The main event from the Raw brand was a World Heavyweight Championship match between Triple H and Scott Steiner, which Triple H won via pinfall, after he hit Steiner with the championship belt and a Pedigree.

No Way Out was first held by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as the 20th In Your House pay-per-view (PPV) in February 1998.

General Manager Stephanie McMahon announced the return of Hulk Hogan to WWE.

At the Royal Rumble, Kurt Angle successfully defended the WWE Championship against Chris Benoit, while Brock Lesnar won the Royal Rumble match later in the night to earn himself a WWE Championship match at WrestleMania XIX.

On the January 23 episode of SmackDown!, Kurt Angle confronted his protégés, Team Angle (Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin), about their losses that night, as Benjamin was pinned by Edge, while Haas was pinned by Benoit.

[7][8] On the January 30 episode of SmackDown!, Haas and Benjamin were booked in a tag team match against Edge and Benoit.

During the match, Angle interfered in Haas and Benjamin's behalf, which allowed them to pin Edge and Benoit for the win.

[12][13] On the January 20 episode of Raw, Eric Bischoff made an announcement about how Stone Cold Steve Austin walked out on the WWE during the summer of 2002 with no explanation and that he would like to give Austin an opportunity to give his side of the story.

][23] Vince McMahon had stated the previous week that he would fire Bischoff and Chief Morley due to the way they were running Raw the last couple of weeks, and due to the fact that Bischoff had not yet signed Austin to the Raw brand.

[22][23] At the Royal Rumble, a scheduled match for the World Heavyweight Championship saw Triple H defend the title against Scott Steiner.

[16][17] On the February 3 episode of Raw, Triple H officially formed the stable known as Evolution with Flair, Orton, and Batista.

[20][21] That same night, a number one contender's match was scheduled between Chris Jericho and Steiner, in which the winner would meet Triple H at No Way Out for the World Heavyweight Championship.

[20][21] After his Hell in a Cell match with Brock Lesnar at No Mercy in October, The Undertaker came to the ring and called out Lesnar who apologized for bringing Undertaker's wife Sara into the feud and stated that he earned his respect.

from Raw came to the ring and stated that because of him Lesnar was able to defeat Undertaker and referred to him as a broken down has-been.

Undertaker stated back that he would rather be a broken down has-been than a giant that never-was referring to Big Show.

The following three weeks saw Big Show through his agent Paul Heyman sending Undertaker boxed gifts to the ring such as Brother Love, Chris Kanyon who was dressed as singer Boy George and finally a puppy in what turned out to be an ambush as Big Show attacked Undertaker from behind and Chokeslammed him.

Before the event aired live on pay-per-view, Rey Mysterio defeated Jamie Noble on Sunday Night Heat.

[27][28] Next was a World Tag Team Championship match between Kane and Rob Van Dam and William Regal and Lance Storm.

[25][30] The Undertaker forced Big Show to pass out to a Triangle Choke to win the match.

Edge had suffered a severe neck injury prior to the event, and was forced to be written off of television for the foreseeable future.

[26][30] Next was a World Heavyweight Championship match between Scott Steiner and Triple H.[25][30] After Evolution (Ric Flair, Randy Orton and Batista) interfered, Steiner attacked them, which caused the referee, Earl Hebner, to eject them.

Hogan performed a Big Boot and a Leg drop but as the referee counted the pinfall, the lights in the arena went off.

][36] The following week on Raw, The Rock announced that instead of facing Booker T, he would choose his own opponent, in which he chose The Hurricane.

[43][44] On the March 20 episode of SmackDown!, the contract signing between McMahon and Hogan's match at WrestleMania took place.

Dunn of 411Mania gave the event a rating of 5.0 [Not so good], stating "If you cut out the "money" matches, this is a decent show (well, keep Hogan/Rock II).

The atmosphere was great, but the actual matches- outside of the handicap tag- didn't live up to ppv status.