WrestleMania is the most hotly anticipated event on the entire WWE calendar. Year after year, fans can’t wait for the Show of Shows. But, another event that is anticipated almost as much is the episode of Monday Night Raw on the day after WrestleMania.
While WrestleMania is the place to settle feuds once and for all, the post-Mania Raw episodes are the ones where new ones are created. These episodes of the WWE”s longest running show can shock and surprise even the most well-informed fans.
There have been some truly jaw-dropping moments on these episodes. From debuts to returns to retirements, the day after WrestleMania has historically delivered just as much drama and excitement as The Ultimate Thrill Ride itself.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into our list of 5 most shocking moments from post-WrestleMania episodes of Monday Night Raw:
#5 Ziggler cashes in Money in the Bank
Dolph Ziggler is one of those wrestlers who is loved by the WWE Universe but is somehow always overlooked by Vince McMahon and his creative team. All of this looked like it was going to change for good, though, on the episode of Raw following WrestleMania 29.
After the World Heavyweight Champion was left badly injured towards the end of the show, Ziggler sensed his opportunity and decided to cash in his Money in the Bank contract. Despite a couple of hiccups in the match, The Showoff would ultimately prevail and capture the World Title.
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Despite Alberto del Rio being the face in this situation, and Ziggler the heel, the crowd at the Izod centre lost its collective mind and blew the roof of the place. Seriously, just check out this video and hear the reaction of the WWE Universe:
It was incredibly shocking that not only did WWE creative get behind Dolph as World Heavyweight Champion but also that they decided to give him the gold the night after WrestleMania. If only his run with the belt was as good as his cash in was.
#4 The Rock and John Cena agree to Once in a Lifetime contest
In the main event of WrestleMania 27, John Cena lost his match against WWE Champion, The Miz. While this was unexpected, to say the least, the fact that it was The Rock who cost him the gold made it even more shocking.
But, this was nothing compared to the bombshell which would be dropped the next night on Raw. Despite everyone’s expectation that The Rock was done with wrestling, The Great One and Cena agreed to a match at WrestleMania 28 a year later. “Once in a Lifetime” was created on this historic night.
The two would go on to have an instant classic a year later and then everything turned sour. “Once in a Lifetime” proved to be a lie and they would lock horns again at WrestleMania 29.
Regardless of this, though, it was absolutely electrifying when The People’s Champ and The Face that Runs the Place made their first matchup official.
#3 Brock Lesnar returns to the WWE
Now we come from one shocking John Cena moment after WrestleMania 27 to another shocking John Cena moment a year later – the night after WrestleMania 28. This fateful episode of Monday Night Raw marked the day that the landscape of the WWE changed, in the words of Michael Cole.
This episode of Raw would mark the return of one of the most dominant Superstars to ever step into the squared circle – Brock Lesnar – a full 8 years after his exit from the company, which made him one of the biggest names in the fighting game
It was unreal to see The Beast Incarnate return to the place he once called home and destroy John Cena. It started a chain of events which would ultimately lead to Lesnar destroying everything in his path – including The Streak of The Undertaker.
This year, the possibility of 3-time WWE Champion Jeff Hardy and his broken brother Matt Hardy are all set to return to WWE. Whether they return on the Raw or SmackDown episodes after WrestleMania or at the PPV itself, one thing is certain; it will be a WONDERFUL moment!
#2 Goldberg debuts
Now, we take a trip down memory lane to 2003 and the episode of Raw immediately following WrestleMania XIX. Following his victory over Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock – who has then at his heelish best – came down to the ring for a celebration.
What followed, though, blew the roof off the arena. Interrupting The Great One, Goldberg made his debut in the WWE. It was one of the most pleasantly shocking things to see the most dominant WCW Superstar of all-time enter a WWE ring for the first time.
He told The Rock that he was next and proceeded to Spear him to oblivion. The perfect debut.
#1 Stone Cold Steve Austin retires
The same night that the WWE Universe welcomed Goldberg, they also waved goodbye to their most beloved Superstar – Stone Cold Steve Austin. Following the insanely good match that The Rock and Austin had at WrestleMania XIX, Eric Bischoff came to the ring and dropped a bombshell the size of a nuke.
He revealed the real-life extent of Stone Cold’s spinal injuries and told a stunned crowd that The Texas Rattlesnake was hanging up his boots for good. When it comes to shocking moments on post-WrestleMania episodes of Monday Night Raw, it doesn’t get more shocking than that.
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