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19 years, 6 months, and 10 days. That’s the time it took for WWE and RAW to go from the first episode to the 1000th. For a weekly episodic program, it is a benchmark that may never be surpassed. Especially since it’s own record is being broken every week!
Vince and company are really out-doing themselves to make this episode special. Let’s take a look at some of the most anticipated segments for the historic program:
- DX Reunion (Part 5235364): At least two members of the original D-Generation X faction, Triple H and Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, will kick off the festivities. Who knows what shenanigans these two will have up their sleeves. Will X-Pac show up? Will Road Dogg show up? Or even more relevant, will monster Brock Lesnar and troll Paul Heyman show up?
- Daniel Bryan & AJ’s Wedding: After saying ‘YES’ to the proposal, AJ is getting herself taken away by a man whose priorities in the WWE suddenly changes. Months of title chases consumed Daniel Bryan, but it seemed as if he realized that perhaps he needs to find the root of his evil. Maybe it’s just me because I was recently the Best Man at my own brother’s wedding, but I am really interested to see what will happen here.
- The Inevitable Legends Segment: Heath Slater has had a rough go with the figures of WWE’s past. Whether it was a Master of the Powerbomb, another Master of the Powerbomb, or even a girl who just wanted to have fun, Slater has gotten his ass kicked over and over again. Will this be Slater’s revenge, or be like a horrible scene (seriously, discretion advised at 2:50) from Maniac? We’ll find out soon enough!
- The WWE Championship: John Cena had a chance to cash in Money in the Bank on episode 999 after CM Punk’s match with Big Show. Cena, in a swerve, announced he will cash in the briefcase on episode 1000! Can Cena get yet another WWE Championship with the odds on his side, or will CM Punk, a 2-time winner of the briefcase himself, be the first champion to turn away the challenge? The last time he appeared on RAW, The Rock vowed to be WWE Champion. Could that also be a factor?
Speaking of The Rock, there are MANY other past legends announced for the show. With such figures like Bob Backlund, Roddy Piper, ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan, and UNDERTAKER already advertised, how they will they make their presences felt?
Will Vince McMahon ‘kill’ himself out of the stories yet again? We’ll see!
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In commemoration of this anticipated feat, I’ll do a personal list on some questions posted on MARKS and Freakin’ Awesome Network, while the rest are made-up.
1. Favorite RAW Moment? There are a good bunch of them. However, I need something that genuinely surprised me, and therefore that initial Nexus outing in 2010 may very well do it. A shitty RAW was turned into something epic. John Cena and CM Punk (go figure) were having just an okay match when Barrett and company tore down the ring, literally. Too bad the rest of the angle went to the grave in about a month.
2. Least Favorite RAW Moment? People complain about Triple H promos, but I complain about Randy Orton’s monotone soliloquies. At least I believe Triple H and his conviction on what he is, but Orton’s just a creep, a man who should be put behind bars just for delivery.
3. Most Boring RAW Moment? Read #2
4. First episode of RAW? July 22nd, 2002, the night after Vengeance. Hurray, 10-year anniversary for me today!
5. Best episode of RAW? That’s a tough one, because there aren’t many I could consider great as an overall show. I’m only counting shows I’ve seen as they happened, so the Attitude Era is sadly dismissed. August 26th, 2002 at MSG would probably win. You have Triple H impersonating Michaels’ entrance to start, a H/Undertaker main event, Jeff Hardy and (I believe) Tommy Dreamer in a ladder match, and more. I saw it again on the MSG Channel during when they aired ‘Madison Square Garden Classics’, and was thrilled by how well the episode held up.
6. Person You Don’t Want to See: Orton, plain and simple.
7. Stupidest RAW Moment: Al Sharpton as GM on RAW in 2009 in Albany. Horrible decision by Vince and company, as the man is nothing but a troll and fiend to anything decent. I’m not going into details, but the internet should be a wealth of information.
8. Backstage Moments You Want to See? Ron Simmons, because nothing can be uncomfortable situation better than a well-placed, ‘DAMN!’
9. Best Match on RAW? Again, I’m only counting episodes I’ve seen as they happened, so anything pre-2002 is out the window. The winner for me is the epic between Shawn Michaels and Shelton Benjamin from 2005, and my review of that is here.
10. Worst Match on RAW? Of the ones I’ve seen, and I barely missed the Jackie Gayda match, it has to be that Donald and Rosie fiasco. No extra comment needed.
11. ARE YOU READY? NO I SAID, AREEEE…. YOUUUU….. READYYYYYY?!?!?!?!?!?!
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DVD Corner:
1. Best of RAW Volumes 1 and 2 (2001):
This WWE Home Video DVD, released in 2001, culls together the already released first and second volumes of the Best of RAW series with a heaping dish of bonus material. There is a handicap match, Undertaker & Kane vs. The Rock, Mankind, & Ken Shamrock, that is a surprise gem and must be viewed. It’s rare to find nowadays, but if you get your hands on it, it’s an un-blurred good time.
2. The Best of RAW 15th Anniversary 1993-2008 (2007): (Warning: The link depicts it as an Evan Bourne shirt, but the reviews are for the DVD.) Nothing is shown from 2008, but who cares. This collection is a carefully-crafted compilation hosted by Todd Grisham. The first disc is the first five years, #2 is the Attitude Era, then #3 is 2003 to the end of 2007. The HBK/Benjamin match in its entirety is shown, as well as a underrated classic in Bret Hart and the 1-2-3 Kid. Some moments are clipped while others are shown in their completion. I will also note that predictably, disc 2 is heavily blurred and silenced for the WWF references, which is a real shame. Other than that, it’s a good buy. Although this was apparently the standard release in the UK, the US got a Wal-Mart exclusive special edition whose fourth disc is the initial episode of RAW from 1993. Just a word of warning: Rob Bartlett is annoying as hell!
3. RAW The Beginning: The Best of Seasons 1 & 2:
This set is very thorough in its approach, ‘Best of 1 & 2’ touches upon the 1993 and 1994 years of RAW. While some of the bigger superstars have appearances, like Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, and Bret Hart, the surprise figure featured on this set has to be Doink the Clown. He appears a lot over the course of four discs, even though his matches do indeed suck. The Wrestling Observer 1993 Match of the Year is also here with Shawn Michaels making an impromptu Intercontinental Championship defense against old teammate Marty Jannetty. If you can find this cheap, it is a welcome addition to any collection. Keep in mind though, the MSRP on this four-disc behemoth is $40.
4. The Best of RAW 2009:
This should have been like the Al Snow tape Mick Foley made up: nothing inside it at all! Sadly though, WWE found barely three discs of material, and a good amount of it sucks. This is a must to avoid.
5. The Best of RAW & SMACKDOWN 2011:
Much better! Depending on which version you get, It’s at least three discs of mostly pretty good material transferred in widescreen, or in the case of Blu-ray, HD. Features men like Cena, Orton, Miz, Daniel Bryan, CM Punk, The Rock, and others. The Blu-ray exclusives include the contract negotiation between Punk and McMahon, Kane/Edge for the World Title in a Last Man Standing match, and more! I do recommend this set, because unlike the set above this one, it actually does feature the cream of the crop.
Other DVDS: RAW 10th Anniversary (crap), and Best of RAW 2010 (ok)
