25 Best Moments Of WWE Monday Night RAW (Year-By-Year)
20. 1998: Austin Vs. Tyson
In early 1998, the WWF finally had the pieces in place to reclaim the wrestling throne. They had assembled the talent, and were ready to have Steve Austin captain the ship. All they needed now was a "look at me" gesture that would get everyone talking about them.
Mike Tyson was their answer.
The night after the Royal Rumble, Tyson appeared in the final segment of RAW with Vince, who announced to the world that the "Baddest Man on the Planet" would be the special guest at WrestleMania XIV. Before they could celebrate for long, however, the Baddest Man was interrupted by the Toughest SOB, Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Austin, in a move unprecedented for a company in which the superstars were always chums with the celebs, berated Tyson, claiming that he could beat him any day of the week. What followed was a pull-apart brawl and the setup for an angle that got everyone talking. In the months that followed, RAW would overtake Nitro in the ratings, and the Monday Night Wars would never be the same again.