Biggest 1 year improvement for a superstar (1997+)

[Deleted]

Say you start at the Attitude Era...who's improved the most over a 1 year time period? By improvement I don't mean on the hierarchy of the card but in-ring skills, promos, character, look, uniqueness, match quality, things like that as a whole. Who you got?

I don't know who wins this but I gotta say Strowman's improvement from Survivor Series 2016 to Survivor Series 2017 was crazy. He stopped facing jobbers around that time and he made a huge impact in that first elimination match. Since then he was on a roll, constantly improving in all areas and also becoming a force in the company as well. It's impressive.

Besides Strowman, I gotta say Rock from late-1997 to late-1998 where he was just finding himself in the Nation and then joined the Corporation. That's another contender.

[Lt. Palumbo]

Kurt Angle's 99 Survivor Series match is his debut against Shawn Stasiak. His 2000 Survivor Series match is defending the world title against the Undertaker.

[Can you afford to pay me, Gah]

HHH 98 to 00 year by year. 98 he broke out as the leader of D-X and got monster over as a face and was the big break away the Blue Blood stuff. 98 to Mid 99 he kept getting more over and quality got better. 99 to 00 he becomes the top heel of the company, became one of the best hated heel characters but was having great matches with The Rock and most anybody at this time. This point is was firing on all cylinders and peaked IMO.

Chris Jericho 99 to 00: Went from nearly getting canned his words not mind not long after his debut because of in ring work but to one of the best a year later. There was never an issue character wise but it was getting his feet wet in a WWE ring it seemed he has issues in.

[Shark]

I'd throw Cien Almas to this discussion. A year ago he was fodder for Black's debut to NXT. Was floating around not doing much, then Zelina Vega debuts and whips him into shape, has a couple classics with Gargano which he wins. Then he ends McIntyre's NXT title reign. Has a spectacular match with Gargano at Takeover Philly. Debuts in the Royal Rumble. Guys looks like a mega star in the making now. 1 year ago, I never would have pegged him as a future NXT champion.

[carp (SPC, Itoh Respect Army)]

I mean, gotta be Angle's first year, right? Although instead of taking a whole year, he just got really good really quickly.

Miz's in-ring work improved tremendously when he got teamed up with Morrison, though it's a little hard to tell if he was already pretty good, but he just hadn't gotten a chance to show it.

[Oh Cry Me a Screwball]

Braun Strowman got ridiculously good ridiculously fast considering he only had six months of matches before showing up on Raw, though it really didn't start happening until Year 2.

Velveteen Dream had quite the turnaround on his first year, though he had more experience going in.

[Mighty Attack Tribble]

Apr 11, 2018 23:40:13 GMT -5 carp (SPC, Itoh Respect Army) said:

Miz's in-ring work improved tremendously when he got teamed up with Morrison, though it's a little hard to tell if he was already pretty good, but he just hadn't gotten a chance to show it.

I say this as one of Miz's biggest marks going all the way back to his time on Real World, but he was pretty damn basic in all respects before teaming with JoMo. That team was really where he got his confidence both as a promo guy and as an in-ring performer, and literally saved his career, as he was in line for a Future Endeavours from Big Johnny.

[Nosnorb]

Apr 11, 2018 23:48:54 GMT -5 Oh Cry Me a Screwball said:

Braun Strowman got ridiculously good ridiculously fast considering he only had six months of matches before showing up on Raw, though it really didn't start happening until Year 2.

When he first started with the Wyatt Family, there were rumours that he was actually a natural at prograps and that he was holding back during his role as the Black Sheep. Guess the rumours were at least partly true.

[Cvslfc123]

Despite the general opnion of him on here Jinder Mahal has to be a contender too. He returned in 2016 as a jobber on Raw. A year later he was set to defend his WWE championship against Shinsuke Nakamura.

[Deleted]

Rock from the fall of 1997 to 1998. When Austin had to give up the IC title to him he was alright, there was potential but the matches were short and uneventful and he was still twerking his promo style, some stuff worked but a lot didn't. Just 11 months later at his first title win at Survivor Series 98 he was 95% of the way to the finished article.

For a more recent one, Charlotte made great strides between WM 32 and 33.

[schma]

Apr 12, 2018 3:07:05 GMT -5 Cvslfc123 said:

Despite the general opnion of him on here Jinder Mahal has to be a contender too. He returned in 2016 as a jobber on Raw. A year later he was set to defend his WWE championship against Shinsuke Nakamura.

General opinion seems more that he never really improved despite jumping from jobber to WWE champion.  I figure by the way the op phrased it, he was more looking at someone improving as a performer.

I think Kurt Angle in his first year and Braun Strowman are probably the two biggest.

[Cvslfc123]

Apr 12, 2018 3:38:34 GMT -5 schma said:

Apr 12, 2018 3:07:05 GMT -5 Cvslfc123 said:

Despite the general opnion of him on here Jinder Mahal has to be a contender too. He returned in 2016 as a jobber on Raw. A year later he was set to defend his WWE championship against Shinsuke Nakamura.

General opinion seems more that he never really improved despite jumping from jobber to WWE champion.  I figure by the way the op phrased it, he was more looking at someone improving as a performer.

I think Kurt Angle in his first year and Braun Strowman are probably the two biggest.

Yeah I read it properly after posting, I have a bad habit of doing that!

[TGM]

Apr 12, 2018 2:59:29 GMT -5 Nosnorb said:

Apr 11, 2018 23:48:54 GMT -5 Oh Cry Me a Screwball said:

Braun Strowman got ridiculously good ridiculously fast considering he only had six months of matches before showing up on Raw, though it really didn't start happening until Year 2.

When he first started with the Wyatt Family, there were rumours that he was actually a natural at prograps and that he was holding back during his role as the Black Sheep. Guess the rumours were at least partly true.

I'm still waiting for him to bust out that 450 Splash.

Alternative answer, Mark Henry from his heel turn in 2011. Everything about him improved, his character, promo, wrestling ability to the point where he went from overpaid expensive luggage to bona fide main event star.

["Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay]

Apr 11, 2018 23:34:26 GMT -5 Shark said:

I'd throw Cien Almas to this discussion. A year ago he was fodder for Black's debut to NXT. Was floating around not doing much, then Zelina Vega debuts and whips him into shape, has a couple classics with Gargano which he wins. Then he ends McIntyre's NXT title reign. Has a spectacular match with Gargano at Takeover Philly. Debuts in the Royal Rumble. Guys looks like a mega star in the making now. 1 year ago, I never would have pegged him as a future NXT champion.

While he was immensely freshened up when they turned him heel, I really liked him but was worried he just wasn't getting over. Then out of nowhere he's suddenly the hottest thing in NXT.

[PTBartman]

On the distaff side, I'd go with Nia Jax. From the moment she threw on that little black back pack and ran off to check on Enzo in the hospital I've noticed nothing but improvement.

[theironyuppie]

Apr 12, 2018 7:25:12 GMT -5 PTBartman said:

On the distaff side, I'd go with Nia Jax. From the moment she threw on that little black back pack and ran off to check on Enzo in the hospital I've noticed nothing but improvement.

She's really been helped by booking letting her show her personality rather than pretending to be a monster heel.  It also helps that she's always game to take bumps when needed.

[Dub H]

Bryan fromt he moment he cashed MITB improved his personality insanely and it carried over to his face work.

Before that he was bland as bland got.

And of course Braun Strowman.

[Amazing Kitsune]

Kurt Angle

There are few rookie years that even come close.

[Slanted and Enchanted]

The most obvious answer from the past: Kurt Angle
In recent memory: Braun
To look out for: Ronda Rousey
Outside of the WWE: Cody
In NXT: Cien Andrade Alamas

[tankisfreemason]

I’d say AJ Styles has a pretty good first year