When the WWF and the USA Network reached an agreement to shift Raws start time in an effort to counter WCWs increasingly-popular Nitro, executives from both sides agreed that they needed to start with a bang. It was one of Vince McMahons closest aides, Bruce Prichard, who came up with the idea they would run with. He pitched that Steve Austin would storm Brian Pillmans house with the intention of finishing what he had started during an angle on Superstars where he broke his former tag partners ankle, and Pillman would respond by invoking the castle doctrine and bringing out a pistol to defend himself. It was new ground for McMahon, who had always been against the use of guns in his programming, but it captured the spirit of what he wanted Raw to be and he agreed to the angle. USA officials agreed to let Vince run with it provided he made some concessions to the script (which had initially called for Brians wife Melanie to take a tumble, and for Pillman to fire the gun onscreen, both of which were removed at the networks request). Most were expecting a hokey wrestling angle, however, what they received was one of the most controversial, expletive-ridden, and realistic angles the WWF had ever done. Despite the USA Network having given the piece the go-ahead, McMahon found himself hauled into the office of network president Kay Koplovitz and given a stern warning to tone things down and make the content of Raw lighter. In typical McMahon fashion he ignored them completely and made Raw edgier and more raunchy, a tactic which eventually worked in 1998 when the WWF regained the lead in the Monday Night War. It never looked back.
The author of the highly acclaimed 'Titan' book series, James Dixon has been involved in the wrestling business for 25 years as a fan, wrestler, promoter, agent, and writer. James spent several years wrestling on the British independent circuit, but now prefers to write about the bumps and bruises rather than take any of them. His past in-ring experience does however give a uniquely more "insider" perspective on things, though he readily admits to still being a "mark" at heart.
James is the Chief Editor and writer at historyofwrestling.co.uk and is responsible for the best-selling titles Titan Sinking, Titan Shattered, and Titan Screwed, as well as the Complete WWF Video Guide series, and the Raw Files series.
