10 Things You Didn't Know About WWE In 1999
2. Gone Forever = 55 Days
Vince McMahon is no stranger to a bold-faced lie when it suits, and when the Chairman's loose relationship with the truth met Vince Russo's chaotic booking energy, one of the biggest payoffs in company history was undone in less than two months.
Fully Loaded's main event between Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker was primarily for the WWE Championship, but an "End Of An Era" stipulation was added to the First Blood ensure the last cut would be the deepest. It was simple - Austin loses and he never gets another shot at the company's top title. 'The Rattlesnake' wins, and McMahon is gone for good.
Capping a rivalry that had kicked off in late-1997, the stipulation felt like a suitable final chapter, particularly as McMahon had the opportunity to take a step back while his character was still red hot. Instead, the heat morphed into cheers when he returned as a babyface opposing Triple H just a month and a half later. He'd write himself off again in December, lasting a tiny bit longer before returning as part of the "McMahon In Every Corner" WrestleMania 2000 build.