WrestleZone Forum Files #11: The Best Raw Moment Ever (Win a Prize!)

[klunderbunker]

Post in here until Friday January 12 for a chance to make the main page.

Today’s Topic: What is the Best Raw Moment Ever?

This week, Monday Night Raw will celebrate mark twenty five years on the air. The show debuted on January 11, 1993 and has been going strong ever since. There have been a lot of incredible moments since then and I’m sure there are several that stick in your head more than others.

It’s a simple question this time around: what is your favorite moment in the history of Monday Night Raw? It could be a match, a promo, a segment or anything in between really. Maybe it was something serious or a funny segment, but let us know what yours is. See if it’s good enough to make a Best Of DVD or even better, onto the main page!

One more thing: the best post of the bunch will receive a special prize. You can get more information about it here:

http://www.mandatory.com/wrestlezon...d-eagle-championship-more#bsEqdAq9qMgKDTFx.99

 

[Richard Blonoff]

For me, it has to be a special moment from January 4th, 1999. When Mick Foley won his first WWE Title.

Long before Daniel Bryan, there was another man who wasn't supposed to be World Champion who managed to rise to the top. In WCW, Foley, better known as Cactus Jack, was a very solid and reliable hand. His hard hitting and often hardcore style was different and lead to him being a great foil for many of WCW's top stars like Sting, but he never seemed to be a guy who would reach the top. Jump to WWE and Foley becomes Mankind. Again, Mankind was a memorable character who put on some fun feuds and wrestled some underrated matches, not even counting his infamous Hell in a Cell match against The Undertaker, but he didn't fit the mold of what a traditional World Champion looked like.

At 6'2 and constantly pushing the 300 pound mark, Foley wasn't a giant like Andre or even Undertaker, nor was he the Greek god chiseled from stone like Hogan. He wasn't traditionally handsome like a Shawn Michaels or Rock. Above all, his character was one that wasn't something that screamed company poster boy. What Foley had though, was a likeable personality that shone not only in his promos once he turned face, but an undeniable work ethic. He has a guy who took the most insane bumps, and came back for more, and he endeared himself to the fans in a way that made it impossible to not get behind him.

So on that faithful night, back when Raw was often pre taped and in an age before easy to access internet spoilers, when Tony Schiavone announced on a live edition of WCW Nitro that Mick Foley would be winning the WWE Title, people switched over, 600,000 people in fact, to see Mrs. Foley's Baby Boy win the big one. Indeed, Mick really did put butts in seats, as Raw never lost in the Monday Night War ratings again.

The lasting image of Foley being hoisted onto the shoulders of DX and running around like a child after having beaten The Rock were something that even I enjoyed at eight years old, and now into my late twenties still enjoy.

 

[enviousdominous]

Prowrestling is a lot of things to a lot of people. It's a show, but it's still a serious effort on part of the performers to achieve great things.

A moment that I've never forgotten, and still gives me goosebumps to this day, was when Owen Hart confronted Vince not long after the Montreal Screwjob.

I was only 15 at the time, and I wasn't even certain regarding whether or not the Montreal Screwjob was an angle. I had some knowledge of the Kliq and BSK, so some of what was said resonated within me and had me wondering if this segment went the way Vince had planned.

Here's the segment:

[YOUTUBE]pGFW1w01LFw[/YOUTUBE]

What shocked me the most was Owen saying "I spent nine years breaking my back, day after day, to earn a reputation in this company, and nobody, and I mean nobody, is gonna run me out of this company, and you know exactly who I'm talking about."

For all I know, that entire segment was planned and extensively rehearsed with Vince and Owen sharing beers and laughs right after. For me, the biggest takeaway was that Owen Hart wasn't the goofy character he was made to play on tv prior to that segment. That may not have been the real Owen talking, but it felt like it was and it had me seeing the art form through a new lens. The idea being that these individuals go against their better judgment for my sake, and for that I thank them.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

March 22, 1999. When Coors Light came to town.

For me, there was no greater rivalry than the one between the blue-collar working man Stone Cold and his uppity evil boss Mr. McMahon. And there was no greater moment than when Austin drove that beer truck to the ring and proceeded to spray The Corporation with alcohol.

It was perfect wish-fulfillment on its own. Every employee has had the fantasy of running through their asshole boss. But to take beer, the beverage of the average joe, and douse the very symbols of the yuppie elite with it, it was a work of art. A solitary, defiant act that resonated with so many. I would even go so far as to say it was the pinnacle of everything they had worked so hard to get to, the years that rivalry was built up came to an absolute fever pitch. One gigantic rock and roll moment. The fans were RED HOT. Commentary was in perfect harmony with the insanity that was unfolding. Vince slipping and sliding all over the place, even trying to swim at one point, was the best comedy wrestling has ever produced. Everything clicked in that moment. Good not only triumphed, but gave evil the middle finger.

There is a reason why it is heavily featured in Anniversary clips. When people talk about the best moment in wrestling, they will point to this one rebellious act on Raw.

 

[Wildcat66]

This one may be a little weaker compared to others, but to me: Nothing is going to match the night Cody and Goldust won the tag team titles from The Shield.

Everything about this moment was perfect: The storytelling, the pacing, the excitement, the drama, even when Big Show got involved near the end of the match: You knew he had a good reason to do so.

Commentary was spot on for the entire match, the crowd was invested in it and wanted to see the Rhodes Family prevail and when they did, it was one of the greatest pops i'd ever seen: Matched only by the pops when Ziggler won his world title and Sami Zayn won the NXT title.

Now that I think about it: 2013 and '14 were really good years for WWE.

 

[jmt225]

May 17, 1993 - Marty Jannetty returns to capture the Intercontinental Championship from Shawn Michaels.

I was a humongous Rockers fan as a kid, as most of us were. When Shawn Michaels betrayed Marty Jannetty, throwing him through the Barber Shop Window, I was shocked and heartbroken. Fast forward a few months, and I was even more heartbroken when Marty failed to defeat Shawn for the IC Title at The Royal Rumble 1993.

I can't explain why I was such a huge Marty Jannetty fan at the time. Like I said, I loved the Rockers and for some reason, I always thought Marty was the cooler of the two. I guess I just preferred brunettes over blondes as a kid.

But to say I was ecstatic when Marty Jannetty accepted Shawn Michaels' open challenge on the May 17th edition of Monday Night Raw and defeated him in a marvelous main event would be a huge understatement.

I've never been a "go crazy" type of fan, even as a kid. My family always made sure to point out that wrestling was "fake" (even though they let me continue to believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy), so I was always embarrassed to show excitement over it. This night, however, is the one night on Raw specifically where I couldn't contain myself.

There were just those few wrestlers who I put all my heart into, and for some reason... Marty Jannetty was one of them.

So when Marty defeated his arch rival that night on Raw for the most beautiful championship in the company... I was just beyond myself and it's a moment I've never forgotten.

 

[Theo Mays]

April 8th 2013: Dolph Ziggler cashes in his MITB briefcase.

The World Heavyweight Championship title picture at the time was weak. The night before at Wrestlemania Alberto Del Rio defended his championship against Jack Swagger. A guy who was in the midst of an upstart push with Zeb Colter as his manager. Also a guy who didn't get a full entrance at Wrestlemania. The crowd had no interest in Del Rio/Swagger. The crowd in New Jersey wanted Dolph Ziggler. And Dolph Ziggler they didn't get. Until the next night. Alberto Del Rio had just faced Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter in a 2 on 1 handicap match. Del Rio was banged up, Swagger worked the knee/leg. The minute Ziggler's music hit the roof blew off the IZOD Center. Ziggler at this point had the briefcase for over half a year. He defended the briefcase and he teased cash in's.

And when he finally cashed it in on the biggest Raw of the year, it was worth the wait. Accompanied by Big E and AJ Lee, Ziggler put his name on the map. The crowd absolutely ate it up. Ziggler had the people eating out of his hand. He was the man they wanted to see and he was the guy they wanted as World Heavyweight champion. It was evident the night before and even more so the night after. Unfortunately Ziggler suffered concussion issues soon after and what could have been an amazing run as champion was lackluster. However that doesn't take away that moment of Dolph Ziggler cashing in his MITB contract.

 

[#hamler]

June 27, 2011: Pipebomb!

In professional wrestling, kayfabe plays a major part in the success of a show. Storylines are developed to entertain the masses and outlandish characters are created to keep people tuned into the program. It's been that way since wrestling's inception. Characters rarely broke character and for the most part, their everyday lives were kept separate from the shows. There's reality, then there's fiction. When those lines are blurred, people tend to lose their minds. The Pipebomb accomplished that more so than any other segment in Raw history.

Say what you want about CM Punk and his ability in the ring but as far as talkers go, he's on par with the greatest the wrestling world has to offer. One of the key pieces missing from WWE Raw nowadays are cliffhangers; something that makes you want to tune into the program next week. That Attitude Era was full of them but that concept slowly fizzled away. The Pipebomb brought it back. Not only did it set the wrestling world on fire but viewers wanted to know what would become of Punk following his heinous actions the next week. There are only a handful of Raw moments that accomplished that.

CM Punk's promo laid foundation for the rest of the roster and it's impact is still felt to this day. The benefits of the promo are endless. Guys like Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Shinsuke Nakamura all have Punk to thank for their current spot on the roster. The rise of Daniel Bryan had virtually no chance of happening had it not been for CM Punk and if you think AJ Styles is coming anywhere near the WWE Championship before 2011, you're wrong. The Pipebomb influenced a whole generation of WWE (and wrestling) talent and it's evident with the current direction of WWE's product.

It's often debated whether Punk's promo was a worked shoot or an unscripted promo when in reality, it doesn't matter. In reality, it did everything a promo should do and it made an everlasting impact. The Pipebomb transcended CM Punk from an indie darling into a household name. It was unheard of. It was jaw-dropping. It was a game-changer. CM Punk's Pipebomb isn't just the greatest Raw moment, it's one of the most defining moments in professional wrestling's history.