What happens to WWE in Vegas?
Tonight at 8/7 CT, the squared circle will once again take the entertainment capital of the world by storm, as WWE presents “Sin City SmackDown” from Las Vegas! (FULL SMACKDOWN COVERAGE)
Whenever WWE passes through Vegas, things always end up taking a turn for the unusual. In the advent of Raw Roulette in 2002, then-General Manager Eric Bischoff placed a variety of match stipulations on a roulette wheel, spinning it to decide the fate of each match that night. Superstars quickly found themselves at the cruel mercy of the wheel, whether they were made to compete in brutal matches like Tables, Ladders and Chairs or something much stranger. (RAW ROULETTE PHOTOS)
Take William Regal, for example. In the same Raw Roulette event, The English Superstar pleaded with Bischoff to skip the spin of the wheel and let him just have a normal match against Goldust. The General Manager would not bend, spinning the wheel to determine the fate of the two opponents. When it landed on “Vegas Showgirl Match,” Bischoff, with a wry smile, explained that the competitors would be doing battle in gaudy showgirl outfits.
While The Bizarre One reveled in the opportunity to put a few extra feathers on, Regal tried mightily to avoid the embarrassment. Security had to drag the British Superstar into the arena, where he struggled to walk down the ramp in ruby-red heels while adjusting his sparkling bra as the Las Vegas crowd laughed.
Not even The Game was safe from the wheel. On that same night in Vegas, then-World Heavyweight Champion Triple H was forced to face D’Lo Brown in a Blindfold Match, something only seen a handful of times throughout WWE history. The Cerebral Assassin lived up to his nickname that night, outsmarting his opponent – with an assist from Ric Flair that allowed him to lift his blindfold and claim victory.
Nearly nine years later, the Raw Roulette wheel would still be wreaking havoc in Vegas. It provided a favorable position for Kofi Kingston, giving The Dreadlocked Dynamo a “Player’s Choice” of stipulations for his match against Dolph Ziggler. The high flyer chose to ban Vickie Guerrero from ringside, evening the odds and helping Kingston gain a victory over his rival in Sin City.
Still, the most infamous moment in Raw Roulette would have nothing to do with the spin of a wheel. CM Punk had promised that he would be doing something major as the expiration of his WWE contract approached. The Straight Edge Superstar lived up to that promise on this night. After costing WWE Champion John Cena his Tables Match against R-Truth during the main event of Raw Roulette 2011, Punk grabbed a microphone.
The Second City Saint then marched to the top of the stage, sat down, crossed his legs and went on a tirade, targeting WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon, COO Triple H and the WWE Universe. The shockwaves of Punk’s rant are still being felt to this day and have brought the Chicago native two WWE Championship reigns.
If Raw Roulette is any indication of what can happen when the WWE comes to Las Vegas, then expect the unexpected this Friday night. There’s already two major contests set to take place. Daniel Bryan will defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Mark Henry and Wade Barrett will try to tame the wild temper of The Great White, Sheamus.
Anything can happen in WWE, and that seems to be especially true in Las Vegas. Tune in to see what weird, wild and exciting things will take place on “Sin City SmackDown,” tonight at 8/7C on SyFy.
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