alter egos Mankind and Dude Love on multiple occasions in 1997.
Hemsley, however, never expected Foley to become the sinister Jack for their MSG meeting. Both men told an excellent story inside the ring. Jack ended the match by spiking Hemsley with a piledriver through a table.
They would meet again three years later in one of the greatest non-Rumble matches of all time.
Mankind vs. Shawn Michaels (WWE RAW – August 11)
Shawn Michaels and Mankind had an excellent main event at In Your House: Mind Games 1996. They got the opportunity to run it back on an episode of RAW in 1997. Michaels entered the match as a former WWE Champion.
Mankind brought a trash can with him, but he was stopped in his tracks by the Heartbreak Kid. Both men took some crazy bumps on television. WWE really missed the opportunity to turn Michaels versus Foley into a big-time feud.
Shawn Michaels & Steve Austin vs. Owen Hart & The British Bulldog
The Hart Foundation versus WWE was one of the best storylines of 1997. The feud gave fans some fantastic matches and incredible moments. One such match came when Shawn Michaels teamed up with Steve Austin to take on Owen Hart and The British Bulldog.
Michaels and Austin had spent 1996 in a feud with each other so their partnership going smoothly wasn’t going to be the case in this match. Plus, they had a match coming up against each other at the next PPV.
That being said, both men displayed incredible chemistry as a tag team. The champions Hart and Bulldog, too worked like a well-oiled machine. The action was spectacular. Michaels, in particular, showed some of the best work between the ropes.
The closing moment wherein Michaels and Austin became new tag team champions had the crowd on their feet.
Owen Hart vs. The British Bulldog (WWE European Championship Tournament Final)
The best WWE RAW match of 1997 came courtesy of The British Bulldog and Owen Hart. Both men reached the finals of the European Championship Tournament as tag team champions. This epic encounter was taped during WWE’s tour of Germany. It aired on tape delay in March 1997.
This match had the pace and action you’d find in modern pro wrestling. It also featured the intricacies that are majorly lacking in today’s matches. Every spot was timed to perfection. The exchange of holds was smooth as silk.
In the end, Davey Boy Smith defeated Owen to become WWE’s first European Champion — a title that would soon become synonymous with him.
- Rocky Maivia vs. Vader (WWE RAW #199)
- Shawn Michaels vs. Owen Hart (Title vs. Title)
- Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin (Street Fight – WWE RAW #206)
Also read: Best WWE RAW Matches Of 1998
