As mentioned, every Monday night, WWE and WCW would go head-to-head, competing for the same audience with Raw and Nitro. WWE, the ratings loser for a few years, had to do anything in its power to try to pull the numbers back in its direction. Bringing in Mike Tyson in 1998, just in time for WrestleMania XIV, was one such way to do so. The boiling tensions between Tyson and Stone Cold Steve Austin were reported in news outlets the world over. While originally Tyson was slated to act as the referee for the match, he was eventually demoted to the role of special guest enforcer. A few weeks before WrestleMania, he also showed which side he was on by palling around with Triple H and Michaels. Suddenly DX, a group that already had some clout, now had The Baddest Man on the Planet in its ranks. At that year's WrestleMania, Austin and Michaels met for the WWF Championship, which was then around the waist of The Showstopper. In pure Attitude Era fashion, Tyson changed his mind and proved his allegiance to Austin with a Stone Cold t-shirt. Famous friendships can be so fickle.
Nicole Malczan is a freelance writer, music lover, and pro wrestling fanatic. Combining all of her passions into one is her biggest joy. In her free time, she enjoys walking her dog, reading comics, eating pizza, and playing video games. http://nicolemalczan.weebly.com/
