Ranking Every WWE Raw Anniversary Show From Worst To Best
1. Raw 1000 (23 July 2012)
Raw 1000 was the finest balance WWE ever struck between a nostalgia feast and present day festival, littered with memorable scenes featuring talent old and new as well as a mammoth main event and sensational ending.
A DX return to open the show was far less infuriating than their more recent diminished returns, whilst cameos from Jim Ross, Dude Love, Slick, Trish Stratus, Bret Hart and Heath Slater's retro opponents from the prior month all made the show memorable without outstaying their respective welcomes.
Anchored by a CM Punk/John Cena WWE Title match, the wedding of AJ Lee and Daniel Bryan and an appearance from The Rock, the storylines dovetailed magnificently as Rocky assaulted a flustered 'Yes Man' only to face the wrath of Punk in a shocking show-closing turn.
'The People's Champ' had laid down a challenge to the Champion for the Royal Rumble six months later, which aggrieved babyface Punk took as a personal slight. His defence over Cena ending cheaply foreshadowed his disdain for 'The Champ' and 'The People's Champ', with a Go2Sleep confirming his long-awaited return to the dark side.
Celebrating the past, it crucially paved an exciting path for the future. Few birthday broadcasts have performed so proficiently.