My Two Favorite Moments in 25 Years of Monday Night Raw (Part 2)

It's official, today is the day we have longed for. Today is Raw 25 and nobody is intrigued of what will be going down more than I am. And like many, I decided to look back at my favorite moments in the show's history and I had two that came to mind. Of course, you already know what one of them is since you read it in my last article... right? Well, the other favorite moment in Raw's 25 years was another easy pick for me. This one was about an honest man taking his actions just a little too far in order to right the wrongs of another man.

I think you know what I'm getting at here. June 9, 2008. Episode #785. Monday Night Raw was live in Oakland, California. The crowd was hot all show and the biggest story going into the night was Mr. McMahon giving out a million dollars every show. No, that last part isn't a joke. But by the end of the night, nobody was talking about that. By the end of the night, everybody was simply talking about Chris Jericho's biggest and baddest heel turn of his career.

Jericho and Michaels had been teasing a serious feud for weeks prior to this. One of the PPV they were featured in saw Michaels fake a knee injury against Batista as Jericho watched on as the guest referee. Let's not forget to mention that Michaels denied faking the injury which triggered Jericho. Jericho just could not understand how the audience can be lied to in their faces and still cheer for Michaels. In his words, "It seems like our fans, even the ones here, would rather boo an honest man and cheer for you."

Michaels had the perfect expression throughout all of this, almost as if he knew he was in the wrong. Jericho was also perfect in his role, sounding frustrated that the crowd would not stop cheering Michaels as they would even boo Jericho at times. Finally, Jericho said enough was enough. No more nice guy because he was ready to make sure Michaels was going to pay for his actions.

Jericho's tone went from frustrated to downright dark, "My question is this. How does Shawn Michaels, HBK, one of the greatest performers of all time and one of the most highly decorated superstars in the history of this business turn into such a lying, cheating, pathetic little worm of a human being?"

Bam.

Jericho attacks Michaels quickly after and while Michaels did his best to withstand the attack, a low blow stopped Michaels dead in his tracks. The look of a helpless Michaels breathing profusely was a sad sight as Jericho grabbed him and said, "The worst is yet to come." Jericho then slammed Michaels right through his famous Jeritron. Almost reminiscent of Michaels throwing Marty Jannetty through the glass window. The sound of Michaels' face cracking against the screen was almost disheartening to watch. After this segment, you knew that these two had something big in the works.

This is easily the biggest moment of Jericho's career and perhaps the said can be said for Michaels. It would catapult them into having the best feud of the year. But that is irrelevant for the moment. This is a moment where time stood still. Maybe it was obvious that Jericho was eventually going to turn heel but nobody (and I mean nobody) had no idea that it would come in such a brutal fashion.

25 years of Monday Night Raw and I think it's pretty obvious what my two favorite moments are. What are yours?

- Ray