1997 in professional wrestling

1997 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.

List of notable promotions
These promotions held notable events in 1997.

Notable events

 * January 4 - WWF Shotgun Saturday Night debuts live from New York City, New York
 * January 25 - New World Order has their nWo Souled Out Pay Per View live from Ceder Rapids, Iowa
 * April 13 - ECW debuts live on Pay Per View for the first time with ECW Barely Legal from the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania headlined with Sabu vs Tazz
 * August 21 - The final WCW Clash of the Champions XXXV prime time special on TBS was held in Nashville, Tennessee headlined with Scott Hall and Randy Savage vs Lex Luger and Diamond Dallas Page.
 * November 9 - The Montreal Screwjob
 * After a long history of Memphis Wrestling the United States Wrestling Association closes its doors in November.
 * December 30 - Jeff Jarrett defeated Blackjack Bradshaw on a WWF Raw is War taping in Uniondale, New York to win the NWA North American Heavyweight title.

Debuts

 * Uncertain debut date
 * Matt Bloom
 * Droz (wrestler)
 * Evan Karagias
 * Michael Cole
 * Justin Gabriel
 * Rene Dupree
 * Billy Boy
 * Lodi
 * Chilly Willy
 * Rie Tanabe (SPWF)
 * January 26 - Tony Kozina
 * February 7 – Ernest Miller
 * March 10 – Dennis Rodman
 * March 15 – Ron Killings
 * April 12 - Naoya Ogawa
 * May 7 – Danny Doring
 * May 17 – Seiya Morohashi
 * May 26 – Kazuki
 * June 23 – Bill Goldberg
 * July 6 – Shoichi Ichimiya
 * July 13 - Chiharu
 * August 2
 * Don Frye
 * Molly Holly
 * September 5 - Perseus Jr. (IWA Japan)
 * October 26 – Test
 * November 21 - Nana Nakahara (All Japan Women's) and Noriko Toyoda (All Japan Women's)
 * December 7 – Butterbean
 * December 12 - Rikiya Fudo

Births

 * January 5 – Man Like DeReiss
 * January 21 – Persia Pirotta
 * February 9 – Dan Moloney
 * February 28 – Ace Austin
 * March 7 – Tyler Bate
 * March 22 – Kid Lykos
 * April 5 – Dominik Mysterio
 * June 1 – Black Warrior Jr. (d. 2022)
 * June 5 – Gigi Dolin
 * June 9 – Myron Reed
 * July 21 – Levaniel
 * August 2 – Austin Theory
 * August 14 – Minorita
 * August 25 – Cole Radrick
 * September 3 – Hana Kimura (d. 2020)
 * September 6 – Tsukushi Haruka
 * September 16 – Yuuri
 * October 24 – Bron Breakker
 * October 27 – Ishin Iihashi
 * December 19 – Kurtis Chapman (d. 2023)

Retirements

 * Águila Solitaria (1978–1997)
 * Bull Nakano (1983–1997)
 * Denny Brown (1980–1997)
 * Jeff Gaylord (1985–1997)
 * Jimmy Del Ray (1985–1997)
 * Ferrin Barr Jr. (1980–1997)
 * Ron Starr (1972-1997)
 * Megumi Kudo (August 8, 1986 – April 29, 1997)
 * Sivi Afi (1974–1997)
 * Mike Sharpe (1973–1997)
 * Tony Halme (1989- December 21, 1997)

Deaths

 * January 24 - Dr. Jerry Graham, 68
 * February 4 - Ray Apollon, 72
 * February 5 – Bulldog Bob Brown, 58
 * February 28 - Larry Tillman, 88
 * March 24 - Dr. Bill Miller, 69
 * April 17 - Mitsu Arakawa, 69
 * June 19 – Stan Stasiak, 60
 * June 30 – Larry O'Dea, 53
 * July 24 - Brian Glover, 63
 * August 16 – Plum Mariko, 29
 * August 18 – Robert Swenson, 40
 * August 30 - Dale Lewis (wrestler), 64
 * September 10 – Fritz Von Erich, 68
 * September 15 – Bulldog Brower, 63
 * October 5 – Brian Pillman, 35
 * November 12 – Luke Brown, 62
 * December 2 - Shirley Crabtree, 67