Greatest RAW Moments 16th . Raw has had so many great moments they couldn ’ t be contained in a list of only 15 , especially this little shocker from Sept . 10 , 2007 . The revelation that Mr . McMahon had an illegitimate child and that the child was a WWE Superstar was shocking enough . But when little Hornswoggle was ultimately revealed as the bastard fruit – dare we say grape – of the Chairman ’ s grapefruits , the news sent giant shockwaves that are still being felt today and earns an honorary mention as No . 15 ½ in WWE . com ’ s Greatest Moments in Raw history . For weeks , speculation ran wild about the identity of McMahon ’ s illegitimate child . Though he initially dreaded the news , the Chairman was desperate to find out who was the long - lost McMahon . From ECW ’ s Balls Mahoney to The Great Khali to longtime nemesis “ Stone Cold ” Steve Austin , almost everyone on the WWE roster was suspected of being a McMahon – even Triple H . Once upon a time , The Game was like a son to the Chairman , but even Mr . McMahon was horrified at the possibility that his former son - in - law could be , gulp , his bastard . Still , he never imagined that a key clue in the search for his lost child , “ things are looking up , ” referred to a little guy who had a taste for Lucky Charms and liked to hide under the ring . Today , Hornswoggle is still trying to win his dear old man ’ s love – and we can ’ t really tell whether No . 16 is a Raw moment the Chairman would rather forget . 15th . One cold night at New York City ’ s Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center on Jan . 11 , 1993 , started it all for Monday Night Raw . It was a night that forever changed sports - entertainment . Premiering on USA Network and originally hosted by Mr . McMahon , Randy “ Macho Man ” Savage and actor - comedian Rob Bartlett , Raw broke new ground as it aired live and was not taped with voiceover commentary like previous shows . In the first episode ’ s one hour of action ( not two with today ’ s shows ) , Superstars such as Yokozuna , Mr . Fuji , Koko B . Ware , Shawn Michaels , Max Moon , Razor Ramon and The Steiner Brothers provided our fans with non - stop action . The first Raw main event featured Undertaker overcoming the challenge of Damien Demento . Of the Superstars who competed on the first Raw , only The Deadman and HBK remain on the WWE roster . They are cornerstones , anchors in the ever - changing world of WWE , just like Raw has become a mainstay on Monday nights . But greatness has to start somewhere , and that ’ s why the first episode is WWE . com ’ s No . 15 Greatest Raw moment . 14th . The Windy City held its collective breath for WWE . com ’ s No . 14 Greatest Moment in Raw History , when the “ Countdown to the Millennium ” clock ticked down to zero on Aug . 9 , 1999 . Colored lights flooded the United Center , and then went dark . The Rock , who was in the ring at the time , was transfixed along with the rest of the arena , partly because he was annoyed that someone would dare interrupt his address to our fans . An explosion of pyro revealed one name in 20 - foot - high letters across the TitanTron that brought the arena to its feet . Loyal fans knew of Chris Jericho from his exploits in WCW . The charismatic , world - renowned newcomer stood on stage , soaking in the roars of the Chi - Town crowd as an unimpressed Rock fumed . “ Welcome to Raw … is … Jericho , ” the brash new Superstar boasted . “ For those who don ’ t know me , I am Chris Jericho , your new hero , your party host , and most importantly , the most charismatic showman to ever enter your living rooms via a television screen . ” The cocky , yet confident Jericho vowed he would save WWE from the boring and mundane , touting himself as the “ Y2J problem ” – a play on the “ Y2K ” computer bug that struck fear in programmers as the year 2000 approached . Raw ’ s millennium man would , in fact , change WWE , as Y2J would go on to become the first - ever Undisputed Champion in history when he defeated both The Rock and “ Stone Cold ” Steve Austin in one night in December 2001 . But he set the tone for his WWE career in one of the greatest moments in Raw ’ s history . 12th . “ On behalf of WWE SmackDown , I , Vince McMahon , choose … The Rock ! ” With those words , the first - ever WWE Draft was underway . Raw and SmackDown were on their way to becoming separate brands , and WWE ventured into completely uncharted territory . The official launch of the WWE Brand Extension – March 25 , 2002 – was an unlucky night for some , but still so momentous that it ranks as No . 12 among WWE . com ’ s Greatest Moments in Raw History . Following WrestleMania X8 , the WWE Board of Directors chose to split Raw and SmackDown into separate entities , giving Mr . McMahon control of SmackDown and Ric Flair control of Raw . SmackDown won a coin toss to earn the No . 1 selection , and every WWE Superstar – with the exception of a select few who were exempt – would end up in their permanent home by the end of the night . Each brand had 10 selections to make live on Raw , with a lottery being held later in the night to determine the remainder of the draft . In front of a capacity crowd at Penn State University , Mr . McMahon strode to the podium and uttered the opening quote , touching off a night of controversy , surprises and good old one - upsmanship . Friendships were strained , teams were split up , and our fans were left aghast at some of the choices . The Rock wasn ’ t happy , nor was Ric Flair ’ s No . 1 Raw choice , Undertaker – a man who had just brutally destroyed Flair at WrestleMania X8 nine days earlier . Nearly two hours later , following 20 draft picks and a night filled with chaos , Triple H capped off draft night , winning a Triple Threat Match to retain the WWE Championship and remain eligible to appear on both Raw and SmackDown . Over the years , more draft lotteries have been held , Superstars have switched brands – some multiple times – and WWE has even added a third brand . However , March 25 , 2002 will always be the night that WWE was divided , and one of the biggest moments in Raw history . 11th . With Mr . McMahon in the hospital recovering from a broken ankle , some Superstars took the opportunity to visit the Chairman , which led to our No . 11 Greatest Moment in Raw History in October 1998 . The cameras in Mr . McMahon ’ s room saw his corporate lackey , Mankind , bring clowns and balloons for the Chairman . But that wasn ’ t all . The ever - enthusiastic Mankind continued to entertain his brooding boss with an impromptu sock puppet which would go on to become the most famous sock in WWE history , Mr . Socko . An annoyed McMahon shoved the animal balloons off his bed and ordered Mankind and his clown friend out of his room . But the Chairman ’ s torment wasn ’ t over . As the nurse left the Chairman ’ s side , McMahon ’ s nemesis , “ Stone Cold ” Steve Austin struck from the shadows . Disguised in doctor scrubs , the Texas Rattlesnake jumped the bedridden McMahon with a flurry of punches , then clubbed at the Chairman ’ s wounded leg , making him howl in excruciating pain . As McMahon struggled to escape , Stone Cold grabbed a nearby bedpan and clanged it loudly off his skull , knocking the Chairman out of his hospital bed . Watch the video . . . Then the Rattlesnake charged two defibrillator paddles and gave the Chairman a jolt , ending a “ shocking ” night for Mr . McMahon in Raw ’ s history . 10th . They say anything can happen in WWE . Perhaps no event better epitomized that statement more than WWE . com ’ s No . 10 Greatest Moment in Raw History , when Mr . McMahon introduced Eric Bischoff – the man who had tried and failed to destroy the Chairman and WWE – as Raw ’ s new General Manager . Bischoff was WCW ’ s general that waged the infamous Monday Night Wars between Nitro and Raw . As the architect of Nitro ’ s 83 - week winning streak in the ratings battle with Raw , he gleefully employed the dirtiest of tactics ( like revealing Raw ’ s match results on the occasions the show was pre - recorded ) and openly challenging the Chairman . But internal company turmoil , Bischoff ’ s ego and WWE ’ s ingenuity and sheer refusal to give up led to WCW ’ s downfall . So , when Bischoff suddenly showed up in the Raw locker room on July 15 , 2002 , the Superstars ’ jaws dropped as everyone wondered why he was there . The answer to that question came , but it only triggered more intrigue . Jim Ross and Jerry “ The King ” Lawler were left almost speechless at the sight of McMahon and Bischoff hugging and lifting each other ’ s hands in victory . “ J . R . , I used to sit in the same broadcast booth and watch Vince wish death upon this man , ” Lawler said incredulously . “ Now look at this ! They ’ re hugging each other ! ” The Bischoff - McMahon union was a match made ultimately in hell – for Bischoff . The Chairman seemed to take delight in making his former rival squirm every chance he could during his tenure . Bischoff was unceremoniously – and literally – taken out with the trash during his public firing in 2005 . Nevertheless , no one will ever forget his most unlikely hiring . 9th . Nobody can deny that Triple H hasn ’ t always played by the rules , and throughout his career , The Cerebral Assassin has found ways to continuously torture one man – Mr . McMahon . One night in November 1999 , however , The Game took his disdain for the Chairman down a shocking different aisle when he disrupted the nuptials between Stephanie McMahon & Test in WWE . com ’ s No . 9 Greatest Moment in Raw History . As the Billion Dollar Princess and the groom - to - be prepared to exchange their vows , Triple H played the part of wedding crasher . An incensed McMahon family could only stand in awe and watch as The Game produced video footage of a drive - thru wedding ceremony in Las Vegas . When all was said and done , Triple H had done the unthinkable and married the apparently drugged daughter of the Chairman , spoiling the biggest wedding in WWE history . Adding to the shock of Triple H ’ s despicable actions , weeks later at Armageddon , The Game went one - on - one with the Chairman in a Street Fight , with Stephanie seemingly supporting her father at ringside . “ Daddy ’ s little girl ” turned her back on her father and showed the world that her marriage to The Game was truly a match made in hell – for the Chairman . The Game and Stephanie ushered in the McMahon - Helmsley Era , but its seeds were planted on Raw . 8th . WWE . com ’ s No . 8 Greatest Moment in Raw History was a night that made Mrs . Foley very proud and marked a major turning point in the Monday Night Wars . Mick Foley winning his first WWE Championship from The Rock was a surprise no one saw coming . Adorned in a dirty , tattered shirt and wearing a Hannibal Lector - esque mask , Mankind , one of Foley ’ s many personas , may have been the unlikeliest WWE Champion . Shaped like a pear , with scars from years of Barbed Wire Matches overseas , he wasn ’ t Hulk Hogan . And he sure as hell wasn ’ t a corporate dreamboat like The Rock . When Foley received an opportunity at the WWE Championship , Raw and Nitro were in the midst of a heated ratings war . At the time , Raw was pre - recorded and Eric Bischoff , president of WCW , often announced the outcome of Raw matches during Nitro ’ s broadcasts . The night of Jan . 4 , 1999 was no different . “ Tonight , fans , Mick Foley , who wrestled here as Cactus Jack and now wrestles in WWE as Mankind , will win the WWE Title , ” quipped Nitro announcer Tony Schiavone . “ Hmmph ! That ’ ll put some butts in the seats . ” WCW ’ s sabotage attempt failed miserably as fans almost immediately tuned in to Raw to see Foley ’ s magical moment . Raw won the ratings battle that night , and Foley ’ s title win was considered a pivotal moment in the war WCW ultimately lost . Although Mr . McMahon cried at the site of Mankind holding the WWE Title , he still had to credit Mrs . Foley ’ s Baby Boy for helping him bring WCW to its knees . 7th . WWE . com ’ s No . 7 Greatest Moment in Raw History is also one of the most watched segments on any edition of Monday Night Raw . Defrosting the chill of a brisk January night in 2006 , Edge and his main squeeze , Lita , engaged in a steamy and obscenely unprecedented Live Sex Celebration on Raw . The Rated - R couple nearly turned NC - 17 in an attempt to consummate Edge ’ s controversial WWE Championship victory at New Year ’ s Revolution . Twenty - four hours after the new champion cashed in his Money in the Bank title opportunity against John Cena – who moments before had just barely prevailed in an intense Elimination Chamber Match – Edge tried to land yet another spear on live television . Swapping the Money in the Bank briefcase for a satin - sheeted bed in the middle of the ring , the Rated - R Superstar slowly stripped his fishnetted Diva down to the barest essentials , then joined her under the covers for some further exploration . Under pale purple lighting , Edge and Lita ’ s sexual wooing of one another was suddenly interrupted by the much more recognizable “ Woo ” - ing of “ Nature Boy ” Ric Flair . To make matters worse for the prurient pair , former WWE Champion John Cena also made his way to the ring to crash the Rated - R couple ’ s uncouth coital encounter . With an intervention from the Dr . of Thuganomics , an em - bare - assed Edge ’ s sex celebration ended and the champion fled . Unfortunately for Lita , the closest she got to scoring in the arena that evening was an FU at the hands of a justifiably irate Cena . Still , as calculated by the Rated - R Superstar , that night was certainly memorable ; for years to come , the millions of viewers who witnessed Edge ’ s fornicating festivities will undoubtedly remember its premature finish . 6th . WWE . com ’ s No . 6 Greatest Moment in Raw History roars onto the list like a full belly laugh , thanks to a pair of sports - entertainment ’ s most charismatic jokers : The Rock and Mick Foley . The Rock ‘ n ’ Sock Connection — named after the third - generation Superstar and Foley ’ s trusty hand puppet , Mr . Socko — helped Raw earn one of its highest ratings ever during a segment entitled “ This Is Your Life , Rock , ” which aired September 27 , 1999 . Watch the video . . . Mankind hosted the parody of the popular 1950s program and cast the spotlight on his tag team partner and guest of honor , The Rock . The segment featured people from the Great One ’ s past , including a matronly home - economics teacher , a grumpy high school football coach and a “ skanky ” former high school sweetheart . “ You cut The Rock off on second base , ” The Brahma Bull reminded the ex , in one of his more memorable lines . “ The Rock just has one thing to say to you : Pootang your ass on outta here ! ” In an attempt to salvage the busted evening , Mankind introduced Yerfel the Clown , who led the audience in a rendition of “ Happy Birthday ” for The Rock . The whole program was an olive branch offered up by the gentle Mankind to make peace with a man whom he had battled over the WWE Title with several times throughout the year . There was only one problem with the kind gesture : The Rock ’ s actual birthday wasn ’ t for another six months . 5th . WWE . com ’ s No . 5 Greatest Moment in Raw History was one of the most memorable events of the “ Attitude ” era . And who better suited this time than two of the baddest men on the planet , Mike Tyson and “ Stone Cold ” Steve Austin ? On Jan . 19 , 1998 , WWE Chairman Mr . McMahon was in his glory because “ Iron ” Mike Tyson was on Raw and he had big plans for boxing ’ s controversial former heavyweight champion . But Stone Cold quickly rained on his parade , marching down to the ring and then announcing he wanted to cash in his Royal Rumble - earned title opportunity against WWE Champion Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania . Of course , he only wanted to do that after he got “ a piece of Mike Tyson ’ s a * * . ” Some “ sign language ” with his middle fingers sparked a brawl between The Rattlesnake and Tyson , and the Chairman was livid , screaming , “ You ruined everything ! You ruined everything , Austin ! ” Tyson would briefly align himself with HBK and DX – but then show his true colors at WrestleMania XIV when he played a key role in Austin winning the WWE Championship . He provided WWE with some unforgettable moments , which began on Raw and his respect for Stone Cold showed that Austin was the “ World ’ s Toughest Son of a Bitch . ” 4th . Invading WWE . com ’ s Greatest Moments in Raw History at No . 4 is one of the instrumental battles fought during the epic Monday Night Wars – one fought on enemy soil … by D - Generation X . Breaching enemy lines for the first time ever , Triple H field - led a camo - clad quintet of D - Generates onto the turf of rival wrestling franchise WCW on April 27 , 1998 . Never before had any individual from a competing sports - entertainment promotion come so close to the frontlines , let alone acknowledge the competitor . That didn ’ t stop their sergeant , The Game , from leading the DX troop to The Scope in Norfolk , Va . – the arena hosting Monday Nitro that very evening . “ WCW , let my people go ! ” Triple H exclaimed , as he stood mounted atop a war - bound jeep with a cannon nestled between his army fatigue pant legs . With his subordinate DX soldiers at his side in their “ X ” labeled helmets , The Game corralled scores of supporters outside the arena and turned many WCW ticket holders into WWE diehards . The D - Generates even tried to infiltrate the sports complex and ride their vehicle into the rear entrance of the arena , so that they might come face - to - camouflage painted face with their competitors . Though locked out , Triple H and his pack continued to bellow war cries that were undoubtedly heard by the athletes in the WCW locker room mere yards away . Brazenly confronting the enemy and extinguishing the excitement for that night ’ s edition of Nitro – for fans and WCW ’ s roster alike – DX managed to “ fire the first shot ” in the Monday Night Wars . Not just the first shot , but also one of the most potent ; this invasion proved to be a critical turning point in the clash for sports - entertainment supremacy in the late 1990s . And if WCW wasn ’ t down with that , DX had two very specific words for them . 3rd . Our fans remember Monday night , February 18 , 2002 , like it was yesterday . In fact , who could ever forget WWE . com ’ s No . 3 Greatest Moment in Raw History – and quite possibly the most electrifying encounter in sports - entertainment – when nWo leader “ Hollywood ” Hogan was confronted in the ring by the “ People ’ s Champ , ” The Rock ? Those attending Chicago ’ s sold - out Allstate Arena that night couldn ’ t wait for Hogan to address his New World Order ’ s deplorable actions less than 24 hours prior , when the faction made their poisonous presence in WWE known – and felt – at No Way Out . Sadly , he preferred to muse over his past glory days of Hulkamania , then verbally abused and accused our fans of turning against him . The capacity crowd erupted as an irate “ People ’ s Champion ” suddenly interrupted the self - professed “ biggest icon in sports - entertainment . ” Stepping into the ring , The Rock revealed that both he and the fans had loved Hogan and believed in Hulkamania – until it got to the point where they “ took one big Hulka - crap every time you opened your mouth ! ” Though he acknowledged the nWo leader as a main - event mainstay for numerous unforgettable WrestleManias , the Great One wanted to know , “ How do you feel about headlining one more WrestleMania with The Rock ? ” The challenge instantly prompted dueling roars of “ Rocky ” and “ Hogan ” that deafened the Windy City arena . Even the two ring warriors momentarily took their attention off each other , looking around as if they were trying to absorb the unforeseen reception from our divided fans . Hollywood boasted that he had made a career out of conquering supposed in - vogue icons like the Brahma Bull , but Rock stayed on point . Knowing that an “ Icon vs . Icon ” contest at WrestleMania X8 would determine which of them would go down in WWE history as “ the absolute best , ever , ” he wanted to hear only one thing from Hogan : “ ‘ Yes ’ … or ‘ no ’ ? ” Whether you were witnessing Raw in person or on your living - room TV , to this day you can almost still hear Hogan answering “ Yes ” to the fantasy match - up , then wishing Rock good luck at WrestleMania , “ ’ cause you ’ re gonna need it . ” To this day , you can almost still feel the impact as Rock replied , “ Not as much as you … brother , ” then planted the nWo leader with a canvas - denting Rock Bottom . And to this day , you still almost reel from the nWo ’ s brutal ambush , one which left the Great One stretchered into an ambulance following a vicious hammer to the skull , then further victimized as Hogan mercilessly rammed a diesel truck into the emergency vehicle . Fortunately , The Rock would recover in time for WrestleMania X8 , and he and “ Hollywood ” Hogan would engage in an “ Icon vs . Icon ” Match that more than lived up to the hype . Yet their epic Raw encounter in February remains the moment that transcends not only their historic rivalry , but nearly every other instant in sports - entertainment lore . 2nd . WrestleMania is the biggest event on WWE ’ s calendar , one that Superstars prepare their entire careers for , so it ’ s only natural to get a little thirsty on the Road to WrestleMania . On the final Raw before WrestleMania XV , “ Stone Cold ” Steve Austin apparently thought The Corporation looked a little parched , so he decided to help them out . On March 22 , 1999 , The Corporation – WWE Chairman Mr . McMahon , his son Shane and then - WWE Champion The Rock – stood in the ring to berate the Texas Rattlesnake , who was challenging for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania XV that weekend . All of a sudden , the sound of breaking glass was heard ; Stone Cold ’ s music filled the arena , and the Texas Rattlesnake rolled to ringside in quite possibly his dream vehicle – a Coors Light beer truck . No one ever said Stone Cold was much of a giver , but on this night , he showed his more altruistic side to his sworn rivals . Unleashing a giant hose from the side of the vehicle , the Texas Rattlesnake turned the truck into a super - sized Super Soaker , blasting The Corporation with a stream of Rocky Mountain refreshment that would make Norm , Cliff Clavin and the rest of the Cheers gang faint . In perhaps one of the funniest visuals in WWE history , our fans witnessed the WWE Chairman and his son on their duffs , literally swimming in puddles of beer as they tried to escape Stone Cold ’ s liquid attack . Of course , the Texas Rattlesnake ’ s night couldn ’ t be complete without partaking in a frost - brewed beverage himself . So , once The Corporation ’ s thirst was quenched , Stone Cold obliged his own by climbing his battle tank and chugging a couple “ Steve - weisers . ” The damage was done , and while they may not have known it then , the Raw Fan Nation had just witnessed one of Raw ’ s greatest moments , one that earned Stone Cold and the “ Silver Bullet ” a silver medal – the No . 2 spot on WWE . com ’ s list of the Greatest Moments in Raw History . 1st . Irony , thy name is WWE . com ’ s No . 1 Greatest Moment in Raw History . It ’ s certainly the most applicable term when describing the events of March 26 , 2001 , though Mr . McMahon might have some other … choice words regarding the matter . The evening of irony started in Cleveland , Ohio , where the WWE Chairman opened Raw and WCW Monday Nitro , which had been emanating from Panama City Beach , Fla . In a first - ever simulcast on both programs , WWE ’ s billionaire Chairman made the shocking announcement that he had acquired WCW . One could argue that WWE had long ago won its ongoing “ Monday Night War ” with the Ted Turner - owned competition ; however , there was no debating that Mr . McMahon , with less than a week before WrestleMania X - Seven in Houston ’ s sold - out Astrodome , now believed that he was sitting on top of two worlds . But the boss was a tad premature with his blockbuster proclamation . Inside the ring midway through Raw , Mr . McMahon clarified for our fans how Time Warner had “ practically begged ” him to buy WCW . He agreed – with the caveat that he would only seal the deal on pay - per - view , “ when Ted Turner himself walks down the aisle at WrestleMania and delivers the contract to me ! ” Evidently , the victor of the “ Monday Night War ” felt no need to exhibit compassion for the vaunted “ Billionaire Ted , ” or for a brand he planned to forever “ bury ” – much like he intended to do to his own son , Shane , in their upcoming WrestleMania Street Fight . Suddenly , the billionaire Chairman ’ s vitriolic tirade gave way to startled surprise as his entrance music kicked in , and the face of his offspring filled up the entire TitanTron . Shane , it turned out , was in Panama City Beach for WCW Monday Nitro , and he had just entered the ring to make a special announcement of his own : “ Dad , the deal is finalized with WCW , and the name on the contract does say ‘ McMahon , ’ ” he said . “ However , the contract reads ‘ Shane McMahon . ’ That ’ s right – I now own WCW ! ” Our fans were beyond elated ; based on the raucous cheers coming from both venue audiences , one can logically presume that many parties took place in Cleveland and Panama City Beach that night . As for WWE ’ s Chairman , we ’ ve seen him register utter shock and disbelief many times over the years . But the expression on his face as Shane declared himself the owner of WCW … well , let ’ s put it this way : It was as if his entire world was a limousine , and it just blew up . ( To better appreciate the reference , check out Greatest Raw Moment No . 13 . ) Just as Shane would kick his father ’ s posterior at WrestleMania X - Seven , his invading WCW – allied with a Stephanie McMahon - led ECW – would get the better of Mr . McMahon for much of 2001 , until WWE ’ s Superstars emerged triumphant in a winner - take - all match - up at Survivor Series . WCW and ECW ’ s rosters would become integrated into the WWE locker room , creating an elite mix of Superstars that to this day entertains our fans around the world under the Raw , SmackDown and ECW brands . Needless to say , the result of what transpired that March evening on Raw forever altered the face of sports - entertainment – for the better , ironically . Who knows ? Perhaps one day Mr . McMahon will even learn to appreciate the irony .