This Week in WWE history (Jan 10-16) - Shawn Michaels turns on Marty Jannetty, WWE Hall of Famer passes away 

This week's news has been dominated by the fact that WWE could be open to a partnership with IMPACT Wrestling for the first time. Mickie James' inclusion in the upcoming Women's Royal Rumble whilst still holding the IMPACT Knockouts Championship has opened another "forbidden door" in the wrestling world.

The other big news is that Roman Reigns has become the longest-reigning Universal Champion in WWE history by beating Brock Lesnar's record. Lesnar held the record with 503 days for a number of years, but Reigns hit day 504 today and takes the record.

It may only be the third week of 2022, but there have been some interesting news stories from the history of WWE.

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#5. Batista relinquishes the WWE World Heavyweight Championship - January 10th, 2006

Batista suffered a tricep injury in his match against Mark Henry at a WWE live event on January 8th, 2006. The World Champion's injury was so bad that he was forced to relinquish his title in the episode of SmackDown just two days later.

Teddy Long went on to announce that the title would be decided in a 20-man battle royal in the SmackDown main event, which saw Kurt Angle eliminate Mark Henry last to win.

This then began the storyline that saw Angle successfully defend the championship against Henry at The Royal Rumble, whilst Rey Mysterio won The Royal Rumble and then went on to headline WrestleMania for the World Championship.

Kurt Angle vs. Randy Orton vs. Rey Mysterio took place at WrestleMania 22, with Mysterio coming out victorious following a West Coast Pop on Orton.

Batista, on the other hand, missed WrestleMania and didn't return to the company until July 7th when he went straight after Mark Henry for causing the initial injury. It wasn't long before Batista was able to reclaim the title he never lost.

Also on this episode of SmackDown, Randy Orton defeated Chris Benoit to win the United States Championship for Booker T. The two men had already competed several times, but following Booker's injury, Orton subbed in for the final deciding match of the series.

#4. WWE launches Monday Night RAW - January 11th, 1993

WWE has bragged several times that Monday Night RAW is the longest-running episodic television show in history, but unlike several facts that come from the company, this isn't an exaggeration.

The company launched the very first episode of Monday Night RAW on January 11th, 1993, meaning that the show has been going on for almost three decades.

The show replaced Prime Time Wrestling in the Monday night slot, a show that had aired for eight years and streamed live from the Grand Ballroom at the Manhattan Center in New York City. The show became the first to stream live matches in front of an audience since all shows previously had seen pre-taped matches take place.

The show initially aired live each week, but when this became a financial drain, from the spring of 1993 until spring 1997, WWE taped several weeks' worth of episodes following their live shows.

Originally, RAW launched as a 60-minute show, but over the years it has grown to now include a three-hour episode on a weekly basis. RAW later led to the launch of SmackDown several years later in 1999 after the company was famously able to overcome WCW in the Monday Night Wars.

#3. WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels superkicks Marty Jannetty through a barbershop window - January 11th, 1992

The Heartbreak Kid and Marty Jannetty were destined for great things in WWE until the Michaels superkicked his long-time partner through a barbershop window.

On an episode of Wrestling Challenge that aired in January 1992, The Rockers were looking to lay out their issues and move forward as a team. Of course, every wrestling fan knows what happened next, since Michaels changed his mind and attacked his longtime partner instead.

Michaels then tore up a magazine that featured the two men and made it clear that he was going his own way now.

It's a moment that has become iconic in Michael's career since he then began a rise that led him to the top of the mountain, whilst Jannetty struggled to keep up.

Jannetty and Michaels remained friends outside of the business for decades, and his former teammate even made a shortlived return to the company back in 2006 to aid Michaels in his feud against Vince McMahon.

#2. Victoria wrestles her final WWE match - January 13th, 2009

Victoria recently returned to WWE as part of the Women's Royal Rumble match in 2021, but ahead of this the last time the former Women's Champion wrestled for the company was in 2009.

Victoria was one of the women who paved the way for the current crop of female wrestlers, taking part in hardcore matches and even main eventing alongside Trish and Lita, but her contributions are often overlooked.

Victoria climbed through the ranks in the McMahon-led promotion from one of The Godfather's valets all the way up to Women's Championship. She later spent some time working with Torrie Wilson and Candice Michelle as Vince's Devils from 2005-2006, but opted to walk away from the company in 2009.

Victoria wrestled her final match on January 13th, 2009 as part of a SmackDown taping in Omaha, Nebraska. She would go on to return that same year for one night only, competing in a 25-women battle royal at WrestleMania 25.

Following her departure, she would go on to find fame in IMPACT Wrestling under the ring name Tara. The star is a five-time Knockout's Champion and even lifted the Knockout's Tag Team Championships before leaving IMPACT in 2013.

#1. WWE Hall of Famer Mae Young passes away - January 14th, 2014

Mae Young is one of the most iconic female wrestlers of all time as well as a WWE Hall of Famer.

Mae made a number of appearances in the promotion alongside Fabulous Moolah following her retirement from the ring, and also gained some impressive records.

The former superstar wrestled her final stipulated match on November 15th, 2010 when she won a Falls Count Anywhere Handicap match against Laycool on Old School RAW.

The match made Young the first person to wrestle over the age of 80 as well as the first person to wrestle in eight different decades. Her last on-screen appearance came on March 4th, 2013 when the company celebrated her 90th birthday and presented her with her own Divas Championship.

Young was hospitalized on December 31st, 2013. The legend passed away a few weeks later on January 14th, 2014.

She was entombed at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Columbia, South Carolina, which is the same cemetery where her long-time friend, The Fabulous Moolah, also rests. Moolah passed away seven years earlier in November 2007.