Wrestling Show Question

[ironworks]

Ok, i was told, that RAW was always a two hour show even before SmackDown.........i think it was only a one hour show, then smackdown came in as a two hour show??

I read from a person that RAW is still 2-1hour shows..........RAW/WarZone......is this true?????????

[zoogor]

Beginning as WWF Monday Night Raw, the program first aired on January 11, 1993. The show as presented would be barely recognizable to a viewer of today's programming - as the WWF at the time was attempting to cater to a younger audience with cartoonish, two-dimensional characters. It screened on the USA Network for one hour.[7] Of the wrestlers featured on that occasion, only one is still actively wrestling with WWE: The Undertaker. The original Raw broke new ground in televised professional wrestling. Traditionally, wrestling shows were taped on sound stages with small audiences or at large arena shows. The Raw formula was very different than that of its predecessor, Prime Time Wrestling. Instead of taped matches, with studio voice overs and taped chat, Raw was a show shot to a live audience, with angles as they happened. The first episode featured Yokozuna defeating Koko B. Ware, The Steiner Brothers defeating The Executioners, WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels defeating Max Moon and The Undertaker defeating Damien Demento. The show also featured an interview with Razor Ramon.[8]
On March 10, 1997, Monday Night Raw became a 2 hour show, the first hour was still known as "Raw", the second "The War Zone", the 2 hour block together was named "Raw Is War". The March 17, 1997 episode featured a heated Bret Hart/Vince McMahon ringside altercation (that unknowingly foreshadowed the Montreal Screwjob) with profanity normally not heard on television. Brian Pillman did a series of "XXX Files" segments with Terri Runnels, which further "pushed the envelope". These segments ended prematurely with the September 29, 1997 episode of Raw, after the death of Pillman on October 5, 1997 due to hereditary heart problems.

[zoogor]

Special episodes
Episode Date Rating Notes
Raw January 11, 1993 2.5[32] Series debut.
Raw Bowl January 1, 1996 2.6[32]
Raw Championship Friday September 6, 1996 3.4[32] Friday airing of Raw featuring WWF champions.
Royal Rumble Raw February 3, 1997 2.6[32] First two-hour Raw broadcast.
Featured clips from the Royal Rumble.
Thursday Raw Thursday February 13, 1997 3.3[32] A Raw episode airing on a Thursday.
Raw is Owen May 24, 1999 7.2[33] Tribute in memory of Owen Hart.
'Raw is War' March 26, 2001 4.7 The final night of the Monday Night Wars.
Vince McMahon addressed about the purchase of WCW by the WWF,
which was also broadcast on WCW Monday Nitro.
However, Shane McMahon interrupted his father's address by appearing on Nitro
to say that he purchased WCW.
The Brand Extension Draft March 25, 2002 5.4[34] Start of the Brand Extension.
Vince McMahon selects the SmackDown roster while Ric Flair selects the Raw roster.
Raw X Anniversary January 13, 2003 5.0[35] Award show that celebrated the show's 10th anniversary.
The 2004 WWE Draft Lottery March 22, 2004 4.5[36] The first Draft Lottery that featured a supplemental draft.
Raw Homecoming October 3, 2005 5.3[37] First three-hour Raw broadcast.
Return to the USA Network.
Eddie Guerrero Tribute Show November 14, 2005 4.9[37] Tribute in memory of Eddie Guerrero.
Tribute to the Troops December 19, 2005 4.2[37] Christmas from Afghanistan.
Honored American armed forces.
Raw Family Reunion October 9, 2006 5.0[38] First Raw special to feature the rosters from all three brands.
Tribute to the Troops December 25, 2006 4.1[38] Christmas from Baghdad.
Honored American armed forces.
2007 WWE Draft June 11, 2007 4.3[39] Featured the rosters from all three brands.
Chris Benoit Memorial June 25, 2007 3.8[39] Memorial to Chris Benoit.
Clip show in international markets.
Raw 15th Anniversary December 10, 2007 4.4[39][40] Celebrated the show's 15th anniversary.
Tribute to the Troops December 24, 2007 4.0[39] Christmas from Iraq.
Honored American armed forces.
King of the Ring (2008) April 21, 2008 3.0[41] King of the Ring tournament.
Featured the rosters from all three brands.
2008 WWE Draft June 23, 2008 3.4[41] Featured the rosters from all three brands.
Raw's 800th Episode November 3, 2008 3.0[41] Celebrated the show's 800th episode.
2008 Slammy Awards December 8, 2008 3.2[41] Slammy Award show.
Featured the rosters from all three brands.
2009 WWE Draft April 13, 2009 3.7[42] Featured the rosters from all three brands.
The 3-For-All June 15, 2009 3.6[42][43] Featured the rosters from all three brands.
Three world championships were defended; WWE, ECW, and World Heavyweight.
Trump Raw June 22, 2009 4.5[42][44] The first commercial-free Raw broadcast.
A Raw Thanksgiving November 23, 2009 3.3[42][45] Featured the rosters from Raw and SmackDown.
Jesse Ventura featured as Guest star.
2009 Slammy Awards December 14, 2009 3.3[42][46] Slammy Award show.
Featured the rosters from all three brands.
Dennis Miller featured as Guest star.
Raw's WrestleMania Rewind March 15, 2010 3.7 Featured re-matches from past WrestleMania events.
Stone Cold Steve Austin featured as Guest star.
Monday Night SmackDown April 19, 2010 3.1 Due to air travel disruption after the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption,
most of the Raw roster remained in Europe after a European tour.
As a result, the SmackDown brand was featured in for the week's WWE Raw program.
The cast of MacGruber; Will Forte, Kristen Wiig and Ryan Phillippe featured as Guest stars.
2010 WWE Draft April 26, 2010 3.1[47] Featured the rosters from Raw and SmackDown.
SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long and John Cena took over authoritative duties.
Commercial-Free Raw May 17, 2010 3.4 The second commercial-free Raw broadcast.
Buzz Aldrin featured as Guest star. [48]
3-Hour Viewer's Choice Raw (2010) June 7, 2010 3.1 Featured the rosters from Raw and SmackDown.
Match selections were voted on WWE.com.
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Sharlto Copley featured as Guest stars.[49]
Raw's 900th Episode Celebration August 30, 2010 3.5[50] Celebrated the show's 900th episode.
WWE Old School November 15, 2010 3.3 3-Hour edition that featured appearances by former talent and personalities.
King of the Ring (2010) November 29, 2010 3.1 3-Hour King of the Ring tournament.
Featured talent from both Raw and SmackDown.
Miss USA Rima Fakih featured as guest star.
2010 Slammy Awards December 13, 2010 3.1 Slammy Award show.
Featured the rosters from Raw and SmackDown.
2011 WWE Draft April 25, 2011 Featured the rosters from Raw and SmackDown.

[swanone]

wow i didnt think i missed that many lol

[zoogor]

its been on for a long time swan. hard to believe that many people like the show. i guess there are a lot of people in the world with the same brain cell count as me. i didn't think it was possible. lol

[ironworks]

Thank you very much...............