With the vast amount of stars set for WWE Raw 25 Monday, it's virtually guaranteed to be a night fans will remember forever.
Then again, the company has given fans a reason to have high hopes for the upcoming anniversary show thanks to the other epic episodes it has produced in the past to celebrate Raw's illustrious history. As monumental of an occasion Raw 25 will be, there have been other editions that were equally important.
Lest we forget how heavily hyped 2012's Raw 1000 event was and how it ultimately exceeded expectations. In addition to delivering unforgettable moments (such as the D-Generation X reunion), it also kicked off a new era for Raw, with the program expanding to three hours on a weekly basis.
The epic evening featured The Rock's return, CM Punk's shocking heel turn and The Miz capturing his first Intercontinental Championship. Not only did it recognize Raw's greatest stars, but it also did an effective job of showcasing the talent of tomorrow.
As entertaining as that episode of Raw was, conspicuous by his absence was "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Raw 25 already has Raw 1000 beat in that regard given The Texas Rattlesnake will be hand for the festivities, though it is not yet known how he will be involved.
Stone Cold rekindling his ruthless rivalry with Mr. McMahon would be a nice trip down memory lane, but having him rub shoulders with today's Superstars would be a much better use of the WWE Hall of Famer.
WWE Network@WWENetworkOne week from now, we'll see this again... #RAW25 @steveaustinBSR https://t.co/aFCbup8mTu
2018-1-16 04:24:49
Austin is far from the only familiar face fans will be treated to at Raw 25. He will be joined by the likes of The Undertaker, D-Generation X, Chris Jericho, Eric Bischoff, Trish Stratus and countless others who helped make Raw what it is today.
Many of those notable names appeared on Raw's 15th Anniversary show in December 2007. That edition of the flagship show might well have been one of the best anniversary episodes of all time, with McMahon being embarrassed by multiple legends, Evolution reuniting and Hulk Hogan laying out The Great Khali.
WWE set the bar high for future anniversary shows that night, but Raw 25 has the potential to top it with what's on tap, especially considering it could see several WrestleMania season storylines take shape.
All that said, not every anniversary show WWE has done has been memorable. Look no further than the 20th anniversary show from January 2013 that saw The Rock bring back his Rock Concert and Mick Foley announce his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Aside from those segments, it was a fairly underwhelming evening that was overshadowed by Raw 1000 from several months earlier. Raw hasn't had a major celebration since, essentially ensuring Raw 25 will be a fun-filled night.
The list of legends WWE will be bringing in for Raw 25 is nothing short of impressive, but it will be interesting to find out the role each of them has on the show and whether it will be more than a cameo.
For example, there isn't a need for The Boogeyman to be a part of anything of note on Raw 25 other than to interact with "Woken" Matt Hardy or Booker T for a few seconds. Meanwhile, someone such as Stratus or Undertaker should do something to either build toward Sunday's Royal Rumble pay-per-view or even WrestleMania 34.
For the first time, three hours may not be enough to contain the star power that is advertised to appear. Better yet, there are a handful of icons (such as The Rock and Batista) who could feasibly resurface during the show, giving fans even more reasons to be excited.
If history has taught us anything, it's that WWE tends to go all out for its anniversary shows. Therefore, fans shouldn't miss out on the many surprises that should be in store for the grand occasion that will be Raw 25 Monday night.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is an Endicott College alumnus and aspiring journalist. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.
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