Can you believe it? This week marks the show's one-year anniversary! Nate and Eric are too stubborn to quit, so to celebrate, the guys debate and decide the Mount Rushmore of Best First Years. Which future pro wrestling superstars were rocketed off the launch pad but truly earned their stripes over their first 12 months? Through their in-ring skills, character development, promo ability (or, in some cases, ability to work around their lack of promo ability), charisma, and animal magnetism, who made the biggest impacts on the sport in their first years? Put on your party hats, listen in, and find out!

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SPOILERS AND SHOW NOTES BELOW...

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Something to check out for funsies: https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/PWI_Rookie_of_the_Year

Something else to check out for funsies: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Wrestling_Observer_Newsletter_awards#Rookie_of_the_Year

The Next Big Thing debuts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPdETJuYYBE

FULL MATCH - Kurt Angle makes his WWE debut: Survivor Series 1999 - YouTube

Kurt Angle | Best Moments - YouTube

Kurt Angle talks about memorial day - YouTube

Goldberg makes his WCW debut: WCW Monday Nitro, Sept. 22, 1997

Goldberg vs. Hollywood Hogan - WCW Championship Match: Nitro, July 6, 1998 - YouTube

Sheamus' WWE Debut - YouTube

FULL SEGMENT - The Rock and Ronda Rousey confront The Authority: WrestleMania 31 (WWE Network)

Ronda Rousey makes her big WWE entrance at the Royal Rumble | ESPN - YouTube