From shocking betrayals to groundbreaking debuts, we're diving into the most unforgettable moments that defined WWE Monday Night Raw. Join us as we count down the most electrifying, game-changing, and jaw-dropping segments that made wrestling history!
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most explosive, groundbreaking,
00:12and entertaining moments to have ever taken place on WWE Raw.
00:26You can't celebrate the greatest moments of Monday Night Raw without going back to
00:39where it all began.
00:41On January 11th, 1993, WWE, then WWF, aired the first ever episode of Raw live from the
00:50Manhattan Center in New York City.
00:59This revolutionary broadcast introduced a fresh, intimate live format that greatly contrasted
01:05with the pre-taped wrestling programs of the era.
01:08With a combination of high-energy matches and iconic characters like Razor Ramon and
01:14The Undertaker, this inaugural episode set the tone for Raw, marking the beginning of
01:19a cultural phenomenon that would grow into the juggernaut it is today.
01:34Eric Bischoff returns.
01:50Mark this one under the column, Hell Has Frozen Over.
01:53You see, Eric Bischoff not only led rival WCW's charge against WWE during the Monday
01:59Night Wars, but he came as close as anyone in putting the company out of business.
02:13So when Eric smugly returned as the General Manager of Raw, fans couldn't believe their
02:19eyes.
02:36Making his stunning debut with a big embrace with Vince McMahon no less, Bischoff's shocking
02:42presence on WWE television represented a paradigm shift.
02:47He would go on to exude a sense of unpredictability that thrived throughout his tenure, adding
02:52a welcome new dimension to Raw's narrative.
03:01Seth Rollins turns on The Shield.
03:03By 2014, The Shield was the most dominant force in WWE.
03:08They were a trio of arguably the toughest men on the roster, who routinely fought what
03:13they perceived as injustices.
03:23So when Seth Rollins maliciously swung a steel chair at his partners Roman Reigns and Dean
03:29Ambrose and aligned himself with the authority, fans were left speechless.
03:37This betrayal was one of those deftly executed moments that flipped the switch and cemented
03:43Seth Rollins as a cunning competitor.
03:54It still stands as one of the most shocking moments in Raw history, proving that anything
03:59can – and likely will – happen in WWE's unpredictable world.
04:047.
04:05The Nexus Arrives
04:06No episode of Raw has ever descended into as much chaos as the one that aired on June
04:117th, 2010.
04:13The shocking emergence of The Nexus turned the wrestling world on its head, leaving serious
04:18carnage in their wake.
04:27The group of NXT rookies, led by Wade Barrett, stormed the ring and laid waste to everyone
04:33and everything in their path, including the WWE's Superman equivalent John Cena.
04:39Ripping apart the ring and assaulting commentators, The Nexus showcased their hunger for dominance
04:52in a big way.
04:54And while the promising angle fizzled in the weeks that followed, there is no denying the
04:59Heir of Pandemonium, the group brought to Raw on this fateful night.
05:096.
05:15Y2J Debuts
05:16Speaking of monumental arrivals, leading up to this iconic moment in August of 1999, weeks
05:23of mysterious countdown clock teases appeared on WWE programming.
05:31Interrupting The Rock during a promo, the countdown once again took center stage.
05:36This time, however, it would hit zero, revealing the Millennium Man as none other than Chris
05:41Jericho.
06:01The former WCW mainstay had officially jumped ship to the competition and in doing so, immediately
06:07established himself as a major player.
06:20The debut wasn't just memorable, it was iconic.
06:23In fact, it reinforced the idea that Raw was the premiere destination for star-making moments
06:29in sports entertainment.
06:395.
06:42Mankind Wins The Big One
06:49Talk about a turning point.
06:51January 4th, 1999 was a night of redemption and triumph, as this was the episode of Raw
06:58where Mick Foley defeated The Rock to win the WWE Championship.
07:02With more than a little help from Stone Cold Steve Austin, Foley's victory was met with
07:14one of the loudest crowd reactions in Raw history, and that's saying something.
07:29For WWE diehards, the moment was made even sweeter by WCW's infamous blunder of spoiling
07:35the result, which backfired spectacularly and had their viewers switching the channel
07:40to see the big win on Raw.
07:43It was a feel-good moment that set the WWE back on the path of prominence.
07:534.
07:55Mike Tyson and Steve Austin's Showdown
07:59To boost visibility and ratings during the infamous Attitude Error, WWE brought in boxing
08:05heavyweight Mike Tyson to shake things up.
08:08And so, on January 19th, 1998, the baddest man on the planet appeared on Raw, only to
08:15find himself in the middle of a head-to-head confrontation with Stone Cold Steve Austin.
08:31The explosive and chaotic brawl that followed set the stage for Tyson's involvement at
08:37WrestleMania, where he'd take on the role of a special enforcer in Austin's match against
08:42Shawn Michaels.
08:55The segment on Raw, however, drew interest and eyeballs from around the world to WWE's
09:01programming and solidified Austin as a must-see wrestling anti-hero.
09:053.
09:06CM Punk's Pipe Bomb
09:11A June 2011 episode of Monday Night Raw saw CM Punk grab a microphone and deliver one
09:17of the, ahem, rawest promos in professional wrestling history.
09:27Now known as the Pipe Bomb Hood around the world, Punk expertly blurred the lines of
09:32what was real and not.
09:34He openly criticized his place within the WWE and called out the likes of Vince McMahon,
09:39all while sitting cross-legged on the stage.
09:56By airing his grievances, Punk managed to resonate with disenfranchised fans of the
10:01company.
10:02He also set a new standard for wrestlers breaking their silence.
10:13This moment wasn't just a typical promo, it was a cultural phenomenon that still resonates
10:19to this day.
10:312.
10:34Shane McMahon Owns WCW
10:37March 26, 2001 was a historic night in professional wrestling.
10:42It was the night that Vince K McMahon revealed to the world that he had acquired his competition,
10:48WCW.
10:49However, during a simulcast between Raw and WCW's final broadcast of Nitro, Vince's
11:04relentless gloating was interrupted by his own son, Shane McMahon.
11:22In one of the most shocking moments of the Monday Night Wars, Shane proceeded to reveal
11:26that he had purchased WCW right under his father's nose.
11:48The moment of course marked the end of an era and the beginning of WWE's dominance
11:52over the wrestling landscape.
12:01Before we unveil our number one pick, here's some honorable mentions.
12:05The 1-2-3 Kid Upsets Razor Ramon
12:08serves as one of the earliest examples of Raw's exciting unpredictability.
12:27Lita & Trish's Main Event Match!
12:29A history-making first-ever Women's Championship main event on Raw.
12:43DX Invades WCW!
12:45WWE Sends In The Troops While The Monday Night War Was At It's Boiling Point!
13:01Triple H Marries Stephanie McMahon!
13:04The Billion Dollar Princess Gets A Most Unexpected Wedding Surprise!
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13:44For many years, WWE was defined by the legendary boss vs. employee feud between Vince McMahon
13:51and Stone Cold Steve Austin.
14:00And while the pair took part in an assortment of entertaining segments, it was Austin's
14:04beer berth to McMahon and his cronies that stands as the most iconic.
14:24On the March 22, 1999 episode of Raw, Austin interrupted Vince, Shane and The Rock's
14:31corporate celebration by driving a beer truck down to ringside.
14:35The rattlesnake then proceeded to hose them down with an abundance of ale.
14:50It was the perfect encapsulation of Austin's rebellious spirits and remains one of the
14:55most entertaining segments in WWE history.
15:09Cheers to that!
15:10How long have you been watching WWE's flagship Monday Night program?
15:15What is your all-time favorite match or moment from Raw?
15:18Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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