Thoughts on The Best of Raw - 15th Anniversary

by Alfonso Colasuonno

Overall - Well, well, well...I've always been a sucker for the compilations. Amazingly, this 9 hour DVD set shrinks 15 years of the history of RAW into a neat little package in a startlingly stellar fashion. Relive all the memories of RAW and those forgotten and those missed in this DVD set. Definitely recommended. However, note that it is particularly strong around the years of 1997-1999, with short shrift given to other years. One can argue that those years during the heat of the Monday Night Wars led to the best episodes of RAW, but regardless, when some years have only one or two segments, it's a little off-putting.

Individual Segment Reviews -

1993 -

Mr. Perfect v. Ric Flair in a Loser Leaves the WWE Match - Flair loses the match and Bobby Heenan is shocked. Flair goes on to return to WCW afterwards where the now largely forgotten Flair for the Gold culminating in a shocking Starrcade '93 win over Vader. I for one always thought Flair looked a bit out of place in the WWE, particularly in his first run.

Razor Ramon v. The Kid - The Kid's shocking win over the Bad Guy with a remarkable moonsault. Watch the lift on The Kid. Unbelievable!

1994 -

Bret Hart v. The Kid for the WWE Championship - Two of the best workers in the history of the WWE going at in a grueling match. Hitman wins while The Kid's feet are on the ropes and actually has the class to tell the ref to restart the match. I never realized what a good worker The Kid was until watching this match.

1996 -

Vader Attacks WWE President Gorilla Monsoon - While Vader's career in the WWE was a total flop, this one segment gave thrills to many people, like myself, who hate the biased antics of Gorilla "Windbag" Monsoon.

Pillman's Got a Gun - Brian Pillman, imagine what could have been. I would have loved to see a reunion of the Hollywood Blondes with Stone Cold. A loose cannon in the world of wrestling if ever there was one. RIP.

1997 -

Original ECW Invasion - These guys showed the WWE, just before the Attitude Era was really taking place, how it was done. Damn I miss the old ECW.

Bret Screwed Bret - An interesting interview with Mr. McMahon after the Montreal Screwjob. I personally think McMahon is in the wrong and he should have waited until he was outside of Canada to have Bret lose the title.

1998 -

Tyson and Austin - Stone Cold messes with Mike Tyson's head and leads to an almost brawl that separates the two titans of their respective sports.

Dumpster Diving - Terry Funk and Cactus Jack are locked in a dumpster and pushed off the ramp by the New Age Outlaws. Pretty sick stuff.

Formation of the New DX - X-Pac Returns - X-Pac launches right into Hogan and Bischoff and tells how Scott Hall and Kevin Nash would be with him if they weren't locked into WCW contracts.

DX Invades WCW - The ultimate provocation - DX coming into WCW territory in Virginia and exposing how WCW gave tickets away for free to boost their attendance and how the fans were behind DX and thought WCW sucked. Very provocative.

DX Nation - DX impersonates the Nation of Domination. Absolutely hilarious stuff.

Bang 3:16 - Stone Cold gets Mr. McMahon to cower in fear on the mat, and then pulls a gun on him that when fired lets out a Bang 3:16 banner. I don't think this got Stone Cold quite as over as Pillman got with the Pillman's Got a Gun segment.

1999 -

Y2J - The absolutely awesome introducing to the WWE of Chris Jericho, as he interrupts The Rock during comments about the Big Show. Largely known by wrestling afficionados as "The Promo"

The Rock: This is Your Life - Mick Foley introduces The Rock to three people from the past, including a stunning ex-girlfriend who he calls a skank because she wouldn't let the Rock get to second base.

Big Bossman Sympathy - Big Bossman says some remarkably tasteless comments about the Big Show's dad death due to cancer.

2001 -

Shane Purchases WCW - The absolutely startling realization that the McMahons own WCW...and how they would bury it soon after in the Invasion angle.

2002 -

Past Meets Present - The Rock squares off with Hollywood Hogan in a battle of wits, ending with the Rock giving a rock bottom to Hogan. Absolutely thrilling!

Worlds Unite: Bischoff Hugs Mr. McMahon - Who would ever thought it would happen...Bischoff and McMahon getting together. Bischoff talks about the triumphs of WCW.

2003 -

The Rock Concert - The Rock performs songs that are designed to get a rise out of the Sacramento crowd and Stone Cold Steve Austin before Austin comes to the ring and smashes the starstruck Rock's guitar which was autographed by Willie Nelson.

2004 -

Musical Chairs With Eugene - Eugene plays musical chairs with a few competitors including Stacy, Tomko, Ric Flair, Tajiri, Coachman, and Y2J for a chance at a title shot. Y2J wins to the thrill of the Winnipeg crowd while wearing an old Winnipeg Jets shirt.

Are You Ready for Some Wrestling? - Trish Stratus comes on to Shelton Benjamin before Mr. McMahon cockblocks Shelton.

2005 -

Shelton Benjamin vs. Shawn Michaels - Shawn Michaels proving once again why he's the showstopper....an amazing performance from both men.

John Cena Drafted #1 To Raw - Cena is drafted #1 on Raw and ends up writing a battle rap against the Creepy Little Bastard Christian....This was when Cena was still awesome as a Marky Mark impersonator.

Kane/Lita Wedding - Edge was to marry Lita but it ends with Kane piledriving the priest. I guess that's one way to get rid of your Catholic block.

Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle in an Iron Man Match - It ends in a draw at 2 falls a piece. Incredible wrestling for thirty minutes from two of the greatest performers I've ever seen.

Stone Cold Stuns the McMahons - Stone Cold stuns all four members of the McMahon family in succession...a feat not even done by Randy Orton who never got to Linda.

2006 -

DX Impersonates Shane and Mr. McMahon - Triple H launches into his impersonation of Mr. McMahon with an I love Dicks routine. HBK dances around the ring like a fool. The McMahon men and the Spirit Squad end up doused with manure. All is well with the world.