Top 5 WWE Monday Night Raw After WrestleMania Moments.
Written By Patrick O'malley.
Intro.
As the decades have gone on, the Monday Night Raw After WrestleMania has become the landmark for starting over in WWE. It's been said that WrestleMania acts like a season finale in a time when the Pro Wrestling industry never stops. This show hasn't just given life to new, and up and coming storylines, it has acted like a time to say goodbye. So sit back, get yourself a drink and I will begin.
5. Edge Retires.
WrestleMania 27 was seen as a failure from a fan perspective, so there was a lot riding on the Monday Night Raw after Mania. The build leading up to the show of shows in 2011 was one that was met with uncertainty, and concern. The Rock was back in the company after spending nearly seven years away from the business, however we come to Edge. In the build up to his Match for the World Heavyweight Championship against Alberto Del Rio, he took some moves from Brodus Clay, and his arms went limp. The WWE asked him to go and get his neck checked out, and what the tests showed were heartbreaking. He had to retire. He won the belt, and then on the Monday Night Raw after Mania he told the fans that he had been in a lot of pain going into Mania, and that after careful consideration with doctors, he had to retire. This came from completely out of leftfield, because no one saw this coming, and it remains one of the most shocking moments that WWE have ever committed to putting on a live broadcast.
4. Bill Goldberg Debuts On Raw.
I've got to say it Mania 19 is one of my favourites, and these day it goes completely unnoticed. You could easily tag that with it's build, that came complete with racist undertones, that makes me feel uncomfortable to this day. After the show was done. Hulk Hogan had shaken off He Who Shall Not Be Named, and Brock Lesnar was ok after taking that awful bump, and The Rock had beaten Stone Cold Steve Austin in what would one of the Rattlesnakes last ever Matches. However on the Monday Raw After Mania The Great One, would come face to face with another one of the Monday Night Wars alumni Bill Goldberg. This had quite a few fans excited, and it acted as a reminder that WCW is dead and buried, as this time template came a close. This move happened after the Time Warner, and AOL merger had been completed in the early part of 2001, but some of the major stars of the promotion had guaranteed contracts to stay at home, due to the fact they were due to run out in the coming few years. Goldberg was the last one to come over, after the likes of Flair. Hogan. Nash. Hall, and. Steiner had all made the move From Atlanta to Greenwich.
3. It's My Yard Now.
2017 was an uneasy time for the WWE. WrestleMania 33 was seen as one of the worst in company history from a fan standpoint. This brought into question with there compliance to not listen to the fans. The tides would change for Roman reigns, but at this time, we were a long way from that at this point. His main event against The Undertaker didn't symbal the changing of the guard, as it ushered in what we knew was coming around the corner. The retirement of a fan favourite. Taker left his gloves in the ring at the end of Mania 33, and the following night on the Monday Night Raw after Mania. Roman stood in the centre of the ring, as the fans booed him out of the building. Roman just stood there looking completely perplexed as he looked speechless, as he struggled to talk. This is the perfect way of fans telling the machine what they didn't want, and at this point, the fans didn't want Roman. This was now Romans yard, whether the fans liked it or not.
2. Leave The Memories Alone.
Over the years Ric Flair has had a complex history with the WWE, that has lasted to this very day, he was briefly removed from the opening vingnette of. Then, Now. Forever. Together, after an episode of Darkside Of The Ring accused him of Sexual misconduct, and given his behaviour towards Tiffany Strattons boyfriend Ludvig Kaiser. I don't think that were going to be seeing Ric anytime soon in WWE. The Monday Night Raw After WrestleMania saw his retirement, after he lost final stipulation Match at WrestleMania 24, against HBK Shawn Michaels. This speech was highly emotional, and a perfect way to go out. HHH led an all star tribute to the man that has nearly killed himself for his art, and on this night, his art gave back to him. As the tears flowed down his face, this also made the audience watching at home cry. Pro Wrestling retirements are things that should be kept at arms length, and need to be seen to be believed, however, what happened on this night was pure perfection.
1. The Rock Challenges John Cena.
Some fans say that the build to Mania 28 was a bit of a mix bag, especially when you take into consideration the build time that was given to The Rock vs Cena, with a year long to go before the show of shows, this build needed to deliver. The term Dream Match was something that hadn't been spoken about too much, but this went out of the window by the time 2009 and HBK vs The Undertaker happened at Mania 25. 2011 saw The return of The Rock, and instantly fans got talking about what if he faced John Cena. This night had already seen someone retire, so to bring fans back around. WWE pulled this out of their sleeves. This was given a one year build, so starting it the night after one of the worst received Mania's in company history, was a move of genius. I have my thoughts about the Match, but as a lifelong fan at this point, my excitement level as the build started to grow, just made this very exciting.