Raw Deal - Raw recap for June 22, 1998

RAW

WWF owner Vince McMahon shows up to start the show and introduce Kane, who appears without Paul Bearer, who is seen watching at home via satellite. Vince tells Kane that when he faces "Stone Cold" Steve Austin for the WWF Championship, it will be the greatest day of his life, as the days of torment, a childhood that was nothing short of a living hell and an excess baggage of rejection, ridicule, scorn and abuse as an adult will all be gone forever as he takes his place in the rarefied air of those who have overcome all odds to become WWF Champion as he is destined to be. He says no force or man can stop destiny, not even "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and as Kane stands, Vince says Kane dedicates his match to Austin and challenges Austin like he has never been challenged in his life as their match at King of the Ring will be one never been done before with no pinfalls, submissions, count-outs or disqualifications and the winner will be the one who draws first blood on his opponent. Vince deems the match a First Blood Match, and asks Austin how confident he is to retain the WWF Championship. Vince states Kane is so confident that he will offer, in writing, a special provision in the contract that states the following. Kane takes a electrolarynx from the belt of his bodysuit, presses it to his mandible, and speaks for the very first time. Kane says that if he does not win the title, I will set himself on fire, spooking Paul Bearer in the privacy of his own home. Vince repeats this statement, adding that Kane will breathe his last breath.

Before the next match, "The Rock" Rocky Maivia, Owen Hart and "The Godfather" Kama Mustafa are ejected from ringside by referees and by WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter.

"The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock beats "The World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry to continue to the semi-finals of the King of the Ring Tournament after Vader takes Henry out at ringside behind the referee's back. During the match, The Undertaker is reported to be on his way to the arena. After the match, Kevin Kelly interviews Shamrock, who says he's come too far to quit now, and that there's one more hill to climb and that he'll be on top when all is said and done. We then see Edge in the crowd, and it is announced he will be making his WWF debut tonight.

X-Pac, "Road Dog" Jesse James and "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn test the Super Soaker CPS 3000 on the director.

Before the next match, Dustin Runnels is seen down on one knee as if in prayer.

X-Pac beats Dustin Runnels after Chyna trips Runnels from ringside. After the match, "Triple H" Hunter Hearst Helmsley shows up, and X-Pac tells Dustin Runnels to suck it as Dustin Runnels tries to show good sportsmanship. Runnels then goes back to kneeling down in prayer at the corner.

Paul Bearer is interviewed via satellite from his home. Bearer says he'll know Kane will set himself on fire, as Kane will do anything he set his mind to do. He then goes on to say that Kane won't have to do it, as he will be at ringside with him where he has always been. He says Vince was telling the truth when he said Kane was living in torment, but he won't have to anymore as he will be at Kane's side when Kane becomes WWF Champion.

Edge is seen in the crowd again. (He is seen in different positions in the crowd throughout the show up until his match.)

Jerry "The King" Lawler is in the ring. He says he has been having problems with Al Snow, whom he calls "an idiot" who carries a mamnnequin head around. He says that he knows Al Snow is in the back, as he went into the cleaning lady's closet, took her dress, and tried to disguise himself with it. Lawler produces a piece of paper, and says he has something for him and asks him to come to the ring. Snow shows up, dressed like a cleaning lady as described, with Head wearing Lawler's crown, which Lawler claims Snow has stolen. Lawler says he ahas something Snow wants, and Snow has something he wants. He offers to trade the appointment with WWF owner Vince McMahon for the crown. AL Snow berates Head for stealing the crown, then commits to the trade. Snow then reads the document only to find out it is not an appointment with Vince, but a contract, and that they will have a tag team match against Too Much ("Too Sexy" Brian Christopher and "Too Hot" Scott Taylor) at King of the Ring, and they have to win the match in order to become part of the WWF. Snow says that if Vince gets his jollies in seeing him lose, it might as well happen now. Snow gets on the mat and tells Lawler to get it over with. Lawler calls out Too Much, and Snow gets up off the mat to hit both of them with Head before leaving the ring, telling Jim Ross the head doesn't lay down for anybody and leaving through the crowd.

Kevin Kelly is outside "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's locker room, ready to get Austin's answer to Kane's stipulation at King of the Ring.

The camera focuses on Edge in the crowd again.

"Double J" Jeff Jarrett beats "Marvelous" Marc Mero to continue to the semi-finals of the King of the Ring Tournament. During the match, Jacqueline dares Tennessee Lee to fight her, which in turn distracts Jarrett. Mero hits a low blow and the TKO on Jarrett, but the referee is still distracted. Sable shows up, which distracts Mero. Jarrett hits a DDT after blocking a kick, and gets the win. Kevin Kelly interviews Jarrett, who says he is the greatest singer, entertainer and wrestler, and on Sunday, he will become King of the Ring.

WAR ZONE

Before the next match, "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn is ejected from ringside by the referee.

Kane beats "Road Dog" Jesse James. Paul Bearer is on the TitanTron and also seen via satellite, and Bearer says he is healing slowly and that he will be at King of the Ring. He says he knows about The Undertaker's collusion to destroy "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and that The Undertaker tried to shut him up last week. Suddenly, the lights in his house start to dim, but as Bearer days he'll be at King of the Ring at Kane's finest hour, we hear a woman scream followed by The Undertaker beating up Paul Bearer, asking Bearer if he thought he'd forget where he lived as he also wrecks the house. As this happens, the satellite feed cuts out.

Edge beats Jose Estrada in his WWF debut. Before the match, Edge comes to the ring through the crowd. During the match, Edge accidentally breaks Jose Estrada's neck after somersaulting on him from over the top rope, and officials and medical staff have to check on him after the match.

Mankind has to calm Kane down in the locker room after what The Undertaker did to Paul Bearer in his home.

We see footage of Jose Estrada being placed on a stretched before being wheeled out to the back.

Dan "The Beast" Severn beats Owen Hart by submission with a bow and arrow lock after X-Pac blasts Owen with a steel chair. During the match, Owen Hart tosses a steel chair into the ring. Severn picks it up, and Owen tries to leave as the referee tries to wrestle the chair away from Severn only to be hit in the back by X-Pac. After the match, the rest of The Nation of Domination ("The Rock" Rocky Maivia, "The Godfather" Kama Mustafa, "The World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry) get in the ring and check on Owen, who has suffered a laceration on the top of his head.

After the commercial break, "The Rock" Rocky Maivia calls out D-Generation X ("Triple H" Hunter Hearst Helmsley, X-Pac, "Road Dog" Jesse James, "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn). DX shows up, and are immediately held back by referees, officials and WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter.

"The Rock" Rocky Maivia beats "Triple H" Hunter Hearst Helmsley to continue to the semi-finals of the King of the Ring Tournament after he hits Triple H with a low blow to counter the Pedigree before pinning Triple H with a fisherman's suplex. After the match, D-Generation X ("Triple H" Hunter Hearst Helmsley, X-Pac, "Road Dog" Jesse James, "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn) and The Nation of Domination ("The Rock" Rocky Maivia, Owen Hart, "The Godfather" Kama Mustafa, "The World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry).

Mankind has to continue to calm Kane down in the locker room before heading to the ring.

Before the next match, Mankind says he always enjoyed studying history, and that when he was a young boy, he had a favorite that hung on his bed of old men gathered on the old fields of Gettysburg, Union and Confederate soldiers shaking each others hands on the fields where they shed each other's blood. As he speaks, the Cell comes down and surrounds the ring. To him, it was a shining example of the bitter angels of our nature, of the power of forgiveness, and the ability of time to heal all wounds. When he thinks about his history with The Undertaker, he realized that it would end up the same way until The Undertaker attacked Paul Bearer. Now he has a new vision of himself with his last act on earth urinating on his grave, and calls him a "cowardly son-of-a-bitch." He never thought the word "coward" would apply to The Undertaker, and says that while Paul Bearer is many things - a warm man, a loving father - he is not a wrestler or a fighter, and yet The Undertaker attacked him. He and Paul have every power to put The Undertaker behind bars, but this is a family matter and put him behind the Cell, as blood is thicker than water. He also says that he a surprise for everyone that they will not soon forget. He then asks Kane to listen close, as all is not lost, and when all is set and done, Kane will have the WWF Championship, he will have his vengeance and Paul Bearer will have The Undertaker's soul.

Mankind beats Billy Gunn with the Mandible Claw, then immediately heads to the back. During the match, Chyna is ejected from ringside. D-Generation X ("Triple H" Hunter Hearst Helmsley, X-Pac, "Road Dog" Jesse James) shows up and checks on Billy Gunn after the match. Mankind heads back to the locker room to look for Kane, but cannot find him.

Sable shows up and conducts an interview with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Austin says that there is no way Sable can't be out here by herself for no reason, and thinks something is going on. He asks her to go to the back, go to WWF owner Vince McMahon, flip him off and tell him it's from Stone Cold. If he's a marked man, he's not hard to find, and if anyone is around, all they have to do is show up so he can beat their ass. He accepts Kane's stipulations for King of the Ring, as he's bled before and is not afraid to bleed again, but when the WWF title is on the line, it means "[Kane's] big, dead ass" belongs to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Austin also says that if Kane is dumb enough to set himself on fire in the ring, he'll be bringing all the marshmallows, hot dogs and beer as he watches him burn out, and if he goes out, he'll lay another log on the fire. Fire shoots out from the stage, and Kane immediately shows up. He stares Austin down from the stage, then summons blood to drop from the roof of the arena before telling Austin that this Sunday, the blood on him will be for real.