Draft:VINCE MCMAHONS LIMO EXPLOSION

The June 11, 2007 Edition of RAW is a Professional wrestling television show of the WWE's RAW brand, took place on June 11, 2007 at the Wachovia Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The 2007 WWE Draft Lottery also took place.

The episode began what was intended to be a months-long storyline involving the death of Mr. McMahon, Vince McMahon, Jr.'s on-screen character. Billed as "Vince McMahon Appreciation Night," various pre-taped comments from past and more recent WWE/WWF personalities and celebrities—ranging from Jesse Ventura, Bob Costas and Captain Lou Albano to Mick Foley, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Donald Trump—are aired, sarcastically praising McMahon for his accomplishments and legacy. Throughout the episode, McMahon appeared nervous and uncomfortable, acting strangely as though he believed someone was out to get him. In the final segment, McMahon entered the ring to make a statement, but stopped short of saying anything, dropping the microphone and exiting the ring without explanation, before walking through the backstage area and various WWE talent watching him. He then entered his limousine as though to leave before the limousine suddenly exploded into flames.

The clip of the limousine being firebombed was pre-taped outside the arena the overnight before the live Raw show and inserted in the closing moments of the show, creating the illusion that the explosion was taking place on live television and that there were people still inside the burning vehicle and unable to escape. Initially, the WWE's website reported the angle within minutes as though it were a legitimate occurrence, proclaiming later that McMahon was "presumed dead," although—when questions arose by some as to differentiating the fictional "Mr. McMahon" character and the real-life McMahon—CNN published an article clarifying to WWE shareholders that this was a storyline.

Some real-life incidents that played out less than two weeks later—namely, the murder-suicide involving Chris Benoit, one of WWE's top superstars—would force the abrupt end to the storyline. On the June 25 episode of Raw, McMahon revealed on-camera that the storyline with Mr. McMahon as central character was simply a storyline. Eventually, an alternate ending to the angle—McMahon revealing that he faked his death—would come later in the summer. Meanwhile, a storyline development on the June 18 episode of Raw—wrestlers and others reacting to Mr. McMahon's apparent death and some pointing fingers at each other as suspects—would play out as intended; this was less than a week before the series of events involving Benoit took place.