Beginning last week, we’ve seen random episodes from 2002 and 2003 come trickling in. With them appearing in daily bursts, it can be hard to keep track of just what we’re getting. So, here is the complete list of 44 episodes added so far, split into the two shows:
I’m sure many are wondering why these episodes have just randomly appeared. Why start in the middle of RAW and transition over to SmackDown, carrying well on into 2003? Brock Lesnar.
All signs are pointing to this being a huge upload of Brock Lesnar’s original stint with WWE. Yes, that could mean that the blue brand episodes could be uploaded all the way up to WrestleMania XX! There’s no concrete proof at this point, but assuming that SmackDown’s 2003 is going to continue to fill out, why WWE wouldn’t complete the set? The promotional timing for Hell in a Cell is perfect and a plug for “Brock Lesnar’s entire career on-demand” seems too good to pass up.
Another question some may have is why we got no hint of this incoming upload frenzy? WWE usually drop some kind of announcement, even if only briefly. Well, they actually did – although not in the obvious way. Four months ago, WWE sent out a survey asking respondents what kind of content they would like to see on the WWE Network. One section offered various themed collections to be considered, the most topical being “SmackDown: The Year of Brock Lesnar”:
This screenshot above is shown here with permission from a WWE Network subreddit. You can find the Reddit post with more details and images from the survey here. You may even find some interesting glimpses into the future of WWE Network Vault uploads. Of course, if you wish to know when that potential content has arrived, be sure to stay glued to WDN!
Watch all of this content and the upcoming Hell in a Cell 2015 PPV on the WWE Network for only $9.99 per month. Your first month is FREE! Click here to subscribe to the WWE Network.
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Under the origianl section, it only has 2015 and 2014. I was about 2 watch the rise and fall documentaries and my ps3 frooze amd when I went back to that section they were no longer available.
These new uploads are great. The only edits I noticed so far is some of the sponsors have been removed from the PPV match cards such as Starburst, Snickers, and Castrol GTX.
Yeah, these are great. However someone on reddit posted that the Feb 6, 2003 SD episode has about 3 minute cut which was a Benoit/Angle promo where Benoit talks about how happy his wife and kids were about his match at Royal Rumble and Angle interrupts. This is not shown on the Network which is kind of surprising since Benoit is featured pretty heavily on all Network content.
I noticed some SD episodes are pretty short, like the episode with Lesnar vs. Stephanie is only about 1 hour 5 minutes and some 2002 and 2003 are about 1 hour 10-15 minutes. Not sure what else is really cut unless these are how the episodes aired on original dates and there were just lot of commercials cut.
There’s also an edit to the February 13, 2003 episode of SmackDown where Kanyon is dressed up like Boy George and singing “Do You Really Wanna Hurt Me”. It’s a bizarre edit because on the unedited version Undertaker opens the box and out come Kanyon singing for about 30 seconds before Taker beats him up. The way they edited this, Taker opens the box and then instead of Kanyon singing, they dub in him yelling “Who betta than Kanyon?” And then they dub in an old Kanyon promo about someone who is better than Kanyon before Taker beats him up. You have to watch the original version and then see this. It’s one of the weirdest edits I’ve ever seen them make.
Thats actually pretty funny, have to watch that episode now.
But seems like these songs or parodies used are getting the episodes removed and/or edited. Now it makes sense why the missing 2012 and 2013 RAW episode with the Rock Concert is not on the Network, even though the Rock Concert segments have been on DVD/Blu-ray.
its about damn time!!! they add 2002 sd and raw i miss that year. NOW they just need to add ECW!! from 07 to 2010, ecw was not that bad, at times it was but 09 ecw was so damn good also they need to start adding thunder and sunday night heat be nice to see
It would’ve been better if they just continued uploading the shows in order. On Raw they made it up to November 1999 and then stopped. SmackDown made it to March 2000 I believe. WWE keeps comparing the Network to Netflix. The big difference is Netflix doesn’t upload a series and then skip right from season 4 to season 7. People like to binge watch shows in order.
its funny benoit is on the network, yet they wont add him on dvds unless its like complication ones they did with ladder match dvd or rumble summerslam anthologys or elimination chamber
I think the thing is, the performers on their respective career perspective sets, do not want to be associated with Benoit. Or, at least, that’s the company’s politic.
The first ladder match compilation, the Royal Rumble anthology set and the Wrestlemania Anthology set were all put together before the tragedy occurred.
The Summerslam anthology set is what it is: an anthology view, hence, they left – as far as I know – everything intact.
Not having Benoit matches on especially Jericho’s sets and Eddie’s Viva la Raza may leave gapes in those performers career perspective. But, that means detour to finding matches on the Network or in other disc-sets, so at least it’s not all erased. 🙂
“…the performers on their respective career perspective sets, do not want to be associated with Benoit.”
I don’t believe that for one second. Most wrestlers have fondly remembered their memories of him in interviews and often talk about how it’s a shame his career has got swept under the rug after the tragedy. And it makes perfect sense. Do you really think it was Orton’s call to cut down his first title win down to a minor footnote in the documentary for his DVD years ago with the only footage shown being his entrance and him holding the title? He even expressed his disappointment on twitter.
“its funny benoit is on the network, yet they wont add him on dvds unless its like complication ones they did with ladder match dvd or rumble summerslam anthologys or elimination chamber”
actually that’s pretty much the same thing. they won’t upload anything that put the focus on him and only include him in things that are meant to be “complete”/”in full” – that’s why it makes sense that he is included in the Anthology dvds… no matter if it’s regarding ppvs or a complete collection of a certain match type.
(and btw: afaik the “Ladder Match” dvd compilation you mentioned was released at the beginning of June of 2007, so the murder-suicide hadn’t happened yet)
They have actually put out plenty of shows where he’s the main focus on the Network, they just don’t mention him directly in the description but still allude to it if he’s in the main event or another prominent match. (like for Backlash 2004, they say “HHH and HBK participate in a triple threat match for the World Title”)
That includes several of the Smackdown episodes from 2002-2003 when he’s in the main event.
Love the bulk uploads of RAW and SD…i hope for completion sake they will upload the remaining 2002 RAWs and SD.
The survey also mentioned about Triple H as well with his rise and dominance up to the Two Man Power trip…so looks like complete 2000 RAW and SD will be up as well and most of 2001 (up to his quad injury) I assume.
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here comes the pain
I wonder why in the originals section of the network, why they took out all of the content. I was watching all of the documentaries.
Not sure what you mean. I iust checked and everything is still there.
Under the origianl section, it only has 2015 and 2014. I was about 2 watch the rise and fall documentaries and my ps3 frooze amd when I went back to that section they were no longer available.
This is probably just your own error by the sounds of it – check the “WWE BEYOND THE RING” section to find DVD documentaries like those.
“Everything will be Uncut and Unedited on the 9.99 WWE Network”! Stephanie McMahon promoting the Network!
yeeeeeeeeep!
I notice in the Lesnar summary, it says “the legendary Hulk Hogan”, not “Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan.”
Wow. Just wow. They really did it. Disgusting and completely tarnishes their Hall of Fame.
Nope. That description was sent out back in June, a month before Hogan was fired. People just looking ti make something out of nothing.
Ahhh OK. Good then. Would be shameful if Hogan was removed. May as well close it if they did.
The Kanyon edit is ridiculous. They may as well just cut the segment completely.
These new uploads are great. The only edits I noticed so far is some of the sponsors have been removed from the PPV match cards such as Starburst, Snickers, and Castrol GTX.
Yeah, these are great. However someone on reddit posted that the Feb 6, 2003 SD episode has about 3 minute cut which was a Benoit/Angle promo where Benoit talks about how happy his wife and kids were about his match at Royal Rumble and Angle interrupts. This is not shown on the Network which is kind of surprising since Benoit is featured pretty heavily on all Network content.
I noticed some SD episodes are pretty short, like the episode with Lesnar vs. Stephanie is only about 1 hour 5 minutes and some 2002 and 2003 are about 1 hour 10-15 minutes. Not sure what else is really cut unless these are how the episodes aired on original dates and there were just lot of commercials cut.
I hate edits but if Benoit is talking about his wife and kids in a promo, I think that’s fair enough to cut it! That’s a little too much.
There’s also an edit to the February 13, 2003 episode of SmackDown where Kanyon is dressed up like Boy George and singing “Do You Really Wanna Hurt Me”. It’s a bizarre edit because on the unedited version Undertaker opens the box and out come Kanyon singing for about 30 seconds before Taker beats him up. The way they edited this, Taker opens the box and then instead of Kanyon singing, they dub in him yelling “Who betta than Kanyon?” And then they dub in an old Kanyon promo about someone who is better than Kanyon before Taker beats him up. You have to watch the original version and then see this. It’s one of the weirdest edits I’ve ever seen them make.
Do a Google search for Undertaker-Kanyon-Boy George to watch the original version. Its one of the first videos that pops up.
Thats actually pretty funny, have to watch that episode now.
But seems like these songs or parodies used are getting the episodes removed and/or edited. Now it makes sense why the missing 2012 and 2013 RAW episode with the Rock Concert is not on the Network, even though the Rock Concert segments have been on DVD/Blu-ray.
its about damn time!!! they add 2002 sd and raw i miss that year. NOW they just need to add ECW!! from 07 to 2010, ecw was not that bad, at times it was but 09 ecw was so damn good also they need to start adding thunder and sunday night heat be nice to see
Now to find that episode where Zach Gowan got his ass kicked while strapped to a stretcher
It would’ve been better if they just continued uploading the shows in order. On Raw they made it up to November 1999 and then stopped. SmackDown made it to March 2000 I believe. WWE keeps comparing the Network to Netflix. The big difference is Netflix doesn’t upload a series and then skip right from season 4 to season 7. People like to binge watch shows in order.
Is Benoit in these episodes or are they edited?
Benoit is all over the Network. They never edit him out of anything.
its funny benoit is on the network, yet they wont add him on dvds unless its like complication ones they did with ladder match dvd or rumble summerslam anthologys or elimination chamber
I think the thing is, the performers on their respective career perspective sets, do not want to be associated with Benoit. Or, at least, that’s the company’s politic.
The first ladder match compilation, the Royal Rumble anthology set and the Wrestlemania Anthology set were all put together before the tragedy occurred.
The Summerslam anthology set is what it is: an anthology view, hence, they left – as far as I know – everything intact.
Not having Benoit matches on especially Jericho’s sets and Eddie’s Viva la Raza may leave gapes in those performers career perspective. But, that means detour to finding matches on the Network or in other disc-sets, so at least it’s not all erased. 🙂
“…the performers on their respective career perspective sets, do not want to be associated with Benoit.”
I don’t believe that for one second. Most wrestlers have fondly remembered their memories of him in interviews and often talk about how it’s a shame his career has got swept under the rug after the tragedy. And it makes perfect sense. Do you really think it was Orton’s call to cut down his first title win down to a minor footnote in the documentary for his DVD years ago with the only footage shown being his entrance and him holding the title? He even expressed his disappointment on twitter.
“its funny benoit is on the network, yet they wont add him on dvds unless its like complication ones they did with ladder match dvd or rumble summerslam anthologys or elimination chamber”
actually that’s pretty much the same thing. they won’t upload anything that put the focus on him and only include him in things that are meant to be “complete”/”in full” – that’s why it makes sense that he is included in the Anthology dvds… no matter if it’s regarding ppvs or a complete collection of a certain match type.
(and btw: afaik the “Ladder Match” dvd compilation you mentioned was released at the beginning of June of 2007, so the murder-suicide hadn’t happened yet)
They have actually put out plenty of shows where he’s the main focus on the Network, they just don’t mention him directly in the description but still allude to it if he’s in the main event or another prominent match. (like for Backlash 2004, they say “HHH and HBK participate in a triple threat match for the World Title”)
That includes several of the Smackdown episodes from 2002-2003 when he’s in the main event.
Love the bulk uploads of RAW and SD…i hope for completion sake they will upload the remaining 2002 RAWs and SD.
The survey also mentioned about Triple H as well with his rise and dominance up to the Two Man Power trip…so looks like complete 2000 RAW and SD will be up as well and most of 2001 (up to his quad injury) I assume.