{"id":3591,"date":"2017-04-03T20:40:23","date_gmt":"2017-04-04T00:40:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprowrestling.com\/?p=3591"},"modified":"2017-04-03T20:40:23","modified_gmt":"2017-04-04T00:40:23","slug":"post-mania-raw-look-growing-tradition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2017\/04\/03\/post-mania-raw-look-growing-tradition\/","title":{"rendered":"Post-Mania Raw: A Look at a Growing Tradition"},"content":{"rendered":"

While in recent years the Grandest Stage of Them All,\u00a0WrestleMania<\/strong><\/em>,\u00a0<\/strong>has become more of a celebratory staff party in the ring that pays tribute to WWE’s past and present all at once, the following night’s\u00a0Monday Night Raw<\/strong><\/em> has become the most must-see TV for WWE of the year. With the brand draft and\u00a0Smackdown Live<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>airing live as well, we can expect two nights of surprises, where once we had but one. And while it’s had it’s share of surprises – be it surprise returns (from lengthy departures to long-term injury), NXT call-ups or shocking affiliations or turns – the\u00a0Raw\u00a0<\/em>directly following\u00a0WrestleMania<\/em> has always been one of the most fun\u00a0episodes of the year.<\/p>\n

Has it always been? It’s sure had it’s moments, going back to the early to mid-90’s, but it seems that it’s only been within the past decade that the Post-Mania\u00a0Raw<\/em> has become the spectacle it is today. With the lengthy WrestleMania Week, it’s become the final party for the die-hard fans, where WWE tries to appease the vocal and intelligent crowds with big moments, and set the tone for the next year of the WWE landscape.<\/p>\n

Here’s a look at some of the WWE’s biggest Post-Mania Raw<\/em> surprises.<\/p>\n

April 1, 1996 (Post-WrestleMania 12)<\/em>: <\/strong>Mankind Debuts in the WWE<\/h3>\n
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Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mick Foley<\/strong> had been a staple in both WCW<\/strong> and ECW<\/strong> as the maniacal hardcore madman Cactus Jack<\/strong> for years prior to him finally becoming a Main Roster player in the WWE when he joined the company in early 1996. Debuting as the equally twisted character Mankind<\/strong>, Foley debuted on the\u00a0Raw<\/em> following\u00a0WrestleMania 12<\/em>, initially in a contest against a young Bob Holly<\/strong>, later in the evening he went straight for the former client of his manager, Paul Bearer<\/strong>, The Undertaker<\/strong>. Mankind would go on to become a twisted adversary of the Deadman, while Foley emerged as one of the most popular wrestlers in WWE history.<\/p>\n