Jan. 23 (UPI) -- WWE celebrated Raw's 25th anniversary Monday with a special star-studded show that featured the return of wrestling legends and a championship bout.
The show was kicked off by the McMahon family at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn as Raw and Smackdown commissioners Stephanie and Shane welcomed their father, Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, to the ring.
Vince, after being presented with a plaque to commemorate Raw's 25th anniversary and after receiving a "thank you" chant from the live audience, quickly dived back into his old villainous ways where he mocked WWE fans and proclaimed that he single-handily created Raw without anyone's help.
Vince's rant was finally ended with the sound of glass shattering as Stone Cold Steve Austin returned and quickly entered the ring. Vince, knowing that a Stone Cold Stunner was on the way, pleaded with his old rival not to attack him as he was now brittle and considered a senior citizen.
Vince offered up his much younger son Shane instead which prompted Austin to deliver a Stone Cold Stunner to the prodigal son. After sharing a beer and a hug with Vince, the boss finally received a Stone Cold Stunner as well. Austin, who celebrated by drinking more beers, delivered another Stone Cold Stunner to Shane after he recovered.
Raw 25 also took place inside the Manhattan Center where the first Raw was held in 1993. The Undertaker, who competed on the first episode, also returned and delivered an speech about how he dominated a number of WWE legends during his career.
"Stone Cold answered to the reaper. Mick Foley answered to the reaper. Even my own flesh and blood Kane answered to the reaper," The Undertaker said. "I declare for all of those who have fallen, it is truly time...you rest in peace!"
In terms of matches, Intercontinental Champion Roman Reigns defended his title against The Miz who entered the arena by interrupting a presentation honoring past general managers including John Laurinaitis, William Regal, Eric Bischoff and current Smackdown leader Daniel Bryan.
As The Miz made his way down to the ring, he shared a stare down with Bryan, reigniting the pair's long-running feud.
The ensuing match featured The Miz using his Miztourage consisting of Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel effectively to gain the upper hand against Reigns. The referee, tired of their antics, began to throw out the Miztourage which led to the A-lister planting The Big Dog with a Skull-Crushing Finale for a close two count.
Reigns was defeated, however, after he missed a spear and crash-landed into an exposed turnbuckle that The Miz had set up earlier. The Miz then landed a second Skull-Crushing Finale for the three count to become the new Intercontinental Champion.
To close out Raw 25, Universal Champion Brock Lesnar met with his Royal Rumble opponents Braun Strowman and Kane in front of a ring that was being guarded by the Raw locker room and a number of WWE legends.
After Lesnar's advocate Paul Heyman said that The Beast was there to fight, a brawl broke out between the three giant rivals. Lesnar clotheslined Strowman out of the ring before delivering an F-5 to Kane, but he was quickly confronted by The Monster Among Men once again.
Strowman sent Lesnar outside the ring and ended things by sending the Universal Champion through the announce table with a Running Powerslam. Lesnar, Strowman and Kane meet in a Triple Threat Match for the Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble on Sunday.
Other moments from Raw 25 included Asuka, Sasha Banks, Bayley and Mickie James defeating Nia Jax, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville and Alicia Fox; Raw Tag Team Champions Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan appearing on The Peep Show hosted by WWE legend Christian; Bray Wyatt defeating Woken Matt Hardy; John Cena confronting Elias after a performance where he was taken out with a guitar; Heath Slater and Rhyno vs. Titus Worldwide ending in a No Contest with Slater being put through a table by WWE legends The Dudley Boyz; and Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson defeating The Revival after sharing a moment in the ring with their partner Finn Balor; Scott Hall and D-Generation X consisting of Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Road Dogg, Billy Gunn and X-Pac.
