The biggest weekend in the world of pro wrestling is officially in the rearview. WrestleMania 42 is in the books, but the party’s not over. The Raw after WrestleMania has grown into a tradition of celebration. With the show still in the host city, fans carry the high of the weekend into an electric Monday night atmosphere.
Over the years, the Raw after WrestleMania has delivered major returns, shocking moments and raucous crowds. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Raw after Mania XII (1996) – Mankind debuts
After years of portraying the hardcore character Cactus Jack in WCW and ECW, Mick Foley donned the Mankind persona in his TV debut on Raw, defeating Bob Holly with the “Mandible Claw.”
Later in the night, Mankind ambushed the Undertaker, instantly establishing himself as a top-tier threat against the Deadman, setting up an iconic feud that would lead to innovative matches including the Boiler Room Brawl and their Hell in a Cell match, highlighting the importance of their rivalry.
Raw after Mania X-8 (2002) – Hogan, a babyface again in the WWE
The clash between Hulk Hogan and The Rock at WrestleMania X-8 stands as one of the most memorable matches in history. Hogan entered as the heel while The Rock was the babyface, but as the match unfolded, the crowd’s reaction flipped those roles.
That allowed Hogan to emerge the next night on Raw as a true babyface in the WWE for the first time since he departed back in 1993.
What followed was one of the longest and loudest ovations ever given to a pro wrestler in the WWE. Much like the reception in Toronto at WrestleMania, Monday’s Montreal crowd delivered another epic response.
Raw after Mania XIX (2003) – Goldberg debuts in the WWE
In September 1997, Goldberg defeated Hugh Morrus in his first match on WCW programming. That kick-started a monumental run that saw Goldberg remain undefeated until the end of 1998 and gain a massive following in the process. His name became synonymous with WCW.
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Two years after WWE purchased WCW, Goldberg finally appeared on WWE TV. The night after WrestleMania XIX, the former WCW world champ debuted on Raw. He made an immediate impact by hitting one of his signature spears on one of the faces of the company, The Rock.
Raw after Mania 26 (2010) – The great Shawn Michaels retires
With his career on the line and falling short for the second year in a row to The Undertaker’s then undefeated streak, the “Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels delivered his retirement speech the next night on Raw.
An emotional Michaels said goodbye to the fans, ending a career that spanned more than a quarter-century, marked by a list of unforgettable matches. Out of respect, Undertaker came out to honor Mr. WrestleMania, while fellow D-Generation X member Triple H came out to embrace Michaels.
Raw after Mania XXVII (2011) – Rock and Cena begin the yearlong build
After costing John Cena the WWE Championship against The Miz in the main event of WrestleMania XXVII, The Rock set the stage for the following year by hitting Cena with a Rock Bottom after the match, building anticipation for a historic showdown.
Following the defeat, the next night on Raw, Cena and The Rock met face-to-face and the Rock challenged Cena for a Once in a Lifetime match for WrestleMania XXVIII.
This night began a yearlong buildup for their match, set in Rock’s hometown of Miami.
Raw after Mania XXVIII (2012) – Brock Lesnar returns
“The Next Big Thing” Brock Lesnar accomplished a great deal in the WWE between his debut in 2002 and departure in 2004. Similar to Goldberg in WCW, Lesnar was booked as being a relentless force in the WWE. Ironically, before he left the company, his final match was with Goldberg at WrestleMania XX.
But that’s not the WrestleMania weekend we’re here to talk about. Following that match with Goldberg in 2004, Lesnar had a brief stint with the Minnesota Vikings before shifting to MMA. He joined the UFC and became the UFC Heavyweight champion when he defeated UFC legend Randy Couture in 2008.
After an eight-year hiatus, Brock Lesnar made his return on the Raw after Mania XXVIII. As John Cena stood in the ring following his defeat to The Rock the night before, Lesnar arrived and laid him out with an F-5.
Raw after Mania 29 (2013) – Dolph Ziggler cashes in
Ziggler and Big E were unsuccessful in their quest to capture the WWE Men’s Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 29, but Ziggler was still in possession of the Money in the Bank briefcase.
The next night on Raw, Ziggler cashed it in front of a hyped Jersey crowd. He defeated Alberto Del Rio to become the world champion in one of the most lauded Raw after Mania moments of all-time.
Raw after Mania XXX (2014) – Paige debuts
Following her dominance against the women’s division at WrestleMania XXX, AJ Lee challenged NXT women’s champion Paige on the following night on Raw for the Divas Championship.
Paige was the first-ever NXT women’s champion and a conduit between WWE’s developmental system and the main roster.
After connecting with her patented Paige Turner maneuver, Paige won her debut match on Raw and captured the Divas Championship, ending AJ Lee’s 295-day reign.
