WWE RAW
PWinsider.com reports that the original plan for the opening segment of Monday’s Raw was supposed to see Hulk Hogan do a promo in the ring, but that was changed to him doing a backstage promo.
Hogan and Ric Flair sat in on the production meeting for the show.
The closing segment originally called for Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy to take place with Drew McIntyre then doing a promo about the legends that would’ve led to Goldberg coming out after Drew retained the WWE Title over Keith Lee.
Plans changed as WWE wanted to have the show end with Goldberg coming out to challenge McIntyre to a match at Royal Rumble. WWE had timing issues so they nixed McIntyre’s promo to set up Goldberg’s entrance and Goldberg had to make a quicker entrance.
Goldberg was hidden backstage until he made his entrance.