Best new talent WWE class?

[Boxer 0]

So, looking back at all the new talent brought in or debuted in a calendar year, which year had the best talent influx?

 

1996 had: Stone Cold and Mankind, with Vader, Mero and some "Rocky" guy.

 

2000 had: The radicalz

 

2001 had: WCW and ECW with the notable stars being RVD, Booker T, Tajiri, and Chavo.

 

2002 had arguably 4 of the biggest WWE stars in recent history: Orton, Lesnar, Cena and Batista, along with Shelton too I believe.

 

So which year do you think had the biggest talent influx joining the WWF/WWE?

[Diamonddust 0]

So, looking back at all the new talent brought in or debuted in a calendar year, which year had the best talent influx?

 

1996 had: Stone Cold and Mankind, with Vader, Mero and some "Rocky" guy.

 

2000 had: The radicalz

 

2001 had: WCW and ECW with the notable stars being RVD, Booker T, Tajiri, and Chavo.

 

2002 had arguably 4 of the biggest WWE stars in recent history: Orton, Lesnar, Cena and Batista, along with Shelton too I believe.

 

So which year do you think had the biggest talent influx joining the WWF/WWE?

 

In terms of lasting impact, 1996... in terms of the current product, 2002.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

You really cannot argue with 1996. Austin literally saved the company from from going under, and Foley/Rock were strong draws and licenses themselves.

 

I love Vader and Mero, but they had no effect on the company's financial performance. Sadly, Sable was a bigger acquisition from 1996 then either of them were.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

I thought Austin was more Late 1995 than he was 1996?

 

I know that DiBiase introduced him before the 1996 Royal Rumble, but I can't remember if it were before or after New Year's Day.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

He did not appear on television until 1996.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

He did not appear on television until 1996.

OK, didn't know if that in-ring promo that he did with DiBiase introducing him was late 95 or early 96.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

He did not appear on television until 1996.

OK, didn't know if that in-ring promo that he did with DiBiase introducing him was late 95 or early 96.

 

I think I'm wrong. His promo aired on the last RAW of '95. Still, I consider 1996 to be his first year with the company.

[Aero 0]

You could probably lump Kurt Angle in with the 2000 class since he really only started to do important stuff in 2000. In 99, all he did was face lower card guys and carry his undefeated streak.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

You could probably lump Kurt Angle in with the 2000 class since he really only started to do important stuff in 2000. In 99, all he did was face lower card guys and carry his undefeated streak.

And Tazz, who while didn't do much for the in-ring side of things, provided a new and fresh (at the time) voice to the commentarry table.

[BUTT 0]

He did not appear on television until 1996.

OK, didn't know if that in-ring promo that he did with DiBiase introducing him was late 95 or early 96.

 

I think I'm wrong. His promo aired on the last RAW of '95. Still, I consider 1996 to be his first year with the company.

Nah, it aired on January 8. It was taped on December 18.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

I'd argue the 1998 (into) 1999 class: Val Venis, Edge, Christian, Hardy Boys, Kurt Angle off the top of my head

[cabbageboy 0]

Or how about some of 1999 as well with Big Show, Jericho, Dudleys, Taz (sort of, debuted early 2000 but signed in 99).

 

1996 is the winner here. I'd like to argue the 2001 era but too many guys from WCW got buried during that time.

[Just John 0]

I'd argue for the 02 class just because they were all 100% home-grown and all turned into good wrestlers/viable draws fairly quickly. Hell, they even produced a UFC champ in that bunch.

 

The others have a lot of big names, but it's mostly guys who were already well-established elsewhere and just jumped ship. Austin was a midcard guy they turned into greatness, so I'll give them credit for that, but Foley, Vader, the Radicalz, and the Invasion guys were all developed elsewhere.

 

You could still argue for 96 on the strength of Austin and The Rock alone, though.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

1996 loses because you also had that stunning array of talent they brought in soon after Diesel and Razor left, such as TL Hopper, Alex Porteau, The Goon, and Who?

[Diamonddust 0]

1996 loses because you also had that stunning array of talent they brought in soon after Diesel and Razor left, such as TL Hopper, Alex Porteau, The Goon, and Who?

 

The success that The Rock, Austin, and Foley brought in negates all of that.

[Papacita 0]

Plus the impact those guys had on the product at the time was negligible (I don't ever TL Hopper or Who actually appearing on Raw, for instance). That's like knocking the 02 Class based on Shannon Moore or Reverand D-Von.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I guess I've always been mad about that because at the time I was a much bigger WWF fan, and was angry that the WWF didn't seem to be doing anything to mitigate the losses of Razor and Diesel. Then I remember reading a press release shortly after where they actually tried to hype up those gimmick characters coming in. It just came off as really lame.

 

But overall, yes, Austin, Rock, and Foley all had huge long term impact, discounting the fact that their initial gimmicks weren't very good.

[Thanks for the Fish 0]

I LOVED the initial Mankind gimmick. His promo's were on another level.

 

2002 could have eventually gave 1996 a run for it's money if Lesnar had stayed around.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Well, like a lot of people, I just hated the fact that Cactus Jack, a well known wrestler, was coming in under a different gimmick and the WWF was pretending (at the time) that it was a completely different guy. Also, I don't think Mankind really got over until the Hell in the Cell match with Undertaker.