WWE’s flagship show has turned 30 years old. Monday Night Raw rebranded itself as Raw is XXX this week, blending both its current roster with legends of yesteryear. The Undertaker shared the ring with Bray Wyatt, Baron Corbin played poker with Ted DiBiase and The Godfather, and D-Generation X was confronted by Imperium. Outside of the live segments, WWE aired a number of promo packages throughout the broadcast that highlighted iconic moments from the past three decades of the red brand. Those highlight reels featured retired and active stars alike, including stars that currently wrestle for other promotions.
Videos by ComicBook.com
That said, not all of WWE’s former stars were given equal spotlight. Taking to Instagram Live, WWE Hall of Famers Nikki and Brie Bella criticized WWE for not showcasing Sasha Banks and Paige during the show.
“Another good memory on Raw. How didn’t they showcase anything from the women’s evolution?” Nikki asked. “Because Sasha Banks is in it and they’re like, we can’t. Mercedes is too over and we can’t say her name.”
“There’s a couple other girls and ‘Raya (Paige),” Brie responded. “There’s a bunch of us they don’t wanna show. That’s fine.”
Banks officially left WWE earlier this month, debuting for New Japan Pro Wrestling at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17, rebranding herself as Mercedes Moné. She and former tag partner Naomi infamously walked out of WWE before a May 2022 episode of Monday Night Raw due to creative frustrations.
Paige currently wrestles for AEW, going by her real name, Saraya. She was forced to retire in Spring 2018 after suffering a neck injury in late 2017, but came out of retirement this past fall at AEW Full Gear once doctors cleared her. During her decade in WWE, Paige was part of a number of memorable moments. She debuted on Monday Night Raw after WWE WrestleMania 30, defeating AJ Lee to win the Divas Championship in her first main roster match.
Beyond the promo packages, WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair cut a live promo where she listed a number of important female superstars that helped evolve the women’s division. She mentioned Ronda Rousey, the Bellas, Asuka, and Rhea Ripley as women she beat to win championships, but made no reference to Banks, despite beating her specifically for multiple titles throughout 2016.
Both Nikki and Brie were advertised for Raw is XXX but ultimately did not appear. PWInsider speculated that there might have been a creative disagreement between the Bellas and WWE regarding what they would be doing on the anniversary show.
