Friday, March 29, 2024
NewsSaturday Update: What's Planned For The 1,000th RAW Event

Saturday Update: What’s Planned For The 1,000th RAW Event

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Below are the currently-advertised and previously-announced segments for next week’s 1,000th episode of RAW. This is what we know so far and we’ll be updating this post throughout the weekend:

* The show begins at 8EST and will be three-hours weekly (8-11EST) starting next week.

* WWE Title Match: CM Punk vs. John Cena.

* Intercontinental Title Match: Christian vs. ???

* DX Reunion: This will open the show at 8EST.

* Sean Waltman (X-Pac) appeared on the Cowhead show on Friday and hinted that he will be at RAW on Monday night. Waltman said, “I can’t foresee a DX reunion without X-Pac.” WWE has been contacting numerous former talents this week so it’s possible he’ll be there. He had been tweeting in recent weeks that WWE had not contacted him. All signs are now pointing to a “full” DX reunion with Triple H, Shawn Michaels, The Road Dogg, Billy Gunn and X-Pac all appearing. That is not confirmed just yet but it is looking more and more likely. Chyna will not be appearing for obvious reasons.

* During a recent interview with The Miami Herald, Jerry Lawler was speaking abut the origin of the “puppies” line he had used for years. While doing so, he may have announced another surprise return for Monday’s 1,000th RAW… “I actually got to give credit to a guy who I think will be returning on the 1,000th episode. It was a member of DX, Road Dogg (Jesse) James. I believe he was talking to Sable at the time. DX was in the ring, and Sable was in the ring, and somehow I believe Road Dogg said, ‘Hey, show us your puppies.’ It kind of floated by. No big deal at that point and time, but then I started using the word a couple of weeks later, and it just stuck.”

* Brock Lesnar returns and will confirm his match with Triple H at SummerSlam. Paul Heyman will be there with Lesnar.

* The Rock returns to WWE to address his quest for the WWE Title. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is rumored to be contemplating competing in a match or two before WrestleMania XXIX on April 7, 2013 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. An announcement could come as soon as Monday.

* There have been rumors for months that WWE was going to be doing a big summer angle that would get people talking. There is a lot of speculation that the angle will be kicked off Monday night, likely at the end of the show. There aren’t many details going around at this time, as those within the company have been keeping tight lipped.

* Daniel Bryan and AJ will have a wedding.

* The announcement of a new permanent RAW General Manager.

* WWE Legends Bret Hart, Mick Foley and Roddy Piper are all confirmed to return.

* Roddy Piper posted the following, discussing whether or not he will appear at the 1,000th RAW… “If I go to Raw’s 1000th episode I’m not doing lame work. Let me roll Vince. I’ll show them why Raw’s the longest running show!” As noted above, Piper is confirmed for next week’s show.

* Local Advertisements in St. Louis are promoting Bret Hart to appear at Monday’s 1,000th RAW. Hart was advertised a few weeks ago, but then there was no follow up. The new local ads that started to run this week pushed Hart as appearing. As noted above, Hart is confirmed for next week’s show.

* Vince and Stephanie McMahon will appear on the show. Shane McMahon is said to be a long shot and Linda McMahon probably won’t happen because of her ongoing Senate campaign trying to distance her from the WWE product. There will also be the usual “2nd tier” legends appearing as well.

* Both Stephanie McMahon and Jim Ross will be in St. Louis, Missouri next Monday, the site of that day’s unprecedented 1000th RAW episode. The WWE Hall of Famer appeared Wednesday on KREF Sports Talk 1400 The Ref and confirmed he would be on the show. He added he has no idea what his role will be. McMahon, who participated in a Twitter chat Tuesday and hinted but did not confirm an appearance on Raw, will be in the area that day for a ‘be a STAR’ anti-bullying at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater St. Louis’ Herbert Hoover location (2901 N. Grand Ave.). She will be joined World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus, The Miz, Eve and American Idol finalist James Durbin.

* We can now exclusively confirm that The Undertaker will be appearing on Monday 1,000th RAW event. This will be the Phenom’s first appearance since WrestleMania. His role on the show will be unclear, but he will be live at the show in St. Louis.

* WWE’s creative committee is rumored to be leaning towards CM Punk retaining the WWE Championship next Monday on RAW when John Cena is supposed to cash in his Money in the Bank contract. According to sources, there is a lot of talk within the organization that Cena will be the first person to not win a title directly after cashing in the briefcase. The feeling is that Cena is the one guy that can handle losing the cash in. They also could have The Big Show or The Rock cost Cena the match, which keeps Punk as champion and sidetracks Cena into another feud. There was also talk at RAW this week that there would be a major angle between John Cena and CM Punk next week where somehow Cena would keep his Money in the Bank briefcase. It’s almost guaranteed that this will change numerous times before RAW next week so take this with a grain of salt for now. Triple H recently directed that title reigns should be longer in order to build the importance of the belts. As you know by now, both CM Punk and Sheamus retained their titles at Money in the Bank. We noted that Cena’s Money in the Bank win was made within the last few weeks. At one point, he was going to be given the pay-per-view off.

* WWE has apparently put together a list of names they are expecting to appear on the show, but want to keep several names unadvertised. They have told these names to do “anything and everything” to keep the surprises secret including saying publicly that they will be somewhere else the night of the 1000th RAW.

* Tatanka, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, DDP, Steve Blackman, “Mean” Gene Okerlund, Vader, Doink the Clown, Bob Backlund and Sid Vicious have all also teased appearances, appeared recently, or been contacted by WWE about appearing. Expect a ton of former WWE talents to appear in addition to these names.

* Any talents who are under contract with TNA (Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Kurt Angle, etc.) will obviously NOT be appearing at the event.

* Ric Flair will likely not appear due to the ongoing TNA vs. WWE lawsuit. WWE isn’t going to risk taking any chances with TNA talents.

* The company didn’t promote Charlie Sheen as Social Media Ambassador, suggesting he will not be involved due to the fact that he quit Twitter.

* Goldberg shot down rumors that he will be at RAW next week for the 1,000th episode. When asked over Twitter by a fan, he posted: It’s not true!! RT @mrpops96: @Goldberg there are videos and rumours suggesting that you will be at Raw 1000 is it true?

* The Ultimate Warrior recently addressed rumors that he would be appearing at the 1,000th RAW. On Twitter, a fan posted the following message to Warrior… hey did you hear everyone thinks you will be at ‪#RAW1000 Warrior responded with the following… I’ve never done what everyone else thinks. Never. Not once. As of last week, there were no plans to feature The Ultimate Warrior on the show. Of course, plans can change but he is not expected to appear as of this writing.

* Former WWE announcer Todd Grisham has stated that he will not be attending the 1,000th episode of RAW. The Coach will also not be at the 1,000th RAW event.

* During a Q&A session at Comic-Con last week, Dave Batista commented on a potential WWE return. Here is what he had to say… I’m not against going back. It’s just definitely not going to be this year.

* Road Warrior Animal has been telling his Twitter followers to petition WWE for him to appear at next week’s 1,000th RAW event. That likely means he has not been contacted to appear.

* Speaking of Road Warrior Animal, after competing at Tuesday’s SmackDown taping in San Diego, California, he stopped by the 100.3 KFAN-FM studios for Extreme Pro Wrestling Radio to discuss this coming Monday’s historic 1000th episode of RAW and confirmed his and other former WWE Superstars’ involvement on the program. The WWE Hall of Famer may have spoiled the payoff of Heath Slater’s returning RAW legend angle while addressing rumors of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s involvement with the program—who has not been announced to appear by WWE but is expected to be there. When asked whether The Rattlesnake will encounter Slater on the show, Animal responded, “Austin will definitely give him the stunner, ya know thats coming! Fans get ready, you’re gonna see a stunner!” Animal, who appeared on RAW in 1997 and 1998, also confirmed that he will be on hand for the festivities: “I will be making an appearance…people will see that my spikes from SmackDown were excellently repainted! Yeah, I’ll be there all painted up, with bells on boys! If it happens it happens, I’m ready!” On what else to expect for the unprecedented show, he said, “It’s gonna be star studded, on my flight alone is me, DDP and Bret “Hitman” Hart!”

* WWE Senior VP of Digital Operations Jason Hoch says that WWE’s audience will have a say in character and storyline development. Hoch told ESPN.com in an interview that the RawActive social media initiative that starts Monday on RAW will allow the audience to “get a say in what happens next by deciding matches, stipulations, and character development. They can control if a general manager gets fired or who their favorite Superstar’s next opponent will be.”

We’ll continue to update this post as we hear more. Stay tuned!