Video:Overview of WWE Raw
with Giovanni RoselliWWE Monday Night Raw is known for breaking ground in the world of professional wrestling. Watch this About.com video to learn all about Raw and how it started.See Transcript
Transcript:Overview of WWE Raw
Welcome Everybody, My name is Giovanni Roselli, better known to the professional wrestling community as Romeo Roselli, and right here, I'm here to talk to you about the history of Raw.
History of WWE Raw
WWE Raw (formerly called WWF Monday Night Raw), is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that airs on the USA Network in the United States. Raw’s launch took place on January 11, 1993 and it 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.
More Background on WWE Raw
Raw continues to air on Monday nights, and the show is generally seen as the company's flagship television program due to its prolific history, high ratings, weekly three-hour live format, and emphasis on pay-per-views. In 2000, Raw was moved to TNN, which later became Spike TV. In 2005, the show was moved back to the USA Network.
Beginnings of WWE Raw
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 discussion, Raw was shot and aired to a live audience. Raw covered the unexpected, exciting moments and was tag-lined as "Uncut, Uncensored, Uncooked."
Recent History in WWE Raw
Things were going so well for the WWE that they were able to broadcast a new show called SmackDown for the UPN Network. The March 25, 2002 edition of Monday Night RAW featured the first draft lottery where wrestlers would become the property of either the RAW brand or the SmackDown brand. From that point on, with certain exceptions, wrestlers would only appear on one of the two shows.
WWE Raw has been broadcast live from 197 different arenas in 165 cities and towns in nine different nations.
And there you have it - Monday Night Raw - a staple in the professional wrestling world, and it's not going anywhere anytime fast. I can't wait to see what happens on Raw next. For more infromation on professional wrestling, plese visit About.com.