Raw Deal - Raw recap for December 28, 1998

RAW

The Corporation is seen entering the arena. WWF co-owner Vince McMahon tells co-owner Shane McMahon that tonight will be a night to remember, and anyone who laid hands on him will regret it. As soon as WWF Commissioner "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels shows up, he will be humiliated and publicly fired, and The Corporation just might kick his ass. For now, they have a surprise for Mankind. They open a nearby door, and everyone in The Corporation walks inside. Inside is the boiler room, and everyone starts looking for Mankind. Mankind finds them, and goes on the attack only to fall victim to the numbers game. Mankind is then carried out to Vince and Shane. Vince calls Mankind a freak, and tells him he will give him what he wants: a shot at the Hardcore Championship. He then wishes him a happy new year. When they walk out though, Vince finds out from Shane that Michaels had other plans for the Hardcore title this week: a match between Val Venis and "Road Dogg" Jesse James with the Hardcore title on the line, which is happening right now. Vince says "We'll just see about that."

Before the next match, Val Venis says that for the next couple of says, his right leg will be known as "Christmas" and his left will be known as "New Year's," and asks the ladies to meet "The Big Valbowski" between the holidays.

Val Venis vs. "Road Dogg" Jesse James ends in a no-contest. During the match, "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock, The Big Boss Man, Kane and Test show up. Test climbs into the ring and hits Val Venis with a bulldog, and the referee calls for the bell. As Val Venis is attacked, the rest of D-Generation X ("Triple H" Hunter Hearst Helmsley, X-Pac, "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn) shows up and confronts The Corporation. WWF owner Vince McMahon and company shows up, and announces that the match is officially over, and he tells Road Dogg he will be defending the WWF Hardcore Championship against Mankind later tonight. As for the rest of D-Generation X, they will all pay, as nobody laughs and ridicules at the McMahon family. Vince also publicly announces that WWF Commissioner "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels will be publicly fired as soon as he arrives for holding The Corporation back last week and for "having a little bit DX left in him." Vince also says he could publicly fire the fans in the crowd as well.

Al Snow - still covered in blood, is seen talking to Head, who now has no hair and black tape around its mouth.

WWF co-owner Vince McMahon, Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco are seen talking to Kane. Vince tells Kane he appreciates what he did last week, but tonight is another night. Patterson makes fun of Kane, and he is told to cut it out. Vince tells Kane that D-Generation X will fall, and that he wants Kane to bring him another member of DX so he can place him on his mantle.

Edge beats Al Snow by disqualification after Al Snow keeps hitting Edge with Head. The Brood (Gangrel and Christian) show up to save Edge, but they are soon joined by The J.O.B. Squad (2 Cold Scorpio, Bob Holly, Dwayne Gill). The Brood and The J.O.B. Squad brawl, and Al Snow flees through the crowd.

X-Pac is seen talking to Dennis Knight - who has not been seen in quite some time - in footage from earlier today. When asked why he is here, Dennis Knight is reported to have said "He told me to be here."

Before the next match, a fan jumps into the ring and hands Sable a yellow rose before she is ejected by security. (This fan is the same woman seen near Sable in the crowd for the last several months.) Sable is then attacked from behind by her opponent, Spider Lady.

Spider Lady vs. Sable ends before the match can even begin. The Oddities (Kurrgan, Golga, Giant Silva, George "The Animal" Steele) rush in to stop Spider Lady as she whips Sable with her belt. Spider Lady then unmasks and reveals herself as Luna Vachon. Luna is seen scraming "It's about me...and what I deserve!"

The Oddities (Kurrgan, Golga, Giant Silva, George "The Animal" Steele) check on Sable backstage.

The Big Boss Man vs. X-Pac for the WWF European Championship ends in a no-contest. During the match, Test shows up, but Val Venis runs in and attacks Test. Big Boss Man goes after Test, then X-Pac goes after Big Boss Man. Referees and officials show up to restore order.

We see WWF co-owner Shane McMahon coach WWF co-owner Vince McMahon for the Royal Rumble match.

A camera is trained on the backstage entrance for the moment that WWF Commissioner "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels enters the arena.

Goldust and "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman beat Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett. During the match, Dan "The Beast" Severn shows up and confronts Owen for breaking his neck, and chases him around the ring until Jeff Jarrett and Debra McMichael get in front of Severn. When Owen gets back into the ring, he falls victim to a schoolboy pin from Blackman.

The Acolytes (Faarooq and Bradshaw) are seen attacking Dennis Knight, shoving him in the trunk of his own car, and driving off in said car.

WAR ZONE

"Triple H" Hunter Hearst Helmsley beats "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock by disqualification when Shamrock refuses to let go of the ankle lock. Ken Shamrock retains the WWF Intercontinental Championship. After the match, Shamrock shoves referee Tim White down, then a brawl D-Generation X ("Triple H" Hunter Hearst Helmsley, X-Pac, "Road Dogg" Jesse James, "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn) and The Corporation (Shamrock, The Big Boss Man, Test) takes place in the ring. Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco have to instruct Kane to get in the ring, but Kane does not want to be involved and DX high-tails it out of the ring.

Kevin Kelly interviews "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn, who says that "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock is walking around with his Intercontinental Championship (even though he never had it to begin with). Shamrock shows up and threatens to beat him up if he does not shut his mouth.

D'Lo Brown and "Sexual Chocolate" Mark Henry show up. Henry says he owes a serious apology to Chyna, and says what he did with Terri Runnels and Jacqueline was wrong after the nights of passion that they shared, and wants to let her know that he is very sorry as he apologizes from the bottom of his heart and gets on his knees to ask her to come back. Suddenly, P.M.S. (Terri Runnels and Jacqueline) show up. Terri tells Mark Henry to get back on his way, as that is the way P.M.S. likes to see their men. She says they had a lot of fun the other night, but they are not done yet and have big plans for him, saying he is just the man for the jobs. D'Lo Brown tells them to back off, and calls them "glorified ring rats." He tells them they should be lucky he is a gentleman, but before D'Lo Brown mentions what he would really want to do to them, Chyna shows up. She takes the microphone from D"Lo Brown, then tells P.M.S. that while D'Lo is a gentleman, she is not. Terri leaves the ring, and Chyna tells P.M.S. for the first, last and only time "Stay away from my man." Jacqueline mocks Chyna, and Chyna grabs her by the throat and shoves her down. Jacqueline then runs away, and Chyna tells P.M.S. she will not be so lady-like next time. Chyna then tells Mark "I'll see you later."

WWF co-owners Vince McMahon and Shane McMahon are seen talking to Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco.

The Big Boss Man, "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock, Test and Kane are seen searching for somebody backstage.

We see a video package of the best moments of 1998.

The Big Boss Man, "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock, Test and Kane attack The Godfather, who is schedule to face "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn in the next match, in front of his hos. Once again, Kane has to be commanded to go on the attack.

Before the next match, "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn says that everybody knows he should be the WWF Intercontinental Champion, and the next time he sees "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock, he's going to kick his ass. When The Goldberg's music hits, WWF co-owner Shane McMahon shows up and says there has been a little change in the program, and tells Gunn his opponent is none other than "Corporate Kane." Kane is accompanied by Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco, who command him to attack Billy Gunn.

"Bad Ass" Billy Gunn vs. Kane ends in a no-contest. During the match, "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock attacks Billy Gunn from behind at ringside and puts him in the ankle lock as Pat Patterson has the referee distracted. Kane hits Billy Gunn with the choke slam, but Gerald Brisco and Pat Patterson command him to do it again. Kane does it again, but Brisco and Patterson want a third choke slam. As Kane goes for the third choke slam, X-Pac gets in the ring and hits Kane with a missile drop kick off the top rope, ending the match. "Road Dogg" Jesse James and "Triple H" Hunter Hearst Helmsley show up to help Billy Gunn to the back.

The Rock guests on commentary for the next match.

WWF Commissioner "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels is seen entering the arena.

"Road Dogg" Jesse James retains the WWF Hardcore Championship against Mankind after the match goes into the crowd and The Rock hits Mankind with a Rock Bottom. After seeing the finish of the match on the TitanTron, James is disappointed.

WWF co-owner Vince McMahon shows up, saying he has kept The Corporation in the back as he wants to handle this personally. Vince then calls out WWF Commissioner "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels, saying he has something to say to him. Shawn shows up, and Vince tells him that when he stepped into a WWF ring ten years ago, he said he wanted an opportunity, and he became a star and an icon. We see some footage from March shortly before WrestleMania, where Shawn says that he doesn't need Vince McMahon; instead, Vince McMahon needs him. Vince then mentions Shawn holding The Corporation back last week, and we see the footage of that, too. Vince tells Shawn he is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, but as a WWF Commissioner, he sucks. Vince then says he does not lay down for anybody, and then tells Shawn he is fired as WWF Commissioner. Shawn then hits Vince with Sweet Chin Music and knocks him out before removing the shirt and tie. The Corporation rushes in, but Shawn escapes through the crowd to end the show.

After the show went off the air, The Corporation helps Vince to the back, and Vince nearly goes off on Pat Patterson when he falls on top of him.