Post by #Classic Hi-Definition X on Oct 3, 2005 20:53:23 GMT -5
This is from PWTorch.
The Curtain Jerker: The Top 25 Moments From Raw On Spike TV
By Doron Barbalat, Countdown Coordinator
Oct 3, 2005, 12:05
Tonight, a new era of professional wrestling will be ushered in. With that, we gladly say goodbye to the era of Raw on TNN/Spike TV. Let’s be honest, it’s pretty much all a coincidence, but ever since Raw jumped to Spike, it’s been all downhill. Ratings have dropped, storyline quality decreased, and Snitsky arrived. None the less, today, I feel that it is my duty to pay respect to some of the greater moments that Raw had on the former Nashville Network. The list I have today is being created based on my own opinions, and I’m certain there will be disagreements. With that said, I present to you, the Top 25 Moments From Raw On Spike TV.
25. Kane Loses to Triple H and is Unmasked (June 23, 2003)
For years, fans had pondered the question: What does Kane look like without his mask on? His is face burned? Is he cute? Does he even have a face? All of our questions were answered on one faithful night in Madison Square Garden in the summer of 2003. Triple H defeated Kane with help from some of his buddies, and then Kane was forced to remove his mask, revealing some guy who really didn’t have much wrong with him.
24. Shawn Michaels Defeats Shelton Benjamin in the Gold Rush Tournament (May 2, 2005)
Shawn Michaels has been one of the most incredible performers of the last ten years, if not the best, and Shelton Benjamin is an up-and-comer. Shelton had some great matches before, but arguably the best of his battles came against Shawn Michaels, completely unadvertised, in the first match of this evening. What resulted was an incredible Match of The Year candidate, at least in terms of WWE matches in 2005. Michaels ended up winning, but the match and finish were so spectacular that Benjamin looked to be in a great position to rise up the rankings. What ever happened to that?
23. Diamond Dallas Page Reveals himself as the Stalker Of Sara Undertaker (2001)
One of the worst angles in WWE history happened in 2001. A mystery man stalked the Undertaker’s wife Sara, for weeks, and once Undertaker learned who the man was, a series of terrible matches and promos would follow. However, on the one edition of Raw when DDP revealed himself as the stalker, there was a big buzz around the wrestling world, making this one of Raw’s most memorable Spike TV moments.
22. Shelton Benjamin Debuts on Raw, Defeats Triple H (March 29, 2004)
When Shelton Benjamin split with his partner Charlie Haas and was traded to Raw, most fans didn’t expect to see much out of him. They were right, although it didn’t appear that way at first. On his first Raw appearance, he began a feud with Triple H, and that night, defeated him pretty cleanly. It was an amazing start to a pretty dull stint on Raw.
21. Rob Van Dam Wins Undisputed Title from the Undertaker, Until the Decision is Reversed (2002)
RVD has always been one of the most popular performers in WWE. In the spring of 2002, the Undertaker had a brief run as Undisputed Champ. The most memorable moment of the reign was when he appeared to lose the title to RVD on Raw, causing fans everywhere to rejoice. The party was short-lived, as it was revealed that ‘Taker’s foot was on the ropes, and the decision was reversed.
20. Mick Foley Walks Out on Match With Randy Orton, Causing Orton to Spit in Foley’s Face (December 15, 2003)
Mick Foley and Randy Orton had an incredible feud in 2003 and 2004. The feud got its first big spark when Foley was set to challenge Orton for the Intercontinental Title. In a dramatic twist, Foley walked out on the match, thinking he wasn’t ready to fight. Orton then found Foley and spat in his face. This was certainly one of Raw’s best cliffhangers of all time.
19. Vince McMahon, Eric Bischoff, and Paul Heyman, Discuss WWE, WCW, and ECW, in the Same Ring (May 2005)
As WWE built up the ECW One Night Stand PPV, one memorable segment had the three head honchos during the late-90’s boom period in the ring to discuss their companies. The history told was somewhat faulty, but the segment was memorable in that it presented the version of history that will likely be shoved down our throats for as long as WWE rules the wrestling world.
18. In Montreal, Chris Jericho Hosts the Highlight Reel, with Guest Shawn Michaels (2003)
Montreal has always hated Shawn Michaels, all due to the 1997 Survivor Series events. In this one segment, Chris Jericho played the hometown hero and brought up all of the events of the screw-job, that hadn’t been played into a storyline in years. The result was a rowdy crowd that Jericho had in the palm of his hands, booing relentlessly at the top babyface in WWE at the time, Shawn Michaels.
17. Shawn Michaels Defeats Triple H in a ****3/4 Match (December 29, 2003)
WWE left the year 2003 behind with a bang, as Triple H battled Shawn Michaels in a non-title match. The match itself wasn’t all that important, but it’s quality left it as one of the greatest matches in Raw history.
16. The Rock and the Hurricane Take Part in a Series of Comical Segments (2003)
No one ever thought that the Hurricane character could really get over, but the Rock changed that in early 2003, after a series of hilarious backstage vignettes. The short storyline ended with Hurricane pinning Rock in a match after Steve Austin distracted Rock.
15. Matt Hardy Returns to Raw, Attacks Edge, and makes “Shoot” Comments (2005)
Matt Hardy played the Internet for fools this past spring and summer. Just as it seemed Hardy was about to head to TNA, he returned to Raw, shocking everyone. More shocking was his comments on the show, as he insulted Terry Taylor, the man who had fired him, and screamed out “ROH.” The fun was also short-lived (notice a pattern?), but this one segment left fans everywhere stunned and excited.
14. Back in Montreal, Shawn Michaels Cuts a Heel Promo on Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart (August 15, 2005)
This past summer, Shawn Michaels turned heel, briefly. His work was absolutely fantastic, and culminated the week before SummerSlam was a heated promo in Montreal, ripping on heroes Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart. The crowd absolutely tore Michaels to shreds, and Michaels returned the favour. The Montreal fans enjoyed “shooting” on Michaels, and Michaels would “shoot” right back at them, laying down in the middle of the ring during the crowds long chants for Hogan or Bret.
13. At the 2004 Draft Lottery, Raw and Smackdown Wrestlers Engage in a Huge Brawl (March 22, 2004)
When WWE split the brands in 2002, you have to imagine that this one segment is what they had in mind. After years of being kept apart, except for rare PPV matches, the two brands got together for one episode of Raw, and wound up in a huge show-closing brawl. The angle didn’t lead anywhere, but was incredibly exciting and certainly memorable.
12. Evolution Turns on Randy Orton the Night After he Wins the World Title (August 16, 2004)
One of WWE’s most thoughtless decisions also ended up being one of it’s most memorable. Randy Orton was the hottest heel in the business on August 16, 2004, so WWE decided to turn him face by having his buddies in Evolution beat him up. The angle came out of nowhere and shocked everyone.
11. Goldberg Debuts on Raw, and Attacks the Rock (March 31, 2003)
The night after WrestleMania 19, Goldberg debuted on Raw. Fans weren’t really surprised, as his debut had been advertised as coming soon, and the fans that evening picked up on his likely appearance by chanting his name during the Rock’s promo. However, when Goldberg and the Rock went face-to-face for the first time, it was a moment that most fans will certainly not forget.
10. Rikishi is Revealed as the Man that Ran Over Steve Austin (2000)
When Steve Austin hunted the man who ran him over, fans thought that the attacker could be someone like Chris Jericho, Billy Gunn, or even The Rock. No one however, picked Rikishi. Rikishi was eventually revealed as the attacker, and in a memorable promo, said he had done it to help the Rock, and to fight off “the great white hope” of men including Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan.
9. The Rock Challenges Hulk Hogan to a Match at WrestleMania 18 (February 18, 2002)
When the NWO debuted in WWE in early-2002, everyone had an opinion. Most fans were negative, and thought that the group would hurt the company. However, when Hogan and The Rock went face-to-face for the first time to set up their WrestleMania match, no one can hide their excitement. The in-ring angle was followed by another memorable backstage angle, where Hogan put Rock in an ambulance, and then crashed the ambulance with his truck.
8. Triple H Defeats Ric Flair in North Carolina (May 19, 2003)
Ric Flair and Triple H have been aligned for over two years, but on this one night in 2003, Flair broke free of HHH’s chains, and after a series of phenomenal promos, faced HHH one-on-one for the World Title. Triple H would win the match, but the entire night was fresh and exciting, while the match itself was top-notch too. Flair would soon return to being Triple H’s lackey, but on this one night, had his last true chance to shine, at least to date.
7. The Week After Steve Austin Walks Out on WWE, The Rock Returns (June 17, 2002)
Outside of the ring, one of the most shocking moments of this era was when Steve Austin walked out on WWE. The following week, WWE set up a show based around saying goodbye to Austin. Late in the night, McMahon received word that “he” was showing up. “He” ended up not being Austin, but rather the Rock. Rock cut a fantastic promo about his passion for wrestling, and how he would never walk out on WWE. He said something to the extent of “If you don’t love this business, then like the slogan says, you, ‘Get the F out!” Whether you agreed with Rock being the one to discuss loving the wrestling business, you can’t deny the heart in the promo, which translated into a memorable segment.
6. Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle Square Off in a Steel Cage Match (June 2001)
With Chris Benoit in the midst of a large push in mid-2001, he battled Kurt Angle in a Steel Cage match in the main event of Raw. With Steve Austin watching on at ringside, the two men pulled out all the stops, including moonsaults and headbutts off the top of the cage. Whether or not it was the greatest match in Raw history is debatable, but I do feel that it was certainly the most memorable.
5. Lance Storm Invades Raw (2001)
Lance Storm never got to have any real memorable Raw moments after this date, but on this one episode of Raw, Storm got the entire world talking, when he invaded Raw, superkicked the participants in the match going on, and ran through the back into a limo with Shane McMahon. The angle officially began the WCW invasion, and at the time was one of the most exciting nights in recent history.
4. The Rock Makes Surprise Appearance on Raw for a Segment with Eugene (May 17, 2004)
In the summer of 2004, the Eugene character debuted on Raw. When the Rock returned to take part in a memorable segment with him, the character took off, and gave WWE its greatest chance for ratings increments since the downfall in 2001. The segment itself was dramatic, hilarious, and overall, fantastic.
3. RVD and Tommy Dreamer Debut on Raw to Form Short-lived ECW Stable with Paul Heyman and other ECW Alumni (July 9, 2001)
The summer of 2001 wasn’t really highlighted by the WCW invasion. It was the one night in which ECW reformed that truly sent shockwaves throughout wrestling. Kane and Chris Jericho were teaming up to face Lance Storm and Mike Awesome in the first match between WCW and WWE stars, when Tommy Dreamer and RVD ran in the ring to attack Kane and Jericho. Storm and Awesome stepped out of the ring while wrestlers like Tazz, the Dudley Boyz, Rhyno, and others all hit the ring to stare down RVD and Dreamer. Heyman then stepped up from the announce table and screamed out the most memorable lines in WWE on Spike TV history: “Feel this moment for the rest of your lives!” And we may. Heyman stood in the ring and announced that all of the men in the ring were part of his ECW team, and were taking “the Invasion to the extreme!” Of course, later that night, WWE blew the whole thing by having the ECW team align with the WCW team, all under the power of Stephanie and Shane McMahon.
2. Eric Bischoff Debuts on Raw with a Hug to Vince McMahon (July 15, 2002)
In the fall of 2002, Vince McMahon wanted to shake things up. He did so by announcing that he would designate a General Manager to Raw and Smackdown, whom could make trades, book matches, and other such decisions. As Booker T cut his usual generic promo backstage, he stopped mid-sentence and stared, allowing the camera to pan over to Eric Bischoff. After the commercial break, McMahon announced Bischoff as Raw’s GM, and incredibly, the two hugged on stage. Fans were left speechless, making this the runner up to the most memorable moment Raw had on Spike TV.
1. Vince McMahon Announces Purchase of WCW as Shane McMahon Appears on Nitro, Simulcast With Raw (March 26, 2001)
Nothing can top this moment. It was not only the most memorable Raw on Spike TV moment, but the most memorable Raw moment of all time. Perhaps, it was even the most memorable moment in wrestling history. The impossible had happened, and Vince McMahon owned WCW. He appeared in segments throughout the night on both Raw and Nitro, discussing the purchase, and the WCW wrestlers he would hire and fire. He later stepped into the ring, in the last segment to ever appear on Nitro, as it was simulcast with Raw. McMahon challenged Ted Turner to appear at WrestleMania 17 to sign the papers. Taking the opportunity to advance there feud, Shane McMahon appeared on Nitro, announcing that he had taken the opportunity to sign the papers himself, making him the owner of WCW, at least in the storyline. As I type this recap, I still cannot believe that such an event actually took place, and even less that WWE ended up botching what should have been the greatest and most profitable storyline in professional wrestling history. Hindsight is 20/20 however, and without knowing what would become of the storyline, the night that Vince McMahon announced the purchase of WCW stands as the most memorable moment in Raw on Spike TV.
Thoughts?
The Curtain Jerker: The Top 25 Moments From Raw On Spike TV
By Doron Barbalat, Countdown Coordinator
Oct 3, 2005, 12:05
Tonight, a new era of professional wrestling will be ushered in. With that, we gladly say goodbye to the era of Raw on TNN/Spike TV. Let’s be honest, it’s pretty much all a coincidence, but ever since Raw jumped to Spike, it’s been all downhill. Ratings have dropped, storyline quality decreased, and Snitsky arrived. None the less, today, I feel that it is my duty to pay respect to some of the greater moments that Raw had on the former Nashville Network. The list I have today is being created based on my own opinions, and I’m certain there will be disagreements. With that said, I present to you, the Top 25 Moments From Raw On Spike TV.
25. Kane Loses to Triple H and is Unmasked (June 23, 2003)
For years, fans had pondered the question: What does Kane look like without his mask on? His is face burned? Is he cute? Does he even have a face? All of our questions were answered on one faithful night in Madison Square Garden in the summer of 2003. Triple H defeated Kane with help from some of his buddies, and then Kane was forced to remove his mask, revealing some guy who really didn’t have much wrong with him.
24. Shawn Michaels Defeats Shelton Benjamin in the Gold Rush Tournament (May 2, 2005)
Shawn Michaels has been one of the most incredible performers of the last ten years, if not the best, and Shelton Benjamin is an up-and-comer. Shelton had some great matches before, but arguably the best of his battles came against Shawn Michaels, completely unadvertised, in the first match of this evening. What resulted was an incredible Match of The Year candidate, at least in terms of WWE matches in 2005. Michaels ended up winning, but the match and finish were so spectacular that Benjamin looked to be in a great position to rise up the rankings. What ever happened to that?
23. Diamond Dallas Page Reveals himself as the Stalker Of Sara Undertaker (2001)
One of the worst angles in WWE history happened in 2001. A mystery man stalked the Undertaker’s wife Sara, for weeks, and once Undertaker learned who the man was, a series of terrible matches and promos would follow. However, on the one edition of Raw when DDP revealed himself as the stalker, there was a big buzz around the wrestling world, making this one of Raw’s most memorable Spike TV moments.
22. Shelton Benjamin Debuts on Raw, Defeats Triple H (March 29, 2004)
When Shelton Benjamin split with his partner Charlie Haas and was traded to Raw, most fans didn’t expect to see much out of him. They were right, although it didn’t appear that way at first. On his first Raw appearance, he began a feud with Triple H, and that night, defeated him pretty cleanly. It was an amazing start to a pretty dull stint on Raw.
21. Rob Van Dam Wins Undisputed Title from the Undertaker, Until the Decision is Reversed (2002)
RVD has always been one of the most popular performers in WWE. In the spring of 2002, the Undertaker had a brief run as Undisputed Champ. The most memorable moment of the reign was when he appeared to lose the title to RVD on Raw, causing fans everywhere to rejoice. The party was short-lived, as it was revealed that ‘Taker’s foot was on the ropes, and the decision was reversed.
20. Mick Foley Walks Out on Match With Randy Orton, Causing Orton to Spit in Foley’s Face (December 15, 2003)
Mick Foley and Randy Orton had an incredible feud in 2003 and 2004. The feud got its first big spark when Foley was set to challenge Orton for the Intercontinental Title. In a dramatic twist, Foley walked out on the match, thinking he wasn’t ready to fight. Orton then found Foley and spat in his face. This was certainly one of Raw’s best cliffhangers of all time.
19. Vince McMahon, Eric Bischoff, and Paul Heyman, Discuss WWE, WCW, and ECW, in the Same Ring (May 2005)
As WWE built up the ECW One Night Stand PPV, one memorable segment had the three head honchos during the late-90’s boom period in the ring to discuss their companies. The history told was somewhat faulty, but the segment was memorable in that it presented the version of history that will likely be shoved down our throats for as long as WWE rules the wrestling world.
18. In Montreal, Chris Jericho Hosts the Highlight Reel, with Guest Shawn Michaels (2003)
Montreal has always hated Shawn Michaels, all due to the 1997 Survivor Series events. In this one segment, Chris Jericho played the hometown hero and brought up all of the events of the screw-job, that hadn’t been played into a storyline in years. The result was a rowdy crowd that Jericho had in the palm of his hands, booing relentlessly at the top babyface in WWE at the time, Shawn Michaels.
17. Shawn Michaels Defeats Triple H in a ****3/4 Match (December 29, 2003)
WWE left the year 2003 behind with a bang, as Triple H battled Shawn Michaels in a non-title match. The match itself wasn’t all that important, but it’s quality left it as one of the greatest matches in Raw history.
16. The Rock and the Hurricane Take Part in a Series of Comical Segments (2003)
No one ever thought that the Hurricane character could really get over, but the Rock changed that in early 2003, after a series of hilarious backstage vignettes. The short storyline ended with Hurricane pinning Rock in a match after Steve Austin distracted Rock.
15. Matt Hardy Returns to Raw, Attacks Edge, and makes “Shoot” Comments (2005)
Matt Hardy played the Internet for fools this past spring and summer. Just as it seemed Hardy was about to head to TNA, he returned to Raw, shocking everyone. More shocking was his comments on the show, as he insulted Terry Taylor, the man who had fired him, and screamed out “ROH.” The fun was also short-lived (notice a pattern?), but this one segment left fans everywhere stunned and excited.
14. Back in Montreal, Shawn Michaels Cuts a Heel Promo on Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart (August 15, 2005)
This past summer, Shawn Michaels turned heel, briefly. His work was absolutely fantastic, and culminated the week before SummerSlam was a heated promo in Montreal, ripping on heroes Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart. The crowd absolutely tore Michaels to shreds, and Michaels returned the favour. The Montreal fans enjoyed “shooting” on Michaels, and Michaels would “shoot” right back at them, laying down in the middle of the ring during the crowds long chants for Hogan or Bret.
13. At the 2004 Draft Lottery, Raw and Smackdown Wrestlers Engage in a Huge Brawl (March 22, 2004)
When WWE split the brands in 2002, you have to imagine that this one segment is what they had in mind. After years of being kept apart, except for rare PPV matches, the two brands got together for one episode of Raw, and wound up in a huge show-closing brawl. The angle didn’t lead anywhere, but was incredibly exciting and certainly memorable.
12. Evolution Turns on Randy Orton the Night After he Wins the World Title (August 16, 2004)
One of WWE’s most thoughtless decisions also ended up being one of it’s most memorable. Randy Orton was the hottest heel in the business on August 16, 2004, so WWE decided to turn him face by having his buddies in Evolution beat him up. The angle came out of nowhere and shocked everyone.
11. Goldberg Debuts on Raw, and Attacks the Rock (March 31, 2003)
The night after WrestleMania 19, Goldberg debuted on Raw. Fans weren’t really surprised, as his debut had been advertised as coming soon, and the fans that evening picked up on his likely appearance by chanting his name during the Rock’s promo. However, when Goldberg and the Rock went face-to-face for the first time, it was a moment that most fans will certainly not forget.
10. Rikishi is Revealed as the Man that Ran Over Steve Austin (2000)
When Steve Austin hunted the man who ran him over, fans thought that the attacker could be someone like Chris Jericho, Billy Gunn, or even The Rock. No one however, picked Rikishi. Rikishi was eventually revealed as the attacker, and in a memorable promo, said he had done it to help the Rock, and to fight off “the great white hope” of men including Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan.
9. The Rock Challenges Hulk Hogan to a Match at WrestleMania 18 (February 18, 2002)
When the NWO debuted in WWE in early-2002, everyone had an opinion. Most fans were negative, and thought that the group would hurt the company. However, when Hogan and The Rock went face-to-face for the first time to set up their WrestleMania match, no one can hide their excitement. The in-ring angle was followed by another memorable backstage angle, where Hogan put Rock in an ambulance, and then crashed the ambulance with his truck.
8. Triple H Defeats Ric Flair in North Carolina (May 19, 2003)
Ric Flair and Triple H have been aligned for over two years, but on this one night in 2003, Flair broke free of HHH’s chains, and after a series of phenomenal promos, faced HHH one-on-one for the World Title. Triple H would win the match, but the entire night was fresh and exciting, while the match itself was top-notch too. Flair would soon return to being Triple H’s lackey, but on this one night, had his last true chance to shine, at least to date.
7. The Week After Steve Austin Walks Out on WWE, The Rock Returns (June 17, 2002)
Outside of the ring, one of the most shocking moments of this era was when Steve Austin walked out on WWE. The following week, WWE set up a show based around saying goodbye to Austin. Late in the night, McMahon received word that “he” was showing up. “He” ended up not being Austin, but rather the Rock. Rock cut a fantastic promo about his passion for wrestling, and how he would never walk out on WWE. He said something to the extent of “If you don’t love this business, then like the slogan says, you, ‘Get the F out!” Whether you agreed with Rock being the one to discuss loving the wrestling business, you can’t deny the heart in the promo, which translated into a memorable segment.
6. Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle Square Off in a Steel Cage Match (June 2001)
With Chris Benoit in the midst of a large push in mid-2001, he battled Kurt Angle in a Steel Cage match in the main event of Raw. With Steve Austin watching on at ringside, the two men pulled out all the stops, including moonsaults and headbutts off the top of the cage. Whether or not it was the greatest match in Raw history is debatable, but I do feel that it was certainly the most memorable.
5. Lance Storm Invades Raw (2001)
Lance Storm never got to have any real memorable Raw moments after this date, but on this one episode of Raw, Storm got the entire world talking, when he invaded Raw, superkicked the participants in the match going on, and ran through the back into a limo with Shane McMahon. The angle officially began the WCW invasion, and at the time was one of the most exciting nights in recent history.
4. The Rock Makes Surprise Appearance on Raw for a Segment with Eugene (May 17, 2004)
In the summer of 2004, the Eugene character debuted on Raw. When the Rock returned to take part in a memorable segment with him, the character took off, and gave WWE its greatest chance for ratings increments since the downfall in 2001. The segment itself was dramatic, hilarious, and overall, fantastic.
3. RVD and Tommy Dreamer Debut on Raw to Form Short-lived ECW Stable with Paul Heyman and other ECW Alumni (July 9, 2001)
The summer of 2001 wasn’t really highlighted by the WCW invasion. It was the one night in which ECW reformed that truly sent shockwaves throughout wrestling. Kane and Chris Jericho were teaming up to face Lance Storm and Mike Awesome in the first match between WCW and WWE stars, when Tommy Dreamer and RVD ran in the ring to attack Kane and Jericho. Storm and Awesome stepped out of the ring while wrestlers like Tazz, the Dudley Boyz, Rhyno, and others all hit the ring to stare down RVD and Dreamer. Heyman then stepped up from the announce table and screamed out the most memorable lines in WWE on Spike TV history: “Feel this moment for the rest of your lives!” And we may. Heyman stood in the ring and announced that all of the men in the ring were part of his ECW team, and were taking “the Invasion to the extreme!” Of course, later that night, WWE blew the whole thing by having the ECW team align with the WCW team, all under the power of Stephanie and Shane McMahon.
2. Eric Bischoff Debuts on Raw with a Hug to Vince McMahon (July 15, 2002)
In the fall of 2002, Vince McMahon wanted to shake things up. He did so by announcing that he would designate a General Manager to Raw and Smackdown, whom could make trades, book matches, and other such decisions. As Booker T cut his usual generic promo backstage, he stopped mid-sentence and stared, allowing the camera to pan over to Eric Bischoff. After the commercial break, McMahon announced Bischoff as Raw’s GM, and incredibly, the two hugged on stage. Fans were left speechless, making this the runner up to the most memorable moment Raw had on Spike TV.
1. Vince McMahon Announces Purchase of WCW as Shane McMahon Appears on Nitro, Simulcast With Raw (March 26, 2001)
Nothing can top this moment. It was not only the most memorable Raw on Spike TV moment, but the most memorable Raw moment of all time. Perhaps, it was even the most memorable moment in wrestling history. The impossible had happened, and Vince McMahon owned WCW. He appeared in segments throughout the night on both Raw and Nitro, discussing the purchase, and the WCW wrestlers he would hire and fire. He later stepped into the ring, in the last segment to ever appear on Nitro, as it was simulcast with Raw. McMahon challenged Ted Turner to appear at WrestleMania 17 to sign the papers. Taking the opportunity to advance there feud, Shane McMahon appeared on Nitro, announcing that he had taken the opportunity to sign the papers himself, making him the owner of WCW, at least in the storyline. As I type this recap, I still cannot believe that such an event actually took place, and even less that WWE ended up botching what should have been the greatest and most profitable storyline in professional wrestling history. Hindsight is 20/20 however, and without knowing what would become of the storyline, the night that Vince McMahon announced the purchase of WCW stands as the most memorable moment in Raw on Spike TV.
Thoughts?
