As the show begins we see old black and white footage from the golden age of wrestling, possibly Lou Thez

"Yes sir we promise you a great main event..." a voice says before we see more images of Terry Funk, Dusty Rhodes and Dr. S

"ANDREEE THE GIAAANT.." roars Vince McMahon back in his 80's announcer role as we see the legendary giant

"WRESTLEMAAAAANIA"

We see Rowdy Roddy Piper, the Iron Sheik and of course Hulk Hogan

"HULKAMANIA IS RUNNIN WILD BROTHER"

Bret Hart throws out his arms as Shawn Michaels cradles the WWE Championship, SA standing atop the Hell in a Cell cage and the Undertaker bowing to the urn

"Reeeest in pea..." the Undertaker begins but doesn't get to finish as we hear JR say

"My God what a ma.." Ross is cut off by the Rock

"HIF YA SMELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL"

"You're Fiiiiiiired"

the glass shatters CRAAAASH

"GIMME A HELL YEAH" roars Stone Cold as JR warns

"Its not over..." and ends on

"THE WORLD IS WATCHING..." as images of Nightmare, Nathan James, Undertaker, Randy Orton and more fuse together until the screen blacks out, the WWE logo and words "World Wrestling Entertainment" appearing on screen before we fade away to the opening video.

"GO!!!!!!!!!!!!" screams the singer, the images coming thick and fast, CM Punk rolling his wrists, Randy Orton cutting his familiar pose, Kane, Forxx and Assassin roaring into the camera

"Take your past and burn it up and let it go... carry on, I'm stronger than you'll ever know.... that's the deal, you get no respect..."

John Morrison drapes himself over the ropes, Jeff Hardy pumps his arms and Vince McMahon's face fills with fury

"You're gunna get yours, you'd better watch your f'kin neck..."

William Regal gets into his fighting stance, Triple H throws his arms back on the apron, water shooting up into the air

"I WANT DOMMMMINATION.... I WANT YOUR SUBMMMMISSION...."

We see Melina give us her unique under the rope entrance, John Cena scoring with his Five Knuckle Shuffle

"I GOTTA ROLL THE DICE... NEVER LOOK BACK AND NEVER THINK TWWWICE...."

We see Orton again give his pose, on stage this time, Primal roaring and again we're back among the skyscrapers and now down in the streets with the cars

"WOAH-OH-OHHHH, I NEVER GIVE IN..."

Venus Vulu shakes her ass and we see Mr Kennedy with his mic

"WOAH-OH-OHHHH, I NEVER GIVE UP..."

Rey Mysterio leaps into the air for the 619, Ryan Simmons hits the Shining Wizard while Maria salutes the fans

"WOAH-OH-OHHHH, I NEVER GIVE IN..."

Santino plays the air trumpet before we go to the image of The Gathering and finally The Undertaker bathed in purple light

"I JUST WANNA BE, WANNA BE LOVVVVVED...!" finishes the music, the camera shooting down onto the roof of Madison Square Garden where the Raw logo has been superimposed, the images quickly fading into the arena. As we open on the usual WWE set there is a slight difference in the atmosphere, the pyros blasting up into the rafters over and over, whites, red and blues... the lights darker than usual to give us a more grimy look. The crowd are in rapturous ovation as surely are our fans as we hear a familiar voice

"WITH NEARLY TWENTY THOUSAND ON HAND WE WELCOME YOU TO MONDAY NIGHT RAW AND BAH GAWD I'M JIM ROSS" exclaims the Oklahoma native, the fans cheering behind him and King as we head down to the announce desk

"Allow me to gather myself here folks, its damn great to be back calling the action her on Raw alongside Jerry The King Lawler and King... I wont hold it against ya" goes Ross, King laughing but clearly remorseful

"JR.. you know I made a terrible mistake in screwing you.. until you've worked with Michael Cole you can't really appreciate that... but I've gotta ask.. why are you back???"

"I've really no idea King, I got the call over the weekend to be here at Raw, my presence was requested it seems... by who or for what purpose I've really no clue" finishes our play by play man as the speakers burst to life

"NO CHANCE... CAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE GOT... NO CHANCE... NO CHANCE IN HELL"

The boos ring throughout the arena as we see the WWE Chairman strolling down the aisle, no strut and looking very perturbed, clearly unshaven, no tie

"Well Vince sure doesn't look good does he JR... you think this could be connected?"

"I really have no idea... wait a minute..." JR trails off as a male voice sounds out over the speakers

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome on his way to the ring, the CHAIRMAN of the WWE.... VIIIIINCE MCCCCMAHON"

"Is that Howard Finkel???" asks Ross, obviously craning his head round to see

"It is!!!" laughs King as we get a shot of The Fink "Hey Fink!" he adds as we see Vince storming up the ramp into the ring

"Well this evening getting stranger and stranger folks, first yours truly is back at the announce desk and now Howard Finkel of all people is back at the ring announcing position" goes Ross as Vince moves across the ring slowly, his body language one of sorrow as he takes a mic from Fink, doing a double take as he sees him, clearly not the one who put him out here

"What the hell next... Earl Hebner?" he growls, glancing at Ross for a moment before turning to fans

"Like always I would ask you to shut the hell up and pay some respect...."

MASSIVE boos

"But that's just not gunna happen so I'll get straight down to business"

The fans duly quieten to hear what the chairman has to say, Vince pausing

"Last week... each and everyone of you bore witness to my groundbreaking announcement that at the Royal Rumble there would be an elimination chamber match. What you might not have noticed is that following that announcement as I left this very ring and walked up that aisle I was met by two gentlemen who Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler presumed were attorneys.... that was not the case"

Vince pauses again, gathering his thoughts

"Those two individuals were in fact an accountant and a financial analyst, one of them Mr Berkowitz works right here for WWE and the other works for the New York Stock Exchange.... it appears.... it appears that over the past twelve months the US economy has caused a devaluation in our stocks, not something that surprised anyone... but when you consider much of my personal fortune is in WWE stocks... then quite frankly is becomes an issue.... it becomes an even bigger issue when you're informed by your accountant that to meet your companies debts... you will need to sell half your stock options"

"Whaaaat?" asks Ross slowly, Vince looking grim

"Put simply, I have this past weekend been forced to sell half of WWE to a consortium of bidders"

The crowd sound shocked, muttering amongst themselves. Vince holds up his hand

"This is not a matter for concern, I made sure personally that the individual who will be the face of this consortium is a man who has a wrestling background. That individual will be present next week on Raw but quite frankly, I'm only telling you people now because there will almost certainly be changes to WWE product... by mutual consent. Changes such as the return of Jim Ross here tonight..."

The crowd erupt

"And for some reason Howard Finkel"

Another roar

"I also know that some talent has b...."

CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASH

"WHAT THE HELL???!?" screams JR as the glass shatters and we go instantly into the crowd, the fans on their feet in stunning ovation as we see Rattlesnake ambling onto stage in jeans and classic "3:16" T-Shirt

"IT IS... AUSTIN IS BACK, HE'S BACK IN THE WWE" Ross cries, Austin smirking in that typical Stone Cold way as Vince lowers his mic in resignation, a look to suggest he should have expected this as the former WWE Champion pads up the steps and into the ring, giving McMahon an amused look as he heads past him to the ropes, pulling himself up with the double bird held aloft

"Well I don't know who this mystery head of the new consortium is folks but if he's responsible for Stone Colds return that bah Gawd I like him already" beams Ross, Austin stepping down and headed to each other corner in turn, digits aloft

"When we last saw Stone Cold folks he'd just lost his job thanks to the New Generation at Survivor Series..."

"Whys he back JR? what's with all the returns tonight... just what the hell's going on???" asks King but there's no answer as Glass Shatters cuts and Austin heads to get his own mic. Vince looks like he really can't be bothered with this and heads for the ropes and exits

"Now you just wait a damn minute you no good bastard, Stone Cold sure as hell didn't come all this way to see your damn back so get the hell back into the center of this rind...."

Vince stops but keeps his back to Austin

"GET" spits Austin, meaning business. McMahon sighs and turns back to face the Rattlesnake, approaching him

"Let me take your stupid little mind back just two months to Survivor Series where we stood in unity, where I decided to back you against them New Generation sum'bitches, to swallow my damn pride for WWE and what the hells thanks does ol Stone Cold get? does he get his job back when by a damn fluke you remain Chairman... EH-EH, like aways with a McMahon ya stab Stone Cold in the back"

Vince just gives a shrug, seemingly pissing off Austin more

"Are ya listenin? Stone Cold watched ya flap ya gums from down in San Antonio, watched ya screwed over Shawn Michaels, Sphere, Showtime and Triple H as well, screw over all of us who gave you support, w..."

"WHO FAILED ME" roars McMahon, his mood seemingly giving him a huge boost in testicular fortitude

"I just signed away half my company to a man I detest the sight of and you expect me to cry over your stupid job Steve? I could give a crap about you, Michaels, Sphere.. any of em. And you know why??"

McMahon gets in Austin's face

"Because I'm Vince McMahon" he spits, a smirk breaking across Austin's face, he looks like he may stun Vince there and then but instead backs away a little so he can speak to the crowd more freely

"That's funny Vince cause y'know.... I spoke to this little consortium of yours..."

Vince seems shocked, his face falling as he looks at Austin

"You did what?" he says quietly, Austin smiling, knowing he's bested McMahon

"Ah doncha worry, I'm not the silly bastard willing to pay that money for ya company Vince... I don't even know who they are, only spoke to ya figurehead and ya right about one thing - he's a jackass... but he's an asskissing jackass and knowing that you're almost certain to enter yourself in the Royal Rumble this year..."

Vince nods slowly

"He allowed me to enter as well..."

The crowd erupt, Austin getting back in Vince's face

"And once I've tossed your stupid ass over that rope, I'm gunna get under those ropes, take your little carcus and beat it up and down every one of those aisle, take ya out back, beat ya some more, stomp a mudhole... beat ya some more and then, when you've been beaten to a damn pulp... I'll put you head just here... turn it sideway.... drop ya, BAM, Stone Cold Stunner"

Vince swallows

"Ya can go" smirks Austin insolently, the deflated Vince making to do just that... but Austin has his arm, pulls Vince in toward him, the gut kick, has the head and spins

"STUNNER, STUNNER... BAH GAWD THERES THE STUNNER" blares Ross as McMahon flys backward across the ring and Austin gets down, spitting trash into his face before leaping up and calling for beer

"STONE COLD IS BACK CURTOSY OF WWE'S NEW BENEFACTOR AND BAH GAWD HE'S IN THE RUMBLE, STONE COLD IS BACK, HE'S MADE AN IMPACT AND MY GOD KING.... WHAT IF HE WON IT???" cries JR, almost bursting a gasket as we see Austin opening beer after beef with a spurt, pouring them down his throat before getting two more and heading toward the corner, mounting and smashing the beers together

"JR... I cant believe what we've seen... Austin is in the Royal Rumble with Vince McMahon??? can't imagine this... this is gunna be great! ... but... WWE has a new half owner??" enthuses King as Austin downs the beer and climbs down, leaving a can next to McMahon's head

"Well I'd like to know who it is King but so far he's rehired me, the Fink and Stone Cold and put him in the Rumble.. I think we may have found a savior" goes JR as we see Austin heading to the other corner to do the same, cameras going off throughout the building as we fade to our first commercial break of the evening.