10 Things You Learn Binge Watching Every WWE Raw From 1996

4. The Gun Angle Remains Shocking

Brian Pillman Gun
WWE Network

In between standard WWF fare like Marc Mero vs. "Razor Ramon" and Alex Porteau vs. The Sultan, Brian Pillman decided to whip a gun out and try to murder Steve Austin on the 4 November episode of Raw. This gun business remains shocking, and it seemed totally out of character for the WWF.

Attempted murder wasn't exactly family-friendly entertainment.

It's a little jolting to watch for somebody who has been chronicling Raw from its humble beginnings in 1993. Back then, episodes were more likely to be stuffed with Gene Okerlund's charming inserts or cartoonish banter from Randy Savage. Three years on, and one of the Hollywood Blondes was trying to shoot his old partner.

This isn't something the WWF should've tried. That might be easy to say now, but it didn't really do anything to sell the rivalry. Think about it: Pillman tried to shoot Austin, so why would fans settle for a one-on-one wrestling match to blow things off?

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.