10 Things You Didn't Know About WWE In 2002
1. The First Ever WWE Match Was...
The current Trish Stratus character is a heel incensed by WWE's marketing of the Four Horsewomen and the "Women's Revolution", and the lack of respect shown towards her own legacy.
In April, after turning heel on Becky Lynch, she said "I am the single most important figure in the history of WWE".
That was obviously a deluded heel bit, but in addition to wrestling the first ever women's main event on Raw - a match against Lita that was actually great, even though it was an aberration and such a weird self-own thing for WWE to keep banging on about - Trish also made history in 2002. By virtue of opening the May 6, 2002 Raw, she technically wrestled the first ever WWE match; the company officially changed its name to World Wrestling Entertainment on May 4, and no show was promoted on that day, nor May 5.
It was a three-minute No Disqualification victory loss to Jazz, who retained the Women's title when Stevie Richards thrust-kicked Trish in the face. "Woohoo," Jerry Lawler said. "'What a way to start' is right: puppies!"
WCW Nitro began with Jushin Liger Vs. Brian Pillman.
AEW Dynamite started hot with Cody Rhodes Vs. Sammy Guevara.
WWE Raw, at least, set the tone with Jerry Lawler slobbering over a woman's chest and man-on-woman violence. Start as you mean to go on.
In another half-interesting trivia note, by a complete fluke, the site of the first WWE show was oddly fitting; it emanated from the Hartford Civic Center in the company's home base of Connecticut.