Hubbry Logo
List of WWE Raw special episodesList of WWE Raw special episodesMain
Open search
List of WWE Raw special episodes
Community hub
List of WWE Raw special episodes
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
List of WWE Raw special episodes
List of WWE Raw special episodes
List of WWE Raw special episodes
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

This is a list of special episodes of the professional wrestling television series WWE Raw. Throughout its broadcast history, the show has aired episodes that have different themes. Some of them are yearly events such as the WWE draft and the Slammy Awards. Others include tributes to various professional wrestlers who have recently died or retired from actively performing.

1990s

[edit]

1993

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 11 Monday Night Raw Premiere Manhattan Center New York City, New York The Undertaker vs. Damien Demento 2.5[1]
August 23 SummerSlam Spectacular Recap N/a N/a N/a N/a

1994

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
June 13 Countdown to the Crowning Erie Civic Center Erie, Pennsylvania The Headshrinkers (Fatu and Samu) (c) defeat The Quebecers (Jacques and Pierre) for the WWF Tag Team Championship N/a Taped on May 25.

1995

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 9 Raw's 2nd Anniversary The Summit Houston, Texas Howard Finkel vs. Harvey Wippleman in a Tuxedo match 2.1[1] Featured a special King's Court hosted by Jerry "The King" Lawler with special guest William Shatner
September 11 Raw's "New Fall Season" Canton Memorial Civic Center
Titan Towers 		Canton, Ohio
Stamford, Connecticut 		Shawn Michaels (c) vs. Sid for the WWF Intercontinental Championship 2.7[1] Originally named "New Look, New Attitude"
October 30 Halloween Raw Keystone Centre Brandon, Manitoba, Canada Razor Ramon (c) vs. Owen Hart for the WWF Intercontinental Championship 2.7[1]
December 28 The World Wrestling Federation Championship: The Dream, The Reign, The Quest N/a N/a N/a N/a A 30-minute Thursday recap about Bret Hart and the WWF Championship hosted by Vince McMahon and Mr. Perfect.

1996

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 1 The Raw Bowl Bob Carpenter Center Newark, Delaware Diesel vs. Mabel 2.6[1]
September 6 Raw Championship Friday Wheeling Civic Center Wheeling, West Virginia Shawn Michaels (c) vs. Goldust for the WWF Championship 3.4[1] Taped on August 19

1997

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
February 3 Royal Rumble Raw[2] SkyDome Toronto, Ontario, Canada The Undertaker and Ahmed Johnson vs. Mankind and Faarooq in a No Holds Barred tag team match 2.6[1]
  • Taped on January 31
  • 1st 2-hour Raw
February 13 Thursday Raw Thursday Lowell Memorial Auditorium Lowell, Massachusetts Bret Hart vs. Vader N/a
February 24 ECW Invasion[3] Manhattan Center New York City, New York The Undertaker vs. Faarooq 2.5[4]
September 22 Raw's Madison Square Garden debut Madison Square Garden New York City, New York Bret Hart vs. Goldust 2.4[4]
December 29 New Year's Eve Raw Nassau Coliseum Uniondale, New York Shawn Michaels (c) vs. Owen Hart for the WWF Championship 3.6[4]

1998

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 5 New Year's Raw 1998 New Haven Coliseum New Haven, Connecticut The New Age Outlaws (Billy Gunn and Road Dogg) vs. The Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher) 3.3[4] Taped on December 30, 1997
September 5 Saturday Night New Haven Coliseum New Haven, Connecticut Jeff Jarrett vs. Scorpio N/a Taped on August 31
September 12 Tsongas Arena Lowell, Massachusetts D-Generation X (Triple H, Billy Gunn, Road Dogg, and X-Pac) vs. Kai En Tai (Dick Togo, Mens Teioh, Sho Funaki, and Taka Michinoku) N/a Taped on September 1
December 28 New Year's Eve Raw Pepsi Arena Albany, New York Road Dogg (c) vs. Mankind for the WWF Hardcore Championship 4.9[4]

1999

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 4 New Year's Raw Worcester Centrum Worcester, Massachusetts The Rock (c) vs. Mankind in a No Disqualification match for the WWF Championship 5.7[4] Mankind's WWF Championship victory was infamously spoiled by WCW Monday Nitro, causing it to significantly lose viewers to Raw.[5]
February 13 Raw Saturday Night SkyDome Toronto, Ontario, Canada "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. The Corporation (Vince McMahon, Kane, Test, Ken Shamrock, Big Boss Man, and Chyna) in a 6-on-1 Handicap Gauntlet match 5.9[1]
May 24 Owen Hart Tribute Show Kiel Center St. Louis, Missouri The Rock vs. Val Venis 7.2[1] In honor of Owen Hart, who died after a fall accident at Over the Edge.[7]
December 27 New Year's Eve Raw Greensboro Coliseum Greensboro, North Carolina Big Show (c) vs. Triple H for the WWF Championship 5.8[4]

2000s

[edit]

2000

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 3 New Year's Raw American Airlines Arena Miami, Florida The Rock vs. D-Generation X (Billy Gunn, Road Dogg, and X-Pac) 6.4[4]
September 25 Raw's TNN debut Bryce Jordan Center State College, Pennsylvania The Rock (c) vs. Chris Benoit for the WWF Championship 5.4[4]

2001

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 1 New Year's Raw Frank Erwin Center Austin, Texas "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. William Regal for the final spot in the triple threat match to determine the #1 contender for the WWF Championship 4.55[4] Taped on December 29, 2000
March 26 The Night of Champions Gund Arena Cleveland, Ohio "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and The Rock vs. The Undertaker and Kane 5.2[1]
December 24 Raw Christmas Eve American Airlines Arena Miami, Florida Chris Jericho (c) vs. The Rock vs. Kurt Angle in a triple threat match for the Undisputed WWF Championship 3.2[4] Taped on December 21
December 31 Best of the WWF 2001: Viewer's Choice Titan Towers Stamford, Connecticut N/a 2.4[4] Recap episode

2002

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 7 New Year's Raw Madison Square Garden New York City, New York The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley) (c) vs. Spike Dudley and Tazz for the WWF World Tag Team Championship 4.9[4]
March 25 WWE Draft Bryce Jordan Center State College, Pennsylvania Triple H (c) vs. Chris Jericho vs. Stephanie McMahon in a triple threat match for the Undisputed WWF Championship 5.4[1]
October 7 Raw Roulette Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, Nevada Kane (c) vs. Bubba Ray Dudley and Spike Dudley vs. Chris Jericho and Christian vs. Jeff Hardy and Rob Van Dam in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match for the World Tag Team Championship 3.8[1] Match stipulations were decided via a wheel spin.
December 23 Raw's 500th Episode Ford Center Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Jerry "The King" Lawler and Jim Ross vs. William Regal and Lance Storm 3.3[4] Taped on December 21
December 30 Year In Review Special Titan Towers Stamford, Connecticut N/a 4.9 Recap episode

2003

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 6 New Year's Raw America West Arena Phoenix, Arizona Kane and Rob Van Dam vs. Chris Jericho and Christian Cage 3.6[4]
August 4 Final Raw on TNN PNE Coliseum Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Shane McMahon vs. Eric Bischoff in a No Holds Barred match 4.0[4] TNN rebranded to Spike TV the following week.
August 11 Raw's Spike TV debut MARK of the Quad Moline, Illinois Ric Flair vs. Goldberg in a No Disqualification match with Randy Orton as the special guest referee 3.9[4]
November 24 Raw Roulette E Center West Valley City, Utah Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho vs. Ric Flair and Batista in a Bischoff's Choice tag team match 3.6[1]
December 22 Year In Review Special Titan Towers Stamford, Connecticut N/a N/a Recap episode
December 29 New Year's Eve Raw SBC Center San Antonio, Texas Triple H (c) vs. Shawn Michaels for the World Heavyweight Championship 3.7[4]

2004

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 5 New Year's Raw The Pyramid Memphis, Tennessee Evolution (Ric Flair and Dave Bautista) (c) vs. The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley) for the World Tag Team Championship 3.5[4]
March 22 WWE Draft Joe Louis Arena Detroit, Michigan Eddie Guerrero (c) vs. Triple H for the WWE Championship 3.7[1]
  • 2-hour runtime
  • Multi-brand episode with SmackDown!
Raw 2004–05 Season Premiere September 20 Tucson Convention Center Arena Tucson, Arizona Evolution (Triple H, Ric Flair, and Dave Bautista) vs. Chris Benoit, Randy Orton, and Shelton Benjamin 3.7[8]
December 20 Year in Review Special Titan Towers Stamford, Connecticut N/a N/a Recap episode
December 27 New Year's Eve Raw Mississippi Coast Coliseum Biloxi, Mississippi Triple H vs. Shelton Benjamin in a Beat the Clock Challenge N/a

2005

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 3 New Year's Raw Nassau Coliseum Uniondale, New York Randy Orton vs. Triple H N/a
February 7 Raw Live in Japan Saitama Super Arena Saitama, Japan Triple H (c) vs. Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship 3.7
  • Taped on February 4
  • The 1st Raw episode held in Japan.
June 6 WWE Draft Savvis Center St. Louis, Missouri Chris Benoit vs. Gene Snitsky in an ECW Rules match N/a 1st night of the WWE Draft
June 13 Broome County Arena Binghamton, New York Kane vs. Sylvain Grenier N/a 3rd night of the WWE Draft
June 20 America West Arena Phoenix, Arizona Triple H and Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels and Batista N/a 5th night of the WWE Draft
June 27 Arrowhead Pond Anaheim, California Shawn Michaels, John Cena, and Hulk Hogan vs. Chris Jericho, Christian, and Tyson Tomko N/a 7th night of the WWE Draft
September 26 Final Raw on Spike TV Heart O' Coliseum Waco, Texas Shawn Michaels and John Cena vs. Chris Masters and Carlito N/a
October 3 Raw Homecoming American Airlines Center Dallas, Texas John Cena (c) vs. Eric Bischoff for the WWE Championship 5.6[9]
  • 1st 3-hour episode
  • Raw's return to USA
  • The 2005-2006 season premiere
October 31 Raw Halloween Arrowhead Pond Anaheim, California John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels N/a
November 14 Eddie Guerrero Tribute Target Center Minneapolis, Minnesota John Cena vs. Randy Orton 5.3[9]
December 19 Holiday with the Troops Bagram Air Base Bagram, Afghanistan Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H in a Boot Camp match 4.2[9]

2006

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 2 New Year's Raw Continental Airlines Arena East Rutherford, New Jersey John Cena vs. Kurt Angle in a First Blood match N/a
Thursday Night Raw February 16 Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro Coliseum John Cena (c) vs. Edge for the WWE Championship N/a Taped on February 13
April 3 WrestleMania 22 Fallout Allstate Arena Rosemont, Illinois John Cena (c) vs. Edge and Triple H in a 2-on-1 Handicap match 4.1 The Raw after WrestleMania 22
May 29 WWE Draft Tacoma Dome Tacoma, Washington Triple H vs. Kenny N/a
October 9 Family Reunion Colonial Center Columbia, South Carolina John Cena vs. The Undertaker 5.0[10]
  • 2006–07 season premiere
  • Multi-brand episode with SmackDown and ECW
October 23 Raw's 700th Episode Allstate Arena Rosemont, Illinois Randy Orton vs. Triple H N/a
December 18 Raw 3-Hour Special Verizon Center Washington, D.C. D-Generation X (Shawn Michaels and Triple H) and John Cena vs. Rated-RKO (Edge and Randy Orton) and Umaga N/a
December 25 Tribute to the Troops Camp Victory Baghdad, Iraq Randy Orton vs. Carlito 4.1[10]

2007

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 1 New Year's Raw American Airlines Arena Miami, Florida John Cena vs. Umaga, Johnny Nitro, Jonathan Coachman, and Armando Estrada N/a
February 15 Raw Thursday Rose Garden Portland, Oregon John Cena, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, and Batista vs. Rated-RKO (Edge and Randy Orton), Mr. Kennedy, and Montel Vontavious Porter N/a Taped on February 12
June 11 WWE Draft
(Night 1) 		Wachovia Arena Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Team Raw (Randy Orton, Johnny Nitro, Eugene, Kenny Dykstra, and Viscera) vs. Team ECW (Tommy Dreamer, The Sandman, Matt Striker, Kevin Thorn, and Marcus Cor Von) vs. Team SmackDown (William Regal, Matt Hardy, Mark Henry, Chavo Guerrero, and Chris Masters) in a 15-man triple threat tag team battle royal to earn 2 draft picks for their respective brand 4.5[11]
June 25 Chris Benoit Tribute American Bank Center Corpus Christi, Texas N/a 3.8[11]
Raw 15th Anniversary December 10 Arena At Harbor Yard Bridgeport, Connecticut Mr. Kennedy vs. Marty Jannetty 4.7[11][12]
December 24 Tribute to the Troops Camp Victory Baghdad, Iraq D-Generation X (Shawn Michaels and Triple H) defeat Mr. Kennedy and Umaga 4.0[11] In honor of the United States Armed Forces

2008

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 7 Raw Roulette Mohegan Sun Arena Uncasville, Connecticut Jeff Hardy vs. Umaga in a Steel Cage match 3.2[13]
  • Multi-brand episode with SmackDown! and ECW
  • Match stipulations were decided via a wheel spin.
January 21 Raw In HD Hampton Coliseum Hampton, Virginia Mark Henry vs. Snitsky vs. Triple H vs. William Regal in a Battle Royal Gauntlet match N/a The 1st Raw episode in HD
March 10 WrestleMania Rewind Bradley Center Milwaukee, Wisconsin John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels 3.6[14]
  • 3-hour runtime
  • Multi-brand episode with SmackDown! and ECW
  • Featured WrestleMania rematches
April 21 King of the Ring BI-LO Center Greenville, South Carolina John Cena, Triple H, The Undertaker, and Kane vs. Randy Orton, Edge, John "Bradshaw" Layfield, and Chavo Guerrero 3.0[14] Multi-brand episode with SmackDown! and ECW
June 23 WWE Draft AT&T Center San Antonio, Texas Team Raw (John Cena, Triple H, Batista, CM Punk, and Kane) vs. Team SmackDown (Edge, Jeff Hardy, Big Show, The Great Khali, and Montel Vontavious Porter) vs. Team ECW (Matt Hardy, The Miz, Chavo Guerrero, John Morrison, and Shelton Benjamin) in a 15-man triple threat tag team battle royal 3.4[14]
August 25 Raw on Sci Fi Wachovia Center Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Batista vs Kane N/a
November 3 Raw's 800th Episode Celebration St. Pete Times Forum Tampa, Florida Batista (c) vs. Chris Jericho in a Steel Cage match for the World Heavyweight Championship 3.4[14] The 800th Raw episode
December 8 2008 Slammy Awards Wachovia Center Philadelphia, Pennsylvania John Cena vs. Edge 3.2[14]

2009

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 5 New Year's Raw New Orleans Arena New Orleans, Louisiana John Cena and Shawn Michaels vs. Randy Orton and Chris Jericho N/a
April 13 WWE Draft Philips Arena Atlanta, Georgia Triple H, Batista, and Shane McMahon vs. Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase in a 3-on-2 Handicap match 3.7[15]
June 15 Three For All Time Warner Cable Arena Charlotte, North Carolina 10-man battle royal to determine the #1 contender for the WWE Championship 3.6[15][16]
June 22 Trump Raw Resch Center Green Bay, Wisconsin John Cena vs. Big Show 4.4[15][17]
September 7 The Price Is Raw Allstate Arena Rosemont, Illinois D-Generation X (Triple H and Shawn Michaels) vs. Randy Orton and Chris Masters N/a Hosted by Bob Barker[19]
November 23 A Raw Thanksgiving Giant Center Hershey, Pennsylvania 8-man Breakthrough Battle Royal to determine the #1 contender for the WWE Championship 3.3[15][20]
December 14 Slammy Awards American Bank Center Corpus Christi, Texas John Cena vs. Randy Orton in the final of the 2009 Superstar of the Year Tournament 3.3[15][21]

2010s

[edit]

2010

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 4 New Year's Raw Nutter Center Dayton, Ohio Kofi Kingston vs. Randy Orton N/a Bret Hart returned for the first time in 12 years.
March 15 WrestleMania Recap San Diego Sports Arena San Diego, California Kofi Kingston vs. Batista 3.7[1]
April 19 Monday Night SmackDown IZOD Center East Rutherford, New Jersey Triple H, Edge, and Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Jericho, CM Punk, and Luke Gallows 3.1[1]
April 26 WWE Draft Richmond Coliseum Richmond, Virginia Batista vs. Randy Orton vs. Sheamus in a Triple threat match to determine the #1 contender for the WWE Championship 3.1[1]
May 17 Commercial-Free Raw Air Canada Centre Toronto, Ontario, Canada John Cena vs. Sheamus 3.4[1]
June 7 Viewer's Choice American Airlines Arena Miami, Florida John Cena vs. CM Punk 3.1[1]
August 30 Raw's 900th Episode TD Garden Boston, Massachusetts Team Raw (John Cena, Randy Orton, Edge, Chris Jericho, and Sheamus) vs. The Nexus (Wade Barrett, Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater, David Otunga, and Michael Tarver) in a 10-man tag team elimination match 3.5[25]
September 13 Raw Roulette U.S. Bank Arena Cincinnati, Ohio John Cena vs. Randy Orton in a Tables match 3.0[26]
  • Multi-brand episode with SmackDown
  • Match stipulations were decided via a wheel spin.
  • Special appearance by Chad Johnson
November 15 Old School Raw Giant Center Hershey, Pennsylvania Daniel Bryan vs. Jack Swagger 3.05[25]
  • 3-hour runtime
  • Special appearances by WWE legends
  • Supposed to temporarily revert to the 1993 Raw format. However, while some items from 1993 were used, such as the ring and the theme music, it used the 1980s-era WWF opening as well as the 1997 stage setup.
November 29 King of the Ring Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, Pennsylvania The Miz (c) vs. Jerry "The King" Lawler in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match for the WWE Championship 3.1[25]
December 13 Slammy Awards New Orleans Arena New Orleans, Louisiana John Cena vs. David Otunga 3.06[25]

2011

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 3 New Year's Raw US Airways Center Phoenix, Arizona King Sheamus vs. Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett in a Triple threat steel cage match to determine the #1 contender for the WWE Championship N/a
April 25 WWE Draft PNC Arena Raleigh, North Carolina John Cena, Christian, and Mark Henry vs. The Miz, CM Punk, and Alberto Del Rio 3.4[27] Booker T served as an alternate color commentator.
May 2 The Rock's Birthday Bash[28] American Airlines Arena Miami, Florida Kane vs. Mason Ryan 3.4[27] Special appearances by Mýa and Pitbull
June 13 WWE All Star Night Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum Uniondale, New York CM Punk vs. John Cena 3.1[27]
June 20 Power to the People Baltimore Arena Baltimore, Maryland John Cena, Randy Orton, and Alex Riley vs. Christian, The Miz, and R-Truth 3.1[27]
  • 3-hour runtime
  • Multi-brand episode with SmackDown
  • Matches were selected by fans via mobile votes.
June 27 Raw Roulette Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, Nevada John Cena vs. R-Truth in a Tables match 3.1[29]
August 29 Raw SuperShow BOK Center Tulsa, Oklahoma John Cena and Sheamus vs Christian and Mark Henry N/a The first Raw under the "Raw SuperShow" title, following the initial discontinuation of the WWE brand split.
October 31 Raw Halloween Philips Arena Atlanta, Georgia John Cena vs. The Miz N/a Guest hosted by The Muppets.[30]
November 14 Raw Gets Rocked TD Garden Boston, Massachusetts Wade Barrett vs Randy Orton 3.2[27]
December 12 Slammy Awards Norfolk Scope Norfolk, Virginia John Cena vs. Mark Henry 2.8[27]
  • 3-hour runtime
  • Kane returned, wearing his mask for the first time since 2003.

2012

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
April 23 Raw SuperShow [31] Joe Louis Arena Detroit, Michigan Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger vs. Brodus Clay and Hornswoggle 4.39/3.04 share[32] 3-hour runtime
July 23 Raw 1000 Scottrade Center St. Louis, Missouri CM Punk (c) vs. John Cena for the WWE Championship 6.01/3.84 share[32]
  • The 1,000th Raw episode
  • Marked the start of Raw's permanent 3-hour format.
  • Unveiled the new Raw logo.
  • Charlie Sheen made a special appearance via Skype.
August 6 Shawn Michaels Appreciation Night[33] AT&T Center San Antonio, Texas John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan 4.7/3.54 share[32]
December 17 Slammy Awards Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, Pennsylvania John Cena and Vickie Guerrero vs. Dolph Ziggler and AJ Lee in a Mixed tag team match 4.23/2.89 share[34]
December 24 Raw Christmas Eve CONSOL Energy Center Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania John Cena vs. Alberto del Rio in a Miracle on 34th Street Fight 2.2 Mick Foley, dressed up as Santa Claus, got run over by Alberto Del Rio. Foley interfered in Del Rio's match later that night.
December 31 Champion's Choice Night Verizon Center Washington, D.C. Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Wade Barrett for the WWE Intercontinental Championship 3.5 Every title, except the WWE Championship, was on the line and the champions got to choose their opponent(s).

2013

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 14 Raw 20th Anniversary Toyota Center Houston, Texas John Cena vs. Dolph Ziggler in a Steel Cage match 4.55/3.1 share Jim Ross commentated in the main event.
January 28 Raw Roulette Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, Nevada Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane vs. Dolph Ziggler and Chris Jericho 5.02/3.67 share Match stipulations were chosen via a wheel spin.
March 4 Old School Raw KeyBank Center Buffalo, New York Big Show vs. CM Punk vs. Randy Orton vs. Sheamus in a Fatal 4-way match 5.02/3.55 share
April 8 WrestleMania 29 Raw IZOD Center East Rutherford, New Jersey John Cena vs. Mark Henry 3.4[35] The Raw after WrestleMania 29
May 27 Bret Hart Appreciation Night Scotiabank Saddledome Calgary, Alberta John Cena vs. Curtis Axel 3.94/1.4 share[36]
November 18 Raw Country Bridgestone Arena Nashville, Tennessee CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Cody Rhodes, Goldust, and The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) vs. The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins) and The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, and Erick Rowan) 3.80/1.4 share Florida Georgia Line had a live performance.
December 9 Slammy Awards Key Arena Seattle, Washington Natalya vs. Tamina 4.15/1.5 share
December 23 Raw Christmas Frank Erwin Center Austin, Texas John Cena, CM Punk, and Big E Langston vs. The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins) 5.2

2014

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 6 Old School Raw Baltimore Arena Baltimore, Maryland CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns 4.54/1.6 share[37] Jake "The Snake" Roberts made his first appearance since 2005.
March 10 Occupy Raw FedExForum Memphis, Tennessee Daniel Bryan and Big Show vs. Randy Orton and Batista 4.73/1.5 share[38] Featured the "Occupy Raw Movement".
June 23 Raw 1100 Verizon Center Washington, D.C. John Cena, Roman Reigns, and Sheamus vs. Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt, Alberto Del Rio, and Cesaro in a 4-on-3 Handicap match 4.03/1.4 share[39] The 1,100th Raw episode
August 11 Hulk Hogan's 61st Birthday Celebration Portland, Oregon Moda Center Sheamus vs. Randy Orton 4.30/1.5 share[40]
August 25 WWE Hall of Fame Forum Honda Center Anaheim, California John Cena, Big Show, and Mark Henry vs. The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, and Erick Rowan) 3.98/1.3 share
September 8 Raw 2014–15 Season Premiere Baltimore Arena Baltimore, Maryland Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton 3.98/1.4 share
December 8 Slammy Awards Bon Secours Wellness Arena Greenville, South Carolina John Cena vs. Big Show 2.66/1.3 share[41] Hosted by Seth Green
December 22 Raw Christmas[42] Target Center Minneapolis, Minnesota Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt in a Miracle on 34th Street Fight 3.63/1.3 share[43][44] Hulk Hogan (as "Ho Ho Hogan") was the general manager.
December 29 New Year's Raw Verizon Center Washington, D.C. The Miz and Damien Mizdow vs. The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor) 3.61/2.2 share[45][46]

2015

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 5 John Cena Appreciation Night American Bank Center Corpus Christi, Texas Big E vs. Adam Rose 3.67/1.3 share[47]
January 19 Raw Reunion[48][49] American Airlines Center Dallas, Texas The Authority (Seth Rollins, Kane, and Big Show) vs. John Cena in a 3-on-1 Handicap match 4.10/1.4 share[50] Featured appearances by Hulk Hogan, D-Generation X, Ric Flair, The APA, and Sting.
January 26 Raw Special in Studio Show Titan Towers Stamford, Connecticut N/a 4.42/1.4 share[51] Due to a blizzard across Connecticut, a SmackDown taping was cancelled and Raw was rescheduled for the ensuing SmackDown.[52][53]
April 27 King of the Ring
(Night 1) 		Resch Center Green Bay, Wisconsin Randy Orton and Roman Reigns vs. The Authority (Seth Rollins and Kane) 3.76/1.2 share[54]
September 14 Raw 2015–16 Season Premiere FedExForum Memphis, Tennessee John Cena and Sting vs. Seth Rollins and Big Show 2.42
December 21 Slammy Awards Target Center Minneapolis, Minnesota Dean Ambrose vs. Sheamus in a Steel Cage match 3.50

2016

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 11 Raw's 23rd Birthday Smoothie King Center New Orleans, Louisiana Roman Reigns vs. Alberto Del Rio, Kevin Owens, Sheamus, Stardust, The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor), The New Day (Big E, Kofi Kingston, and Xavier Woods), The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, Erick Rowan, and Braun Strowman) and Tyler Breeze in a 14-on-1 Handicap match 3.3
February 8 Thank You, Daniel Bryan! KeyArena Seattle, Washington The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley) and The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) defeat Mark Henry and The New Day (Big E, Kofi Kingston, and Xavier Woods) 2.65[55][56] In honor of Daniel Bryan after his retirement
May 23 Raw 1200 Royal Farms Arena Baltimore, Maryland AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens for a spot in the Money in the Bank ladder match 1.12[57] The 1,200th Raw episode
October 31 Raw Halloween XL Center Hartford, Connecticut Roman Reigns (c) vs. Chris Jericho for the WWE United States Championship 1.88[58]

2017

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
April 10 Superstar Shake-up
(Night 1) 		Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum Uniondale, New York Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens 3.42
December 25 Raw Christmas Allstate Arena Rosemont, Illinois The Bar (Cesaro and Sheamus) (c) vs. Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan for the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship 0.83

2018

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 1 Raw New Year's Day American Airlines Arena Miami, Florida Finn Bálor and The Club (Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows) vs. Elias and The Miztourage (Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel) 1.07[59]
January 22 Raw 25th Anniversary Brooklyn, New York Barclays Center Heath Slater and Rhyno vs. Titus Worldwide (Titus O'Neil and Apollo Crews) 4.53 Simulcast from the two venues.[60]
New York City, New York Manhattan Center Bálor Club (Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows) vs. The Revival (Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson)
April 16 Superstar Shake-up
(Night 1) 		XL Center Hartford, Connecticut Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman, Finn Bálor, Bobby Lashley, and Bobby Roode vs. Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, The Miz, and The Miztourage (Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel) 3.62
April 23 Raw 1300 Scottrade Center St. Louis, Missouri Alexa Bliss, Mickie James, and The Riott Squad (Liv Morgan, Ruby Riott, and Sarah Logan) vs. Bayley, Sasha Banks, Nia Jax, Ember Moon, and Natalya 3.1 The 1,300th Raw episode
December 24 Christmas Eve Raw Golden 1 Center Sacramento, California Seth Rollins vs. Baron Corbin 1.7 Taped on December 17
December 31 New Year's Eve Raw Little Caesars Arena Detroit, Michigan Natalya and Ronda Rousey vs. Nia Jax and Tamina 1.9 Taped on December 28

2019

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
February 25 Ric Flair's 70th Birthday Celebration State Farm Arena Atlanta, Georgia Bayley vs. Nia Jax 2.9 Featured appearances by Sting, Batista, Triple H, and Shawn Michaels
April 15 Superstar Shake-up
(Night 1) 		Bell Centre Montreal, Quebec, Canada AJ Styles, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins vs. Baron Corbin, Bobby Lashley, and Drew McIntyre 2.66
July 22 Raw Reunion Amalie Arena Tampa, Florida Braun Strowman vs. Randy Row 3.09[61] Featured appearances by John Cena, Hulk Hogan, Booker T, Torrie Wilson, Christian, Kelly Kelly, Kurt Angle, Rob Van Dam, Ric Flair, The Kliq, Mick Foley, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and other WWE legends.
August 19 King of the Ring
(Night 1) 		Xcel Energy Center Saint Paul, Minnesota The O.C. (Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows) (c) vs. Braun Strowman and Seth Rollins for the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship 2.53 The 1st night of the return of the King of the Ring tournament, last held in 2015.
September 9 Raw's Return to Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden New York, New York Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman, Cedric Alexander, and The Viking Raiders (Erik and Ivar) vs. Dolph Ziggler, Robert Roode, and The O.C. (AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, and Luke Gallows) 2.13
September 23 Raw 2018–19 Season Finale Chase Center San Francisco, California Braun Strowman vs. Seth Rollins 2.24
September 30 Raw 2019–20 Season Premiere Talking Stick Resort Arena Phoenix, Arizona Seth Rollins (c) vs. Rusev for the WWE Universal Championship 2.56 Debuted a new logo and "Legendary" by Skillet) as the new theme song.
October 14 WWE Draft
(Night 2) 		Pepsi Center Denver, Colorado The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) vs. Lacey Evans and Natalya 2.27[62]

2020s

[edit]

2020

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 27 Edge Appreciation Night AT&T Center San Antonio, Texas Erick Rowan vs. Branden Vice 2.40 Edge returned to the ring the previous night for the 1st time in 9 years.
March 16 3:16 Day WWE Performance Center Orlando, Florida Andrade vs. Rey Mysterio 2.33
March 23 Raw 1400 Aleister Black vs. Leon Ruff 2.0 Marked Raw's 1,400th episode.
June 22 Championship Monday Apollo Crews vs. Shelton Benjamin 1.92
September 14 In Your Face Amway Center Drew McIntyre vs. Keith Lee 1.69
October 12 WWE Draft
(Night 2) 		14-woman battle royal to determine the #1 contender for the WWE Raw Women's Championship 1.85
October 19 Raw 2020–21 Season Premiere Braun Strowman vs. Keith Lee 1.77[63]

2021

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 4 Legends Night Tropicana Field St. Petersburg, Florida Drew McIntyre vs. Keith Lee for the WWE Championship 2.13[64] Featured appearances by Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Mickie James, Torrie Wilson, Booker T, Goldberg, and other WWE legends.
October 4 WWE Draft
(Night 2) 		Bridgestone Arena Nashville, Tennessee Bianca Belair vs. Charlotte Flair 1.86[65]
October 25 Raw 2021–22 Season Premiere Toyota Center Houston, Texas Finn Bálor vs. Kevin Owens vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins in a Fatal 4-way ladder match to determine the #1 contender for the WWE Championship 1.65[66]

2022

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
February 21 Raw 1500 Colonial Life Arena Columbia, South Carolina RK-Bro (Randy Orton and Riddle) vs. Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins 1.825[67] Marked the 1,500th Raw episode.
March 28 WrestleMania Raw PPG Paints Arena Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania RK-Bro (Randy Orton and Riddle) vs. Austin Theory and Seth Rollins 1.979[68] The last Raw before WrestleMania 38.
April 4 WrestleMania Fallout American Airlines Center Dallas, Texas The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) vs. Alpha Academy (Chad Gable and Otis) in a Texas Tornado tag team match N/a The Raw after WrestleMania 38.
April 25 Randy Orton 20th Anniversary Celebration Thompson–Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee Cody Rhodes, Ezekiel, and RK-Bro (Randy Orton and Riddle) vs. Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, and The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) 1.613[69]
June 27 John Cena 20th Anniversary Celebration Sames Auto Arena Laredo, Texas Becky Lynch vs. Doudrop vs. Nikki ASH vs. Shayna Baszler vs. Tamina vs. Xia Li in a Six-pack elimination match for the last spot in the Women's Money in the Bank ladder match 1.951[70]
July 25 Rey Mysterio 20th Anniversary Celebration New York City, New York Madison Square Garden The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, and Jimmy Uso) vs. Riddle and The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) 1.901[71]
August 29 Kurt Angle Appreciation Night PPG Paints Arena Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Aliyah and Raquel Rodriguez vs. Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky for the vacant WWE Women's Tag Team Championship 2.107[72] Kurt Angle's return to Pittsburgh, his hometown.
October 10 Raw 2022–23 Season Premiere Barclays Center Brooklyn, New York Matt Riddle vs. Sami Zayn 1.824[73]
October 31 Raw Halloween American Airlines Center Dallas, Texas Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky) (c) vs. Alexa Bliss and Asuka for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship 1.500 The last Raw before Crown Jewel.
November 28 First Hour Commercial-Free Norfolk Scope Norfolk, Virginia Jey Uso vs. Kevin Owens 1.668
December 26 The Absolute Best of 2022 Titan Towers Stamford, Connecticut N/a 1.075[74] A taped recap episode hosted by Jackie Redmond and Corey Graves.

2023

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 23 Raw Is XXX Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Austin Theory (c) vs. Bobby Lashley in a No Disqualification match for the WWE United States Championship 2.344[75]
March 6 John Cena Returns Home TD Garden Boston, Massachusetts Jimmy Uso vs. Sami Zayn 1.827
March 27 WrestleMania Raw Footprint Center Phoenix, Arizona Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa 1.843 The final Raw before WrestleMania 39
April 3 WrestleMania Fallout Crypto.com Arena Los Angeles, California Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky) vs. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez 1.843 The Raw after WrestleMania 39
May 1 WWE Draft
(Night 2) 		Dickies Arena Fort Worth, Texas Seth Rollins vs. Solo Sikoa 1.778[76]
October 16 Raw 2023–24 Season Premiere Paycom Center Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso (c) vs. The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Bálor) for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship 1.483
October 30 Raw Halloween Bon Secours Wellness Arena Greenville, South Carolina Damian Priest vs. Sami Zayn 1.391
November 27 First Hour Commercial-Free Bridgestone Arena Nashville, Tennessee Dominik Mysterio vs. Randy Orton 1.884
December 25 The Absolute Best of 2023 WWE Headquarters Stamford, Connecticut N/a 0.698 A taped recap episode hosted by Jackie Redmond and Peter Rosenberg.

2024

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 1 Day 1 Pechanga Arena San Diego, California Seth Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre for the World Heavyweight Championship 1.751 Featured The Rock's first Raw appearance in 8 years.
January 22 Raw 1600 New Orleans, Louisiana Smoothie King Center Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest 1.686 The 1600th Raw episode
April 1 WrestleMania Raw Barclays Center Brooklyn, New York Seth Rollins vs. Solo Sikoa in a Bloodline Rules match 1.784 The last Raw before WrestleMania XL
April 8 WrestleMania Fallout Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Bronson Reed vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Jey Uso vs. Ricochet in a Fatal 4-way match to determine the #1 contender for the World Heavyweight Championship 2.362
April 29 WWE Draft
(Night 2) 		T-Mobile Center Kansas City, Missouri The Judgment Day (Damian Priest, Finn Bálor, and JD McDonagh) vs. Andrade, Jey Uso, and Ricochet 1.683
August 5 First Hour Commercial-Free CFG Bank Arena Baltimore, Maryland The Wyatt Sicks (Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, and Erick Rowan) vs. American Made (Chad Gable, Brutus Creed, and Julius Creed) 1.724 The Raw after SummerSlam
September 9 Raw 2024–25 Season Premiere Scotiabank Saddledome Calgary, Alberta, Canada Braun Strowman vs. Ilja Dragunov vs. Jey Uso vs. Pete Dunne in a Fatal 4-way match in the final of the WWE Intercontinental Championship #1 Contender's Tournament 1.430
October 7 Raw returns to 2 hours Enterprise Center St. Louis, Missouri Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn for the World Heavyweight Championship 1.545
  • Raw's first 2-hour episode since July 16, 2012.
  • The Raw after Bad Blood
November 4 Raw in Saudi Arabia Mohammed Abdo Arena Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Damian Priest vs. Dominik Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins vs. Sheamus in a Fatal 4-way match to determine the #1 contender for the World Heavyweight Championship 1.465
December 2 First Half-Hour Commercial-Free Angel of the Winds Arena Everett, Washington Sami Zayn vs. Seth Rollins 1.709
December 30 Final Raw on USA Houston, Texas Toyota Center Iyo Sky vs. Lyra Valkyria in the semifinals of the inaugural WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship Tournament 1.596 The 1st 30 minutes were commercial-free.

2025

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 6 Raw premiere on Netflix Intuit Dome Inglewood, California CM Punk vs. Seth "Freakin" Rollins Global: 4.900[77] For the 1st time, the show had a flexible runtime.
US: 2.600[77]
April 14 WrestleMania Raw Golden 1 Center Sacramento, California Finn Bálor vs. Penta N/a The last Raw before WrestleMania 41
April 21 WrestleMania Fallout T-Mobile Arena Paradise, Nevada Dominik Mysterio vs. Penta for the WWE Intercontinental Championship N/a The Raw after WrestleMania 41
November 17 John Cena's Final Raw Madison Square Garden New York City Gunther vs. Je'Von Evans in the 1st Round of The Last Time Is Now Tournament N/a Featured the appearances of Dolph Ziggler, Gunther, AJ Lee, Brock Lesnar, and Roman Reigns
December 22 Raw 1700 Van Andel Arena Grand Rapids, Michigan CM Punk and Rey Mysterio vs. Austin Theory and Bronson Reed N/a
  • The 1,700th Raw episode
  • Taped On December 19

2026

[edit]
Date Episode Venue Location Final match Rating
(millions) 		Notes
January 5 Raw on Netflix Anniversary Show[78] Barclays Center Brooklyn, New York CM Punk (c) vs. Bron Breakker for the World Heavyweight Championship N/a
January 12 Raw Düsseldorf PSD Bank Dome Düsseldorf, Germany AJ Styles vs. Gunther N/a
January 19 Raw Belfast SSE Arena Belfast, Northern Ireland CM Punk (c) vs. Finn Bálor for the World Heavyweight Championship N/a

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

List of WWE Raw special episodes

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The list of WWE Raw special episodes chronicles the themed, milestone, and commemorative installments of Monday Night Raw, WWE's flagship professional wrestling television program that premiered live on January 11, 1993, from the Manhattan Center in New York City and holds the distinction of being the longest-running weekly episodic TV series in history. These specials deviate from the standard format by incorporating unique themes, fan-voted elements, crossover invasions, or anniversary celebrations, often featuring high-profile matches, legendary wrestler returns, and innovative stipulations to boost viewership and storytelling impact. Throughout its more than three-decade history, Raw's special episodes have evolved alongside the show's cultural shifts and broadcasting changes, including its transition to streaming on starting January 6, 2025, from early extravaganzas like the 200th episode's introduction of the "Raw Is War" branding on March 10, 1997—showcasing tag team chaos involving Sycho Sid, , Mankind, and Vader—to modern tributes such as the 25th anniversary event in 2018, which split between the and the original for nostalgic segments including 's appearance, and the 30th anniversary special on January 23, 2023. Notable examples include circumstantial specials like the 2005 homecoming, headlined by an between and , and the 2010 eruption-disrupted "Raw Is SmackDown," where the blue brand filled in for the stranded red brand roster. These episodes not only mark pivotal moments, such as the 1000th installment's DX reunion in 2012 and CM Punk's dramatic pipebomb promo in 2011, but also highlight WWE's adaptability, blending nostalgia with fresh narratives to engage global audiences.

Overview

Definition and Criteria

Special episodes of WWE Raw represent themed installments of the long-running television program that intentionally deviate from its conventional weekly structure, incorporating distinctive programming such as commemorations, holiday-specific content, tribute segments, or integrations with key events like brand drafts and award ceremonies. These episodes emphasize unique , guest appearances, or format alterations to heighten viewer engagement and align with broader narratives or cultural moments. Inclusion criteria for special episodes require an official designation by , typically through promotional announcements, episode titles, or branding that highlights the thematic focus, ensuring they stand apart from routine broadcasts. Qualifying examples encompass one-off tributes, including dedications to members in the annual , as well as recurring formats like the , which feature extended run times and celebrity-hosted segments to celebrate achievements within the Universe. Episodes lacking this explicit thematic promotion—such as standard matches advancing ongoing rivalries—are not classified as special, maintaining a clear distinction based on 's intentional curation. Historically, the identification of special episodes has relied on WWE's own programming decisions, with early categorizations centering on foundational events like the and simple seasonal motifs, exemplified by Halloween-themed editions featuring costumed Superstars and supernatural stipulations. This approach has progressively broadened to incorporate inter-brand crossovers and international spectacles, all substantiated by official communications, on-air promotions, and archived television schedules. Verification draws from WWE's digital archives, press releases, and episode synopses, providing a consistent framework for recognition across the program's history.

Evolution and Significance

The special episodes of originated in the 1990s, coinciding with the program's debut on January 11, 1993, as a one-hour on the , where initial themes focused on promotional premieres and seasonal events to solidify the brand amid the intensifying Monday Night Wars against . These early specials, such as anniversary celebrations, emphasized live unpredictability and star-driven rivalries, like the formation of in 1997, which injected a rebellious edge into WWE's storytelling and helped Raw capture higher ratings during the Attitude Era's peak competition. By the 2000s, the frequency of Raw specials increased, extending elements through tributes, award shows like the Slammys, and structural shifts such as the inaugural Draft in 2002, which divided the roster between Raw and SmackDown to refresh narratives and capitalize on post-WCW momentum. In the 2010s, amid the transition to the , specials evolved to incorporate integration, global themes, and major milestones like the 1000th episode in 2012, which featured high-profile returns and matches to engage younger audiences and boost ratings during a period of network changes. The 2020s brought adaptations to external challenges, including the pandemic's implementation of the ThunderDome format in August 2020, a virtual fan experience at the Amway Center that maintained production quality with LED screens and while ensuring performer safety, before transitioning back to live crowds in 2021. This era also saw specials tied to streaming milestones, such as Raw's debut on January 6, 2025, at the , marking a global expansion and the start of season with enhanced production to drive international viewership. Overall, these specials have played a pivotal role in WWE's by creating narrative peaks, honoring legacies through tributes that foster fan loyalty, and serving as key viewership events, often drawing higher audiences than regular episodes. Culturally, tribute segments on Raw, such as the memorial to on the July 28, 2025, episode following his death, have reinforced wrestling's historical significance and emotional connection with global audiences.

Chronological List

1993–1999

The inaugural episode of , titled simply as the premiere, aired on January 11, 1993, from the in , establishing the show as the World Wrestling Federation's (WWF) primary weekly television program and introducing a new era of live wrestling entertainment with a one-hour format. The episode featured notable debuts and matches, including Yokozuna's dominant victory over in the opening bout, defending the WWF Intercontinental Championship against Max Moon, and defeating in the main event, all while , , and Rob Bartlett provided commentary. This debut laid the groundwork for Raw's identity as a platform for emerging stars and storylines, broadcast from U.S. venues to build a national audience amid competition from other wrestling promotions. In 1994, Raw focused on solidifying its regular format without designated special episodes, reflecting the WWF's establishment phase as it refined production and roster development following the premiere's momentum. The second anniversary episode aired on January 9, 1995, from The Summit in Houston, Texas, celebrating the show's growth with retrospective highlights and celebrity crossovers, such as William Shatner appearing on Jerry Lawler's King's Court segment to deliver a monkey flip on the host. Key matches included Razor Ramon defending the Intercontinental Championship against Owen Hart and Howard Finkel defeating Harvey Wippleman in a tuxedo match, emphasizing entertainment value alongside wrestling action. Later that year, the September 11, 1995, episode from Canton Memorial Civic Center in Canton, Ohio, marked Raw's "New Fall Season" premiere and the first direct competition with WCW Monday Nitro, launching the Monday Night Wars with high-stakes matches like Shawn Michaels and Diesel versus Sid and British Bulldog. The January 1, 1996, Raw Bowl episode from Bob Carpenter Center in Newark, Delaware, introduced a football-themed elimination tag team match, where The Smoking Gunns defended their WWF Tag Team Championships against three other teams—Razor Ramon and Savio Vega, Owen Hart and Yokozuna, and Sid and 1-2-3 Kid—using rules like timeouts to mimic a bowl game atmosphere. This creative special highlighted Raw's willingness to experiment with gimmick formats during the early buildup to the Attitude Era, drawing 2.7 million viewers and reinforcing its family-friendly yet innovative appeal. The 100th episode on February 27, 1995, from parts taped in Poughkeepsie, New York, featured storyline advancements like Lex Luger versus Tatanka and a satellite confrontation between Bam Bam Bigelow and Lawrence Taylor ahead of WrestleMania XI. On March 10, 1997, the 200th episode from Knoxville Coliseum in , rebranded the show as Raw Is War, symbolizing the intensifying rivalry with WCW through edgier content, including the debut of ECW promoter debating and a main event match pitting Sycho Sid and against Mankind and Vader. This milestone underscored Raw's evolution toward more aggressive programming to counter Nitro's ratings lead, with U.S.-centric tapings maintaining focus on domestic audiences. The fifth anniversary episode on January 19, 1998, from Selland Arena in Fresno, California, featured celebrity involvement with Mike Tyson appearing to align with D-Generation X, amplifying the Attitude Era's cultural crossover while building hype for WrestleMania XIV through confrontations like Stone Cold Steve Austin versus Tyson. The July 20, 1998, go-home show for Fully Loaded from Cleveland Convention Center in Cleveland, Ohio, served as a thematic tie-in with street fight stipulations previewing the PPV, including Ken Shamrock versus Val Venis and a Nation of Domination versus DX match. In 1999, the 300th episode on February 22 from San Jose Arena in San Jose, California, debuted the Inferno Match between The Undertaker and Kane, exemplifying Raw's push toward extreme elements amid the Attitude Era peak. The December 20, 1999, episode from Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center in Birmingham, Alabama, acted as the go-home for Armageddon, featuring key feuds like The Rock versus Big Show for the WWF Championship. Throughout 1993–1999, Raw's special episodes emphasized themes of innovation and rivalry, particularly in countering WCW Nitro by shifting from straightforward wrestling to themed spectacles and milestone celebrations, all taped or broadcast from U.S. locations to foster a loyal American fanbase during the WWF's transitional years. No major specials occurred in 1994, allowing focus on routine storytelling to build long-term narratives.

2000–2009

The decade from 2000 to 2009 saw WWE Raw evolve amid the tail end of the , the introduction of in 2002, and the shift toward the Ruthless Aggression and early PG eras, with special episodes increasingly incorporating cross-brand interactions, fan voting, and milestone celebrations to boost ratings and narrative momentum. These broadcasts often served as key buildups to pay-per-views or pivotal storyline developments, such as the WCW/ECW angle, reflecting WWE's expansion and adaptation to a more structured roster split between Raw and SmackDown. The were first integrated into Raw on December 8, 2008, from the in , awarding fan-voted achievements and blending ceremony with in-ring action. In 2000, Raw's special episodes emphasized international outreach and PPV tie-ins, including the May 15 go-home show for Insurrextion held in , , which featured matches and segments previewing the London-based event while drawing a strong audience. The 2001 season highlighted the chaotic storyline, with the July 9 episode in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, marking a landmark cross-promotional special as ECW alumni, led by , invaded the ring to brawl with stars, escalating tensions between WWF, WCW, and ECW factions and setting the stage for the formation. This episode culminated in chaotic main events involving Booker T, , and , drawing a 5.2 rating and underscoring the era's inter-promotional drama. Additionally, the September 17 No Mercy tie-in in , Missouri, focused on buildup matches like vs. Rob Van Dam for the WWF Championship, blending elements with title implications. 2002 specials leaned into the newly launched , with the July 15 Vengeance go-home episode in , featuring intense cross-brand teases and matches like vs. to hype the PPV's unification bouts. Planning segments for Raw's 10th Anniversary also appeared throughout the year, building anticipation for multi-era retrospectives. The 2003 Raw's 10th Anniversary special on January 13 in , , brought together legends from multiple eras, including The Rock, Steve Austin, and , in a ceremony honoring the show's history with presentations and nostalgic promos, achieving a 4.8 rating and emphasizing Raw's legacy amid the Ruthless Aggression shift. The April 28 Backlash fallout episode in , recapped the PPV's brand warfare, with segments involving Goldberg's debut and ongoing feuds like vs. Booker T. In 2004, the March 22 Draft episode in , , (taped for the March 22 airing), revolutionized the roster by reallocating superstars between Raw and SmackDown via lottery and trades, including high-profile moves like Edge to Raw and René Duprée's trade, fostering fresh rivalries and drawing 4.2 million viewers. The August 16 SummerSlam go-home in , ramped up hype with non-title clashes like vs. Randy Orton and Eugene vs. , previewing the PPV's interdisciplinary . 2005's Raw Homecoming on January 3 in , celebrated the show's return to the after a five-year stint on TNN/Spike TV, expanding to three hours for the first time with marquee matches such as vs. and vs. , though it focused more on current roster dynamics than widespread returns; the episode earned a 4.3 rating. Later, the October 31 Taboo Tuesday tie-in in Detroit, Michigan, incorporated interactive fan voting for stipulations, mirroring the PPV's format with polls determining outcomes like a vs. Victoria Bra & Panties match. The 2006 year included the January 2 New Year's Revolution tie-in in , which previewed the PPV's with focal segments on John Cena's defense and Edge's rise. The November 6 Cyber Sunday fallout in , , reacted to the fan-voted PPV matches, featuring vs. in a preview and highlighting voter impact on booking. In 2007, Raw's 15th Anniversary on January 22 in , reunited Attitude and Ruthless Aggression stars like , , and Umaga in celebratory segments and bouts, reflecting on the show's evolution with a 3.8 rating. The June 11 Draft in , reshuffled the brands again, with surprises like The moving to SmackDown and CM Punk's supplemental draft addition, injecting new life into feuds. 2008 featured the 800th Episode Celebration on November 3 in Tampa, Florida, with historic recreations like a 24-man Battle Royal echoing the first Raw and appearances by legends such as Jerry Lawler and Sgt. Slaughter, culminating in CM Punk defeating JBL to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. The October 27 Cyber Sunday tie-in in Phoenix, Arizona, built fan-voted stipulations for the PPV, including Rey Mysterio vs. multiple opponents. By 2009, special episodes were more limited amid the PG transition, with the January 26 Royal Rumble go-home in Tampa, Florida, intensifying storylines through matches like John Cena vs. JBL and Randy Orton vs. Shane McMahon, setting up the Rumble's multi-man chaos; documentation notes fewer standalone themes as WWE prioritized consistent weekly programming over one-off spectacles. Overall, these episodes demonstrated Raw's growing reliance on brand splits and interactivity, with average ratings in the 3.5-5.0 range during peak years, solidifying its role as WWE's flagship amid evolving content standards.

2010–2019

During the 2010–2019 era, WWE Raw's special episodes aligned with the PG Era's emphasis on accessible, family-oriented programming and the Reality Era's focus on authentic storytelling, engagement, and brand expansions. These installments frequently highlighted milestone anniversaries with historical recreations and celebrity crossovers, annual for fan-voted achievements, and pivotal go-home shows building hype for pay-per-views like and . Global outreach grew through international tapings, while NXT talents began integrating into main roster storylines, creating viral moments that boosted online buzz and viewership for key events. In 2010, the 900th episode aired on August 30 from the in , , marking a significant milestone with appearances from WWE Hall of Famer , who challenged United States Champion in a No Disqualification Match, and a main event bout featuring and against Edge and . Later that year, the August 23 go-home show for emanated from the in , , intensifying rivalries such as Team WWE versus The Nexus with key confrontations involving Cena, Edge, and emerging stars like Daniel Bryan. The 2011 specials emphasized post-major event momentum and star power. The Raw Supershow on March 28 from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, served as the post-WrestleMania XXVII episode, featuring tense promos between John Cena, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and WWE Champion The Miz, alongside matches like Edge and Christian defeating Alberto Del Rio and Brodus Clay. On November 14, the "Raw Gets Rocked" episode from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, saw The Rock's return to aid Cena against The Miz and R-Truth, culminating in a Rock Bottom to Mick Foley during a comedic "This Is Your Life" segment. The year closed with the Slammy Awards on December 12 from the Scope in Norfolk, Virginia, where CM Punk won Superstar of the Year, a masked Kane returned to attack Cena, and matches included Big Show defeating Wade Barrett by disqualification. 2012's highlights included the landmark 1000th episode on July 23 from the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., a three-hour extravaganza with celebrity involvement from Charlie Sheen and appearances by Lita, The Bella Twins, and Booker T, headlined by CM Punk defending the WWE Championship against John Cena amid interference from Big Show and The Rock. The 2012 WWE Draft on April 23 from the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, reshuffled the roster in a supplemental draft format, with notable picks like Chris Jericho to Raw and Cody Rhodes to SmackDown, alongside a contract signing between John Cena and Brock Lesnar that escalated into chaos. The 2013 specials leaned into nostalgia during the Road to WrestleMania. Raw's 20th Anniversary on January 7 was a multi-location broadcast from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and other historic venues, featuring recreations of classic moments like The Rock's debut promo and a main event TLC Match where CM Punk retained the WWE Championship against Ryback. "Old School Raw" on March 4 from the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York, brought back legends such as The Rock, The New Age Outlaws, and Ric Flair, with a fatal four-way match determining CM Punk as The Undertaker's WrestleMania opponent after Punk pinned Big Show. In 2014, Raw's 1100th Episode on June 23 aired from the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, Virginia, celebrating with video packages of historic moments and matches like Sheamus versus Batista. The July 14 go-home for the Beast in the East from Richmond, Virginia, marked an early international expansion buildup, featuring Finn Bálor's NXT debut and matches with stars like Cesaro and Roman Reigns ahead of the Tokyo pay-per-view. The 2015 episodes captured post-WrestleMania energy and countdown themes. The Raw after WrestleMania 31 on March 23 from the SAP Center in San Jose, California, saw Paige defeat Nikki Bella for the Divas Championship and Roman Reigns defeating Seth Rollins and Brock Lesnar in a triple threat. A series of "31 Days to WrestleMania" specials throughout February and March built anticipation with weekly vignettes and qualifiers, while the year-end Slammy Awards integrated social media voting for categories like Match of the Year, won by John Cena versus Seth Rollins at SummerSlam. 2016's specials reflected the brand split's inception. Raw's 23rd Anniversary on January 25 from the in , honored the show's longevity with appearances by Edge and Christian, and a main event where defeated . The 1200th episode on May 23 from the Royal Farms Arena in , , featured defeating and video tributes to the show's history. The Brand Extension Draft on July 19 from the in , selected as the first overall pick for Raw, redistributing talent like and Bayley to revitalize rosters post-split. The 2017 milestones included Australia's first live events tour in , expanding WWE's global footprint with house shows drawing local enthusiasm. In , the 25th special on January 22 utilized dual locations—the in , New York, and the — for a nostalgic extravaganza with The Undertaker's return, DX's reunion, and a main event where , , and defeated , , and . Finally, 2019's specials underscored ongoing evolutions. Raw's 1300th Episode on January 7 from the in , celebrated with defending the Universal Championship against and Baron Corbin's cash-in attempts. The February 18 go-home for from the in New Orleans, Louisiana, featured versus and build-up for the pod matches, highlighting NXT integrations like Ricochet's appearances. These episodes exemplified the era's blend of tradition and innovation, with anniversaries often achieving peak engagement through trends and live event spectacles.

2020–2025

The period from 2020 to 2025 marked a transformative era for WWE Raw special episodes, heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitated innovative virtual production techniques and a gradual return to live audiences, culminating in a shift to global streaming platforms like Peacock and Netflix. Special episodes during this time emphasized tributes, anniversaries, and major event build-ups, adapting to health protocols while maintaining viewer engagement through enhanced digital integrations. In 2020, Raw's 27th Anniversary episode aired on January 27 at the Sames Auto Arena in , featuring nostalgic matches and appearances from past stars to celebrate the show's legacy. The debut of the ThunderDome on August 17 at the in , introduced a virtual crowd innovation using LED screens and to simulate arena energy for pandemic-restricted broadcasts. The year closed with a Tribute to on December 30 at the Amalie Arena in , honoring the late wrestler with emotional segments and matches dedicated to his career. The first Raw in aired on November 4 (taped November 3) from Mohammed Abdu Arena in , featuring versus and viral moments with NXT call-ups. 2021 saw no designated special episodes for Raw, as the ongoing pandemic led to a consistent ThunderDome format across shows, limiting deviations to standard programming to prioritize production stability. The Raw's 30th Anniversary on January 24 at the Wells Fargo Center in , , highlighted multi-era celebrations with appearances from legends across three decades, drawing significant viewership. This was followed by the go-home episode on April 4 at the AT&T Center in , , which focused on final hype segments and contract signings to build anticipation for the event. In 2023, the Raw is XXX episode on January 23 at the Williams Arena in Minneapolis, Minnesota, served as a 30-year retrospective with historic video packages and cross-generational matches. The Backlash go-home show on May 1 at the Greensboro Coliseum in North Carolina emphasized storyline resolutions and promos tailored to the premium live event. 2024 featured several high-profile specials, beginning with Day 1 Raw on January 1 at the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, which kicked off the year with marquee matches despite weather challenges. Raw's 1600th episode on January 22 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, commemorated the milestone with special graphics and throwback content. The WrestleMania XL specials aired on April 1 and 8 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, incorporating supersized formats and celebrity involvement to heighten event buildup. The 2024 Draft on April 26 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, facilitated brand roster shakeups with live selections. The Season Premiere on September 9 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, relaunched the post-summer storylines with pyrotechnics and debuts. The year ended with the Final USA Network Raw on December 30 at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, marking the network transition with farewell segments. As of November 16, 2025, 2025 specials included the Premiere on January 6 at the in , launching Raw on the streaming service with enhanced production and international accessibility. The 41 go-home on April 14 at the in , and the 41 Fallout on April 21 at the in , , featured extended runtime and cinematic segments to promote and recap the event. Additional specials included the on June 9 at the in , , and Australia's first Raw on October 13 at the RAC Arena in Perth, , as part of the Crown Jewel weekend. This period underscored post-pandemic recovery through live returns in 2021–2022 and a streaming pivot in 2025, with viewership metrics showing growth on Peacock (averaging 1.5 million weekly views in 2024) and early boosts exceeding 2 million globally.

References

  1. https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/special-memories-from-raws-milestone-episodes
  2. https://www.thesportster.com/wwe-raw-forgotten-special-episodes/
  3. https://www.wwe.com/videos/cm-punk-pipe-bomb-explosion-raw-2011-06-27
  4. https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2023-01-23
  5. https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2019-07-22/article/raw-reunion
  6. https://www.wwe.com/videos/experience-the-raw-emotion-of-wwe-tribute-to-the-troops
  7. https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/a-slammy-awards-retrospective
  8. https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2011-12-05/first-slammy-award-announcement
  9. https://www.wwe.com/videos/a-muppet-slips-santino-a-mysterious-potion-on-a-special-halloween-raw-oct-31-2011
  10. https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/michael-cole-jim-ross-war-of-words-and-challenge
  11. https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/the-most-important-moments-in-raw-history
  12. https://www.wwe.com/article/wwe-flashback-friday-debuts-firsts-march-edition
  13. https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-wwe-thunderdome-a-futuristic-arena-for-the-coronavirus-era-2020-9
  14. https://about.netflix.com/news/netflix-to-become-new-home-of-wwe-raw-beginning-2025
  15. https://www.newsweek.com/nick-hogan-hulk-hogan-tribute-wwe-monday-night-raw-2105490
  16. https://www.wwe.com/videos/yokozuna-vs-koko-b-ware-raw-january-11-1993
  17. https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wwf-raw-1995/
  18. https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2025/09/08/30-yrs-ago-kellers-wwe-raw-report-9-11-1995-the-first-episode-of-raw-that-faced-competition-from-wcw-nitro-with-michaels-vs-sid-razor-vs-bulldog-plus-yankem-dean-douglas-gu/
  19. https://www.wwe.com/videos/the-raw-bowl-raw-january-1-1996
  20. https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/wwe-raw/episodes-season-6/1030243610/
  21. https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Slammy_Awards
  22. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=2135
  23. https://www.wwe.com/videos/ecw-invades-wwe-raw-july-9-2001
  24. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=2237
  25. https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2023/01/23/20-yrs-ago-wwe-raw-tv-report-triple-h-ric-flair-rvd-jeff-hardy-batista-jericho-booker-t-steiner-regal/
  26. https://corporate.wwe.com/about/news/2005/04-04-2005
  27. https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2025/01/27/20-yrs-ago-kellers-wwe-raw-report-1-3-2005-triple-h-vs-randy-orton-plus-batista-plus-edge-jericho-benjamin-trish-christian-eugene-victoria/
  28. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=2529
  29. https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive
  30. https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2011-03-28/results
  31. https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2011-11-14/results
  32. https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2011-12-12/2011-slammy-award-winners
  33. https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2012-07-23/raw-1000-results
  34. https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2012-04-23
  35. https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2013-01-07/wwe-raw-results
  36. https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2015-03-23
  37. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=154303
  38. https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2018-01-22/article/raw-pre-show-to-kick-off-monumental-25th-anniversary-of-raw
  39. https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2019-01-07
  40. https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/riyadh/events/wwe-raw
  41. https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/wwe-raw-september-october-2025-special-start-time-schedule
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.