10 Most Memorable WWE Raw Moments From 1996

3. Vader Attacks Gorilla Monsoon

Date: January 22nd Through the years, wrestling fans have seen their share of on-air authority figures get physically assaulted by wrestlers. Shawn Michaels hitting Theodore Long with Sweet Chin Music, Steve Austin delivering the Stone Cold Stunner to everyone on the planet with the last name "McMahon", John Cena beating up John Laurinaitis... the list goes on and on. However, in January 1996, and with an authority figure that was nearly 60-years-old and certainly not in the same shape that Vince McMahon was in when he was the same age, you had a very big news story with an assault. Vader had just made his WWF debut at the previous night's Royal Rumble. Those who knew his work were very excited about his arrival and figured he would run through the WWF roster like he had done in WCW. It started off like that on Raw, with Vader beating Savio Vega quickly, and then beating Savio some more after the match was done. Referees and Vader's own manager, Jim Cornette, couldn't stop him from continuing the attack, so Gorilla Monsoon came out to try and calm Vader down. Does Vader look like the type of guy you can order around and control? Of course not, and he proved that by attacking Monsoon. Fans were floored. Vader looked like he was killing Monsoon, and Monsoon sold it as such. Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon came out to run Vader off, but it was too late, as the damage had been done. In a single night, Vader became, arguably, the biggest heel in the company. Big things were expected from him, but unfortunately, his entire WWF tenure was pretty much ruined and wasted. He'll always have that first night on television, though.