12 Things You Learn Binge Watching Every WWE SmackDown From 2003

9. Original Ring Explosion Still Gives Goosebumps

WWE has hit repeat on this spot a few times over the years. Big Show and Mark Henry destroyed the ring at Vengeance 2011, and Show worked the same trick for a third time alongside Braun Strowman in 2017. On both occasions, diminishing returns stopped each moment from truly feeling epic. It was still cool to witness, but not as cool as the original way back on the 12 June 2003 SmackDown.

Y'see, nobody in attendance or watching at home expected Brock Lesnar to land a superplex on his gigantic foe that night. Nor did they predict that the ring would literally give way once both Brock and Show hit the canvas. Selling the moment expertly, referee Mike Chioda's facial expressions told the tale of a man who couldn't fathom what had just happened.

On commentary, Michael Cole and Tazz rubbed their eyes and struggled to comprehend it themselves. At one point, Cole asked his broadcast partner what the hell had just happened. It was all so perfectly executed, original and in-your-face. This was when the old slogan, "Anything can happen in WWE" seemed legit.

Brock and Show always worked fairly well together, but this spot is what they’re best remembered for as enemies, and with good reason. No-one saw it coming, it was all anybody could talk about with their friends in the pre-social media age; message boards filled up with, 'DID YOU SEE THAT?!' posts, and there was a real buzz around SmackDown.

It's still really sweet to look back on this original spot and appreciate the simplicity of it. Brock and Show were fine, but it looked like they'd fallen from a 20 storey building rather than the top turnbuckle.