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This is a list of various things that took place in 1997.

Significant events[]

March

  • 10 - The first appearance of the WWF's "TitanTron" -- a huge jumbotron-type large-screen television on the side of the arena where wrestlers enter the ringside area -- is featured as part of major set changes on WWF Monday Night Raw. Also as part of the set change: An entry ramp and integrated stage area, as opposed to just the aisle. Both will figure heavily into the WWF's new way of storytelling, as backstage events, interviews and other pre-taped segments will be shown as well.
  • 16:
    • WWF Superstars unveils a major overhaul in its format, switching from the longtime formula of wrestling matches (mostly pitting main-event and mid-card wrestlers against jobbers) and pre-taped interviews to a recap format, airing highlights from arena shows, pay-per-view events and Monday Night Raw. The new format remains in place until the show's final broadcast in 2001.
    • The first arena show from Madison Square Garden in five years is aired on the MSG Network ... and, as it turns out, it will be the final monthly arena show broadcast on the network, concluding a 24-year tradition of regular televised monthly shows from the venue, the past 16½ of which were on the MSG Network. Announcers are Jim Ross and Jim Cornette (in their only lead play-by-play and color commentary roles, respectively, on the network), and the final televised main event sees Vader defeat The Undertaker in a casket match (when Mankind interfered).
  • 17 - Following a steel cage match loss to WWF World Heavyweight Champion Psycho Sid on Monday Night Raw, Bret Hart shoves Vince McMahon to the mat during an in-ring interview after which Hart goes on a profanity-laced tirade, calling out McMahon and Gorilla Monsoon before blaming them and others for the perceived injustices he has dealt with in the past few months, before later getting into a shouting match with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin over their upcoming match at WrestleMania 13. The new TitanTron and stage/ramp area figure heavily into what ends in a full-scale brawl between Hart, Psycho Sid, Austin and The Undertaker, with Shawn Michaels also coming to ringside but limiting his involvement to grabbing a chair. The segment is among the key events cited in the start of the WWF's Attitude Era.

August

  • Gorilla Monsoon makes his final appearances in the role of WWF president, as Sgt. Slaughter is named Commissioner; the title of "president," which had been used in storylines only, is retired at this time. Monsoon, who is starting to suffer from failing health, begins making fewer live appearances at WWF events during the rest of his life; his final came a year and a half later at WrestleMania XV in 1999, just over six months before his death

November

  • 3 - Vince McMahon makes his last regular lead play-by-play commentary appearance on a WWF televised program as lead announcer of the second hour of Monday Night RAW. Although he was still officially a pro-face/objective play-by-play announcer, there were already clear signs of a slow-building heel turn, which had become evident throughout the fall due to his interactions with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (at this point, the WWF's most popular wrestler by far) and several other high-ranking face wrestlers.
  • 9 - The match that came to be known as the "Montreal Screwjob" takes place at the Survivor Series -- the card's main event, WWF Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels -- at the Molson Centre in Montreal
  • 10 - In response to being outed as the catalyst behind the controversial finish to the Bret Hart-Shawn Michaels match the previous evening at the Survivor Series -- online criticism had begun almost immediately after Michaels was declared the winner of the match -- Vince McMahon, Jr. famously states, during an in-ring promo on WWF Monday Night Raw "Vince McMahon didn't screw Bret Hart. Bret screwed Bret Hart!", turning heel and transitioning himself into the "evil owner" persona (as Mr. McMahon) that he continues to play to this day. Meanwhile, on WCW Monday Nitro, announcers Mike Tenay and Tony Schiavone strongly condemn the actions of McMahon and Michaels, effectively accusing them of double-crossing Hart

Retirements[]

Births[]

Unknown dates

January

February

April

May

June

July

August

October

December

Deaths[]

January

February

March

June

August

September

October

December

Debuts[]

  • Johnny Devine
  • Oscar Omar Puentes Molgado
  • Shannon Ballard
  • Batista
  • Billy Boy
  • Brothers of Destruction
  • Cancerbero
  • Chae An
  • CIMA
  • Rob Conway
  • Amy Crawford (Nitro Girl)
  • D-Generation X
  • Danny Daniels
  • Diana la Cazadora
  • Disciples of Apocalypse
  • Dragon Kid
  • Dudley Boyz
  • Evan Karagias
  • Bill Goldberg
  • Genny Goulet
  • Jay Hanna
  • James Storm
  • Al Katrazz
  • Tony Kozina
  • La Hechicera
  • Los Boricuas
  • Melissa Bellin
  • Michael Cole
  • Ernest Miller
  • Murray Cairns
  • Nathan Jones
  • New Age Outlaws
  • Paul Lloyd, Jr.
  • Rene Gomez
  • Ricky Banderas
  • Dean Roll
  • Rocky Romero
  • Ron Killings
  • Rudy Switchblade
  • Sangre Azteca
  • Shane Shamrock
  • Travis Shillington
  • Gene Snitsky
  • Tyson Dux
  • Gerardo Campos Poza
  • Xavier

May

July

October

Events[]

January

February

March

  • March 15 – ECW Hostile City Showdown

April

  • April 12 – NJPW Battle Formation
  • April 19 – JAPW JAP's First Show

May

  • May 10 – ECW Chapter 2

June

July

August

September

  • September 11 – Wrestlefest 1997: 50 Years Of Funk
  • September 20 – ECW As Good As It Gets
  • September 31 – JAPW Halloween Hell

October

  • October 21 – IWA Mid-South King Of The Death Matches

November

December

  • December 5 – JAPW Night Of The Barbwire #1
  • December 6 – ECW Better Than Ever

Pay-Per-View events[]

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Title changes[]

See also[]

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