This week in WWE history: Hall of Famer forced to unmask live on TV, Attitude Era tag team reformed (June 19-June 25)
WWE had a hectic week. The controversial Vince McMahon seemingly made major changes to Monday Night RAW and Friday Night SmackDown. Matches announced for both shows ultimately never took place.
Beyond those issues, NXT featured an epic main event between Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker. RAW continued the rise of The Judgment Day and SmackDown continued showcasing the downfall of The Bloodline. There's a lot to watch and enjoy.
Still, some fans may be disillusioned by Vince McMahon's involvement in World Wrestling Entertainment. Others may simply want to re-live some of the most important moments in wrestling history.
This weekly article will look back at some of the most important and game-changing moments in World Wrestling Entertainment's illustrious history. This time around, a new era began, a legend unmasked, and a star was born. What happened this week in history?
Below are five key events that happened this week in WWE history.
#5. All three members of The Shield held the world title at Money in the Bank on June 19th, 2016
7 years ago today, all three members of The Shield were WWE Champion at Money in The Bank.
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WWE Money in the Bank took place on June 19th, 2016. The show was held live from the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada. The main card of the epic event featured nine matches, although it was the ending that fans remember best.
The advertised main event of the card saw Roman Reigns defend the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Seth Rollins. After a 26 minute bout, Rollins defeated The Big Dog to win gold. Things didn't end there, however.
Dean Ambrose, who had won the Money in the Bank briefcase earlier that very night, cashed in his briefcase and immediately dethroned Rollins. Doing so meant that each member of The Shield held the world championship that night. The event is remembered fondly by fans of the stable.
#4. Stone Cold Steve Austin won the King of the Ring Tournament on June 23rd, 1996
On this day in 1996, Stone Cold won the WWF King of the Ring and “Austin 3:16” was born making Stone Cold a superstar 💀👑
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WWE King of the Ring took place on June 23rd, 1996. This event was the 10th King of the Ring Tournament held by the promotion and the fourth standalone pay-per-view. The card took place at the MECCA Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Eight matches were on the main card of King of the Ring. The main event, a non-tournament match, saw Shawn Michaels defeat The British Bulldog and retained the WWF Championship. The show is best remembered for the King of the Ring Tournament, however.
Steve Austin infamously won the entire 1996 King of the Ring, defeating Marc Mero and then Jake "The Snake" Roberts. Following his win, he cut a legendary promo that birthed the "Austin 3:16" catchphrase. It wouldn't be long before Stone Cold was the biggest star in pro wrestling.
#3. Kane was forced to unmask on RAW on June 23rd, 2003
What was your reaction when Kane finally unmasked? https://t.co/28WcIB4687 #WWE #RAW
WWE Monday Night RAW took place on June 23rd, 2003. The big show was held in Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. The big hook of the program was a Mask vs. Title Match between two veteran stars.
Triple H was the reigning World Heavyweight Champion and put his coveted title on the line against Kane. After interference from Triple H's Evolution stablemates Randy Orton and Ric Flair, The Game hit a Pedigree and defeated The Big Red Machine.
Eric Bischoff, the General Manager of WWE RAW at the time, came out and demanded Kane unmask. The Big Red Machine's friend and partner Rob Van Dam attempted to intervene but Kane unmasked then snapped and assaulted RVD. Fans saw the grotesque Kane sans mask for the very first time. He then went on to terrorize others for years to come.
#2. The Ruthless Aggression era officially kicked off on the June 24th, 2002 edition of RAW
An episode of WWE RAW took place on June 24th, 2002. The show was held in the Gund Arena, in Cleveland, Ohio, an arena that has hosted many memorable moments in the company's history.
This show certainly had a memorable segment. The show started with most of the roster surrounding the ring and Vince McMahon addressing both the fans and the wrestlers. He gloated about his own success and then uttered the infamous words "ruthless aggression." Vince encouraged the wrestlers to showcase their own aggression if they wanted to succeed.
Many point to this moment as the start of the Ruthless Aggression Era. This generation of WWE saw the rise of stars such as Randy Orton, John Cena, Batista, Rey Mysterio, JBL, and Eddie Guerrero, among others. Some went from green wrestlers to top draws, while others were established veterans finally reaching the top of the industry.
#1. D-Generation X officially returned during WWE Vengeance on June 25th, 2006
WWE Vengeance took place on June 25th, 2006. The show was billed as a RAW-branded pay-per-view, but it also featured superstars from ECW. The company initially went out of business in 2001 but officially re-launched as a brand just weeks prior.
The main event of the program featured Triple H and Shawn Michaels battling all five members of The Spirit Squad. Kenny, Mikey, Johnny, Nicky, and Mitch ultimately lose to the veteran duo in under 18 minutes.
The bout was notable as it was the in-ring reunion of D-Generation X. Triple H and Shawn Michaels first formed the group in 1997, but hadn't wrestled together since 1998. They teased a reunion in 2002, but it ultimately turned into a feud between the two instead. This reunion was extremely memorable for many members of the WWE Universe and remains popular to this very day.