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It will forever be known as the "Milan Miracle." On the night of April 16, 2007 in Milan, Italy, Mr. McMahon issued a challenge to anyone in the audience to battle the reigning Intercontinental Champion, Umaga, in a title match. As expected, no one was itching to face the Samoan Bulldozer.


Originally, Beth burst onto the Raw scene in May 2006. Coming through the crowd, she attacked then-Women's Champion Mickie James. James was able to escape Phoenix and yelled "What are you doing here!?" as she left the ramp. In the days to come, WWE fans would learn more about Beth Phoenix. Former Women's Champion Trish Stratus introduced Beth as an old friend of Mickie James, and insinuated that in the past, James had wronged her. Two weeks after Beth's first appearance, Stratus officially introduced her as the newest Raw Diva. Beth then welcomed herself to Raw by once again attacking Mickie James from behind, chasing her through the crowd and out of the arena. The following week, Beth made her in-ring debut, teaming with Torrie Wilson to defeat Candice & Victoria as James looked on from outside the ring.


When she debuted on June 13, 2006, Kelly Kelly became the youngest Diva in all of sports-entertainment. A self-proclaimed exhibitionist, she put on strip shows dubbed "Kelly Kelly's Exposé" for our fans and won several body competitions.


Growing up on the dangerous streets of urban Orangeburg, S.C., Shelton Benjamin felt pressure to join gangs. He lived in an area known for drug trafficking and weapons use, hung out with drug dealers and even found himself in the crossfire of several gunfights. To say that life was rough is an understatement, and Shelton admits that he could have easily slipped through the cracks and fallen into the traps of his hometown. But rather than ending up on the wrong side of the tracks, he exceeded everyone's expectations; instead of getting caught up in the drugs and violence, Shelton got his life on track. An exceptional athlete, Shelton won two South Carolina state high school heavyweight wrestling championships. He was accepted to the University of Minnesota, continuing his career as a stand-out amateur wrestler and eventually becoming a WWE Superstar. And after all he went through early on in life, it's no wonder that Benjamin is so self-confident in the squared circle.


Hailing from the tropical climate of the Caribbean Sea, Jamaican Superstar Kofi Kingston brings unique in-ring abilities, style and lingo to Raw. For weeks, WWE fans were offered a glimpse into Kingston's island paradise where the vibrant Superstar took troublesome matters into his own capable hands. Mixing it up with his lightning quick arsenal while maintaining his bright, amiable smile, Kofi undoubtedly made ECW his own private Island of the Extreme


Let's be honest: hailing from the rolling hills and broad valleys that constitute West Newbury, Mass., will likely never earn you "street cred" -- unless, of course, you're John Cena. Then again, it didn't happen overnight for him, either. Long before he became the Dr. of Thuganomics, young Cena had to endure the neighborhood rocker kids' taunts about his baggy pants and rayon Kwamé shirts. His love for freestyling lyrics about rebellion and individualism just didn't fit within the small rural community. By the time he turned 15, however, those same kids would stop teasing him, for it became apparent that Cena had been developing another passion: hitting the gym. After applying to more than 60 colleges (and being accepted by 58), Cena attended Massachusetts' Springfield College, where he excelled as a Division III All-American offensive lineman and team captain for the Pride. But as much as he fondly remembers his college football accomplishments, he's equally as proud of earning his degree in Exercise Physiology, which he attributes to making him a smarter, more durable performer in the ring today.

There is one thing you can say about Chris Jericho: The guy sure knows how to make an entrance.

His WWE debut in 1999 as the man behind the mysterious Y2J millennium countdown was one of the most memorable moments in sports-entertainment history. But Jericho outdid himself in his "second coming" as the answer to a series of code-encrypted video eight years later. The man who will "Save_US" all is back after a two-year hiatus, and our fans couldn't be happier.

Whether he's been beloved or hated by WWE fans, Jericho has never been at a loss for words. And "Y2J" has backed up every single word he said in his storied career, winning a laundry list of championships and going down in history as the first ever Undisputed WWE Champion.


Luck is for losers, at least according to CM Punk. Even though his arm is literally tattooed with good-luck charms, Punk believes you make your own good fortune through hard work and intense preparation. Growing up in Chicago, the Raw Superstar's childhood consisted of watching the likes of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Jimmy Snuka exchange words, then blows. Such heated rivalries helped Punk realize that sports-entertainment was where he belonged. Adopting the "straightedge" movement—in which one bases their life around personal development, and avoids drugs, alcohol and a dependency lifestyle — Punk has brought his own style to WWE.


Exploding onto the sports-entertainment scene in the mid 1990s, the colorfully masked Rey Mysterio quickly redefined the way the game was played in the ring. From his awe-inspiring West Coast Pop to his trademark 619, Mysterio is on the cutting edge of wrestling excellence. The definitive high-flying Superstar, Mysterio, despite his size, is an innovative underdog that fans of all ages have grown to respect and love.


Dave Batista has been "The Animal" since childhood, in temper if not in name. Raised in a rough part of southeast Washington, D.C., he describes himself as being "a skinny kid with asthma and a bad size complex" — and a penchant for getting into trouble with authorities. He spent a few years in San Francisco after his parents separated, until his mother sent the troubled teen to live with his father in suburban Virginia. By the time he turned 17, he was estranged from both parents, living on his own, and still getting into trouble. For the better part of 10 years, Batista spent his days training and competing as a bodybuilder, and his nights "bouncing in clubs, floating from here to there." (He's still amazed that one club he worked at is less than two blocks from Washington D.C.'s MCI Center, where he defended his World Heavyweight Championship against JBL at SummerSlam in 2005.) His drifting stopped the night he unleashed his explosive temper on two patrons who had attacked his fellow bouncers. "By the time I was finished with them," he relates, "they were lying on the ground with their eyes rolling in the back of their heads. I was very scared they were going to die." They didn't, but the incident did result in Batista's arrest, a year's probation, and his decision to make radical changes in his life.


Growing up on the dangerous streets of urban Orangeburg, S.C., Shelton Benjamin felt pressure to join gangs. He lived in an area known for drug trafficking and weapons use, hung out with drug dealers and even found himself in the crossfire of several gunfights. To say that life was rough is an understatement, and Shelton admits that he could have easily slipped through the cracks and fallen into the traps of his hometown. But rather than ending up on the wrong side of the tracks, he exceeded everyone's expectations; instead of getting caught up in the drugs and violence, Shelton got his life on track. An exceptional athlete, Shelton won two South Carolina state high school heavyweight wrestling championships. He was accepted to the University of Minnesota, continuing his career as a stand-out amateur wrestler and eventually becoming a WWE Superstar. And after all he went through early on in life, it's no wonder that Benjamin is so self-confident in the squared circle.


For a moment, forget all the monikers and catch phrases. Overlook the seemingly countless championships and tournaments he has won. Ignore the fact that he has spearheaded two of the most important factions in WWE history, and overcome what the pundits considered career-ending injuries. You need only two words to properly sum up Triple H: The Game Strong words, especially when one considers the King of Kings was once a 135-pound "beanpole" from Nashua, N.H. But when he received a free one-week membership for a small local gym one summer day, the 14-year-old "gangly" teen's life changed forever. For the next three years, he spent nearly every day in that gym, developing every muscle in his body and transforming himself into a six-foot-four, 210-pound powerhouse. He entered -- and won -- numerous regional bodybuilding competitions, including the prestigious Teen Mr. New Hampshire title at the age of 19. Yet The Game himself admits, "I never seriously considered becoming a pro bodybuilder... My dream was World Wrestling Entertainment."


From the moment his signature gong fills the air, The Undertaker captivates WWE fans by his mere presence. The Deadman from Death Valley is usually a man of few words, but he can intimidate even the toughest WWE Superstars with just one glance. His somber persona has been a terrifying trademark of WWE for nearly two decades and no list of WWE all-time greats can be considered complete without Undertaker. First seen at the 1990 Survivor Series, Undertaker was introduced as the final member of Ted DiBiase's "Million Dollar Team." Since then he has come to be a multiple time WWE and World Heavyweight Champion, and maintained a WrestleMania undefeated streak that stands at an impressive 16-0. The Deadman has defeated such Superstars as Randy Orton, Triple H, "Sycho" Sid, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Bret "Hitman" Hart and Jake "The Snake" Roberts to earn his many titles and keep his WrestleMania streak intact. In October 2007, The Deadman also became the first man to break free from The Great Khali's Vise Grip to defeat the 7-foot-3, 420-pound colossus as well.


Finlay has made his mission clear: he's here to fight. That's exactly what he's going to do, and he's always been good at it. Hailing from the mean streets of Belfast, Northern Ireland, Finlay will tell you that he loves to fight, and this double-tough individual can back up his bravado.

Breaking records, pumping iron and devastating opponents with his unmatched strength, it's no wonder they call Mark Henry the World's Strongest Man.

Mark Henry's rise to fame began in 1992 at the Olympics in Barcelona, where he competed in weightlifting in the super-heavyweight division.

Three years later at the Pan American Games, Henry captured a gold, silver and bronze medal, solidifying his place as one of the strongest men ever to walk the planet. He has also engaged in Strongman competitions, including the 2002 "World's Strongest Man" competition at the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic, where Henry earned first prize.