As soon as the carnage from the main event cleared, Shawn stood in the ring facing the Titantron where "Stone-Cold" Steve Austin appeared with the WWF World Heavyweight Championship on his shoulder. Before saying anything, he was certain to give Shawn a nice long slow clap.

"Very nice, Shawn. So that axe-grinding sumbitch Titan finally got off his ass and did something. Of course, it don't make a damn lick of difference in the grand scheme of things, but I'm sure it made you feel like the captain of your own fate for a minute or two there, made you feel like you had a little bit of power. But no, you ain't got shit. Now, I know what you're thinking. 'But Stone-Cold, I won the match so my and my assless chaps and my glitter booties, and my...' Shit. Hunter?"

"Yeah?"

"What's that little gimmick Shawn wears, the hat covered in all sorts of rhinestones, makes him look like some sorta S&M cop or something?"

"He calls it a biker hat, I believe, but if I recall correctly the proper name is a biker [i]cap.[/i] The distinction is small, but it might be important."

"There we go! Anyway, so you're thinking, 'I get to walk on down the aisle at the Royal Rumble and challenge for your WWF World Heavyweight Title.' UNH-UH! You see, you pompous little would-be rockstar, the more astute among our fans probably came to the realization, obviously way before you, that at no point did I say the title shot would be for this here belt." Austin paused for Shawn to finish throwing a fit in the ring before he continued.

"So now you're probably thinking, 'so what, is he gonna knock this down a notch and let Triple H mop me up like a beer stain?' UNH-UH! Tempting as it would, be a match for the IC title is still too good for you. So maybe the Pan-Am title. Let Joanna show you just how far you've fallen? UNH-UH! You ain't worth her time either. Now we thought maybe a tag team title opportunity, but that wouldn't be fair given that before the Jolly Green Jackass showed up I wouldn't have thought you had anybody who would team with your sorry ass. And if you ain't worth my time, and you ain't worth HHH's time, and you ain't worth Joanna's time, then you damn sure ain't worth Pillman's time. So, in my infinite wisdom and fairness, I have decided to bestow upon you a title shot worthy of your status and position in the Power Trip's WWF... The Kazuya Okada Title Of Excellence. That's right, at the Royal Rumble, Shawn Michaels, you will face off with the Rainmaker, who is still..."

Austin did the pose.

"...ON AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT LEVEL FROM YOU! HAHAHAAAA! Call that a favor, Ted!" Austin let Shawn fester for a bit before continuing on again.

"Now, this still leaves us one question: who will take me on with this shiny little thing on the line at the Royal Rumble? Now, I may not like the people who have their asses in those seats, and I may not even respect them, but goddamn do I love their money. So I will be defending this World Heavyweight Title at the Royal Rumble and I will be defending it against the guy who your Blaster just laid out. That's right, mark it on the calendar, at the Royal Rumble "Stone-Cold" Steve Austin will be defending his title against that old, broke-down little sumbitch right there, Bret "The Hitman" Hart!"

The crowd roared, and Austin basked in it for a little bit.

"Goddamn, that felt good. I may have to pander to these motherfuckers more often!"

Austin kept laughing as Bret and Shawn looked at him and each other to end the show.