Raw Deal - Raw recap for May 18, 1998

RAW

WWF owner Vince McMahon, Gerald Brisco and Pat Patterson show up. As a result of Vince's devastating clothesline delivered to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin last week on Raw, Austin has supposedly suffered a mild concussion. Vince calls Austin "a spirited individual," and says he might try to get revenge on him, Brisco or Patterson. He then says that revenge would be nothing compared to the injury he might suffer at their hands, and that therefore, for Austin's protection, has barred Austin from the arena tonight. We then see footage from earlier tonight of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin not being allowed into the building by a security guard whom Austin allows five minutes to reconsider as only Austin himself would allow, telling him they can do this the easy way or the hard way. Vince then introduces Dude Love to the ring as the next WWF Champion. Dude Love finds it ironic that as Austin's reign comes to an end that the Dude only becomes stronger as he looks younger, handsomer and more well-educated every day. He says that May 31st will be a night where dreams come true for everyone, especially for Brisco, Patterson and McMahon when Austin's reign is finally ended, and also especially for himself when he becomes a hardcore legend, the toughest S.O.B. in the WWF and the new WWF Champion. Vince then calls out Dustin Runnels for the burning of his Goldust attire last week, and Runnels shows up. Runnels' right knee is bandaged due to recent surgery. Vince confronts Runnels for blaming everything on him and tells him to take some accountability for his own life and that he gave him an opportunity as Goldust. Vince thinks Runnels wants to prove himself, and gives him an opportunity to prove himself tonight. If Runnels can beat Dude Love in the ring tonight despite having a recently worked-on right knee, he will be the #1 contender for the WWF Championship, but if he loses, he will be working without pay for 30 days. Runnels accepts, saying the sooner the better, and attacks Dude Love. The numbers game quickly catches up to runnels when Brisco and Patterson stomp on him, and referees and officials have to get Dustin Runnels out of the ring.

Jerry "The King" Lawler lets someone cloaked in a blue cloth out of a mini-van. It is not "Stone Cold" Steve Auustin, but reather someone who is sent to take care of Austin. Security checks the man out and lets him in.

After the commercial break, Jerry "The King" Lawler loses the guy in the blue cloak and finds him on a payphone on the WWF Superstar Line.

Val Venis beats 2 Cold Scorpio in his WWF debut with his dive from the top rope known as the Money Shot.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin approaches the security guard and deals with him the hard way, beating him up for not letting him in. He then makes his way into the arena.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin makes his way to the ring. He tells the crowd to give him a "hell Yeah," then says he'll crash the party any time he wants to, because if there's a Monday Night Raw, he's going to be there. He says that WWF owner Vince McMahon can pull the strings all he wants, but he's getting more and more pissed off with him every single day. Austin calls out McMahon, Gerald Brisco and Pat Patterson out so they can settle this once and for all, and if they don't show in 30 seconds, he'll tear up every camera they have. McMahon asks Austin who he thinks he is, breaking into "his" arena. Austin says he's the one looking at three jackasses dressed up in suits, and warns Patterson he will stomp a mudhole in his ass and walk it dry if he heads past the stage. He says he wants to talk to all three of them like men and does not want to fight them, and tells them to get in the ring. Vince still wants to fight Austin, and Austin watns them them not to take a step as they don't want a piece of him. Vince says he doesn't go a street fight in a suit like the one he, Brisco and Patterson are weraing, and asks Austin if he wants a street fight against the three of them. Austin then asks the crowd to give him a "Hell Yeah" if they want to see one. Patterson says he wants to take him on, saying Austin is an idiot and that he does not suck as Austin said on commentary two weeks. Brisco also wants a piece of Austin while showing immense loyalty for McMahon. McMahon allows Austin two out of the three of them, to allow for some fairness, but Austin says he'll put knots on all three of them before the night is over. Vince tells Austin he's looking at three musketeers, but Austin tells them they can all screw themselves and that two of them will get their asses whipped regardless of who shows up, and that's the bottom line.

We see another vignette for Edge.

Jerry "The King" Lawler catches his mystery man at the make-up booth.

Sable shows up before the next match, and asks "Marvelous" Marc Mero to come to the ring. She tells him she has been looking back on their relationship lately, and is allowing to let bygones be bygones, and if he can be an adult about it, they can have an amicable split and they can go their separate ways. Mero asks Sable if she wants to leave him, and Sable says yes. Mero tells Sable she forgot one detail. Two years ago, she signed a contract with him, which basically states that she is still his property and tells her to get in his corner "like a good little girl." Sable realizes he won't be an adult and will hold her hostage, and Mero warns her that she will sue her for everything she has and for every cent she's made under him.

Terry Funk beats "Marvelous" Marc Mero. After Terry Funk pushes referee Jack Doan to the ground, Mero hits a low blow followed by a TKO, but Sable distracts the referee, calling Mero out for his low blow and allowing Terry Funk to hit Mero with a DDT to get the win.

The security guard as well as two Nashville police officers look for "Stone Cold" Steve Austin backstage. They come across Jerry "The King" Lawler and his mystery partner in the blue cloak, and even they can confirm that the man below the cloak is not "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.

The Disciples of Apocalypse (Chainz and Skull) beat L.O.D. 2000 (Road Warrior Animal and Road Warrior Hawk) after 8-Ball comes out of the crowd and gets the pinfall on Animal while the referee isn't looking. After the match, Animal wants a six-man tag match against The Disciples of Apocalypse next week.

Jerry "The King" Lawler is seen heading to the ring with the man beneath the blue blanket.

Earlier today, Paul Bearer and Kane went to a medical center outside the arena to take a DNA test to prove that Kane is his biological son. Kane is seen wearing a black ski mask and a jacket with multiple dark colors instead of his usual ring gear.

WAR ZONE

The intro to War Zone plays to signal the start of the second hour.

Jerry "The King" Lawler heads to the ring with the person in the blue blanket when he comes to the commentary table, and says he has the man in the blanket with him to protect him in case he is jumped at the commentary table. The man below the blanket is none other than Al Snow, who has showed up with Head and wants to see WWF owner Vince McMahon. Lawler, Head and Snow leave through the crowd.

Dude Love beats Dustin Runnels with the Mandible Claw to stay #1 contender for the WWF Championship. Gerald Brisco and Pat Patterson show up during the match, and Brisco distracts Runnels, allowing Dude Love to win with the Mandible Claw. As a result of Dude Love's victory, Dustin Runnels must work without pay for 30 days. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin is seen watching the match backstage, and cameras are on him when the police arrest him.

WWF owner Vince McMahon, Gerald Brisco and Pat Patterson approach "Stone Cold" Steve Austin as he is being arrested by two Nashville police officers, confronting Austin for defying him yet again and gloating over the fact that he and his men won't have to face him in a street fight tonight.

The Headbangers (Thrasher and Mosh) vs. Kaientai (Dick Togo and Men's Teioh) ends in a no-contest after Yamaguichi-san distracts the referee, allowing for Sho Funaki to attack The Headbangers along with Togo and Teioh. Bradshaw and Taka Michinoku rush towards the ring, forcing Kaientai to retreat through the crowd. During the match, Al Snow and Head are in the front row, demanding to Jerry "The King" Lawler that he wants to see Vince McMahon.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin is seen in the back of a county squad car, with WWF owner Vince McMahon, Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco standing just outside talking to a police officer.

We see more footage of Paul Bearer and Kane taking their DNA test in Bearer's attempt to prove that Kane is his biological son.

Before the next match, X-Pac says there are a lot of WWF Superstars looking at the monitor, and says D-Generation X ("Triple H" HUnter Hearst Helmsley, Chyna, X-Pac, "Road Dog" Jesse James, "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn) "got game." Triple H says he's a hell of a hummer, as he can bang the skin. He tells the ladies that if he's not too enthralled with the show, they can swing around to the back and twirl his stick while he's beating the tom-tom. Road Dogg tells "The Rock" Rocky Maivia and Owen Hart that if he and Billy Gunn are just going to let them have the tag titles, they've got another thing coming, as law around here is DX law, and he who breaks the law goes back to the house of pain. Triple H tells "The Rock" that if he messes with them, it won't be "know your role," instead, it will be "shut your hole." When The Nation of Domination ("The Rock" Rocky Maivia, Owen Hart, D'Lo Brown, Kama Mustafa, "The World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry) show up, they all go after D-Generation X, and referees and officials have to restore order. A cameraman is injured during the ringside brawl between both factions.

The New Age Outlaws ("Road Dog" Jesse James and "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn) retain the WWF Tag Team Championships against The Nation of Domination ("The Rock" Rocky Maivia and Owen Hart) after Chyna distracts the referee, allowing Faarooq to run in and hit The Rock with a piledriver. Al Snow is seen talking to Head, still wanting to see WWF owner Vince McMahon.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin is still in the squad car, which is still in the arena.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin is out of the squad, and is released from his handcuffs after he apologizes to the security guard for "beating his ass" and "for [him] being so damn stupid," then heads to the ring.

Kevin Kelly is in the ring with Dr. Chuck Woosley, who has the results of Kane and Paul Bearer's DNA test. He announces that he can say without a doubt that Paul Bearer is the biological father of Kane. Kane and Paul Bearer show up, and says he's the fat man who tells the truth and not the little boy who cried wolf. He tells The Undertaker that he was telling the truth about Kane being alive and Kane being his son, and then tells The Undertaker that his mother was "nothing but a damn two-bit whore, and that's the truth." The Undertaker comes out from the back, beats up Paul Bearer, then choke slams Kane before beating up Paul Bearer some more. Kane gets back up, and he and Paul Bearer attack The Undertaker until Vader runs in and goes at it with Kane. The Undertaker leaves the ring and goes after Paul Bearer, who runs to the back.

Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco show up for the main event Street Fight, while WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter is announced as the special guest referee for the match. When "Stone Cold" Steve Austin gets in Slaugher's face and flips him off during his ring entrance, Slaughter attacks him from behind, starting the match early. A fan in a Steve Austin mask is seen standing next to Al Snow in the front row.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco in a Street Fight ends in chaos. Brisco, Patterson, and special guest referee WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughteer all get Stone Cold Stunners, then Dude Love and Steve Austin brawl. The fan in the Steve Austin match jumps the guardrail and attacks Austin, and unmasks to reveal himself as WWF owner Vince McMahon as Dude Love locks the Mandible Claw on Austin.

After the end of the show, WWF owner Vince McMahon and Dude Love get in the ring after checking on Gerald Brisco and Pat Patterson, who join them in the ring soon afterwards. Vince hugs Dude Love, then "Stone Cold" Steve Austin gets in the ring and gets his hand on Vince McMahon, chasing him to the back.