This week in WWE history: Massive name signs first-ever contract with the company, huge debut on RAW (August 07-August 13)
It was a busy week for WWE fans. SummerSlam finished airing early Sunday morning, and the beat immediately went on with new episodes of Monday Night RAW, NXT, and Friday Night SmackDown.
A lot of newsworthy events went on, not the least of which was Jey Uso seemingly quitting the promotion live on television. Beyond that, there was more chaos within both The Bloodline and The Judgment Day, a new United States Champion crowned, and more.
As busy as the week was, it is just a small fraction of the company's long history. The promotion has been in existence for around 70 years now, and every single show has helped shape the product fans know and love today.
This article will take a look at five key events that went down this week in the company's history. This will allow fans to re-live some of their favorite moments or to learn about them for the very first time. What went down?
Below are five key events that happened this week in WWE history.
#5. Chris Jericho debuted on RAW on August 9, 1999
WWE Monday Night RAW was held on August 9, 1999, from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois. About 13,000 fans were in attendance for what turned out to be an epic debut.
Vignettes had been airing for weeks. Instead of something obvious, however, it was simply a clock labeled as the Countdown to the Millennium. It ended up reaching zero as The Rock was in the middle of an in-ring promo.
After a graphic played, Chris Jericho made his shocking debut on WWE television after his stint with WCW came to an end. He and The Rock then delivered an incredible back-and-forth promo.
Many believe Jericho's reveal and promo make for the best debut of all time. Whether that's accurate or not, he remained with the company for almost two decades off and on.
#4. NXT TakeOver: Toronto took place on August 10, 2019
The second-ever WWE NXT TakeOver: Toronto was held on August 10, 2019. As the name suggests, the show was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in front of around 13,000 fans at the Scotiabank Arena.
Several of the top WWE NXT stars of the era were on the card. This includes the likes of Velveteen Dream, Pete Dunne, Mia Yim, Io Shirai, Candice LeRae, and The Street Profits.
The main event saw Adam Cole and Johnny Gargano clash in a Two Out Of Three Falls Match for the NXT Championship. Despite the promoted match title, it was actually a Three Stages Of Hell Match, with the first bout being a standard match, the second being a Street Fight, and the final a Barbed Wire Steel Cage Match. In the end, Adam Cole stood tall after over 45 minutes.
#3. Rick Rude returned during RAW on August 11, 1997
WWE Monday Night RAW took place on August 11, 1997, at the Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi. This was during the heart of the Monday Night War. While WCW was still winning by a significant margin, the then WWF was building momentum.
One of the acts helping WWE get hot was Shawn Michaels. The flamboyant star was set to go one-on-one with Mankind in the main event. While many wondered if he could win, Shawn promised an insurance policy.
Towards the end of their bout, Hunter Hearst Hemsley and Chyna appeared to help the Heartbreak Kid. Then a returning Rick Rude smashed Mankind with a steel chair, which allowed Shawn to win. It was revealed that Rude was his insurance policy, and the first iteration of D-Generation X was complete.
#2. The Fiend debuted against Finn Balor at SummerSlam on August 11, 2019
WWE SummerSlam was a big show held on August 11, 2019, at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. There were about 16,000 fans present. Nine matches were presented on the main card, with none going over 17 minutes in length.
While there were numerous high-quality stars on the card, the biggest hook was the return of Bray Wyatt as The Fiend. The new gimmick had been teased on television for weeks, but this was set to be the in-ring debut for the character.
Wyatt entered to an incredible new theme song while carrying a lantern with a practical effect of his own decapitated head wrapped around it. He then decimated former Universal Champion Finn Balor in just over three minutes. The Fiend was instantly a hit to the WWE Universe.
#1. Kevin Owens signed with WWE on August 12, 2014
April 12, 2014, was a day that changed the course of wrestling history. A future world champion and WrestleMania headliner was hired by the company, but it was a move that many didn't see coming.
Kevin Steen was announced to have signed with WWE on that date. The promotion even put out an interview on their website discussing the move. It has since come out that company officials were split on whether to sign Kevin or not, but Triple H ultimately made the decision to do so.
It would take several weeks for him to move to Florida, start at the Performance Center, and debut at an NXT TakeOver event. Still, the rest is history. The accomplished Kevin Steen became future Hall of Famer Kevin Owens. His impact on the promotion will be fondly remembered for decades to come.