1998 PWI 500 Revisted

As I have already done with 1997's PWI 500, I now present to you, the WrestleBlogger readers, a look back at the PWI 500 for 1998. Let's see how much a diffrence a year makes.

#1 Steve Austin (shown above in perhaps his best match ever; Wrestlemania 13 versus Bret Hart) - The time frame escapes me a little, but 1998 is right about the time that Austin became one of the top superstars of all time. A perfect fit for the top spot.

#2 Goldberg - This guy epitomizes what PWI is all about; All image and very little ability. #2 though? I disagree.

#7 Booker T - This is the first major push he got as a singles wrestler, but moving up nearly 80 spots since 1997? I have to disagree with this as well.

#11 Rocky Maivia - A jump of 92 positions. While I think that such a jump isn't warranted in his case, seeing at what he would later go on to become more than makes up for it.

#12 Sting - Sting wasn't even listed in 1997. Then he comes back and wins the title from Hogan in one of the worst matches ever.

#40 Bret Hart - This was the first PWI 500 since he left for WCW. He was #20 in 1997. Given his ability and caliber as a wrestler it says a lot about how WCW can kill a career in a short amount of time.

#59 Perry Saturn - This is during his WCW days. Saturn was one of the most overrated wrestlers in recent memory. His career peaked as a member of the Eliminators in ECW. Becoming a singles wrestler was a disaster for Saturn. There's no way that in 1998 that he should be #59

#80 Christian Cage - This was while he was still a developmental wrestler for WWF. A jump of almost 190 spots.

#107 Rey Mysterio - A fall of more than 70 spots.

#190 Steve McMichael - This is a joke right? This guy didn't know one actual move. All he knew was punches and kicks and even those were horrible. Mongo should be in the 400's at best!

#235 Jacques Rougeau - When he was the Mountie I thought that this guys was great. Then came the Quebecers which was entertaining at first, but got real stale real quick. #235 seems fitting.

#208 & #239 Matt Hardy & Jeff Hardy - A jump of almost 230 spots for Matt and a PWI 500 debut of #239 for Jeff.

Most of the rest of the list are all mid-carders, jobbers, no-names, and old guys like Honkey Tonk Man and Iron Sheik. Nobody really jumps out.

wrestleblogger@yahoo.com