10 Things You Learn Binge Watching Every WWE Raw From 2002

3. A Phoned-In Episode Is The Best!

Steve Austin Ric Flair
WWE

WWE will see a major dip in fan interest when they run a 'Best Of' end of year special in place of next week's Raw. That, and the fact that networks like USA or FOX crave original content, is probably why they don't really do it nowadays. Elsewhere, Triple H is bringing John Cena back to wrestle on the final SmackDown of the year.

2002 was different.

You might be stunned to hear something else: WWE's 'Best Of 2002' Raw is arguably the best of the entire year. It's two hours of cracking matches (and an Owen Hart tribute, for some reason). Remember, this aired during the traditional PPV days, so these matches weren't as easily-accessible as they would be now.

So, watching Raw and seeing bouts like Edge vs. Kurt Angle, Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock and Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H? Yeah, that'd be a real treat to those who couldn't afford to fork over cash for every major pay-per-view.

This writer has watched most of those matches a million times, and even he sat through them again.

Contributor

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.