WWF Champion: KANE
WWF Intercontinental Champion: The Rock
WWF Tag Team Champions: The New Age Outlaws
WWF European Champion: Triple H
WWF Light Heavyweight Champion: TAKA Michinoku
WWF RAW is WAR
June 29th, 1998
Cleveland, Ohio
Recap of the WWF Championship match from last nights King of the Ring PPV.
Jerry Lawler and JR start off RAW together, no more bum ass Cole or Kevin Kelly for the first hour
The owner of the WWF, Mr. Vincent McMahon comes down to the ring with, Commissioner Slaughter and Gerald Brisco. The ring has the red carpet and the WWF Championship in a class display. Vince says it gives him great pride to stand before you tonight. "OH, WHAT A HAPPY DAY" We have a NEW a new WWF Champion. A NEW WWF CHAMPION! today marks the dawning of a new era in the WWF, an era of popularity and prosperity, respect and dignity, and even civility. A giant breath of fresh air has cleansed the WWF of the foul mouth, of the unseemly hand gestures, and cleansed the WWF from the beer swilling. A champion who is a man among men. A champion whose lips have never so much as tasted an alcoholic beverage. A champion who has never uttered an obscenity in his entire life and whose only hand gesture is to salute the flag of the United States. I give you a role model and a champion for the new millennium, "I, GIVE YOU KANE" Kane and Paul Bearer come down to the ring, Paul says the WWF is indeed a place where dreams can come true. There's no way that anyone can understand what this occasion means to his son and himself this evening until you've walked a mile in his son's shoes. was there for twenty long years and he watched his son, YOUR CHAMPION, I watched him dream and sit in a room with his pictures all around of his brother. He watches him watch WWF Superstars on Saturday and say "DAD, I WANT TO BE LIKE HIM!" He told him that he could be better than him! It's not wrong to dream. He was harassed and ridiculed and put down, but tonight, OH YEEEEES! Undertaker, you are now standing in the shadow of his little brother. Vince then presents the WWF Championship to KANE. But, Stone Cold Steve Austin's music hits and out comes Austin. He grabs a mic and says he's gonna make this short and sweet, cause there isn't much to talk about. He and Vince both know the stipulation was the man that drew first blood from their opponent wins the match, but you and I know, that, that big son of a bitch didn't bust me open. Did I get busted open? You're damn right, but it was The Undertaker that did it. He's out here because he wants a rematch with Kane, right here tonight. All he's gotta do is say yes. Vince says everyone would like to see it and Austin says to do it then, TAKE THAT STUPID LOOK OFF YER FACE AND ACT LIKE THE OWNER OF THE WWF! Vince says maybe he doesn't deserve it and says it's fine with him as long as it's alright with Paul Bearer. Paul says it's okay with him if it's okay with Kane. Austin dares someone in this ring to have some guts. He asks Kane how it feels to have his big brother win the title for him now he has to ask himself "Can I beat Stone Cold?" he's gonna go through life knowing I was the WWF Champion but my brother won me the title. Austin again asks Kane for a title match tonight, and Kane nods YES!
JR announces the BRAWL 4 ALL TONIGHT!
Droz makes his way down to the ring, but SABLE comes out...She says Vince McMahon is proud to sign to an exclusive WWF contract. STEVEN REGAL!
Droz vs. Steven Regal
Sable joins commentary, so the majority of the match King and JR talk about how Sable returned and what's her relationship with Vince. As for the match, it's a solid Regal showcase, sweet uppercuts, and forearms. He rides and wears down Droz who looks lost af. Droz has a shitty comeback, Regal then hits a double-armed butterfly suplex off the top and locks in the Regal stretch for the win.
Michael Cole is in the ring and introduces the 1998 King of the Ring, Ken Shamrock. Cole asks him how it feels to be King? and Ken says it feels good to be King, he says he's competed in the fights all over the world, had a career in the UFC and Japan, but competing in KOTR has been one of the hardest things that he's ever had to do and it's a great accomplishment. Speaking of great things, he has to give credit where credit is due to Rocky Maivia for showing something he hasn't seen in him before. He fought him one on one for once and he's not saying he agrees with all the bullcrap he did to him like hit him in the face with a chair, and they still have an issue, but he'll give him credit for being a true champion and warrior. Owen Hart comes out and says he won the King of the ring 2 years ago and is a better King than he will ever be. Owen says If Shamrock has any guts in his spineless body, he'll step into HIS zone and his court tonight, and he'll prove that he's the real king. THE BLACK HART! Ken says he remembers he broke his ankle, and his challenge is accepted. Triple H and Chyna, then come out. Hunter says if you want a match to determine who is the KING OF KINGS and challenges them to make it a three-way. Ken the repeats the same thing and challenges them to a 3 way
Triple H mocks him for it and says he's catching on. Ken then repeats it again and challenges them to get in his zone
First Round match in the Brawl For All: Marc Mero vs. Steve Blackman
Blackman has 3 quick takedowns, as a small portion of the crowd either BOOOOOOO's or yells THIS IS BULLSHIT
Blackman has another takedown as the first round ends. Blackman is up 25 points to 0. Blackman continues to outclass and destroy Mero, who keeps looking for the right hand, so everytime Mero throws Blackman moves and takes him down. He does it 3 times before the 2nd round ends. The crowd continues to shit all over this with "WE WANT ......." over this, Blackman continues to take him down and avoid Mero punches to end the 3rd. Blackman wins on points.
Backstage: Kevin Kelly is with Kane, Paul Bearer, and Mankind. Kelly asks Kane why he would grant Austin a rematch? Kane and his voicebox says "BECAUSE I KNOW I CAN BEAT STONE COLD AGAIN...AND IS A GREATER CHAMPION THAN MY BROTHER EVER WAS"
In the parking lot, Biker TAKER arrives.
"VINCE IS A FAG" sign
Dick Togo (w/Yamaguchi-san) vs. Val Venis
Val hits on Mrs. Yamaguchi-san who is sitting in the front row, during the match Dustin comes through the crowd and asks to have a word with JR, he then begins preaching his new found beliefs in GOD. Sadly the match is short around 3 minutes, but everything is solid, both men get time to do stuff before Val hits the Money Shot for the win. After the match; Val continues to flirt with Yamaguchi-san's old lady, Mr. Yamaguchi-san comes over and slaps Val. So the rest of Kientai come out but Val grabs a chair and nails them all with chair shots to the head. **
Edge is in the crowd again.
Backstage: Michael Cole interviews Steve Austin, he asks how confident Austin is given he lost the title 24 hours ago. Austin says he didn't lose the title, the Undertaker stole it from him and he's now pissed him off so this interview is over and he shoves Cole away.
Triple H (w/Chyna) vs. Owen Hart vs. Ken Shamrock
So, during Owen's entrance, Ken attacks Owen from behind and they brawl down to ringside as Hunter watches on. This is really good and got a ton of time for 1998 RAW. Granted they do a lot of the 1-1 with the other on the floor, and getting caught just waiting for their spot to come back in. But, it's one of the rare time which I'm fine with as all the little 1on1 interactions ruled. The match gets better as time goes by, with how they just want to hurt one another and it doesn't matter who's in the ring. We then get a bunch of 3 men spots, until Rocky comes out and hits Triple H with the IC Title as Shamrock and Owen fight on the floor. Shamrock throws Owen into the railing and then goes back in and covers to win. **3/4
After the Match; Owen attacks Ken in the ring, as DX attacks Rocky on the stage, but the Nation runs out and they all brawl to the back. Owen tries the figure-four around the ringpost, but he fucks it up so he holds on for dear life to not fall. It looks cool though.
The Undertaker comes down to the ring, Michael Cole then joins him, Cole says people think he owes them an explanation and asks why he interfered in the WWF title match, Taker says he owes nobody a thing and says it's It's common knowledge that he and his brother Kane have no love lost, and that's mainly because of the manipulation of Paul Bearer. The day may come where Kane and he have to destroy each other, so so be it, but he was not about to sit back and watch his little brother set himself on fire because he wants to live up to the LEGEND OF THE UNDERTAKER! So he did what he did. Cole says he cost Stone Cold the title, and Undertaker says he did what he had to do. Vince McMahon then comes out to the stage and asks if he's supposed to believe he has compassion. He says he did it because he thinks he can beat his brother Kane for the title and because he DOESN'T think he can beat Stone Cold Steve Austin. Vince calls him the most singularly the most vile, contemptible, and evil individual that the Devil ever placed on this Earth. Hell hath no fury like he will find if he interferes tonight, that's a warning, heed it. Taker leaves the ring and goes up the ramp, as Vince leaves.
First Round match in the Brawl For All: Mark Canterbury vs. Bradshaw
Mark Canterbury is Henry O. Godwinn, I guess he wants to use his shoot name for this shoot shit. This is a sack of shit, but slightly more entertaining than the Blackman/Mero match as their just trying to outpunch the other, they rarely connect but Bradshaw threw more punches so he's up 5-0 after the first. Round 2 is a lot better, Bradshaw comes out throwing them bar room strikes he almost KO's Mark but he holds on for dear life for the bell. The crowd begins shitting on this as the 3rd starts, Mark comes back with a takedown and they stall before Bradshaw hits a couple of body blows as the bell rings. Bradshaw wins off points.
LOD 2000 come out minus Sunny, JR claims shes "under the weather" Animal says they have a big surprise tonight for them, a long time ago when they were just two punk kids from Chicago a great man saw success in them and brought them into wrestling and got them to win every title possible and now he's back, and they bring out Paul Ellering.
JR ~ "I THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD"
Hawk says Paul Ellering is the best thing to come to Cleveland ever, He says Paul is their best friend and mentor and hands the mic over. The DOA then comes out and Paul introduces the LOD to his new team, the DOA. They then beat down the LOD and leave with Paul. WHY IS THIS FEUD STILL A THING?!?!?!?!?
Backstage: Kevin Kelly asks The Undertaker if he plans on heed the warning Vince gave him earlier, and Taker says nobody tells him what to do and leaves.
WWF World Heavyweight Championship: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Kane (w/Paul Bearer)
Again super enjoyable, due to Austin's amazing high energy brawling, and the crowd being hot for everything, that also gives Austin extra as he flys around do whatever he can to beat on Kane and wear his big ass out. Kane also puts up another great effort in his bumping but still being build as a monster, Austin targets Kane's ankle and knee so he can't stand, but Kane fights it off, he does the limp sell to start but then just leaves it and goes on offense. Paul interferes so Austin goes after him, AND KANE DOES A CHINLOCK for about 2 minutes. The Undertaker comes out to watch midway through too. Austin makes a comeback but walks into a chokeslam, Kane picks him up for the Tombstone but Austin wiggles out, he ducks a boot and hits the Stunner and covers Kane for the clean win. WOAH! **3/4
Undertaker enters the ring, Paul Bearer goes over to distract him from the floor which allows Austin to hit Taker with the stunner. Austin leaves, as Kane and Taker sit up at the same time ignoring each other, and staring at Austin who gives both men the middle finger to end RAW.
EXTRA ATTITUDE
Taker and Kane begin brawling in the ring, Taker ducks the clothesline and hits Kane with a chokeslam. He leaves, but first, he drops Paul with a right hand. Kane and Paul then head up the ramp with Bearer yelling "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
