WWE 2017 recap: 10 bad things and 12 good ones

It's become a custom among wrestling fans to say that each year was "the worst year ever." No doubt this is largely due to recency memory bias. It's very hard indeed to argue that 2017 was worse than any of the Authority years or the weird transition period of the late 2000's. With the roster WWE now has, many good things are guaranteed to happen.

All the same, 2017 was a hot and cold year. When it was good, it was great. When it was bad, it was downright unwatchable. Consistently inconsistent, just like WWE's 50/50 booking, 2017 gave us just as much bad as it did good. The question then becomes: did the good outweigh the bad in magnitude? Let's run down the list and see if we can find the answer.

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Bad: Kane's return

On the TLC go-home show, Kane returned to lay out Roman Reigns. His campaign has been tedium ever since, harming the momentum of Braun Strowman and sending Finn Balor to the graveyard. All of this turned out to be in the service of another bad item on our naughty list which we'll get to later, and unlike some earlier glimmers of hope, Kane's footnote in it is just dull.

Bad: punishing over acts

A consistent problem by no means unique to 2017, WWE was content to let over acts squander, or worse, outright destroy them for the crime of getting over. Finn Balor is the best example. Formerly one of the most over guys on the roster, Finn Balor was put in a terrible feud with Bray Wyatt and then saw Kane immediately squash his momentum getting out of it. A concerted effort to put him in competitive matches with nobodies like the Miztourage and Curt Hawkins completed the work Kane started.

Rusev seems directionless too, even though he's quickly become one of the most over acts on SmackDown with his Rusev Day gimmick. Yet, it appears likely that it will go nowhere, if not be deliberately killed.

The biggest crime and biggest mistake was how Braun Strowman was passed over for the Universal Championship, despite his being the hottest act in the company.

It's really bad business, and it's why WWE has relied so much on nostalgia acts this decade.

Bad: the year of the multi-person match

The number of triple threats, fatal four ways, fatal five ways and six-pack challenges this year is uncountable. With a few notable exceptions, they've been unremarkable affairs. They stifle character development and make builds mundane. It feels like WWE is handing out participation trophies instead of making stars and telling stories that matter.

If WWE wants to be more entertaining, it will do less of these matches in 2018.

Bad: The Shield reunion

Although there were a lot of potential upsides to a reunion, none of them materialized. Aside from a strong build to Survivor Series, the reunion has delivered nothing remarkable. It's been directionless. This hasn't been the cohesive Shield of 2012-14, but a stopgap that's felt like a tool behind glass with a sign saying "break in case of emergency." The goal of getting Roman Reigns more over has worked, but for how long?

It's also ironic that the reunion has been ruined by injury and illness, reminding me of a Greek tragedy where the gods punish men for their hubris. Vince McMahon's obsession with Roman hasn't been without its consequences, and the universe has a cruelly humorous way of punishing people.

Bad: fake father, fake son

Of all the angles in WWE this year, the Jason Jordan story arc has been among the worst. Introduced as Kurt Angle's long-lost illegitimate son in July, the story was dead on arrival. Jason Jordan came out to crickets until he became one of the most despised acts on the roster.

He began to pick up steam at the close of the year with a slow-burn heel turn, but his random tag team title win with Seth Rollins on Christmas looked like it could derail that. Jason Jordan has the potential to be one of the best heels in the company in 2018, but he'll have to discard the stigma of being the "fake son" of Kurt Angle. Here's hoping that he reveals he made the whole thing up and gets a win over Angle at WrestleMania.

Bad: wrong Money in the Bank Winners

This year was historic in that it saw the maiden women's Money in the Bank ladder match. Unfortunately, the ending was botched in service to the eventual winner, Carmella. It was a puzzling decision. Carmella is far from over and now without James Ellsworth, has little direction. She doesn't look anywhere near ready to be champion.

Meanwhile, Baron Corbin won the traditional Money in the Bank ladder match, but much like Carmella, he hadn't caught on (and still hasn't). He ultimately joined the ignominious ranks of failed cash-ins as WWE seemed to realize their mistake.

There were alternatives in both matches that would have been better.

Bad: Bray Wyatt's tar pit of terrible

Bray Wyatt has had an abysmal year even by his own standards. At the epicenter of some of the worst feuds, matches, and moments of 2017, he best served as a signal that it was time to change the channel whenever he came on.

Now in a feud with Matt Hardy to close this year and open the next one, he has potential to do better than his horrible 2017, but Matt needs to lead the story. Regardless, he'll never be regarded as a legitimate main event player again.

Bad: women's devolution

It's becoming nauseating hearing WWE crow about the "women's revolution/evolution." The way that the women's Royal Rumble match was announced was the worst example. It's so jarring because for all their talk, the reality of women's wrestling in WWE is far different. A few new match types don't change the fact that the divisions on both shows have been booked horribly. 2017 was a regression.

When not booked in meaningless multi-women matches, Alexa Bliss' superpush was busy leaving the rest of the division in a ditch on RAW, with the feud against Bayley being one of the worst of the decade. As 2017 comes to a close, her championship feels like an afterthought, as she hasn't defended it in two months. WWE's insistence on prolonging her forgettable title reign has hampered Paige's return and the rise of Absolution. The much-needed buzz it brought in November is now gone.

Meanwhile, on SmackDown, no one has really stood out, including the Riott Squad, the run of which has been horribly botched. Though the blue brand finally has the right champion in Charlotte, she hasn't had enough time to make a mark.

Bad: world titles on ice

2017 has been one of the worst years for WWE's main event scene in memory. The world titles of both shows have been on ice for most of the year and it's seriously damaged the quality of the product.

On SmackDown, AJ Styles' loss of the WWE Championship set the title on a long, downward slope. After being dragged through the mud of Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt's awful feud, Jinder Mahal took it into oblivion. AJ Styles managed to recapture the title in November and he's now slowly repairing the damage that was done. Hopefully, those efforts can accelerate now that Jinder Mahal is in his rearview mirror.

The Universal Championship is a more interesting case. As we'll see, the angles involving it were red hot, but the first problem is they've been too few and far between.

The second problem is that no one has been able to take advantage of the heat the angles have brought because the title is being held hostage by Brock Lesnar in reserve for Roman Reigns. Both Braun Strowman and Samoa Joe were consequently thrown by the wayside, even though they were tremendously over this year.

Brock Lesnar's reign has brought much-needed legitimacy to the title, but it's unfortunately been a glass ceiling looming over the main event on RAW, preventing new superstars from exploding.

Good: Goldberg's return

We can now finally get on to the good things.

One of the highlights of the year was the return of Goldberg. Everyone, including the man himself, was astonished at just how successful it really was. Goldberg and Brock Lesnar brought a big fight feel to the early months of 2017 and gave RAW a much-needed heat wave on the Road to WrestleMania.

Goldberg's elimination of Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble was nothing if not memorable, and at the big show itself, they more than made up for their stinker from WrestleMania XX.

If this truly was his last run, Goldberg went out the way he deserved - on top.

Good: Stephanie's absence

Stephanie has been gone for most of the year. It's been by far one of the best things WWE has given us in 2017. Without her toxic presence, the characters on the show have actually had room to breathe and grow.

As seen in the women's Royal Rumble announcement, she smothers everything and everyone when she shows up. She is the opposite of entertainment, and after being omnipresent in 2016, her absence this year has been a big improvement.

Good: an epic trilogy

Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne have had an amazing trilogy of matches in 2017. With few exceptions, WWE's endless rematches are tiresome. These two provided one of those exceptions.

Their first match in the final of the UK Championship Tournament, where Tyler Bate prevailed, was excellent, but they were just getting started. The two had the best match of 2017 at NXT TakeOver: Chicago, where Pete Dunne got his win back and took the UK Championship. It was so good that it didn't feel like 50/50 booking at all.

To close the year, they had a rubber match on NXT which was another match of the year candidate. Pete Dunne won, taking the series 2-1.

What's most amazing of all is that these guys are still so young. They could be a fixture in WWE for years to come and deserve a bigger stage in 2018.

Good: the Mae Young Classic

2017 wasn't kind to women's wrestling in WWE, but the Mae Young Classic was a welcome standout. Highlighting both new stars and giving a stage to veterans from the independent scene, the tournament brimmed with showcase matches for women's wrestling.

Ditching the multi-women cluster of the main roster, each match in the tournament felt like it mattered, and the rise of Kairi Sane to the tournament championship was an underdog story that enraptured the viewer.

Good: Enzo's heel turn

Enzo was unwatchable during his singles babyface run. Whenever he and Cass came on, it was time to change the channel.

Enzo is such a naturally unlikable guy that he felt very incongruent as a babyface. His promos were delivered with excellence, but they were always annoying. When Cass got injured, Enzo joined 205 Live and turned heel. It's been a successful formula since.

Enzo's unlikable personality makes him a great heel and though his ring skills are limited, he's made the programs on 205 Live a lot more meaningful, since the division lacked relatable characters beforehand. His comeuppance is sure to be a sweet moment in 2018.

Good: The King of the Cruiserweights

Neville carried 205 Live for the first two-thirds of 2017. Consistently putting out great match after great match, he proved himself one of the best performers in the world.

Unfortunately, his exit after dropping the title to Enzo Amore was marred by controversy. Though his chances of returning don't look good, we can always hope. He certainly deserves a run with a midcard title after paying his dues for leaving.

Good: the NXT resurgence

After the 2016 callups, NXT's best days were thought to be behind it. Though the yellow brand hasn't equaled its 2015 highs, 2017 has been an excellent year and its roster was rebuilt in little time.

All the TakeOver specials delivered in 2017, the War Games revival was a success, and NXT had at least half of the year's best matches and feuds. With Aleister Black vs. Adam Cole, Johnny Gargano vs. Tomaso Ciampa, Ember Moon vs. Kairi Sane, and the Undisputed Era vs. the Street Profits looming as likely feuds, 2018 is set to be another strong year.

Good: Sami and Kevin troll everyone

After having a mediocre eight months (excluding the Festival of Friendship), Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens picked up the pace in the last third of the year. Sami Zayn's heel turn has been fantastic and the evolution of the pair into the blue brand's most obnoxious trolls has been consistently entertaining.

The pair look to be on a collision course with AJ Styles as 2018 opens, and though Owens and Styles had a lackluster feud in the summer of 2017, there's a totally new dynamic in place now. The addition of Sami to the equation won't hurt things.

Good: Asuka carries the torch

2017 wasn't a good year for WWE's women, but it was a great year for one. Asuka put on tremendous matches with Ember Moon and Nikki Cross, and though she vacated the NXT Women's Championship after her instant classic with the former in Brooklyn, she hasn't missed a beat on the main roster. She's gotten over on RAW at a rapid pace, looks like a star, and is poised to ascend even greater heights in 2018.

Asuka has single-handedly carried the torch of WWE's self-congratulatory "women's revolution," and her coming title reign will usher in a far better era for the division.

Good: the summer of hosses

Brock Lesnar's absentee title reign and the glass ceiling it's put over RAW has been a big problem, but it's also had its upsides. From June to September, RAW had the best main event scene it's had in years.

The feud between Brock Lesnar and Samoa Joe gave RAW an adrenaline shot that made it must-see TV. That feud would eventually merge with the ongoing Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman feud for a clash of the titans at SummerSlam, leaving Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman to deal with each other in the fallout.

Devoid of silly angles and overbooked nonsense the summer months on the red brand were an old-school throwback. It was all about four monsters trying to kill each other and every second of it was glorious (until No Mercy, that is).

Good: Roman Reigns evolves

2015 was one of WWE's worst years for many reasons, but the botching of Roman's singles push was one of them. Aside from the Royal Rumble apocalypse, we saw Roman Reigns telling stories of Jack and the Beanstalk, joking about tater tots, and uttering the words "sufferin' succotash." It was abysmal.

The Roman Reigns of 2017 wasn't the same man.

The attempts to make him the second coming of John Cena stopped. We saw a far more serious and mature Roman Reigns, one who embraced his darker tendencies while still remaining a good guy. He spoke, acted, and fought like a more confident man, even if his mic work is still mediocre. His ring work was tremendous.

The Roman Reigns of 2015 wasn't ready to be "the guy." The Roman Reigns of 2017 is.

When he inevitably defeats Brock Lesnar in New Orleans on April 8th, he won't look out of place at all. The booking to get to that point has been a problem, but the quality of the feud and match won't be. 2017 was the year that truly saw him become "the big dog."

Good: Braun Strowman destroys everything

Crucial to Roman Reigns' evolution was the rise of Braun Strowman. Their year-defining feud boosted the stock of both men tremendously, and while the higher-ups always saw Roman Reigns as #1, 2017 was the year that saw Braun Strowman establish himself as #1a. For a guy dismissed as an afterthought beforehand, it was a massive accomplishment.

Braun Strowman was the hottest act in the company in 2017 because he's just so good at what he does. He's no AJ Styles in the ring, but he doesn't need to be. He's no Rock on the mic, but he doesn't need to be. Braun Strowman's act is about breaking things. His ring work and mic skills are perfectly congruent with that act, and that act is a joy to watch.

Involved in some of the most memorable segments and moments of the year, Braun Strowman was the most consistently entertaining character on RAW. When that music hits, and the crowd chants "BRAAAUUUUUNNNNN" along with it, you know you're about to see something fun, and you'll laugh at the expense of some dork that's about to get his ass kicked.

It's the most basic of basics, which is why it's timeless.

Good: the tag team renaissance

Tag team wrestling was in a dark age after the end of the Attitude Era. No tag teams really felt important, and the matches felt like filler, as did the titles.

There were encouraging signs in 2016, but 2017 showed us that, at last, tag team wrestling was in the sun once again. The tag team division was WWE's most reliable in 2017. When everything else was going bad, you knew that the tag team division would serve you up with something good.

The Usos were the lead team in this elite group, but The New Day, The Bar, and Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose all shined on the biggest stages. Even the less-pushed teams all had great years. Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin have done a good job together, Rusev and Aiden English have gotten hugely over with Rusev Day.

Breezango and The Ascension made us laugh with the Fashion Files, and of course, who could forget the return of the Hardy Boyz? Now with the Bludgeon Brothers on the rise and The Revival back from injury, the picture looks even brighter. I can hardly wait until the Authors of Pain and SAnity get called up.

In other words, in 2018, the tag team division should be even better.

Now it's up to you. Was 2017 a bad year or a good year? Where does it rank in WWE history?