The July 22 edition of Monday Night Raw could be summed up in one word: nostalgia. Wrestling icons from the 1980s to early 2000s returned to the ring for a special WWE Raw Reunion in Tampa, FL.
From Attitude Era heroes Stone Cold Steve Austin and Mick Foley, to old-school mainstays Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, and even Pat Patterson, the hits kept coming for three straight hours. Patterson even became the oldest person to hold a WWE title when he briefly became the 24/7 champion. The previous record holder was the Fabulous Moolah, who won the WWF Women’s Championship at 76.
Most of the retired wrestlers simply appeared on screen, while others got involved in the action. And of course, we were treated to an old-fashioned beer party courtesy of the Texas Rattlesnake.
It’s always great to see such legendary grapplers back on the screen, and the reunion show was no different. Here are some of the highlights.
In a show bursting with celebrities, John Cena was the first to get the packed Amalie Arena to their feet. He rapped alongside the Uso Brothers, twin sons of legendary Samoan Rikishi, who also showed up.
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Triple H and Kevin Nash were just two members of Degeneration X and the Kliq who came to the aid of Seth Rollins after he was ambused by AJ Styles and The OC (Original Club).
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Roman Reigns took on Samoa Joe in a hotly contested match that took place after the two had some choice words for each other.
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Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan, two of the biggest names in wrestling, offer respect for each other. As old-school wrestling fans will no doubt remember, the two had plenty of heated exchanges in the squared circle during their time in WCW.
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Here are just some of the former wrestlers who showed up on Raw, including Rob Van Dam, Kelly Kelly, ring announcer Lillian Garcia, Santino Marella, Jimmy Hart, and Degeneration X.
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Rey Mysterio was up to his acrobatic antics in his match against Sami Zayn.
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True to character, Stone Cold Steve Austin guzzled down a beer in the ring alongside other wrestling classics. The Hurricane, in the background, watches on.
The Hardcore Legend Mick Foley, aka Dude Love, aka Cactus Jack, aka Mankind, gives a thumbs up to the adoring crowd. His moment would be ruined shortly after as he was attacked by Bray Wyatt.
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This week’s Raw wasn’t all old-school wrestlers. Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch had a tussle with Natalya Neidhart.
