Raw 1000

With it being the day that WWE celebrates the one thousandth episode of Monday Night Raw, a number of people are discussing what their favourite moment was in the nineteen years that the show has been on air.

I have a whole load of memories. It's near an impossibility to pick one as being my favourite/most memorable. Here are some of the ones that stand out.

Hulk Hogan returns (1993)
Hulk Hogan had been off-screen since April of 1992. He returned in an interview segment with Vince McMahon a week after Brutus Beefcake was attacked by Money INC. Hogan announced he was coming back, formed a tag team with Brutus Beefcake (The Mega Maniacs), enlisted Jimmy Hart as their new manager all in the one interview. I was pumped.

Diesel Shoots and HBK Collapses (1995)
This episode took place the night following the Survivor Series. Diesel had lost the WWF title to Bret Hart and, right after the bell, he apparently turned heel by attacking Hart and the referees. On Raw, Diesel interrupted a match, grabbed the microphone and did a semi-shoot promo against Vince McMahon. For its time, it was a well done segment that got over Diesel as a tweener.
In another part of this episode, Shawn Michaels was in a bout with Owen Hart when he collapsed. They played this off as being legit with Mr Fuji, Owen Hart and Jim Cornette breaking character and looking concerned. To get this over even more, Vince McMahon and whoever else was in the commentator seats (Jerry Lawler, I think) left. The last few minutes of the show had ambulance personnel working on Michaels.

Raw Is Owen (1999)
This was the tribute show to Owen Hart who had died in a stunt that went awry the night before. The show was padded with wrestlers sharing their thoughts on Owen.

Raw Is Eddie (2005)
Just like the above, this show was a dedication to Eddie Guerrero who had passed away that very night. This wasn't a live show as the company were flying out to do a tour and taped the show on a Sunday to air on the Monday.

Raw Is Benoit (2007)
Another tribute show. This was dedicated to Chris Benoit. It's debatable when WWE knew that Benout had murdered his wife and child but news that he was the culprit became clear as this show was going out live. It wasn't replayed.

Austin and McMahon hi jinx (1997 and beyond)
It's very hard to pick a year as Austin versus Vince McMahon played out for years. I'd go out on a limb and say the best stuff occurred in 1998/99.

DX (1997-98)
Degeneration X were my favourite heel group and they were a part of some of the best WWF segments on Monday Night Raw in the autumn of 1997 all the way to the spring of 1998. I still enjoyed the group when Shawn Michaels was sidelined but the original incarnation was best.

Mike Tyson and Stone Cold (1998)
This was one of the biggest angles in WWF history. Tyson was interrupted by Steve Austin and the pair ended up in a pull-apart brawl. It made the papers.

The nWo (2002)
Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash made their returns to WWE as the New World Order. The faction didn't last long but we got a great Hogan versus The Rock promo which built towards their match at WrestleMania XVIII.