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WWF Monday Night RAW 06-15-98

Live from San Antonio, TX

Airdate: June 15, 1998

Attendance: 7,504 (sold out)

Hosted by Jim Ross, Michael Cole, Kevin Kelly, & Jerry “The King” Lawler

To combat Nitro, how will RAW spice up its main event? Also, who’s made a triumphant return? Who advances in the KOTR tournament? Let’s kick this shiznit sideways.

Opening montage.

Wait a minute! The recently released Sable has RETURNED! The San Antonio faithful chants her name while she introduces the man behind her return—Mr. McMahon. As the San Antonio faithful shower Mr. McMahon with an “Aus-tin” chant, Sable, with incredulity, reads a statement from him indemnifying him from last week’s chicanery. Mr. McMahon plants a kiss on her cheek and invites the San Antonio faithful to welcome back Sable.

Suddenly, Austin emerges and heads to the ring. He escorts Sable from the ring and informs Mr. McMahon that he’s not buying what McMahon’s selling. After Austin threatens him, McMahon pleads for mercy. Austin asks for and receives a “Hell Yeah” to incite violence upon McMahon. To kill time before his untimely departure, McMahon offers Undertaker as an explanation for the carnage last week.

A skeptical Austin doesn’t believe it and grabs the WWF belt. While McMahon describes him as “the devil himself,” Undertaker emerges and steps into the ring. McMahon exits to the floor, and Undertaker respects the WWF title and calls McMahon’s bluff. Threatening McMahon, Undertaker advises him that he cannot be manipulated.

The lights go out, and Kane emerges with Paul Bearer and Mankind. Congratulating Undertaker for his actions last week, Bearer states he and Undertaker “hatched that plan,” and challenges Austin and Undertaker for a tag match against Kane and Mankind inside the Hell in a Cell hanging above the ring. Kane ignites the ring posts to end the segment, and we have a main event, folks.

Rating: 5.0

Match 1 (KOTR qualifier): The Rock (w/o the Nation of Domination) versus Vader

Highlights:

Rating: **½

Summary: Rock advanced in the KOTR tournament thanks to NoD member Henry.

DX DROPPIN’ KNOWLEDGE: Road Dog holds court making light of X-Pac’s flimsy neck and HHH’s gargantuan nose. OK, I’ll give him credit for that.

Rating: 4.0

Edge vignette airs.

Match 2: “Double J” Jeff Jarrett (w/ Tennessee Lee) versus Puke

Highlights:

Rating: ½*

Summary: More storyline than match as Jarrett will face Mero next week in the KOTR quarterfinals.

DX DROPPIN’ KNOWLEDGE PART DEAUX: Billy Gunn asks the proverbial question: “Where will Chyna be during this (match)?” He’s smarter than he looks, ladies and gentlemen.

Prior to the next match, Venis jokes about “everything’s bigger in Texas.”

Match 3: Val Venis versus Chainz

Highlights:

Rating: *½

Summary: The chemistry was evident, but the San Antonio faithful sought brisket.

Rating: 3.4

Backstage, Kevin Kelly interviews Undertaker who believes Austin should trust him and wants a shot at the WWF title.

DX DROPPIN’ KNOWLEDGE PART TROIS: HHH informs X-Pac that he “cannot lay down for (him),” but X-Pac replies with a penis joke. As X-Pac gets too close, HHH hands him some mints.

Match 4: “Marvelous” Marc Mero (w/ Jacqueline) versus Dustin Runnels

Highlights:

Rating: ½*

Summary: Overbooked purely storyline advancement stuff. The distraction rollup is SO overdone.

DX DROPPIN’ KNOWLEDGE PART QUATRE: Chyna becomes the voice of reason and instructs HHH and X-Pac to head to the ring.

Rating: 4.1

RAW is sponsored by the US Army, WWF The Music: Volume 2, and Super Soaker.

WAR ZONE!

Match 5 (KOTR qualifier): WWF European champion HHH versus X-Pac

Highlights:

Rating: *

Summary: More storyline than match as the NoD interference cost X-Pac not only the match but an injury as well.

After the match, the New Age Outlaws assist X-Pac backstage.

Rating: 4.4

The quarterfinals of the KOTR tournament are set:

  1. Ken Shamrock versus Henry
  2. Jarrett versus Mero
  3. Rock versus HHH
  4. Severn versus Owen

Al Snow emerges from the entrance wearing his previous gimmick—Avatar. Following a commercial break, Lawler interviews him in the ring. Snow angrily removes the mask while Lawler advises him that he won’t meet Mr. McMahon. Next, he wants to make two citizen’s arrests—one to McMahon for killing his career with an “Aldo Montoya looking gimmick” and to Lawler for mistreating him in a perverse fashion.

Lawler tells him to lose Head and tries to toss it into the San Antonio faithful, but Snow nails him and Snow Plows referee Jack Doan. Afterward, Lawler hammers him from behind, but Snow recovers, hits him SOUTH of Memphis, and blasts him with Head. Security tries to remove Snow, but he destroys them with Head. Before leaving through the San Antonio faithful, Snow attacks Lawler once again.

LIVEWIRE PLUG: Cole promises an exclusive…nope, DX douses him with a Super Soaker.

Backstage, Cole interviews Austin who throws trust out the window.

Prior to the next match, we see UFC footage of Shamrock versus Severn. We also revisit last week when Severn injured D’Lo Brown’s pectoral region.

Match 6: Owen Hart & Mark Henry (w/o the Nation of Domination) versus Ken Shamrock & Dan “The Beast“ Severn

Highlights:

Rating: *

Summary: Severn’s suplexes and Owen’s chain wrestling made this worthwhile, but a BULLSHIT finish ruined it.

Afterward, DX attacks Owen and Henry including a double suplex of Henry. Vader arrives and beans Owen from behind on the ramp. As Shamrocks battles Owen, Vader gives Henry his comeuppance for his earlier nefariousness. The rest of the NoD arrives, and a war ensues with everyone involved. Officials break it up prior to the break.

Rating: 4.5

King of the Ring ’98 will be LIVE on PPV on 6/28. Order NOW!

Match 7 (tag team Royal Rumble for the #1 contender spot for the WWF tag team titles)

Participants: 2 Cold Scorpio & Terry Funk, Disciples of Apocalypse, Faarooq & Steve Blackman, Headbangers, Kane & Mankind, Midnight Express, Oddities, Road Warriors, Too Much, Taka & Bradshaw

Highlights:

Rating: NONE

Summary: With Kane and Mankind’s inclusion, the outcome became a foregone conclusion.

Rating: 4.4

Prior to the main event, Bearer and Mankind cut promos on Austin and Undertaker. Mankind’s promo was in prose.

Match 8 (Hell in a Cell): Stone Cold Steve Austin & the Undertaker versus Kane & Mankind (w/ Paul Bearer)

Highlights:

Rating: NONE

Summary: Mere setup for the double main event at the PPV.

Rating: 4.6

EXTRA ATTITUDE: Kane tries to climb down the Cell, but Austin rams him into it. Meanwhile, the door has been opened, and Undertaker and Mankind battle inside the Cell. Kane climbs to the floor but is met rudely by Undertaker. As Austin descends to the floor, he climbs into the ring but falls victim to a Mandible claw. Austin counters with a Stone Cold Stunner as the San Antonio faithful comes UNGLUED. For the sake of entertainment, referee Earl Hebner counts to three to send the crowd home happy.

Conclusion: Without question, RAW’s main event trumps Nitro’s. Since the San Antonio faithful were more wrestling fans than smarks, RAW was a more inviting show this week. Unfortunately, the short matches are going to haunt them in the future. Nonetheless, choose RAW this week.

Could it finally overcome Nitro in the ratings?

Final TV Rating: 4.32

Who won? Yes, despite dueling cage matches, RAW escapes with a victory. Can they maintain their momentum next week?

Stay tuned for WCW Thunder 06-18-98!

Comments? Suggestions? Send them to me at rsg@rockstargary.com and follow me on Twitter (@rockstargary202).

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