Sable and Jacqueline had a match for the newly reinstated WWF Women's Title on the September 21, 1998 edition of Monday Night RAW.
Jacqueline claimed the title after Marc Mero interfered in the match on her behalf.
However, on November 15, 1998 at the Survivor Series 1998 ppv, Sable won the title from Jacqueline after powerbombing both Marc and Jacqueline during the match.
During this time, Rena had a guest appearance on an episode of the USA Network show Pacific Blue.
Sable then entered a brief storyline where she was forced to play a subservient role to Vince and Shane McMahon, but the storyline did not progress very far.
Sable holds the record for most diva match wins in 1998, ahead of both Luna Vachon and Jacqueline.
In 1999, Sable was attacked by a masked woman named Spider Lady, who turned out to be Luna. Sable defeated Luna in a Strap Match at the Royal Rumble 1999 after an assist from a female Sable fan, who turned out to be WWF newcomer Tori. Tori's debut would signify a change in Sable's persona.
After the Royal Rumble, Rena (under her Sable ring name) was featured as the cover girl for the April 1999 issue of Playboy. The issue was the hottest selling issue of Playboy in 15 years. Surrounding the release of the issue, the Sable character turned heel by "going Hollywood" and having an inflated ego. Rarely defending her title, Sable continually berated her fan Tori, and she feuded with both Tori and Luna Vachon (who had turned face). She debuted a new catch phrase: "This is for all the women who want to be me and all the men who come to see me" and a dance move called "the grind". The feud with Tori lead to a match at WrestleMania XV. During the contest, Nicole Bass debuted as Sable's bodyguard and helped Sable win the match.
Sable went on with Nicole Bass making Bass do all of her dirty work. Sable continued to hold the championship for over five months now, but on May 10, 1999, Debra "won" the Women's Championship from Sable in an Evening Gown Match. Normally in an Evening Gown Match, the winner is the woman who forcibly removes her opponent's dress, which Sable did. However, kayfabe WWF Commissioner Shawn Michaels ruled that the woman who had lost her dress was the winner, making Debra the new Women's Champion. With this, Sable became the first woman to lose a title without losing it by pinfall or submission.
In June 1999, Rena Mero quit WWF and filed a $110 million lawsuit against the company, citing allegations of sexual harassment and unsafe working conditions as her reasoning. During the course of the lawsuit, Vince McMahon counter-sued Rena over WWF licensing of the name Sable. Mero reduced her settlement figure and eventually settled out of court. Subsequently, her husband Marc was released from his WWF contract. Rena Mero used her real name for her appearance in September 1999's issue of Playboy. After her WWF exit, she made an on-camera appearance as an audience member on World Championship Wrestling's WCW Monday Nitro, but was contractually forbidden from working for WCW, although she stated that she wanted to work there.
During this time, Rena made appearances on The Howard Stern Show and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. She also made appearances on television shows such as Relic Hunter (Tia Carrere v. Sable catfight! )and First Wave and in the film Corky Romano as a female bouncer. She released her autobiography, entitled Undefeated in August 2000.She also released a comic book entitled The 10th Muse starring herself as a superhero. She was signed on to star in the film Doppleganger 224, but the film was cancelled for monetary reasons.
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