Great American Bash 1998
After his long-awaited surgery on his injured knee, Randy Orton returned to the WWE in late June with one intention: To pick up where he left off and regain the WWE Championship. At least, that's what people thought. On his first day back on duty, The Legend Killer shocked everyone by signing a lucrative four-month contract with the SmackDown! brand, instead of returning to RAW like most projected. This was major news. Orton was the first man in WWE history to switch brands. While Triple H was forced to switch brands since the World Heavyweight Championship was on SmackDown!, The Viper did it on his own merits. This opened up the opporotunity for many Superstars to sign with different shows, and WWE decided to begin free agency during this time period. Back to Orton. Five days after the big signing, The Legend Killer made his first SmackDown! appearance and received boos. Same old Orton. He then said that he signed with Friday nights to win the World Heavyweight Championship. The Viper basically said that since he is the new kid on the block, the next title shot should go to him. The familiar saying of "You think you know me" blasted through the air like a sonic boom. It was Edge! The Rated-R Superstar had become WWE's first-ever free agent and chose to sign with SmackDown!. Right off the bat, Edge won over the SmackDown! fans, saying that he deserves a title shot more since the WWE Universe actually can stand him. "Edge!" chants broke out after that line. General Manager Theodore "Teddy" Long came out, saying that both men will get a fair shot since they're newbies. Long booked Orton vs. Edge for next week's main event, with the winner facing Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship at the Great American Bash. In a back-and-forth battle, The Viper proved victorious when he hit an RKO out of a Spear attempt. The next week, during a talking segment, Triple H said that no matter what Orton does or says, he'll never win the World Heavyweight Championship. That triggered an explosion in The Viper's head. He systematically assaulted The Game to the point where medics had to come out. A week later, Long made the match a No-Disqualification Match. That same night, Orton punted special guest star The Rock (returning to WWE for the first time since WrestleMania X four years ago) in the head, going on a punting spree, where he scrambled the brains of Flash Funk, Flash Flannigan, and Shawn Michaels. He also beat Kurt Angle after reversing a German suplex into a Victory Roll. The Legend Killer prepared to punt the Olympic gold medalist, but Triple H's music played. Orton readied himself for battle, but the King of Kings was behind him-with a sledgehammer! BAM! The Viper may be cold, calculating, and sinister. But Triple H was smart, intimidating, and unbreakable. And at the Great American Bash, one man would rise above the other and escape a brutal war as the World Heavyweight Champion.