Paul Heyman surprisingly quits, industry-changing announcement goes awry - This week in WWE history (March 20-March 26)
WWE WrestleMania 39 is next weekend! As a result of the impending entertainment spectacular, World Wrestling Entertainment's slate of programming is focused almost entirely on the big weekend.
Monday Night RAW saw the Unified RAW and SmackDown Tag Team Title match confirmed for The Show Of Shows with The Usos set to collide with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Meanwhile, SmackDown saw Rey Mysterio vs. Dominik Mysterio become official for the big event. Even NXT hyped up Stand & Deliver, which will air the same weekend.
With WrestleMania hype in full effect, fans eager for more action and fun stories are in luck. Sportskeeda offers a look at five major matches, moments, events, or incidents in WWE's history each week and provides a rundown on what went on.
This week's article will cover Paul Heyman shockingly quitting live on-air, Vince McMahon's major purchase, the first-ever Ladder Match on pay-per-view, and more to tickle your nostalgia bone. How did it all go down?
Below are five key events that happened this week in WWE history..
#5. The first-ever Ladder Match took place at WrestleMania X on March 20th, 1994
Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon in a ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania X.
29 years ago today.
https://t.co/muRWKOagVH
WWE WrestleMania X took place on March 20th, 1994 at Madison Square Garden in New York. The event featured three men vying for the WWF Championship, including Bret Hart, Lex Luger, and Yokozuna, who walked into the show as the reigning champion.
While there were numerous exciting bouts, the most memorable is the Ladder Match between Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels. Both stars believed that they were the real Intercontinental Champion, so their titles were held up above the ring.
This was the first-ever Ladder Match in WWE history to air on television or pay-per-view. Many fans still believe it to be the greatest to ever take place as well. Razor ultimately won the bout, but both men were bigger stars walking out of the match than they were going in.
#4. The infamous beer bath segment took place on RAW on March 22nd, 1999
22 years ago today, Stone Cold Steve Austin gave The Rock and the McMahon's an unforgettable beer bath 🍻
(via @WWE) https://t.co/5KiVOeNDuo
WWE RAW on March 22nd, 1999 featured one of the most memorable segments of all time. To this very day, highlights of this particular segment are aired during virtually any RAW or World Wrestling Entertainment retrospective video package.
WWF Champion The Rock, Vince McMahon, and other members of The Corporation were in the ring only for Stone Cold Steve Austin to come to ringside in a beer truck. The truck had a hose attached and Austin proceeded to hose down the ring and those inside it.
Vince McMahon's doggy paddling in the beer is an iconic moment and the segment was a hit. The moment is so fondly remembered that people often forget that the very same show featured The Big Show's debut match in the WWF, which he lost to Steve Austin.
#3. Paul Heyman shockingly quit RAW on March 22nd, 2004
Monday Night RAW took place on March 22nd, 2004. The program featured what was sure to be a major shakeup for both the red and blue brands following WrestleMania 20. Both rosters were changed thanks to a Draft Lottery.
A WWE Draft Lottery was held where RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff and SmackDown General Manager Paul Heyman drew names to determine which stars would jump ship to their respective brands. Eric selected names from SmackDown, while Paul selected names from RAW.
In a shocking moment, Bischoff drew Paul Heyman's name from the raffle. Heyman's reaction was a complete meltdown where he quit on the spot. Of course, his quitting was a move done for storyline purposes only, but it still left the WWE Universe in shock & awe.
#2. The first-ever WWE Draft took place on March 25th, 2002
Vince announcing the very 1st pick in WWE draft history, which of course was the Brahma bull.
(2002) https://t.co/1ofpHG2xif
WWE RAW took place on March 25th, 2002. It was a special edition of the weekly episodic wrestling show, as it featured the first-ever World Wrestling Entertainment Draft, which officially split RAW and SmackDown.
Vince McMahon was given control of SmackDown while Ric Flair, who in kayfabe was the company's co-owner, took control of Monday Night RAW. Both men drafted ten selections each with further picks being decided off-air. The concept was later replicated in the promotion.
The second-ever proper brand extension took place in 2016. There have been various forms of WWE Drafts and Superstar Shakeups over the years, with many hoping another will take place in the coming months.
#1. Shane McMahon announced that he bought WCW on March 26th, 2001
March 26th, 2001 was a legendary day in pro wrestling history. WWE owner Vince McMahon announced live during an episode of Monday Night RAW that he purchased his competition - World Championship Wrestling.
WCW was the-then WWF's biggest competition. For 83 straight weeks, WCW managed to beat RAW in head-to-head ratings. A few years after that impressive streak, however, the promotion was bought. Vince had planned to celebrate the move in the ring.
Upon doing so, a live satellite feed was shown of Shane McMahon on WCW Nitro. He revealed that WCW was indeed purchased and the name on the contract was McMahon, but it read Shane McMahon instead. This led to The Invasion storyline that dominated WWE programming until November.