Changes

==History==

==History==

===The Monday Night Wars===

===The Monday Night Wars===

When Raw premiered in 1993, it retained the family-friendly image that the then-WWF 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 heel stable the New World Order (nWo), and Hulk Hogan subsequently turning heel, ''Nitro'' would go on an 84-week winning streak against ''Raw''.  In response, the WWF 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 the WWF and Pillman to apologize for the incident.

When Raw premiered in 1993, it retained the family-friendly image that the then-WWF 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 heel stable the New World Order (nWo), and Hulk Hogan subsequently turning heel, ''Nitro'' would go on an 84-week winning streak against ''Raw''.  In response, the WWF 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 Pillman responded to Austin's invasion by threatening him with a gun.  Pillman was also heard using the f-word during the segment.  In response, the USA Network forced the WWF and Pillman to apologize for the incident.

The rebranding of the WWF would become more apparent during 1997, during which time rival hardcore wrestling promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) invaded Raw.  On February 3, 1997, ''Raw'' switched to a two-hour format.  On March 10, 1997, ''Raw'' was renamed ''Raw is War'', and used shock rock musician [[Marilyn Manson]]'s "The Beautiful People" for it's theme song.  A week later, Bret Hart went on a profanity-laden tirade when company owner and announcer Vince McMahon attempted to interview him after Hart lost his WWF Championship to Sid Vicious thanks to interference by Austin, with Hart's rant being the result of his contention that the then-heel Austin's outrageous actions against him always went unpunished.  Much of the segment went uncensored.

The rebranding of the WWF would become more apparent during 1997, during which time rival hardcore wrestling promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) invaded Raw.  On February 3, 1997, ''Raw'' switched to a two-hour format.  On March 10, 1997, ''Raw'' was renamed ''Raw is War'', and used shock rock musician [[Marilyn Manson]]'s "The Beautiful People" for it's theme song.  A week later, Bret Hart went on a profanity-laden tirade when company owner and announcer Vince McMahon attempted to interview him after Hart lost his WWF Championship to Sid Vicious thanks to interference by Austin, with Hart's rant being the result of his contention that the then-heel Austin's outrageous actions against him always went unpunished.  Much of the segment went uncensored.