Let's face it, an article criticising arguably the most famous example of a prime time weekly pro wrestling show is never going to please everybody. On the surface, this may seem like a throwaway attack at one of grappling's best-loved broadcasts, and nobody can argue with the success that Monday Night Raw has brought WWE. Going back to the early years however, there was a curious mix of excitement and apprehension over what Raw would mean to the industry. Credit where credit is due, this was a bold move by Vince McMahon, one designed to shake his promotion up from top to bottom, however Monday Night Raw wasn't quite the landmark show it would become, certainly not in the early years. 'Teething problems' would be one way of describing it, but the World Wrestling Federation of 1993 was in a precarious place, coming off the infamous steroid allegations, charges which were still potentially hanging over the head of McMahon. It's remarkable that the man even had time to come up with new concepts at a time like this, if nothing else. This article presents an alternative take on why the then-WWF weren't a company near enough ready for a show like Monday Night Raw in 1993, and looks at some of the nuances which left the broadcast feeling a little out of place.
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.
