Ranking the Top 10 Best Post-WrestleMania WWE Raw Moments

WrestleMania season has come and gone, but its presence is still being felt. With Seth Rollins the new WWE World Heavyweight champion and John Cena and Daniel Bryan holding midcard titles, there is certainly a sense of change in the WWE at the moment.

That was more evident than ever on the next night's Raw, which has been known to be one of the most anticipated events of the year. The show met—and in some cases, exceeded—the expectations of many by ushering in a new era featuring all the fresh faces that have since arrived on the scene.

The crowd that night in San Jose, CA added to the entertainment with their enthusiasm, hilarious (and sometimes necessary) chants and respect for the Superstars. It has only recently became a tradition to look forward to the post-WrestleMania Raw, but some may not realize that historic happenings have been occurring on this unforgettable night for the last two decades.

The night after Mania marks a new year in the wrestling world, setting the stage for what's to come in subsequent months. From the debut of a new Superstar and the return of a legend to a shocking title change, there are several things that can shake up the landscape of WWE coming out of the Showcase of the Immortals.

Granted, we're a year away from once again experiencing the excitement of an epic episode of Raw that always manages to deliver, but that doesn't prohibit us from taking a look back at the top 10 moments that have happened the night after the Show of Shows.

Criteria for the following list include the moment's lasting impact, shock value, aftermath, reception from fans and other factors.

10. Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H Align (April 2, 2001)

Coming out of arguably the greatest WrestleMania of all time, not much more could be accomplished. Not only that, but WWE had shocked the world by buying out World Championship Wrestling one week prior, so all eyes were on the April 2, 2001 edition of Raw to see what would happen next.

The controversial conclusion to WrestleMania 17 saw Stone Cold Steve Austin do the unthinkable and seemingly align with longtime rival Mr McMahon to take the WWE Championship from the Rock. Raw would feature the fallout of the history-making moment and Rock's response to being cost the prestigious prize.

Logically, Rock was out for revenge on Raw, challenging Stone Cold to a Steel Cage rematch in the main event. While the Texas Rattlesnake accepted the open invitation, it was evident he and McMahon had something else up their sleeve.

Before the People's Champ could give Stone Cold his comeuppance, Triple H, who was fresh off an excellent showing against the Undertaker at WrestleMania, came storming down to the ring with a sledgehammer in hand. Despite getting in the face of Austin, he ultimately clocked Rock with the foreign object instead, solidifying his partnership with McMahon and Austin.

Thus, the Two-Man Power Trip was born—one of the best heel factions with the most potential in WWE history. Unfortunately, a gruesome injury suffered by Triple H soon after brought the stable to an abrupt end, never to reunite.

For a Raw that is now seen as officially marking the end of the Attitude era, there wasn't a better way to go out than with two of the biggest stars from that period joining forces.

9. The Rock and John Cena Set the Date for WrestleMania 28 (April 4, 2011)

In February 2011, The Rock made his long-awaited return to WWE, immediately setting his sights on John Cena. The two traded shots at each other for weeks on end, leading to Cena laying Rock out with an Attitude Adjustment days before WrestleMania 27.

At the pay-per-view, Rock evened the score by delivering a Rock Bottom to Cena during the main event and costing him the WWE Championship. Some saw this as the end of a short-lived war. Instead, it was just the beginning.

On the subsequent edition of Raw, Cena responded to Rock's actions by challenging him to a one-on-one match. Rock agreed, but only if the dream bout went down on the grand stage of WrestleMania 28 in his hometown of Miami.

For the first time ever, the main event for the following year's WrestleMania was set: John Cena versus the Rock. On WWE's part, it was a risky move to make, but it ensured that Mania would be must-see.

Say what you will about the feud lasting one year, but ultimately, it paid off. WWE got lucky when it came to neither man suffering an injury beforehand, and the match secured the biggest buyrate in WWE's pay-per-view history.

8. Goldberg Makes His WWE Debut (March 31, 2003)

At WrestleMania 19, the Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin contested a classic that saw Rock defeat his archrival on the grand stage for the first time. With this win, Rock was one step closer to solidifying himself as the most superior Superstar on the roster having beaten everyone but one man: Goldberg.

After months of speculation, Goldberg finally signed with WWE in March 2003 and was set to make his official debut on Raw. And what better time to make an impact than during one of the Rock's gloating promos?

His music hitting the arena sent chills down the spines of everyone in attendance and those watching it home. It was a sight fans never thought they'd see, but at last, Goldberg had arrived in WWE.

Once he entered the ring to a thunderous reaction, Goldberg wasted no time in making an immediate impact, delivering a scintillating Spear to Rock. Fans saw it coming, but that didn't take away from the excitement of it.

It was with two simple words, "You're next!," that he sent a message to anyone else in the locker room looking to pose a threat to him. Goldberg's WWE tenure lasted a mere year, but his electric arrival on Raw will not be soon forgotten. 

7. Mankind Makes a First Impression Against Undertaker (April 1, 1996)

From Brock Lesnar to Umaga to Rusev, some of WWE's most notable names have debuted in WWE on the Raw after WrestleMania, including one Mankind.

Coming out of WrestleMania 12, it was a dawning of a new era: Shawn Michaels was the new WWE champion and Diesel was on his way out of the company. It was time for WWE to make new stars and starting building toward the future, and among those fresh faces was Mankind.

Making his debut on the April 1, 1996 edition of Raw, the Mankind character was unlike anything fans had seen before. A one-of-a-kind competitor, he showcased his uniqueness in his first WWE match against Bob Holly, making short work of him to score the victory.

However, that wouldn't be the last we would see of Mankind that evening. Only minutes into the night's main event between the Undertaker and Bradshaw, he reemerged and immediately went after Taker, locking in a Mandible Claw until security pulled him away.

If you want to make a memorable first impression, who better to target then the biggest dog in the yard?

The feud that would transpire between Undertaker and Mankind was nothing short of iconic and included their historic Hell in a Cell match at 1998's King of the Ring event. Mankind, aka Mick Foley, had a legendary career in WWE over the next several years that eventually earned him entry into the WWE Hall of Fame.

6. D-Generation X Is Under New Management (March 30, 1998)

At WrestleMania 14, Shawn Michaels seemingly wrestled his final WWE match in a losing effort against Stone Cold Steve Austin, putting the future of D-Generation X into question. For the longest time, the group consisted of him, Triple H and Chyna, and without HBK at the helm, it was unknown whether they'd disband.

From the moment DX debuted, Triple H had always been seen as the right hand man to Michaels, but with the former WWE champion now out of the picture, he could take the spotlight for himself. Less than 24 hours after Michaels hung up his boots, Triple H wasted no time in finding a replacement in Sean Waltman, aka X-Pac.

As one of the first stars to jump ship from WCW to WWE, X-Pac held nothing back in "burying" the management of his employer and Eric Bischoff during his unsanctioned promo. Shots were fired, and he and Triple H promised that it was going to mark a new beginning for the rebellious faction.

That would have been a monumental moment in of itself, but it was made even more memorable when it was revealed at the end of the show that the New Age Outlaws had also joined DX. It was a history-making night for the group that would shape them into the iconic stable they are remembered as today.

5. Ultimate Warrior Addresses His Legion of Fans (April 7, 2014)

With so much bad blood between the two parities, it seemed far-fetched that the Ultimate Warrior would ever return to WWE. However, after 18 long years, it finally happened over WrestleMania 30 weekend.

Those few days were nothing short of magical. He headlined the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2014, appeared alongside the rest of the immortalized icons at WrestleMania and returned to Raw on the following Monday night.

In his first appearance on the flagship show in nearly two decades, the former WWE champion channeled in his inner Warrior by donning the painted mask and jacket, thanking his legions of fans for speaking their mind and getting him back into the good graces of WWE.

Although his promo was meant to serve as a plug for the WWE Hall of Fame airing on USA Network immediately following the show, you would never think it watching it back. Instead, it was almost an eerie yet emotional message foreshadowing his abrupt and unfortunate death the very next day.

On April 8, no more than 24 hours removed from his Raw appearance, Warrior tragically passed away at the age of 54. It was then that his out-of-place promo became much more clear. It'd be absurd to claim that he knew his death was imminent, but it doesn't make his apparent eulogy any less touching:

"No WWE talent becomes a legend on their own. Every man's heart one day beats its final beat. His lungs breathe a final breath. 

And if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others and makes them bleed deeper and something larger than life, then his essence, his spirit, will be immortalized."

4. Dolph Ziggler Becomes World Heavyweight Champion (April 8, 2013)

Fans couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was, but the road to WrestleMania 29 in early 2013 seemed to be missing something. For one thing, the World Heavyweight Championship match between Alberto Del Rio and Jack Swagger, while well built, featured two competitors people could't have cared less about at that time.

The one saving grace of that match at Mania was the possibility that Dolph Ziggler would cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase. Following a 10-minute bout between Del Rio and Swagger, the only person the crowd could cheer for was Ziggler, who ultimately didn't show up.

The lack of a cash-in at WrestleMania left a sour taste in the mouths of fans, but little did they know they'd be rewarded in a big way the next night on Raw.

In typical fashion, Del Rio overcame the odds by beating Swagger and Zeb Colter in a 2-on-1 Handicap match but not before injuring his leg. On hand to take advantage was Dolph Ziggler, whose entrance music sent the crowd into a frenzy.

With a determined look on his face, Ziggler marched down to the ring with his briefcase in tow, and without saying a single word, his intentions were clear: After nine long months, he was finally cashing in his contract for a shot at the world title.

Once the bell rang, Ziggler wasted no time in going right after the injured leg of the champion. However, Del Rio deserves equal credit for valiantly fighting back.

Reversing Del Rio's armbreaker into a Zig-Zag of his own, the Izod Center came unglued as the three count was made that meant the bleached-blonde Superstar was the new World Heavyweight champion. Ziggler's unfortunate injury prevented the aftermath from being great, but as a moment, it was magnificent.

3. Shawn Michaels Has Left the Building (March 29, 2010)

After coming up short against the Undertaker at WrestleMania 25, Shawn Michaels spent an entire year obsessing over the loss. It wasn't until he cost Taker the World Heavyweight Championship in February 2010 that he was finally granted a rematch on the grand stage.

In arguably the greatest main event in WrestleMania history, Micheals fought courageously to become the one to finally end Undertaker's undefeated streak, but it was to no avail. The Deadman sealed HBK's fate with a Tombstone, ending the almost 25-year career of the future WWE Hall of Famer.

WrestleMania 26 concluded with Michaels waving goodbye to the audience, but that wouldn't be the last time we'd see him before he rode off into the sunset. He was given the chance to bid his final farewell on the next night's Raw, a show dedicated entirely to his legendary career.

At the conclusion of the show, Michaels thanked his fans one final time. The segment didn't have the same pomp and circumstance as Ric Flair's retirement ceremony two years earlier, but it was still an emotional moment when HBK embraced his best friend Triple H at the top of the stage.

The WWE hasn't been the same since Michaels decided to call it a day.

2. Brock Lesnar Returns to Raw (April 2, 2012)

Coming off of a successful WrestleMania 28, excitement was at an all-time high going into the subsequent edition of Raw. It didn't disappoint, either, as WWE pulled out all the stops for their first show of the new wrestling year.

From the Rock electrifying the audience to CM Punk defending his WWE Championship, it was already a night of epic proportions, but it was just getting started.

Closing out the night was John Cena addressing his loss to Rock at the Showcase of the Immortals the previous night. There was speculation among fans that he'd call out the Great One before challenging him to a rematch at WrestleMania 29, but thankfully, that wasn't the case.

Instead, out came Brock Lesnar, making his first WWE appearance in over eight years.

When his entrance music hit the arena, one of the biggest reactions in modern WWE history ensued. This was only months removed from Lesnar retiring from the UFC.

It would have been a monumental moment if it ended right there and then, but Lesnar went on to reestablish himself as a force to be reckoned with by laying out Cena with an F-5, much to the enjoyment of the crowd.

Three years later, Lesnar is still one of WWE's hottest acts, and it all started with this return the night after WrestleMania.

1. Ric Flair Retires (March 31, 2008)

A day removed from being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, Ric Flair battled against Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24. With his career on the line, he held nothing back, but unfortunately for Flair, HBK's resiliency was too much to overcome.

Accompanied by the iconic words, "I'm sorry. I love you," Michaels nailed Flair with a Sweet Chin Music to conclude the career of the Nature Boy. There was no better way for Flair to go out, but it wasn't the final farewell he'd receive before hanging up his boots for good.

On Monday's Raw, everyone from all walks of life came to celebrate his career. From Flair's family and his Four Horsemen stablemates to even the Undertaker, no one was excluded.

Of course, in typical Flair fashion, tears were shed, but this time around, he wasn't the only one. Everyone watching worldwide was a blubbering mess as they let it sink in that they'd never again be able to see Flair compete in a WWE ring.

As seen on this list, there have been several history-making moments that have gone down the night after WrestleMania, but nothing comes close to topping this specific segment. The raw emotion Flair exuded on that night capped off the career of one of the best of all time, and it just doesn't get any better than that.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website at Next Era Wrestling and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.

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