5 WWE Shows You Forgot Were On USA

 With WWE moving their flagship show Monday Night Raw to Netflix in a week, I started thinking about how long the WWE and USA network have been in business together. Going back 40 plus years with RAW airing for 26 years on the network in two stints 1993-2000 and 2005-2024. I'm one who believes the two companies need each other, and even through the various regimes the USA network has had they always considered the WWE a integral partner.  

Since I'm a nostalgic person I went down the rabbit hole of all WWE programming that has aired on the USA network. Here are 5 WWE programs that aired you may not remember.

5. All-American Wrestling

This show debuted in September of 1983 right before WWF's popularity exploded on a national level. It was primarily a recap show hosted by various personalities such as Mean Gene Okerlund, Bobby The Brain Heenan, Lord Alfred Hayes, Macho Man and Johnny Polo (Raven) among others. Commentary clips and segments accompanied the matches. One notable aspect in it's later years was Bobby Heenan and Mean Gene "on location" visiting various landmarks, to drive home the "All-American" aspect of the title. The series ended in 1994.

4. Sunday Night Slam

In the early 90's USA use to broadcast specials ahead of WWF's big pay-per-views March To Wrestlemania, Summerslam Spectacular, and Survivor Series Showdown. These special's were nothing more than last minute hype machines for the pay-per-views, but did feature quality matches. In 1994 Sunday Night Slam became the hype special's for the big pay-per-views. Airing on USA they were 30 minute programs, and after 3 airings ending in 1995 it morphed into the Free For All that aired on the prevue channel before pay-per-views.

3. Am RAW

A.M. Raw was a late night Saturday morning recap show that covered major events that happened during that weeks Monday Night Raw. It was highly condensed and a cheap attempt to recreate Livewire without any of the effort to be LiveWire. It debuted in October 2005 when the WWE returned to USA network after their deal with Viacom ended, and surprisingly lasted until 2014 amidst a changing media landscape.

2. WWF Mania 

Another recap show that was a precursor to LiveWire honestly. Debuting in January of '93 around the same time as Raw, the show was hosted by Todd Pettengill and served as a recap show of Raw's events. It also had exclusive matches for the program with matches called by Lord Alfred Hayes and Sean Mooney, before switching to a rotation of commentators. The show also allowed viewers to call in and interact with Todd live on air. The perfect testing ground for the show that would replace it just a couple years later.

1. WWF Action Zone

                                           

Debuting in 1994 and effectively replacing All-American Wrestling, initially the show kept true to it's name. The entire hour long show was just matches non-stop, with the first episode featuring the main event of Bret vs Owen Hart. Gradually over time that concept died down and became another recap show ending in 1996 with WWF Superstars taking it's place coming over from syndication.