Prior to the start of Raw, matches were taped for Superstars, Main Event, and Smackdown (that's right, the entire show lasted just short of five hours). Eagle-eyed fans who were sitting perpendicular to the entrance ramp (such as my brother), may have noticed that the announcers' table was closer to the ring than it usually is. There was approximately six feet of space between the back of the commentators' chairs and the guardrail that protects the fans. In the first (and only downright successful) segment of Raw, we found out why. The Undertaker opened the show with a promise to destroy Shane McMahon at WrestleMania, but Shane interrupted him and verbal jabs were thrown. Undertaker's calling Shane a "bitch-boy" brought McMahon down to the ring, and another insult set him off to the point where he started attacking Undertaker. Shane backed 'Taker into the corner with some improved-looking punches - no doubt Undertaker told Shane to lay them in - but the Phenom threw him out of the ring. On the outside, 'Taker tried to hit Shane with a Last Ride through the table, but Shane escaped and laid Undertaker out on it with a monitor. Shane then climbed to the top turnbuckle, dove off, and crashed through the table with a flying elbow drop. It was a great angle, but Shane very nearly came up short in terms of distance. All things considered, WWE made the right choice by moving the table closer to the ring.
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
