10 Things You Learn Binge Watching Every WWE Raw From 2002

6. The Post-Draft Raws Are Bizarre

Steve Austin Ric Flair
WWE

The first brand extension and WWE Draft occurred in 2002. It's looked upon favourably through ye olde rose-tinted spectacles by fans now, but it's fair to say there were some teething problems in the immediate aftermath. Early weeks post-Draft are pretty weird to look back on today.

It's almost trippy to go from watching star-laden episodes of Raw from 1999, 2000 and 2001 to March 2002 onwards. The roster had been split, and that meant more TV time than ever before for some lower-carders who were still struggling to find their feet/the right character that'd be a hit with fans.

Suddenly, after being cast as opening-match fodder or mid-card tag guys, lads like Bradshaw and Bubba Ray Dudley were in featured spots on the flagship. You'll be blindsided by that if you watch all of these Raws in sequence - it's like watching a completely different company, to be honest.

That was surely the point, but it's so sudden.

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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.