10 Most Shocking Things That Happened On Post-WrestleMania WWE Raws
Brock Lesnar's 2012 return was epic, but how does it compare?
The Raw after WrestleMania has become one of the most hotly anticipated wrestling shows on the annual calendar, particularly over the past few years, with WWE consciously going out of their way to jumpstart their new season of programming with all manner of twists and turns.
It's a guaranteed source of surprises, and last night's was no different, with The Undertaker's shock appearance, Sami Zayn's long-awaited return, and Lars Sullivan's main roster arrival the pick of the bunch, though none were strong enough to transcend honourable mention status here. Let's not even get into the horrific return of Beach Ball Mania, either.
Much of the show’s appeal is down to its penchant for delivering big surprises. WWE always seem to go out of their way to deliver the unexpected on their post-Mania Raws, and from big name acquisitions making their debuts to new storylines kick off on the back of what happens the night before, these shows always aim to amaze us.
But which of these moments stand out among the rest? Which Raw after 'Manias were so dazzling, they put the Grandest Stage itself to shame? Let's run them down.
10. The Rock & John Cena Set A Date (4 April 2011)
Say what you will about how the two-year Rock vs. John Cena feud turned out in the end, but when the duo announced their first WrestleMania match a full year in advance, it was a big, bold move from WWE management, who clearly wanted to evoke the magic of Rocky's battle with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania X8.
They didn't quite hit that mark, particularly in this specific segment. Still, the era-defining duo naming their date so far ahead of time was a big shock. Never before had the promotion announced a WrestleMania headliner with 12 months of build, and while the previous night had seen Rock and Cena collide as part of the latter's main event with The Miz (and the less said about that mess, the better), few expected them to drop this bomb.
Cena's challenge was born of 'The Great One' costing him the WWE Championship versus Miz. Rock accepted, and pitched a bout that would come to be dubbed as 'Once In A Lifetime' go down at 'The People's WrestleMania,' 'Mania XXVIII, in his Miami, Florida hometown. We may never see such a clash again.