It was Jan. 31, 2000, and RAW IS WAR was live from the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh. As the show kicked off, four men walked to the front row and took their seats."It was a little scary," said Eddie Guerrero, one of the four. "We didn't know how the people were going to react, especially up north."

Because they were wearing street clothes, some fans didn't recognize them. But during the first match, they got involved in the action and ended up in the ring. The fans soon caught on. It was Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko making their World Wrestling Federation debut. It was perhaps the biggest story in the industry in the year 2000. It was exactly one year ago.

Suddenly the Pittsburgh crowd's response was deafening.

"It was quite a rush," Benoit said. "I've always dreamt of working for the WWF, and to actually be at the building and walk out in front of the crowd -- and the crowd was just so loud -- it just sent chills down my spine. To actually accomplish something that I've always dreamed of was quite a good feeling."

The four men, collectively known as the Radicalz, had abruptly left their former employer, World Championship Wrestling (for legal reasons, they can't talk about their departure). Federation officials realized they had an unprecedented opportunity to sign four of the most technically gifted competitors on the planet.

"I've been in this business over 25 years," Jim Ross, head of the Federation's talent relations department, told Raw Magazine last year. "And I've never seen four top-quality talents like this -- with national name identity -- leave one group all at the same time and go to another one."

It didn't take long. Exactly two weeks after leaving WCW, the four men showed up on RAW.

Saturn says that what he remembers most about the night he made his Federation debut is how well organized everything was, and how kind every one was.

"At first, we didn't know if it was a snow job how polite everybody was because we just totally weren't accustomed to that," he said. "As we found out, that's just how it is here. The talent's treated very good here."

Getting used to a harmonious locker room wasn't the only change. There are things that most fans don't even think about, but are important to the superstars.

"I've been able to find the gym in every town, and I only got lost a handful of times going to the new buildings," Saturn said. "We run a lot of the same towns as WCW, but different venues, so it's different getting to places. And we were all able to find our way around."

Then there's the Federation program itself. In-ring style is different, microphone skills are more emphasized.

"I think there were a lot of learning experiences for all of us, especially in terms of style in the ring," said Guerrero, who has been European and Intercontinental Champion and is currently out nursing various injuries. "Here in the WWF, the fans are more in tune to your character, they're more in tune to your facial expressions, they're more in tune to your reactions in the ring."

Guerrero added that he's received more of an opportunity to do interviews than ever before, and he thinks he's improved dramatically in that respect as well. Indeed, when all four Radicalz arrived in the Federation, some critics suggested that they wouldn't succeed, as the Federation is all about "entertainment," and in the past, the Radicalz had been merely "wrestlers."

One year later, they've succeeded with flying colors.

"I've always stuck to my guns that a wrestler can make it in an entertainment field," Malenko said, "and I had more to offer than just my wrestling skills."

Malenko's father, the late Professor Boris Malenko, worked for Vincent J. McMahon, father of the current Federation owner, and Dean said he's always wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and work for the McMahon family.

But Malenko wasn't positive that things would work out in the Federation. When he arrived last year, he told Raw Magazine, "Three months from now, I might regret coming here. Who's to say? But at least I stood up for what I believed in and took a chance."

Today Malenko says, "It was a risk that, after looking back after a year, has definitely paid off."

Malenko, the current Light Heavyweight Champion, is also out with injuries at the moment. But he's had a successful year, particularly over the last few months. His character has evolved into a "lady killer," and his "relationship" with Lita has made for some captivating television. It's a far cry from his days in Extreme Championship Wrestling, when he was known as the "Shooter," and in WCW, where he was the "Iceman." In both cases, he said nary a word. These days, his sense of humor -- which friends backstage have always enjoyed -- is starting to come out on television.

Malenko said he hopes that in future years, he'll be able to bring the light heavyweight division back to prominence.

"It's something I've always taken a lot of pride in," he said. Malenko doesn't believe that being labeled a "light heavyweight" is a bad thing; being champion of that division means "that you're that best in that particular form of wrestling."

Meanwhile, Benoit has had a great year both in and out of the ring. He's a three-time Intercontinental Champion and a top contender to be Federation Champion. In fact, he was WWF Champion on two occasions (at Fully Loaded and Unforgiven) before Commissioner Mick Foley reversed the decisions in those matches. On a personal level, his son was born just before WrestleMania, and Benoit went on to win the Intercontinental Title at WrestleMania, which he considers his biggest accomplishment thus far in the Federation."

Just being at WrestleMania was an extreme rush," he said. "Winning the Intercontinental Title there was the icing on the cake."

WrestleMania is the biggest event of the year, but Saturn says he was most looking forward to another huge Federation Pay-Per-View, the Survivor Series.

"When I was a kid I went to the very first Survivor Series," he said. So this year, when the reunited Radicalz took on K-Kwik, Road Dogg, Chyna and Billy Gunn, it was a special thrill to him. Saturn even ended up being one of the Sole Survivors, along with Benoit.

Saturn -- who has been Hardcore Champion and European Champion, and currently has an on-air relationship with Terri -- says he can't believe how quickly the year has gone by.

So what can fans expect from the Radicalz in year No. 2?

"You can expect us to go out and do what we've always done," Benoit said, "and that's take care of business in the ring and put our heart and souls into everything we do, every time we step in that ring, whether it be me, Perry, Malenko or Guerrero. We always go out there and give 100 percent. It shows with the success we've had here in the WWF."