10 Things We Learned From Vince Russo's WWE 1998 Timeline Kayfabe Commentaries Shoot

6. Vader Was Knocked Loopy By Raw's Pyro Going Off

The backstage staff were in an almighty panic as the introduction video signalling the start of Raw Is War began rolling one Monday evening in May, 1998. Watching on a monitor in the Gorilla Position, Vince Russo and others were at a loss to explain the sudden absence of Leon 'Vader' White. The mountain of a man was scheduled to emerge first for the curtain-jerking bout on the show. Vince McMahon was screaming at his employees to find the wrestler, who was nowhere to be found. Imploring the announcers to stretch out their welcome to the program, McMahon, Russo and everyone else watched in complete bemusement as Vader stumbled out from underneath the staging. He didn't look well, struggling to walk and looking altogether quite ill. The reason for his sudden dizzy turn was that Vader had been stretching out underneath the set staging when Raw began. Blissfully unaware as he prepared for his match, the former World Champion was bombarded with the deafening sounds of Raw's customary fireworks and pyrotechnic opening. Caught in the midst of it with nowhere to go, Vader wrestled dizzy that night.