The Corporation Get A Beer Bath And Milk-A-Mania Runs Wild
Again, much like 1-2-3 Kid’s arrival, this isn’t a solitary moment, yet one cannot exist without the other.
Without the unforgettable Coors Light soaking The Rock, Vince and Shane McMahon received on the eve of WrestleMania 15 in 1999, there is no Kurt Angle hosing down The WCW/ECW Alliance with semi-skimmed in 2001.
Both moments have lived long in the memory and reflect a bittersweet time for Stone Cold Steve Austin, with the Texas Rattlesnake pioneering the act of drenching enemies in his chilled beverage of choice, only to receive a hose full of his own medicine two years later.
“The Name On The Contract Does Say McMahon…”
With WWE currently entertaining interest from multiple suitors who may end up buying Vince McMahon’s sports entertainment behemoth, we cannot help but be drawn to the chairman’s purchase of WCW.
Or, in storyline, his near purchase of WCW.
Standing triumphantly in his own ring on Monday Night Raw, McMahon boasted of besting Ted Turner and his ‘rasslin’ company from down south. To further rub salt in the wounds, the WWE owner produced a simulcast from the very last Monday Nitro, taking place in Panama City, Florida.
Only, instead of being crowned on-screen as the victorious king of the Monday Night Wars, McMahon was gazumped by his turtleneck sporting son Shane, who gleefully informed his pops that a different McMahon’s signature was on the contract. And so began the criminally ill fated Invasion angle. But for all the failures that storyline would end up bringing with it, when the fuse was lit, we were treated with pure fire.
The Yes Movement Occupies Raw
All any WWE fan wanted at the beginning of 2014 was Daniel Bryan as WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Only, it didn’t seem as if there were any plans for that dream to become a reality.
It appeared as though we were headed for a WrestleMania 30 main event of Randy Orton defending his title against a returning Batista. Behind the scenes, meanwhile, it was believed Bryan was being readied for a ‘Mania bout against Sheamus.
Fortunately, such was the repeated and passionate insistence of every WWE crowd week-after-week, that the Yes Movement became unavoidable for the powers that be in Titan Towers. Daniel Bryan could no longer be ignored or overlooked.
Finally, after months and months of seemingly getting nowhere, Daniel Bryan and a sea of his YES t-shirt sporting movement occupied Monday Night Raw and cornered The Authority into getting what they had dreamed about for so long. An enraged Triple H agreed to face the former (and current) American Dragon at WrestleMania.
But that wasn’t all. If Bryan were to emerge victorious from their bout, he would then be inserted into the main event between Orton and Batista. And the rest, as they say, is history…
The Rock – ‘This Is Your Life’
That this angle ran way over its allotted time and apparently angered Vince McMahon to the point of near implosion makes it worthy enough of a place on the list. However, the fact that it became one of the highest rated Raw segments of all time in the process, scoring a monstrous 8.4 rating, cements its legacy.
Only a few months previous to this skit, Mick Foley and The Rock had been bludgeoning each other half to death. Their feud over the WWF Championship was one of the most brutal in company history. ‘I Quit’ and ‘Last Man Standing’ matches were particularly barbaric, as were their ‘Halftime Heat’ and ladder outings over the company’s top title.
Yet on 9th September, 1999, here they were, indulging in a quite nonsensical segment as the Rock ‘N’ Sock Connection. The comedy was almost as brutal as some of the chair shots The Rock dished out to Foley’s cranium during their ‘I Quit’ match. Yet the segment still enraptured and entertained the gigantic audience it commanded. Two of the best to ever do it at their absolute best/worst.
The Rock ‘N’ Sock Connection Ride Again
Five years later and Mick Foley was in a much more serious predicament than which guests to book to celebrate The Rock’s life. He was outmatched by Evolution and in dire need of a hero.
And who better to save the day than his most legendary of former tag team partners?
Out came The Rock to help even the odds against Randy Orton, Batista and Ric Flair, as the crowd in Atlanta promptly lost their minds at the sight of The Great One once again lighting up a bunch of jabronis (future Hall of Famers).
The match at WrestleMania 20 that this interaction would lead to may have disappointed slightly, but there was no denying just how electric this moment was.
Roman Reigns Is In Remission, Y’all
It goes without saying that one of the most heartbreaking moments in Monday Night Raw history was when Roman Reigns had to relinquish his newly won Universal Title due to the return of his leukaemia.
After years of fighting for the acceptance of the WWE Universe while attempting to prise the title away from Brock Lesnar, Reigns had finally achieved his goal and was thriving as the number one act in the company. Albeit to some still very mixed reactions.
However, WWE fans were heartbroken when his diagnosis was revealed in late 2018. Which made his news in February, 2019 all the sweeter, when The Big Dog proudly proclaimed, “I’m in remission, y’all”.
The reaction of the crowd was as joyous a moment as you will ever witness. Sure, many of them had booed Reigns out of the building whenever he was in town over the previous three years, but when it came to some very serious reality, they were overwhelmed with emotion welcoming him back. An announcement for the ages. And The Tribal Chief has not slowed down since.
“Tyson and Austin, Tyson and Austin…”
Twenty five years later and it still hasn’t lost a single ounce of its lustre. No more words need to be said about it. Just sit back and enjoy one of the greatest wrestling angles you will ever witness. For the millionth time.
And there you have it. Just a small selection of the Monday Night Raw moments we could have included. Yes there’s no Y2J debut or DX invasion of Nitro. There’s also a myriad of Austin/McMahon incidents we could have listed. But how do you fit so much into just one article?
Well, your best bet for an even more immersive stroll down memory lane is to hit up the WWE Network immediately and indulge in as much nostalgia as possible ahead of Monday night’s anniversary bash.
Featured Image Credit: WWE
