Way overpushed newcomers/returns
By Scott Keith on 20 January 2018
Watching 96/97 RAWs, and oh-so-many new/returning guys were way overpushed from the start.
From Rocky Maivia (wins IC title 3 months after debuting), the Nation Of Domination (Crush beats Bulldog, Taker, Ahmed within a few weeks on TV in early 97), Kurrgan, Furnas/LaFon (instant top contenders for tag titles) and many more were forced down the fans' throats and usually heavily rejected or conway-popped within a few months.
what the hell were they thinking? Throwing shit at the wall then let's see what sticks?? Desperation? Shaking things up?
Mostly desperation due to Nitro destroying them and a really thin roster. There's no other era where Brian Pillman would have been allowed anywhere near a ring, for example. Although to be fair, Furnas and LaFon were a top tag team everywhere in the world they went previously and they should have been instant contenders, but they just flopped.