Date: April 12, 1998
Match: vs "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (WWF Champion)
Vince's first match came on the night he was to announce Austin's first opponent as champion. Unfortunately for Vince, it was him. Backstage, cameras showed Stooges Patterson & Brisco, along with son Shane (1st appearance on WWF TV) discouraging the boss & talking strategy.
When they finally got to the ring, Vince pulled an ace out of his sleeve, reminding Austin he said he could beat Vince "with one arm tied behind (his) back!!!" Yeah, that's how Vince sounded. I remember it well. So Austin, with his hand tied (pun intended), was ready to fight Vince, but his second ace, a returning Dude Love, made the save before the match started, resulting in a no contest. Austin went on to fight Dude Love at the next two pay per views, defending his belt. On that night, Dude Love became Vince's first "corporate" henchman.
Date: April 19 (taped April 13)
Match: w/"Stone Cold" Steve Austin (WWF Champion) vs The Rock & D-Lo Brown
Hoping to weaken Austin the week before Unforgiven, Vince once again set himself in a match with Austin -- as his partner. Vince spent the whole time on the apron, though, as Austin pinned D-Lo following a Stunner (of course), earning McMahon his first win.
Date: January 11, 1999
Match: DX vs Corporation Royal Rumble
It was a long time since we'd seen Vince in the ring, but when it came time to see who would be #30 in the 1999 Royal Rumble, Vince took no chances. Vince entered himself in this match which took place on RAW. He seemed to enter last & win, tossing Triple H & the Big Bossman over the top, but one competitior was left: Chyna. As the Stooges held her off, Stone Cold came down the aisle & distracted McMahon, allowing Chyna to sneak in & toss him over the top.
Date: January 24, 1999
Match: Royal Rumble
Due to a ruling by WWF Commishioner Shawn Michaels, Mr. McMahon entered this match as #2, just following Stone Cold at #1. He spent most of the match out of the ring, battling Stone Cold in the crowd & all the way back to the ladies room. There, Austin was ambushed by the Corporation, who were touching up their make-up.
Vince made his way back to the announcer's table, resuming his old job of commentator. As Steve Austin made his way back & eliminated several of the final competitors, it was back to Mr. McMahon vs Austin. But WWF Champion The Rock came down the aisle to distract Austin, allowing Vince to toss him over the top! Mr. McMahon won the Royal Rumble & earned the right to compete for the WWF title at WrestleMania.
Date: February 13, 1999 (taped Feb 8)
Match: Gauntlet Match - "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs Corporation
On the big Skydome RAW in early February, Mr. McMahon took the liberty of signing WWF Champion Mankind against "Stone Cold", with Vince himself as the ref. Unfortunately, all he got for his troubles was a beatdown, including a Mr. Socko-style Mandible Claw.
Once that was over, Mr. McMahon stood on the stage with his Corporation & demanded Austin battle them in a Gauntlet match. Austin went through each member one by one. Big Bossman, Test, Ken Shamrock, Kane & Chyna all fell to Austin. But it wasn't over. The Bossman was disqualified for using his nightstick, intentionally trying to take out Stone Cold. But there was one member left: Mr. McMahon. He then came in the ring & pinned Austin to get the win, humiliating Austin (on American TV) one day before the ppv.
Date: February 14, 1999 (St. Valentine's Day Massacre ppv)
Match: Steel Cage Match vs "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
This match almost never got started, as Vince & Austin brawled everywhere but in the ring. Vince even took a hard bump in a spot where he fell from the side of the cage onto an announcers' table! Not to mention that later on, the 53-year old bladed! Even though the stipulation was added that no Corporation member could interfere, Vince had an ace up his sleeve: the not-quite-yet member of the Corporation, Paul Wight. Wight made his debut, coming through the ring apron & manhandling Stone Cold. But it was Wight's strength that helped Austin win. Austin was tossed into the cage & the side gave way, allowing Austin to easily hop to the floor for the win & a World title shot at WrestleMania XV.
Date: May 3, 1999
Match: vs Shane McMahon
A few days after forming the Corporate Ministry, Shane was in the booking mood, signing several matches, including this one. And to get an advantage, he had the Corporate Ministry attack Vince in his locker room. Or maybe not. You know, the whole Higher Power thing. Anywho, Shane had the advantage for most of the match, but Big Daddy pulled a Stunner out of his ass for the win.
Date: May 10, 1999 (taped May 4)
Match: Steve Austin/The Rock/Vince McMahon vs Undertaker/Triple H/Shane McMahon (guest referee Shawn Michaels)
Commissioner Michaels, after seeing Shane's unfair booking, decided to do a little unfair booking of his own. Among the matches was this 6 man tag, which was generally an all out brawl. At the end, Vince battled Shane in the ring & delivered a Stunner to his son. But Austin wouldn't let Vince hog the glory. He tossed Vince aside, hit a Stunner on Shane & made the pin. Glory hog.
Date: May 23, 1999 (Over the Edge)
Match: vs Mideon
Actually, it was on HeAT, the show that lowercases the first vowel of each word on its graphics. Shane ordered Austin to defend his belt against someone as a warm-up for the Undertaker later on. So Vince was noble enough to fight him in place of Austin. And he clearly got his ass kicked, & it ended in a no contest. What, you expected a good description of a match with Mideon?
Date: June 7, 1999
Match: vs Ken Shamrock, Lion's Den Match
On the night where the Higher Power was revealed & Austin became the CEO, the Union was granted any match they wanted. That's MATCH, Test, you heathen monkey! Anyways, Ken Shamrock was having a spiff with McMahon. He felt used when McMahon sent him to find Stephanie the day after WrestleMania. So instead of getting his IC title shot vs Jeff Jarrett, Shamrock chose to fight Mr. McMahon in the Lion's Den.
The match was very short. Mr. McMahon taunted Shamrock as he tried to enter the cage. After a minute, Jeff Jarrett ran down & nailed Shamrock with a chair! Shamrock fell through the open door & McMahon made the pin for yet another win.
Date: June 27, 1999 (King of the Ring)
Match: w/Shane McMahon vs Steve Austin, Ladder Match for 100% Ownership of WWF
With 50% of the company between them, Mr. McMahon & Shane-O-Mac decided that Stone Cold needed to be taught a lesson. So they booked a Handicap Ladder Match for KOTR in order to get their company back. But due to Commissioner Michaels' ruling, no Corporate Ministry member could interfere.
Austin had the advantage most of the match, as expected. The match went all over the arena, as most Austin matches do these days. Austin even took the McMahons to the neatly set up series of ladders at the entrance. But Austin took his opponents too lightly: playing to the crowd, not going for the briefcase when they were KO'd. And it cost him. When Austin finally made his attempt for the briefcase containing the deed to the company, it was raised by someone unknown to this day. Austin was screwed once again by the McMahons. Soon after, Vince climbed the ladder & battled Austin. Then Shane McMahon sacrificed his father, pushing both Vince & Austin to the mat while on the ladder. Shane climbed the ladder, retrieved the briefcase, & escaped Austin in the McMahons' final match.
Date: July 25, 1999 (Fully Loaded)
Match: For WWF World title - First Blood Match - Steve Austin vs The Undertaker
Although the match did not include Mr. McMahon, a few very important stipulations did. If the Undertaker wins, "Stone Cold" could not recieve another WWF World title shot. If "Stone Cold" won, Mr. McMahon would have to leave the WWF. McMahon decided to be a guest commentator for the match, which as always, was a giant brawl. Despite the attempted interference by Shane McMahon, Austin pulled out the winafter nailing the Undertaker with a video camera. When referee Earl Hebner saw the blood from the Taker's forehead, Vince was gone <*sniff*>...for now.
Click here for Fully Loaded Gallery
Date: Sept. 14, 1999
Match: For WWF World title - Vince McMahon vs Triple H (Guest Referee: Shane McMahon)
But as we all know now, Vince (no longer officially "Mr.") McMahon made his return in a big way. At the Smackdown! tapings after Vince's return on RAW, Triple H challenged him to a World title match. Since the referees were out on strike, Shane was assigned as the ref.
The match was dominated by HHH, as expected. Vince even went through a table & recieved a chair shot, along with Shane. As Shane was out, Linda McMahon was "manhandled" by Chyna, forcing Linda to watch the beating Vince was taking.
Then, the glass broke & Austin's music played. He came out & gave the Stunner to Triple H. Then, to add insult (it's only an insult to HHH, not Vince layalists like us!), Austin pulled Vince over Triple H. Three seconds later, Vince was the champ! Oh, how fun it is to mak out for Vince...
Click here to relive McMahon's WWF World title win!
