25 Greatest WWE Raw Moments Ever

4. Austin Stuns McMahon (September 22nd, 1997)

Hulk Hogan The Rock
WWE.com

WWE's home base had already been shaken up by Stone Cold Steve Austin's unlawful attack on Owen Hart before he completed his collection of announce table attacks with a historic Stunner on Vince McMahon.

With the company now acknowledging McMahon as the boss without particularly using him to wield power, a disjointed discourse with the stifled Austin about working hurt following his devastating SummerSlam 1997 neck injury saw 'The Rattlesnake' direct his venom at just about anybody in an official capacity with the company.

The balmy New York night he took his frustrations out on top brass wrote an unforgettable first chapter to the story that would be credited with changing the company's fortunes forever. Austin was already a Hulk Hogan-level babyface in waiting. But with one unexpected assault, the man that programmed countless heels against the red-and-yellow hero in the 1980s was suddenly positioned as the force to embody all of those villainous traits himself.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett