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→The Monday Night Wars
==History==
==History==
==The Monday Night Wars==
When Raw premiered in 1993, it retained the family-friendly image that WWE was known for at the time. However, in September 1995, WCW launched Nitro, which would compete with Raw for ratings supremacy. As WCW's product changed with the introduction of the nWo, and Hulk Hogan subsequently turning heel, Nitro would go on an 84-week winning streak against Raw. In response, WWE would begin to change their product from being family-friendly, to being more adult-oriented, similar to the Jerry Springer show, which had become very popular at the time. A controversial segment aired on the November 4, 1996 edition of Raw would be a foreshadowing of sorts of things to come. In the segment, Stone Cold Steve Austin broke into Brian Pillman's house, and threatened him with a gun. Pillman was also heard using the f-word during the segment. In response, the USA Network forced WWE and Pillman to apologize for the incident.
When Raw premiered in 1993, it retained the family-friendly image that WWE was known for at the time. However, in September 1995, WCW launched Nitro, which would compete with Raw for ratings supremacy. As WCW's product changed with the introduction of the nWo, and Hulk Hogan subsequently turning heel, Nitro would go on an 84-week winning streak against Raw. In response, WWE would begin to change their product from being family-friendly, to being more adult-oriented, similar to the Jerry Springer show, which had become very popular at the time. A controversial segment aired on the November 4, 1996 edition of Raw would be a foreshadowing of sorts of things to come. In the segment, Stone Cold Steve Austin broke into Brian Pillman's house, and threatened him with a gun. Pillman was also heard using the f-word during the segment. In response, the USA Network forced WWE and Pillman to apologize for the incident.
The episode of Raw had been taped a week prior, and WWE had even acknowledged the title change on their website. However, immediately after the comment was made, 600,000 viewers switched from Nitro to Raw. On the same Nitro, Goldberg had been arrested for stalking Miss Elizabeth, and a returning Hulk Hogan challenged Nash, which he accepted. As the match began, Hogan looked as if he was getting ready to hit Nash, only to just touch him with his finger. Hogan got the pinfall, and won the match. This eventually became known as the Fingerpoke of Doom, and in the eyes of many, was the beginning of the downfall of WCW.
The episode of Raw had been taped a week prior, and WWE had even acknowledged the title change on their website. However, immediately after the comment was made, 600,000 viewers switched from Nitro to Raw. On the same Nitro, Goldberg had been arrested for stalking Miss Elizabeth, and a returning Hulk Hogan challenged Nash, which he accepted. As the match began, Hogan looked as if he was getting ready to hit Nash, only to just touch him with his finger. Hogan got the pinfall, and won the match. This eventually became known as the Fingerpoke of Doom, and in the eyes of many, was the beginning of the downfall of WCW.
==The Invasion==
On the March 26, 2001 edition of ''Raw is War'', it was announced that WWE had purchased WCW. After the last episode of ''Nitro'' aired, a simulcast began on USA and TNT. In storyline, Vince McMahon came out to gloat about his purchase of WCW, when Shane McMahon came out on Nitro to announce that he had purchased WCW from under his father's nose. This was done to further a storyline between Vince and Shane McMahon, as the two were to have a match at ''WrestleMania X-Seven'', the largest show of the year, which was just six days away.