50 Greatest WWE Raw Moments Ever
49. Edge's Birthday (October 30th, 2000)
Buoyed by a level of creative input and freedom they hadn't yet experienced in their relatively young careers, Edge, Christian and Kurt Angle were in irresistible form for the mostly-joyous year 2000. Bell-to-bell, all three were finding new peaks against a variety of different opponents, but the only thing matching those performances were the verbal ones backstage.
A series of icebergs lay ahead for the good times, but the on-screen celebration of Edge's birthday by "Team ECK" was a perfect encapsulation of what had made the company so much fun before the Stephanie McMahon herself got the book and a returning Stone Cold Steve Austin stunned the fun out of everything.
Sick as a dog, 'Billion Dollar Princess' was prime fodder for new WWE Champion Kurt Angle at his snivelling worst, while Edge & Christian found themselves a gimmick for life in the form of the kazoos they used to play their favourite wrestler entrance themes while Triple H fumed about as was his wont. There were various points where the characters unleashed their violent sides, but the grim backstage party summed up just how well the company had things balanced at the time. The segments were perfect (and actually funny) slabs comic relief dropped in between in-arena matches and moments that also ranged from good-to-great.
None of it could last, but the enthusiasm and cohesion of all the performers shone through. They knew they what good times were, and knew they were in them.