Monday Night Raw

Columbus, Ohio
November 23, 1998

Mr. McMahon promised on Sunday Night Heat that he would name a new "independent, free thinking" commissioner on RAW, and he did just that at the very beginning of RAW. After telling the fans that the McMahon family does everything for them, he brought out the "new sheriff"-the "Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels! The only superstar in World Wrestling Federation history to hold the Intercontinental, European, Tag Team and Federation Title, the "showstoppa" promised, "I guarantee you that things will never, ever be the same again." He immediately booked his first match--The Rock vs. X-Pac for the Federation Championship later on RAW!

The Insane Clown Posse was supposed to step into the ring against the Headbangers, but just before the match the ICP said they weren't ready and asked the Oddities to take their place. So Kurrgan and Golga stepped into the ring against the former Tag Team Champions, but it turned out to be a set up. The ICP distracted the referee, allowing the 'Bangers to double team Golga and get the win. Then the ICP sprayed paint in the eyes of all the members of the Oddities, and teamed up with the Headbangers to cut Luna's hair! Mosh grabbed the microphone and said, "There's no right way, there's no wrong way, there's only the Headbanger way! Now it's our turn to kick a little ass"!

After weeks of attacks, Steve Blackman finally got the chance to face the Blue Blazer one on one. The Lethal Weapon finished off the masked superstar with a thrust kick, and then he tried to pull off the mask. However, he was attacked from behind by Owen Hart, proving that the Calgary native is not the Blazer--or at least he wasn't this week.

In tag team action, Gangrel and Edge from the Brood took on D'Lo Brown and Mark Henry. Just like last week, Chyna came out, completely distracting the World's Strongest Man, who was immediately rolled up and pinned. Henry had asked her on a date last week, "no sex involved", saying that if she accepted, he would dismiss his sexual harassment lawsuit. This week, Chyna had a microphone and said simply, "Ok Mark, I'll do it"! Henry reacted like a 5-year-old on Christmas, dancing and jumping up and down at the announcement of the upcoming date.

Next up, two superstars with woman problems faced off, as Goldust took on "Marvelous" Marc Mero, who had dumped Jacqueline just 24 hours before on HEAT. During the match, Jacqueline and Terri Runnels came down to ringside. As Goldust set up Mero for the Shattered Dreams, Jacqueline snuck up behind and nailed the Bizarre One with a low blow. Then Terri came in and hit Mero with the Shattered Dreams! The two women gave each other a high five and walked away satisfied.

In a match ordered by Mr. McMahon, Mankind put the Hardcore Championship on the line in a "Triple Threat Match" that in reality was a glorified Handicap Match against two members of Team Corporate, Ken Shamrock and the Big Boss Man. Shamrock and Boss Man teamed up to give Mankind yet another beating of a lifetime as Shane and Mr. McMahon looked on gleefully. But just when the owners walked away thinking that things were well in hand, Al Snow, Scorpio and Bob Holly came through the crowd! As Scorpio and Holly attended to the Boss Man outside the ring, Al Snow assaulted Shamrock with Head inside the ring, and Mankind got the pin! The McMahons were irate, and after the match Boss Man and Shamrock continued to beat on the Hardcore Champion.

Stone Cold Steve Austin collapsed during a match Sunday afternoon in San Jose, California, apparently as a result of the Undertaker hitting him in the head with a shovel on RAW last week. At the hospital, the medical staff had already given the Rattlesnake sleeping pills to make sure he got a good night sleep. Somehow, the Undertaker and Paul Bearer found Austin, and they attacked him right in the hospital, sedated him and dragged him away!

In what was sure to be an easy win for the Light Heavyweight Champion, Christian took on Duane Gill. Gill, who JR described as a "perennial preliminary competitor" was Mankind's first-round opponent at the Survivor Series tournament. Christian could have won the match at just about anytime, but he refused to go for the cover. Suddenly out of the crowd, the J.O.B. Squad arrived! Scorpio nailed Christian as the referee was distracted, and rolled an unconscious Gill onto the champion. The referee counted to three and, in perhaps the biggest upset in Federation history, Duane Gill became the new World Wrestling Federation Light Heavyweight Champion!

Back in San Jose, Undertaker and Paul Bearer had stuffed the former Federation Champion into the hearse and driven to a local graveyard. Apparently the Reaper was set to bury the Rattlesnake alive! Stone Cold started to wake but Bearer and Undertaker put him back under. This apparently angered the Man from the Dark Side, who decided that being buried alive would be too good for the Rattlesnake. Instead, they decided to embalm him alive!

At the arena, The Godfather, with the hos, was scheduled to face Tiger Ali Singh. But Steven Regal came out and warned the wealthy Indian not to trust the Pimp. Regal and Singh double teamed The Godfather, but Val Venis came out and made it a two-on-two confrontation. After officials broke up the four superstars, Val and the Pimp walked off together with the hos.

The Tag Team Champions of the World, the New Age Outlaws, faced off against Scorpio and Bob Holly of the J.O.B. Squad in a non-title match. Perhaps returning the favor from earlier, Mankind came out with the leaf blower he was going to give Mr. McMahon and pummeled Mr. Ass, allowing the J.O.B. Squad to get the pin! After the match, the Big Boss Man and Ken Shamrock came out and joined forces, at least for the time being, with the Outlaws in a battle with the J.O.B. Squad and Mankind.

Meanwhile, the Undertaker and Paul Bearer had arrived at a funeral parlor and were set to embalm Stone Cold Steve Austin alive. The Undertaker went into a trance-like state and started speaking in tongues, but just in the nick of time Kane came in and attacked the Undertaker. Stone Cold Steve Austin, though unconscious, must have realized what was going on because he woke up and got away!

The first match ever ordered by Commissioner Shawn Michaels, The Rock versus X-Pac, was up next, and the title was on the line. Before the match got underway, Michaels came out and ordered Shamrock, Boss Man and the Outlaws back to the locker room. The Rock went outside the ring and grabbed a steel chair, but Michaels came in, then hit X-Pac himself! The champion then finished him off with the Corporate Elbow, and Michaels, the McMahons and The Rock celebrated while Shamrock and Boss Man assaulted the Outlaws, who had come down to the ring to help X-Pac.