10 Most Memorable WWE Raw Moments From 1997

8. First WWF Title Change In Show History

Date: February 17th It's a bit of a surprise that it took over five years for the WWF Title to change hands on an episode of Raw. For the sake of comparison, the first WCW Title change on Nitro happened less than five months after the show first aired. On this episode of Raw, Bret Hart defended the title against Sycho Sid. Bret won the title the night before, at In Your House: Final Four, after Shawn Michaels vacated the belt (more on that later). Even against someone as wild and dangerous as Sid, nobody thought the title would be changing hands. Not after a 24-hour title reign, that's for sure. The match itself was decent, but nothing special. Sid was never known for his five-star classics, but crowds have always loved him, and this was no different. Fans were rabid for him, wanting the title to change hands, and they helped to make the match better as a whole. After some interference from Steve Austin, Sid hit the Powerbomb and got the win. It helped to set up WrestleMania 13, with Bret wanting his revenge on Austin, and Sid defending the title against The Undertaker. It signaled a change for the company, moving into more of an "anything can happen" feel that would carry them for years to come. Raw was more important to watch because now you could possibly see the biggest title in the industry change hands.