For the main event of the first Monday Night Raw of 1998, we got [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w1mq6rAfMM&t=4s"][b]Shawn Michaels[/b][/url] vs [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btS0OVdqkb0"][b]Bret Hart[/b][/url] for a title match at the Royal Rumble. Owen joined the commentary team, replacing Mean Gene, and Titan stayed at ringside, backing up Shawn with his imposing presence. As Bret and Shawn started the match with some mat grappling, Owen spoke about how the Hart Foundation will take down the Power Trip.

"That's a field of 30 men in the ring, and whether it's Bret, myself, Liger, Shane, or Mick Foley's surprise return, the Hart Foundation will come out on top, and at Wrestlemania the Power Trip will fall!"

Shawn had ducked out of the ring by then, and started talking trash to Owen, prompting Bret to run out after him. Shawn was too wily for him, though, and ducked between Titan's legs as Bret chased him around the ring. Bret stared down with all 7 feet of the big man as Shawn snuck back in. Bret and Titan might have come to blows, but Bret still had his wits about him and returned to the ring, only to be cut off with a knee to the head from HBK. Shawn followed up with even more matwork, trying to grind Bret down with headlocks and mashing his face into the mat during a hammerlock. Heartbreak ran Bret's face along the rope until just before 5, and started arguing with the ref. This took his eyes off Bret, and so Titan taunted the Hart further, poking him in the eyes Three Stooges style. Shawn kept this up before Bret tried to mount a comeback, but got low bridged to the outside. Shawn again got in an argument with the ref, and Titan capitalized, picking Bret up like a sack of dogshit. Owen got up from commentary, fed up with Titan's interference, but Titan dropped Bret to the floor and stopped Owen in his tracks with a MASSIVE PUNCH RIGHT TO THE JAW! Owen crumbled, and Titan took some time to mock him, before getting low-blowed by Bret. Shawn stopped distracting the ref, and tried to blindside the distracted Bret with a plancha to the floor, but Bret got out of the way just in time, and Shawn ate railing! Bret capitalized, dumping the Heartbreak Kid back into the ring. From there, Bret started hitting all his signatures: first hitting Shawn with an inverted atomic drop, followed by a russian leg sweep for 2, and a backbreaker for 2 1/2. After that, he went for the second rope axehandle, but Shawn got the knees up and got back on the offensive, going for the falcon arrow, but getting hooked into a small package!

1...2, Shawn kicked out, and as soon as he got to his feet, Bret got him right back to the mat with a double leg takedown. Bret tried to cross the legs for the Sharpshooter, but Shawn kept struggling, so Bret had to settle for a catapult into the corner. Shawn bounced face-first off the turnbuckle, right into a German suplex!

1...2...2.9, Shawn kicked out! Bret tried to hit the ropes for a knee drop, but Shawn kipped up into a clothesline, knocking Bret to the mat! Owen was back to his feet now, but trainers were escorting him to the back. Titan's punch really did a number on him, as he was clutching his head, clearly woozy. Shawn hit a Teardrop suplex on Bret, but eschewed the pin in favor of a flying elbow from the top!

1...2...2.9, Bret kicked out! Shawn didn't even take the time to argue with the referee before going into the corner and teasing up the band. Bret staggered to his feet, and Shawn went for Sweet Chin Music. Bret ducked, but it was a feint! Shawn leaped onto Bret, and flipped him head over heels with a Yoshi Tonic!

1...2...2.9, Bret kicked out again! Shawn was spitting mad now, and yelled at absolutely everyone: Bret, the ref, Titan, the commentators, before going for another Sweet Chin Music to Bret. Bret ducked again, dropping Shawn to the mat with a single leg takedown and hooking in the Sharpshooter!

Shawn agonized in the ring as he clawed his way to the ropes, finally making it and forcing Bret to break the hold before pulling himself out. As the ref began counting him out, Titan made his way back into the ring. Shawn was able to convince the ref to follow him to the floor as Titan started readying himself in the corner, before RUNNING BRET THROUGH WITH A HELLACIOUS SPEAR!

"BAH GAWD THAT IS JUST DEVASTATING! I CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT BRET HART FEELS LIKE RIGHT NOW! SEVEN FEET, FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY POUNDS OF PURE UNBRIDLED HUMANITY, IT MUST FEEL LIKE A 747 HIT HIM DEAD CENTER!"

Titan rolled out of the ring, almost scaring the commentators away from the desk as Shawn popped back in the ring and made the cover.

[b]1...2...3. Shawn Michaels has stolen the match, and the Royal Rumble title shot, thanks to Titan, and by extension Vince McMahon.[/b]