WWF Monday Night Raw
June 1st 1998
San Antonio Texas
Shawn Michaels, in his first in person appearance on WWF tv since In Your House, is in the ring as the show opens.
Michaels - San Antonio Texas? I'm happy you're all here tonight, because *tonight* is the night, when this proud native of this very town, takes back what is rightfully his.
[Crowd pop]
Michaels - Now, last week on Monday Night Raw, live via satelite, I threw out a challenge to the self proclaimed WWF Champion. Now I know that Jeff Jarrett is here. And I know that he's got his little entourage with him, his little Kliq. He can hide behind the New Midnight Express, he can hide behind Jesse Jammes, but the fact of the matter is, Jeff Jarrett, you ain't leaving San Antonio, with the WWF championship!
[Crowd pop]
Michaels - So Jeff? I know you're watching in the back, so why don't you come on out here, and we can arrange exactly *how*, not if, not when, but *how* I'm gonna take that belt away from you tonight. San Antonio? To qoute another man who makes a claim that that belt is his, if you want Jeff Jarrett to get his phoney ass out here right now, give me a hell yeah!
San Antonio - Hell yeah!
Michaels - Come on Jeff.
Jarrett is right on cue in arriving, accompanied by Bart Gunn, Bob Holly and the Roadog. The four men stand just outside the entrance curtain.
Jammes - Shawn, Shawn, Shawn. This is your hometown. This is the place where you grew up, this is the place where your parents grew up. The place where you got your ass kicked for the first time, and the place where you first got your ass [beep]ed. All these memories that exist here, and you want to ruin them all, tarnish them all, by jobbing to this man in short order, in front of thousands of your own people? If you want this man Jeff Jarrett one on one tonight..
Michaels - That's what I want.
Jammes - That's what you want? You want to step through the ro..
Michaels - Hey, if Jeff Jarrett has something to say, then he can say it. Jesse, you punkass jobber, I couldn't give a damn what you have to say. All I'm concerned with is Jeff Jarrett.
Jammes - Oh you better be concerned. Here you go champ.
Jarrett takes the microphone.
Jarrett - So this is San Antonio Texas huh? Wow. I guess it figures. Only a town full of half-wits, cross-breeds, garbage-scroungers and crack-heads, could have produced an ego maniacal, superficial, paper-thin personality piece of crap like *you* Michaels. In all my years in this sport, I've never seen *anybody* so into his own image, so into his own hype, despite so much evidence to the contrary of everything you say. Do I need remind you of our last three meetings?
Michaels - Jeff, you can talk about past *victories* all you want. The fact of the matter is, the bottom line if you will, is that never once, have you ever proved you can beat me man on man. And *tonight*, in this great state, I'm gonna put you in your place once and for all.
Jarrett - Ha, I don't even know where to begin telling you what's wrong with what you just said. First off, it's not man on man Shawn. I think everyone here can see, it's man, against boy. Secondly, did I ever say *anything* about there being a world *title* match tonight? I don't think so. There's a thirty day rule in effect here, and I defended my title, successfully, and against *you* Michaels I might add, just two weeks ago. So...
Michaels - This is ridiculous. You're so full of shit it's untrue. You have *never* defended that title outright. May 17th In Your House? The fact that you weren't stripped of that belt for what happened beggars belief. But that's a different matter. Like I've said before, if you're the great champion you say you are, then you'll put the title on the line. One, last, time.
Jarrett - One last time, it's always 'one last time' isn't it Shawn? But, not only am I a great man, I'm also a fair man. Right here tonight, in this godforsaken state, which isn't worthy of my presence here I should point out, I'm gonna give you a shot at my world title belt. But *first*, you're gonna have to prove your worth to me. I mean, you're not *ever* gonna *truly* be worthy, but none the less, I feel you should do *something* to earn a title shot.
Michaels - What have you got Jarrett?
Jarrett - I got a tag team partner. Myself and the Roadog himself Jesse Jammes, will take on you and one of your degenerate buddies, if you even still have *any* friends, in a tag team match tonight. You win, and I will grant you with a world heavyweight title shot here in the ring you stand in. If *I* win, *when* I win, then will you puh-lease leave me alone?!
Michaels - I see no problem with that scenario. I can beat you twice tonight, and San Antonio, I guarantee that at the end of the night, when you look at the HeartBreak Kid Shawn Michaels, you'll be looking at the *new* World Wrestling Federation Champion!
The DX theme kicks in as Michaels makes the belt-around-my-waist motion, before Jarrett starts shouting over his microphone.
Jarrett - Hey, hey, cut the damn music, right now!
The music fades out.
Jarrett - I'm the champion, now play *my* music.
Jarrett's theme starts to play over the tannoy as we go to a commercial break.
<-commercials->
Ross - Welcome everyone to WWF Monday Night Raw! We are live here in the hometown of Shawn Michaels, and we've got an unbelievable show here for you tonight! You just heard from the WWF champion Jeff Jarrett, that in this ring before you, it's gonna be the two Double-J's, against Shawn Michaels, and a member of D-Generation X. If DX wins, then Michaels will face Jarrett for the title live here on Raw! Dx member Hunter Hearst Helmsley will be in singles action tonight as well, as he faces Brian Christopher in the King Of The Ring tournament! Plus, the Intercontinental title will be on the line, as The Rock defends against Booker T! It's gonna be one hell of a show folks, and let's go to ringside for our first match!
[Tag Champion] Bob Holly [w/Bart Gunn] vs Davey Boy Smith
Bart Gunn remains in the ring and charges at Smith as the bell rings, but he gets knocked down to the mat with a clothesline. This momentary distraction from Gunn though, allows Holly to attack Davey Boy from behind. A forearm to the back and then a kneelift puts Smith down, before he's tossed through the ropes to the floor. Holly follows him out but ends up being nailed by a right hand. Smith can't get any momentum though as Gunn gets involved again. Davey Boy knocks Gunn down with a dropkick but is again attacked by Holly. Holly executes a snap suplex and a hiptoss on the floor before he throws Smith back inside.
Smith gets up to his feet but Holly takes him back to the canvas with a back suplex. He locks on a grapevine in the centre of the ring, but after close to sixty seconds Davey Boy reaches the ropes. Holly lets Smith up to his feet, and it proves to be a mistake as Smith gets on the offensive for the first real time in the match.
Right-hands from Smith have Holly dazed, and a shoulderblock takes him down. A whip into the ropes from Smith ends up in him lying face-up on the mat though, as Holly manages to catch him in a swinging neckbreaker. Headlock from Holly keeps Bulldog on the canvas for a while, but Smith manages to cradle Holly up for a two count. Both men then jump up at the same time, but Smith clocks Holly with a clothesline. Showing his supreme strength, Bulldog then gorilla press slams the tag champ to the mat, not before holding him aloft for one hell of a long time.
Holly then finds himself scooped up for the running powerslam, but as Smith has Holly over his shoulder in the corner, Gunn climbs up on the apron and pulls Holly off and out of the ring. A pissed off looking British Bulldog then steps through the ropes and starts beating on both members of the Express, although he is soon overpowered because of his numerical disadvantage. The referee let's the beating go, maybe because he saw Owen Hart running down the aisle to ringside. Hart moves round to where Gunn and Holly are working over Smith, and he nails Gunn. Gunn is eventually sent into the ringsteps as Smith starts to fight back against Holly. Owen runs Gunn off away from ringside back to the backstage area as Smith throws Holly back into the squared circle. A regular powerslam gets a two count, before Smith applies a reverse chinlock in mid-ring.
As Smith keeps the hold on, the camera cuts to the backstage area, where Owen Hart and Bart Gunn are going at it. Hart sends Gunn face first into a wall then rams him into a nearby table before we return to the ring.
Holly has gotten out of the hold but is nailed by a Davey Boy lariat, and then victim to a dropped elbow by the Bulldog. Bulldog is in total control of this match and Bart Gunn returns to ringside about two minutes later. There's a large cut on his forehead but other than that he looks unscathed from his fight with Owen just moments ago.
Gunn's attempt at interference is futile though, as as soon as he enters the ring he's picked up by Smith, held aloft, and then dumped onto his tag partner. A clothesline over the top rope puts Gunn out of the match for good, and the running powerslam seconds later puts Bob Holly out of the match as well. Bulldog gets the win.
Davey Boy Smith pinned Bob Holly with the Running Powerslam in 0:07:59. Rating: 3/4*
Smith takes a microphone as Holly tries to come to his senses in the middle of the ring.
Smith - Now anyone who saw that match, must see that it's about time me and Owen Hart got a WWF tag team title shot. Bob Holly just got pinned with the running powerslam, and Bart Gunn just got his butt kicked by Owen Hart. Now if that doesn't mean we deserve a title shot, then I don't know what does.
Vader and Sid enter from behind the curtains.
Vader - I'll tell you what makes you deserving of a title shot Bulldog. Going through us! We wiped out the RoadWarriors, we wiped out the Headbangers, and Bulldog? You and Owen Hart are next.
**King Of The Ring 1998 Promo - June 21st**
<-commercials->
"Kee-Rash"
The number one contender to the WWF title, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin strides to the ring, his usual determined look on his face.
Austin - I'm gonna cut the dignitries, cut the crap, and get straight down to business. Now on June 21st, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin is set to face Jeff Jarrett for the World heavyweight title. Now plain and simple, I was told there would be no world title matches between the day that match was announced, and the day that match'll take place. And to be perfectly honest, I feel that as the number one contender, I should be consulted when it comes to any title matches taking place. But hell, they didn't consult me, so I guess I'm gonna have to get my message and my opinions over in another way. Shawn Michaels and Jeff Jarrett one on one here tonight? My damn ass.
"Kee-Rash"
Austin storms off as we go to brief highlights of the first two KOTR tournament matches, Mero vs Bart and Crush vs Billy Gunn.
Ross - Austin certainly isn't happy with the decisions made earlier today. But I stress that this world title match is *not* set in stone, and if Jeff Jarrett and Jesse Jammes win the tag match here tonight, then there will be on Jarrett/Michaels match. Will Austin interfere in the tag? You'll have to stay tuned to find out, but right now? We're gonna see the continuation of the King Of The Ring!
Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs Brian Christopher
The winner of this contest will face either Booker T or Yuji Nagata in the first round, and Hunter may have already been thinking about a showdown with Booker T, as he's caught off guard by Christopher. Christopher dominates Helmsley for the entirety of the opening minute, before Hunter nails B.C. in the midsection and signals for the Pedigree! It can't be executed though, as Christopher manages to bodydrop Hunter back to the canvas, and resumes control of the match.
Christopher then hits a full nelson faceslam that appears to knock Helmsley right out, but he's able to kick out of the pin attempt at two. Frustrated, Brian starts choking Hunter out on the mat, only stopping when the referee counts four, and then going right back to it. A piledriver then gives Christopher his second two count of the match. Brian continues to dominate, constantly peppering Hunter with right and left hands, until Helmsley catches him in a powerslam out of nowhere! Helmsley covers for one, but, after briefly catching his breath, he keeps up his momentum. A bodyslam leads to a kneedrop, which gives Hunter a two count, before he locks Christopher into an armbar.
When the hold is eventually broken Christopher tries to hit another full nelson slam, but Hunter counters with a go-behind and then has B.C. hopping around the ring in agony after an atomic drop. A hard clothesline then sends Brian to the canvas, before a piledriver puts Christopher flat on his back. Helmsley then hits another kneedrop before he throws Brian out of the ring through the ropes. Helmsley paces the ring and yaks with the fans as Christopher composes himself on the outside. When Brian returns to the ring, Hunter tries to take him back to the mat with a headlock takedown, but Christopher shoves him off. Getting back into the match briefly, Brian hits a vertical suplex, but Helmsley jumps right back up to his feet and floors Christopher with a clothesline once he turns around. Hunter covers and it gets a one count.
The match then degenerates into a brawl as both men attempt to punch each other out. It's back and forth until Hunter takes a distinct advantage when he places Christopher on the top turnbuckle and executes a superplex.
Helmsley keeps the advantage a few moments more, but when the match moves to the outside, Christopher gets back into it. After tossing Hunter back inside, Christopher nails a flying dropkick before hitting his move of choice in this match, the full nelson faceslam. Christopher laughs at the crowd as Hunter lies face down on the mat, before Brian pulls him up to his feet. He whips him into the ropes, but Christopher foolishly puts his head down at the wrong moment. Helmsley easily scoops him up and executes the Pedigree out of the blue to win the match.
[King Of The Ring Qualifier]
Hunter Hearst Helmsley pinned Brian Christopher with the Pedigree in 0:07:49. Rating: ** 1/4
Ross - So Hunter Hearst Helmsley advances in the tournament, and on June 21st he'll face the winner of Thursday night's match between Booker T and Yuji Nagata. Booker and Helmsley have been involved in altercations a lot recently, and that would certainly be a high intensity contest if it takes place. In just a few minutes, Booker T is gonna get his shot at the WWF Intercontinental Title, so don't go away!
<-commercials->
Booker T is in the ring when we return.
'Do You Smell What The Rock Is Cookin'?'
The camera pans to the curtains, but there's no Rock. Finkel introduces Maivia for the second time but there's still no Rock. Eventually the camera moves to the backstage area, where we see Maivia laid out on the floor. Hunter Hearst Helmsley then walks past the camera shot.
Triple-H - [Mock Horror] Oh my god, what happened here? The Rock is laid out, blood on his face, what's going on round here? Seems like you can't even walk around the backstage area without being jumped by Hunter Hearst... oops. [To camera] Oh well, boo-hoo Booker. I guess you're not getting your title shot here tonight huh?
Helmsley walks off laughing as the camera returns to the ring where Booker is fuming. He leaves the ring and marches back down the aisle as we cut to a replay of the latter part of the Michaels/Jarrett interview.
Ross - Ladies and gentlemen welcome back. The Rock is getting medical attention as we speak, and I guess like Helmsley said, there ain't gonna be an intercontinental title match tonight. But there *may* be a world title match. We're gonna return to the ring now, for Jeff Jarrett and Jesse Jammes against D-Generation X!
[WWF Champion] Jeff Jarrett/Jesse Jammes vs Shawn Michaels/Billy Gunn
After close to a minute of finger pointing, stalling, verbal abuse and time wasting, we get what the fans in the arena wanted to see : Jarrett and Michaels starting things off. The two men circle the ring to start, and when Michaels gets close to Jammes' corner, Jesse spits on him, causing Michaels to turn around and nail him. That allows Jarrett to charge in and knee Michaels from behind. Michaels falls forward into the turnbuckle, and Jarrett rams his head into it about a dozen times before turning him over and chopping away Flair-style. The champion then whips Michaels into the opposite buckle then follows him in, nailing him hard with a back elbow.
He then moves Shawn into the centre of the ring and attempts a sleeper hold, but when he locks it on Michaels flips him over his head, causing Jarrett to land on his back on the canvas. Michaels goes to drop an elbow but Jarrett rolls out of the way, and this time *does* get the sleeper on fully. Michaels eventually gets up to his feet, not before his arm fell to the mat twice, and shoves Jarrett into the ropes. Double-J catches him and sends him back down to the mat with a swinging neckbreaker though, and Michaels is having a torrid time in the ring so far.
Jarrett then shoves Shawn back into Jarrett's corner, where Jammes begins to choke him out. Jarrett is busy discussing politics with the referee while this is going on, and Michaels ends up falling to the mat holding his neck with the ref none the wiser. Jarrett goes down to cover but only gets a one count, and he then tags Jammes in for the first time. Instead of climbing through the ropes, the Roadog goes up top and let's fly at Michaels with an axehandle. He's off the mark though, and Michaels catches him with a punch to the mid-section. Michaels proceeds to hammer away on Jarrett, before dropkicking him to the floor. After a long discussion with the Roadog on the outside, Jarrett returns through the ropes and, after teasing a lockup with Michaels, tags in Jammes.
Jammes charges at Michaels but gets armdragged to the canvas by the former world champ, who then tags out to Billy Gunn. Gunn and Jammes hurl insults at each other before Jesse moves in close and gives Gunn a mocking slap to the face. Gunn smirks and then goes MOFO on Jammes, offensively blitzing him with his fists before sending him hard to the mat with a snap suplex. A big leg drop off the ropes leads to a two count, but only as a result of Jarrett breaking the cover. Michaels then climbs to the top rope and springs off onto Jarrett, and all four men start to go at it.
Jammes takes the advantage over Gunn with a rake to the eyes, just as Jarrett accidentally knocks the referee to the canvas with a dropkick, one aimed for Michaels. Shawn then tries to hit the superkick on Jarrett but he ducks out of the way, and then clotheslines Michaels over the top rope. Michaels and Jarrett begin to brawl on the outside, while on the inside the Roadog executes the Crotch Slam on Billy Gunn and hooks the leg for the cover. The ref is still down as Jarrett stun guns Michaels on the guardrail and then grabs the world title belt from the announce table.
Shawn is left holding his neck on the outside as Jarrett steps through the ropes back into the ring. Jammes then pulls the groggy Gunn up to his feet and holds him in place as Jarrett charges in with the belt, and suffice to say misses the target once again, as Gunn has the presence of mind to duck out of the way. Jammes falls to the canvas, victim of a hard gold-plated shot to the head, and Jarrett shakes his head in disgust. He tries to go after Gunn, but is instead pulled to the outside by a semi recovered Michaels, and the two men go at it on the floor once again. Back inside the squared circle, Gunn crawls over to the unconscious Jesse Jammes and puts his arm over him for the cover. Michaels and Jarrett continue to fight around the ring area as the referee regains his senses and counts the
1...
2...
3
Shawn Michaels and Billy Gunn defeated Jeff Jarrett and Jesse James when Billy Gunn pinned J. James in 0:03:43. Rating: * 3/4
Michaels and Jarrett continue to beat each other up on the outside, as Gunn gets to his feet and kicks Jammes out of the ring. Jesse is busted wide open and Officials help the Roadog down the aisle away from the ring area as we go to a break.
<-commercials->
[WWF Champion] Jeff Jarrett vs Shawn Michaels
After returning from the commercials, Jarrett and Michaels have finally taken the action into the ring. As Michaels has Jarrett on the mat with a headlock, we are shown clips of the two men brawling around ringside during the ads. Moving back to live action, Jarrett is now on his feet and he pushes Michaels into the ropes. Shawn bounces back and leapfrogs Jarrett, before turning and knocking the champion back down to the mat with a lariat. In the first pinfall attempt of the match, Shawn gets two and then climbs to the top turnbuckle. He jumps onto Jarrett with a flying cross-body-block but Jarrett is able to roll through with it and get a one count, but Jarrett can't start any momentum as Michaels gets right up to his feet and knocks him down with a dropkick.
Jarrett tries to stand up but gets dropkick again. A third time and Jarrett backs off into the corner, telling Michaels to lay off. Shawn shakes his head and charges in with a clothesline, then executes the ten-right-hands-of-doom on Jarrett before retreating, allowing Jarrett enough room to Flair-flop into the middle of the ring. Michaels offers him no chance to catch a breather on the canvas though, as he subjects Jarrett to a second set of right hands, before rolling him over onto his back and climbing up to the top buckle. A flying elbowdrop hits it's target perfectly, but it's not enough to keep Jarrett down as he kicks out at two and a half.
Though he had the strength to raise his shoulder at the right moment, Jarrett looks completely out of this match. Perhaps realising this, the New Midnight Express run down to the ring, and attempt to attack Michaels. But HBK fights them both off! After taking it to both men, Michaels bashes their heads together, which sends the tag champs rolling out of the ring holding their heads. Jarrett has by this time gotten to his feet, but his attempts to get Michaels from behind are unsuccessful, as Shawn turns and clocks him with an enziguiri!
Enter back-up plan #2, as the Roadog Jesse Jammes returns to the ring, a bandage covering up the bleeding from earlier. Jammes enters the ring but Michaels starts beating on him too, as Jarrett crawls out of the ring. Michaels nails Jammes with the Superkick to send him out of the ring, but by this time Jarrett is halfway down the aisle with the belt over his shoulder, staggering away from this match. He's about to disappear through the curtains, when he's blocked by Triple-H!
Jarrett tries to shove his way past, but Hunter clotheslines him to the floor. Helmsley then grabs him by the hair and pulls him back to the ring, where Michaels awaits. Jammes tries to go after Hunter, but Helmsley ends up whipping him into the guardrail before forcing him back backstage. Michaels nails Jarrett with a high knee as soon as he returns to the ring, then takes him up top where he hits a superplex. Jarrett is breathing heavy as he lies on the mat, and Michaels moves back to the corner, where he tunes up some sweet shin music. Jarrett takes his sweet time getting to his feet, but when he does, BANG! Jarrett falls to the mat unconscious and...
"Kee-Rash"
Austin charges down to the ring as Michaels starts to cover the champion.
1...
2...
Michaels is pulled off of Jarrett by Stone Cold and tossed to the floor. The referee, who had let interference by the Midnight Express and Jesse Jammes go by, calls for the bell. Austin picks Jarrett up and nails him with the Stone Cold Stunner as the ring fills with garbage.
Shawn Michaels defeated Jeff Jarrett by disqualification in 0:06:21. Rating: * 1/2
(Jeff Jarrett retained the WWF World Title.)