WWE History Vol. 12: The First Ever Monday Night RAW
With NXT making its debut on the USA Network, WWE History looks back at the first ever episode of Monday Night RAW.
It's the longest-running weekly episodic series in television history. It's featured future presidents, rock stars, movie stars, and captains of the industry. It's also a show where men without pants fight for belts.
It's WWE Monday Night RAW, and for over one thousand episodes and thirty years it's been a Monday night staple. Throughout its history, the show has been the source of controversy, entertainment and, of course, big, sweating men grappling for the right to be named champion.
When the first RAW aired, it was a new evolution in pro wrestling television programming. Previous shows were often taped at large arenas or small television studios, but RAW would attempt to capture the energy that can only be attained in front of a live audience.
It was indeed a maverick show that has stood the test of time to become a force to be reckoned with in wrestling history.
Without further ado, let's look back at the illustrious history of Monday Night RAW's first episode ever.
The beginning: Prime Time Wrestling.
Even though Monday Night RAW would make its debut episode on January 11 1993, that was not the first time WWE wrestling was aired on the USA Network. Far from it.
As a matter of fact, WWE had been featured on the network for over eight years. The show Prime Time Wrestling featured pre-taped matches and video packages of the current feuds going on in the promotion at the time. There was also clever banter between the two legendary wrestling hosts, Gorilla Monsoon (who was sympathetic toward the baby faces) and Bobby Heenan (who always rooted for the heels.)
For a cable network show, Prime Time Wrestling did good ratings, especially considering that it was entirely composed of pre-taped matches. Vince McMahon, however, began to envision a new type of wrestling show which would capture all the energy, glitz, and glamor of a live arena show.