Up until WWE started to eclipse WCW in terms of popularity (and thereby started making money), Raw wasn't live every week. The regular schedule saw a live Raw, then a Raw taped the previous Tuesday, then a live Raw, then taped, ad infinitum. Of course, when Raw wasn't live, Nitro still was. On November 17, 1997 eight days after the Montreal Screwjob a bearded Rick Rude appeared on Raw, introducing the rest of D-Generation X, including new WWE Champion Shawn Michaels. The same night, Rude sporting only a mustache appeared on Nitro, standing in the ring with the nWo and criticizing Vince McMahon and Shawn Michaels for Montreal. Raw, obviously, was taped six days earlier, but it was still an amazing feat that left many fans scratching their heads. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChfWHf2w95o One of the greatest heels of all time had pulled the wool over the marks' eyes once again.
Scott Fried is a Slammy Award-winning* writer living and working in New York City. He has been following/writing about professional wrestling for many years and is a graduate of Lance Storm's Storm Wrestling Academy. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/scottfried.
*Best Crowd of the Year, 2013
