In anticipation of the 25th Anniversary of Monday Night Raw, Lilian Garcia hosted a multi-guest episode of Chasing Glory where numerous guests discussed their most memorable Raw moments:
Mick Foley:
“The night I won my first WWE title was the most memorable, not only because it was a great moment, at the time, but as a guy nobody ever picked to be WWE champion to the point where I didn’t actually think me being champion was a good idea.
“Rock and I were in a really good rivalry, and I didn’t see how me being the champion added to that. I believed in the chase, and he was a great champion. Mr. McMahon, he wanted to shake things up, and he thought it’d be good for the rivalry and good for Raw, and it turned out with an assist from Eric Bischoff and Tony Schiavone who infamously gave away the outcome, because we were taped every other week. What was meant to harm the show a little bit ended up being a huge assist.
“Not only was it a big moment for me, because I never thought I’d be a WWE champion, but it really changed the way people within the business looked at me overnight. So many changed channels when they heard the outcome that it didn’t spoil it for them, it only made people more excited to see that match.
“I think the match itself, it wasn’t like it was a classic match. It was a good TV match. People can read between the lines, but there wasn’t a lot of planning put into it. It was just me and the Rock having a really good chemistry in the ring and letting things happen in real time.
“People have pointed out the reaction to both my victory and to Steve Austin’s, the crash through the glass and Steve coming down and being part of that match was one of the biggest ovations people have ever heard. Combine that with the great mournful reactions of Mr. McMahon and Shane. I’d gotten the title shot by putting Shane’s health in jeopardy, so he was still selling the shoulder. As the camera faded out, he was going ‘I hate him.’ I think he actually screamed at one point.
“Michael Cole’s call, I think, has been underrated historically. He put so much into that. I think it’s one of the things he’s proudest of.”
Vicki Guerrero:
The thing that made me feel proud to be a part of it was getting engaged to Edge, getting married and getting divorced. I mean, who can do that in one show? That was just such a fun time. Edge was so great to me, just always kind of carrying me under his wing, because I didn’t know anything. I was just like a lost little bird who’s walking around. He really taught me how to be comfortable in the ring. The things we did, it was just fantastic.
“When Vince showed me how to do that heel turn when Edge and I first made out, people were just hating me. I mean, they just couldn’t stand it. I was Eddie’s wife, and here I am going and marrying Edge. It was awesome. I was like ‘I like being a bitch. This is going to be ok.’
“Here I am, the older one, of course, I played ‘The Cougar,’ then to get this hot guy by the name of Edge. People really started hating me for this, and I was like ‘Wait, this is real life stuff that women actually do,’ and to have this wedding that was just horribly planned out with Triple H interrupting and then on Valentine’s Day, Rey Mysterio gave me the 619, it was horrible. I was just like ‘Wow, what girl could ever have been able to do this?’ I felt honored that WWE trusted me. That’s always going to be a highlight to me.”
Ivory:
“It came out really good. It was so fun too, let me tell you. The great thing about a hardcore match, and of course when you arrive at an arena and if your name is on that card, you get jacked up, you’re like ‘Oh great, this is what I’m going to do tonight. This is awesome.’ Then to find out that Torrie and me were going to have a hardcore match was like ‘Whaaat?’
“What was so fun about it for me, is you go around the arena looking for stuff to break. Stuff to smash someone over the head with. I mean, it’s anything goes, you don’t have to be confined in the ring and have it out there in the squared circle. You’re like ‘Let’s have at it.’ Use the dressing rooms, use the showers, use the catering room, use the pots and pans. Whatever you want.
“So it was really fun to walk around a figure out what you wanted to use on your opponent. Evidently, we did ok, because I’ll never forget that we were each given bonuses that night from Vince McMahon himself. He said ‘You guys did so great, that was so entertaining, here you go,’ and that was the one time I ever had that happen and it was really thrilling.”
The episode also included short interviews with D-Von Dudley and Torrie Wilson. To check it out, visit Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia.
Please credit PWPodcasts.com when using any portion of this transcript.
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