Roman Reigns wins big award, Vince McMahon's long-time rival fired - This week in WWE history (December 5-December 11)
Another week of WWE action has come to a close. World Wrestling Entertainment offers seven hours of prime time television with Monday Night RAW, NXT, and Friday Night SmackDown, along with a few additional programs such as Main Event and NXT Level Up.
The week ended exceptionally strongly thanks to the NXT Deadline 2022 event. The program featured the debut of a new stipulation match called the Iron Survivor Challenge, a big-time NXT Championship match, and more.
Now with a major show behind us, some fans will take a break before Monday Night RAW to relive some of their favorite moments from wrestling's past. If that's what you're looking for, we've got you covered.
This article will take a look at five incidents, matches, or events that took place this week in WWE history. This includes one of Vince McMahon's biggest real-life rivals getting fired, a major star making his NXT debut, and Chris Jericho making history. How did it all go down?
Below are five key events that happened this week in WWE history.
#5. Eric Bischoff was fired during WWE RAW on December 5th, 2005
Today in @WWE History Eric Bischoff is fired/dumped in a garbage truck by orders of Judge Vince on #WWE Raw 12.5.05 http://t.co/CGeMCjW0YD
Monday Night RAW took place on December 5th, 2005 in South Carolina. The theme of the show was WWE Court to determine if Eric Bischoff should remain the General Manager of the red brand. Vince McMahon was the judge and Mick Foley was the prosecutor.
Vignettes aired throughout the night, showing the group in a mock-court setting. Hilarity ensued as WWE Superstars argued for and against Bischoff. The segments all culminated with an in-ring promo to close the show.
Eric pleaded his case to McMahon and was seemingly getting through to his former nemesis when John Cena interrupted. After a great promo, Vince "fired" Eric. Cena then hit Bischoff with an FU and McMahon physically dropped his former rival in the back of a dump truck, ending his tenure as General Manager.
#4. Owen Hart made his shocking return at In Your House: D-Generation X on Decembr 7th, 1997
While a handful of In Your House events from the 1990s are memorable, most tend to be forgotten by fans. In Your House: D-Generation X, held on December 7th, 1997 is typically one of the more forgotten events, with the exception of one key return.
Ken Shamrock challenged Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship in the main event of the evening. But the bout ended in disqualification thanks to Triple H and Chyna interfering on Shawn's behalf. Post-match, however, Owen Hart made his shocking return and attacked DX.
Owen Hart hadn't been seen on WWE programming since Survivor Series 1997, the date of the infamous Montreal Screwjob. Owen was the only member of The Hart Foundation to remain with the company following the incident. Hart's chase of D-Generation X in his big return caught the eye of many fans, although the storyline ultimately didn't lead to much.
#3. Roman Reigns won Superstar Of The Year Slammy Award during RAW on December 8th, 2014
The December 8th, 2014 edition of Monday Night RAW was a special episode of the longest-running weekly television show on cable. The special edition of the red brand was the 2014 Slammy Awards.
The Slammy Awards date all the way back to 1986. While the award show comes and goes, fans usually enjoy the opportunity to vote for their favorite wrestlers and personalities whenever it takes place. The 2014 edition allowed for the WWE Universe to vote through both WWE.com and WWE's app.
The most prestigious award of 2014 was for Superstar Of The Year. Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, Dean Ambrose, John Cena, Seth Rollins, Daniel Bryan, and Bray Wyatt were all nominated for the honor. In the end, fans ultimately selected The Big Dog to win the prestigious award.
#2. The first-ever Undisputed WWE Champion was crowned at Vengeance on December 9th, 2001
On This Day (December 9, 2001) In Wrestling History Chris Jericho became the first Undisputed Champion! Vengeance 2001. @IAmJericho https://t.co/BBsR1Rn9F8
WWF Vengeance was held on December 9th, 2001. The event, held in San Diego, California, came after the infamous Invasion angle came to a close, with WWF standing tall over WCW and ECW. With both the WWE and WCW Titles still around, a four-man tournament was held to crown the first-ever Undisputed WWE Champion.
The opening matches of the tournament featured Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle and The Rock vs. Chris Jericho. Austin defeated the Olympic Gold Medalist and, by hook or by crook, Y2J defeated The People's Champion.
The main event of the evening saw Austin and Jericho battle to become the Undisputed Champion. The bout was chaotic, with Ric Flair, Vince McMahon, and Booker T all interfering. Ultimately, the interference and the use of the title belt allowed Chris to pin The Texas Rattlesnake and become the first-ever Undisputed Champion.
#1. Kevin Owens debuts at NXT TakeOver: R-Evolution on December 11th, 2014
NXT TakeOver: R-Evolution was held on December 11th, 2014. NXT was gaining serious momentum at this point in time, with buzz constantly surrounding the black & gold brand. One of the most buzzworthy moments of the show came right at the beginning with the debut of a new superstar.
Former Ring of Honor Champion Kevin Steen, renamed Kevin Owens, made his debut at the event. He wrestled CJ Parker in his debut, suffering a broken node but ultimately winning his match. The debut thrilled fans, but Owens' night didn't end there.
The main event saw Sami Zayn and Neville clash over the NXT Championship in a Title vs. Career Match. Zayn finally won the big one, capturing the title and not quitting as a result. He celebrated with the roster, including his real-life best friend Kevin. Unfortunately, Owens showed his true colors and immediately turned on Zayn, viciously attacking him, leaving Sami's perfect night in shambles.