Ranking Every WWE Raw Anniversary Show From Worst To Best
Party Politics
Vince McMahon can't be accused of not knowing how to throw a cracking celebratory shindig, even if he has no idea how to f*cking label it.
For pedants, his anniversary/birthday confusion was most infuriating around the time of 2009's WrestleMania - the 25th edition (not anniversary). As it turns out, it's been going on for decades.
Supplying a cake for IRS to go head first into at the climax of Monday Night Raw's very first birthday, McMahon ordered the icing to spell out the misused moniker. Thankfully, in toasting the show's quarter century on air, he did at least spare fans further frustration.
Unfortunately, other than in nomenclature, Raw 25 was a complete catastrophe. Comfortably outperformed by some of the lesser and more ill-conceived meshings of old talent and new over the years, it also failed to pull off the multiple venue concept as infamous predecessor WrestleMania 2 had over 30 years earlier. Merely dressing the beautiful Manhattan Center in such loyal attire for the occasion wasn't enough. The lack of action there was inexcusable.
Every milestone is a justifiable cause for festivities if only in paying tribute to the flagship's incredible longevity, but while some celebrations go off with a pyro-sized bang, others - like most three hour Raws in general - rather awkwardly outstay their welcome.
8. Raw X (13 January 2003)
A grand misfire much like the venue it took place in, Raw X was a schmaltz-heavy celebration of the show's first ten years, emanating from WWE's ailing Times Square hub 'The World'.
Lessening in recent years, the company used to have something of an obsession with awards shows stemming from the unexpectedly successful 1987 Slammys. The trophies were trotted out again in the 1990s and would later be included in dry December Raws on an annual basis, but Raw X was the first opportunity in years to dive deep into nostalgia with the faces old and new that made it.
Only, none of them could be *rsed to show up. Outside of main roster stalwarts (presumably attendance was mandatory), the architects of Monday Night Raw's finest moments were almost unanimously absent. Steve Austin had yet to make his public return, Mick Foley wanted nothing to do with the company post-Katie Vick, and The Rock conducted a 'live via satellite' interview so hokey it necessitated a heel turn upon his February return.
Foreshadowing a lifetime of it, Triple H stole headlines for all the wrong reasons, literally showing his *ss to fiancée Stephanie McMahon as an up yours to a host of seated miserable midcarders furious with his in-ring selfishness at the time.