Arkansas wrestlers, fans recall favorite moments of Monday Night Raw ahead of move to Netflix
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – For over 30 years, wrestling fans around the world have tuned in to the WWE’s flagship program Monday Night Raw to see their favorite wrestlers. This Monday, however, that changes with the show moving from the USA Network to Netflix.
Several times the show has been broadcast live from North Little Rock, bringing wrestlers like Edge, The Big Show, Ric Flair, John Cena, Becky Lynch and Roman Reigns to central Arkansas.
Bobby Horne, head coach at Bumps and Bruises Wrestling Academy in Sherwood has even wrestled on many episodes of the show.
“I was extremely nervous the first time because I had only been in the business like three and a half years and this was the biggest thing I’d ever done,” Horne said. “So, we knew we had to make a really good impression, so I was extremely nervous, but Raw was huge.”
Horne said that one of his favorite memories of wrestling on Monday Night Raw was a showdown against Kevin Nash, then known as Big Daddy Cool Diesel.
For wrestling promoter Elijah Dobbs, founder of the promotion Natural State Rasslin’, nothing topped watching the Monday Night War between WWE and WCW unfold in the 90s.
“Most of my youngest memories involve sitting in front of the TV on Monday nights being engrossed with the captivating action and antics taking place on both shows,” Dobbs said. “Growing up, admittedly I was on team WCW as most of us southerners are, but nothing will ever top watching Stone Cold Steve Austin on Monday Night Raw during the 90s.”
Arkansas-based wrestler Buddy Loyd also recalled his favorite Stone Cold Steve Austin moment from Monday Night Raw.
“When Vince fired Stone Cold and he showed up with a cement truck and filled Vince’s Camaro up was insane,” Loyd said. “As a fourth-grade kid, it really made me think I could talk to my boss any way I wanted.”
Wrestling fan Stratton Brantley also recalled a special moment in the Monday night feud between Stone Cold and Vince McMahon.
“I was five and in bed for kindergarten the next Tuesday, but Stone Cold stunned Vince for the first time, so my dad came in there and woke me up so I could see it,” Brantley said.
For other wrestling fans like Eric Wilson, one memorable moment came from watching Mankind win a title match.
“There are so many amazing Raw moments for me, but the one that immediately springs to mind was in 1999 when Mankind (Mick Foley) won the World Championship from the Rock. I was jumping for joy,” Wilson said.
JP Ford, announcer for Little Rock-based promotion TAC Wrestling, recalled being awestruck when CM Punk dropped a scathing promo about how Vince McMahon was running the company at the time, often referred to as the “Pipe Bomb”.
“My favorite Raw moment was the "Pipe Bomb" promo by CM Punk. It was the coolest thing in the world to a young me,” Ford said. “I remember genuinely being awestruck as it happened. Just staring at the TV with my jaw dropped.”
Arkansas wrestler William Stephan remembered a favorite moment in the feud between CM Punk and John Cena.
“Whilst there are many classic moments from the show, I'd say the Feb 25, 2013 match between John Cena and CM Punk, to me, challenged what a "television" style wrestling match could or should be.”
Though some fans are sad to see Monday Night Raw leaving live television, many like Bobby Horne think that the transition is a positive thing for both the company and the industry.
“They’ll make more money which means they’ll be able to give out bigger contracts and that’s probably the best part of the business right now,” Horne said. “They are making so much money now that they’re able to offer guaranteed contracts."
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