WWF King of the Ring 1998

By the Summer of 1998, the Attitude Era was in full swing, with Steve Austin enjoying his newly won world title, and the WWF finally winning a few battles in the Monday Night Wars against the inordinately dominate WCW.

I, too, was starting to fall back in love with the WWF, after our falling out following the Montreal Screwjob – and this was one of the first shows in a long time I remember being very excited to see. Wrestling was red-hot again that summer – hotter than I could ever remember it before, with Diamond Dallas Page, nWo, DX, and, especially, ‘Austin 3:16’ t-shirts so prevalent, you couldn’t walk down the hallway of my middle school without spying one – and from the perspective of a thirteen year old, semi-smartened up mark, the WWF was the hottest ticket in town.

From Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Your hosts are Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler.


Opening Six-Man Tag Team Match: Kaientai v The Headbangers and Taka Michinoku: Kaientai (consisting of consiting of Dick Togo, Funaki, Men's Teioh, and manager Mr. Yamaguchi) was a Japanese faction brought in to feud with Taka - though they wouldn't make their biggest mark on the Attitude Era until the night after this, on RAW, with Val Venis, and the infamous 'I choppy choppy your pee pee' angle. Thrasher starts with Teioh, and hits a tilt-a-whirl slam, and a powerslam for two. Mosh comes in for a 2^nd rope flying dropkick, so Teioh bails to Funaki, but he eats a sitout powerbomb. Taka in with a missile dropkick, and his springboard bodyblock on the outside, but Togo gives him a well timed cheap shot to turn the tide. He backdrops Taka to the floor for good measure, and Kaientai cut the ring in half, taking turns working him over. A miscomunication spot allows Taka to get the tag, and it breaks down into a six-way brawl, and Taka finishes Funaki with the Michinoku Driver at 6:41. Fun match, and a good choice for an opener. Certainly not the type of situation where they were putting on a psycological masterpeice – or even bothering to sell in most cases – as this was strictly a spotfest, but it worked to get the crowd going, and showoff their high flying, quick paced style. * ¼.

King of the Ring Semi Final Match: Jeff Jarrett v Ken Shamrock: By 1998, they were putting far less focus on the intrigue of tournament itself - mostly holding it because, well, that was the name of the show – and selling the event on the uppercard matches. Jarrett tries to jump him to start, but gets pounded, and Shamrock suplexes him for two. Roundhouse kick misses, though, and Jarrett hits his always impressive dropkick. Shamrock doesn't particularly care for the fact that he missed a single leg kick, and Jarrett showed him up with a dropkick (that's one extra leg!), and they spill to the outside, where Ken drops him on the rail, and sends him to the steps. Inside, Jarrett clips the knee (no one will use that leg now!), and hammers on it, but Shamrock throws him a pair of spinheel kicks. With the bad leg! Oh, that's the wrestling equvalent of your woman getting mouthy at the local Applebees right there. Powerslam, and a crisp rana hit, then the Anklelock (but how will Jarrett ever kick anyone ever again?!?!) finishes at 5:29 to move Shamrock to the finals. In my mind - and mine alone - this was a crazy psychological battle over both men’s future kicking potential, but in reality, it was just a decent, well paced squash for Shamrock. ½*

King of the Ring Semi Final Match: The Rock v Dan Severn: Rocky was the Intercontinental Champion at this point, though that isn't on the line here. Severn outwrestles him to start, taking him down several times, and grabbing an armbar. Rock finally tires of the amatuer-wrestling display, and shrugs him off with a lariat, then suplexes him for two. Double knockout spot, and Rock's fellow Nation memeber (they had lost the 'Domination' from their name, due to sucking) sneaks in with a frogsplash, and Rock advances at 4:25, setting up the Shamrock/Rock re-match for the tournament finals. Even at four minutes, this seemed too long. Not a technically ‘bad’ match – it just felt disjointed, as their styles clashed heavily. DUD.

Too Much v Al Snow and Head: Jerry Lawler is the special referee for this one. This is essentially a handicapped match, as 'Head' is an actual maniquens head - the gimmick being the Snow is insane, and believes it to be his friend, and, in this case, his tag partner. Also, 'cause there are endless 'giving head' and 'getting head' jokes to make, and they were marketing to teenagers. Scott Taylor starts with Snow (no!), and Snow controls, but keeps focusing on Head. Brian Christopher gives it a go, but gets hit with a nice sunset flip off of the top rope, but Lawler gives him a slow count. Christoper is Lawler's real-life son, and you’d think that would be enough of a bias to disqualify him from consideration as referee for the bout – but no. They just sent him out there without any real explaination. Because confusion has ATTITUDE! Snow responds by backdropping Brian to the floor, but Taylor dives out after him, and inside, Christopher catches him with a missile dropkick. A nice pumphandle suplex prevents Snow from getting Head, but he hits an Ocean Cyclone suplex. Bulldog prevents the tag to Head, but Snow catches both guys with a double DDT. Tag, and he gives both guys head in the middle of the ring. Snowplow (a scoop brainbuster) looks to finish, but Lawler is 'distracted,' actually going back to the commentary position to avoid counting. Another Snowplow on Taylor, but Christopher gets cute, sticking a bottle of Head and Shoulders shampoo on the manaquen, covering, and getting the pin (see, now it has shoulders, and is eligable to be pinned) at 8:27. Obvious silliness aside (oh, and there was plenty of silliness to be obvious about), there was some fine work here, but the match ended when a guy pinned a bottle of shampoo – what else really can be said? *.

Owen Hart v X-Pac: This was part of the DX/Nation feud that tore up WWF TV during the Summer of 1998 - the biggest highlight of which being the Ladder Match between The Rock and Triple H at SummerSlam, which elevated both guys to the next level. Oh, and, of course, an unbelievably wonderful, hilarious skit from DX on RAW in July, where they impersonated the Nation. X-Pac catches him with a baseball slide coming in, and the lightning kicks in the corner. Blind charge misses, however, and Owen nearly breaks the ring in half with a couple of cross corner whips. Backbreaker, and the spinkick gets two. Another cross corner, but X-Pac reverses, and Owen takes Bret's chest-first bump. He still manages a fisherman's suplex for two, and gutwrench suplex gets two. Inside cradle for two, and the increasingly desperate Hart gets dumped. X-Pac tries to whip him into the time keepers table out there, but gets reversed, and then hit with a missile dropkick back inside for two. Sleeper, but Pac reverses, and hits the X-Factor. Spinkick, and the Bronco Buster, but Owen catches him on the top rope, and shoves him to the floor. That allows fellow Nation member Mark Henry to run out, and hit a splash on the floor, and inside, Hart grabs the Sharpshooter. DX bodyguard Chyna hits a DDT to break it up, however, and X-Pac gets the victory at 8:30. I understand the rationale behind the overbooked finish – as they had a larger angle to develop – but it was a really nice, well paced, psychologically sound, little match before all of the extracurricular activity turned it into an episode of RAW. Both guys looked like they were out there with something to prove – Waltman only recently having returned to the WWF after a stint in WCW, and Hart the only member of his family not allowed to defect following Montreal, and feeling his future uncertain. Further, many fans still had merry memories of their last encounter, four years prior at the King of the Ring, and they likely felt they had their own boots to fill. *** ¼.

WWF Tag Team Title Match: The New Age Outlaws v The New Midnight Express: The New Midnight's were part of the ridicuous 'NWA Invasion' angle - which was neither treated like a real invasion (see, nWo), or even an actual angle (see, the previous match; the rest of the show; most of pro wrestling), as they took Bart Gunn (renamed Bodacious Bart!) and Bob Holly (Bombastic Bob!), slapped them together, and, voila – the New Midnight Express. By juxtaposition, thier opponents ALSO had 'new' in their moniker, however, not because they were a recycled version of a classic team from ten years prior - but because they were an actual new, original idea, and had taken the tag division by storm. Sort of like the original Midnight Express, some ten years prior. Jesse James and Bob start off, but quickly trade off, giving us the long awaited battle of the Smoking Gunns! And, by long awaited, of course, I mean, I once sort of considered it while takijng a shit. And then got back to taking a shit. They do a reversal sequence, won by a Billy Gunn backslide, and he hits a fameasser. Lariat kills his Bodacious bud, and James comes in to drop an elbow, but the Midnights throw a cheap shot to turn the tide. They cut the ring in half on James, and Bob hits a flying elbowdrop for two. Flying splash hits boot, however, and Billy Gunn is a house of arson. He gets into it with Bob, and a stungun finishes at 9:54. Not technically bad, just dull. The Outlaws were rockstars during this period, and the New Midnights - while not poor workers - looked like a local pub band trying to tune their guitars. ¾*

WWF King of the Ring: Ken Shamrock v The Rock: Triple H - last years winner - does guest commentary, though he's still not quite uncomfortable in his role as the ultra-cool leader of DX, and making a bit of a fool of himself. Highlight: When asked by Jim Ross if he speaks Spanish, 'There’s a lot of things I’m bi. Lingual ain’t one of them.' Shamrock charge with roundhouse kicks, but Rock slows him down, forcing a collar-and-elbow. Big criss cross allows Shamrock to catch him with a roundhouse, and Rocky bails to regroup. Inside, Rock decides if Shamrock has the monopoly on feet - he'll take fists. He unloads, but gets dumped, and stalls on the outside, jawing with Triple H, who spits water in his face. That allows the impatient Shamrock to jump him (hey! He was blind! We have no way of knowing if that was even Evian!), and a suplex inside gets two. Outside again, Rock weakly dumps him onto the rail (was he expecting the director to fix it in post?), and a DDT gets two inside. Another DDT for two (was he expecting the editor to shuffle his limited offense around in post?), and the People's Elbow gets two. That move wasn't quite over yet, though, compared to only a few months back, it was already drawing a substantial pop. Tornado DDT for two, and even Shamrock is sick of getting his head slammed into the mat, and hits a side suplex. Leg lariat, and a powerslam get two. Fishermans suplex gets two, and Shamrock tries a rana, but gets powerslammed for two. He tries yet another DDT, but Shamrock counters with an overhead suplex. Short clothesline for two, and another rana attempt, but Rock stunguns him to get two of his own. He gets frustrated, however, and Shamrock rolls into the Anklelock to win the King of the Ring at 14:09, as well as blowoff his feud with The Rock. Hmm, I now understand the rationale behind the quickie booking of their WrestleMania match. Boston crowds are notoriously just not DDT conousiers. The tournament win was pointless, otherwise, as Shamrock wouldn't go on to challenge The Rock for the title again – or really do anything as 'King Ken' – but was smart booking, as it served as an adequate blowoff for the Shamrock/Rock feud from the Spring, without having to switch the Intercontinental title. *.

Hell in a Cell Match: The Undertaker v Mankind: Mankind, realizing gravity of the situation he's gotten himself into, brings a chair out with him, and decides to toss it to the top of the cell - challenging 'Taker to start up there with him. Undertaker's game, though, and they slug it out on the top. Mankind takes the early advantage with a couple of chairshots, but then - in one of the more famous spots in all of wrestling history - he gets caught by the Undertaker and LAUNCHED off of the top of the cell, through the announce table. It's one of the absolute craziest bumps you will ever see - with Mick Foley coming inches away from hitting the rail and... uh... dying, and also spawned the famous 'Good God, he broke 'im in half' line from Ross, which my friends and I shout at each other to this day. The match stops dead at that point (understandably) as a horde of Officials, Terry Funk (whose brilliant suggestion it was for Mick to start at the top of the cage), and even Vince McMahon, breaking character, come down to make sure Foley isn't paralyzed. We get endless replays of the bump, as EMTs streacher Mankind out, and Undertaker meekly waits at the top of the cage. It looks like things are over, but Mankind refuses to be taken all the way back, and fights his way off of the streacher, heading back for the cage! Up top again, 'Taker chokeslams him on the roof of the cell, but the mesh gives out, and Mankind falls through, and down to the ring, bashing his head onto a chair on the way. Like much of this match, that one wasn't planned - as the cell really did give out, and what ended up becoming another career defining bump for Mick Foley could have ended up becoming a life ending one. Foley is legitmatley unconscious after that, and everyone runs in again to make sure he isn't dead. It turns out he has something of a pulse, so 'Taker hops down through the hole in the cell to continue, but Mankind is literally coming in and out of conciousness - so working a match can't exatcly be his #1 prority. They try a couple of spots, with Mick noticably dazed, and Mankind ends up in the corner, as the camera pans over to show us the famous shot of his tooth sticking up into his nose. Think about that. Today, they stop matches for shaving cuts opening. Here, the dude's head was literally exploding, and the biggest concern was what len to capture it best with for endless replay value. To the floor, Mankind tries to lift the steps, but can't manage, so 'Taker grabs them, and brutalizes him. Tope, but Mankind moves, and 'Taker flies right into the cell. Inside, Mankind piledrives him onto the chair for two. Chair-assited legdrop gets two. That chair should either start getting beneifits, or get hit with a lawsuit based on its performance tonight. Double-arm DDT, as I'm stupified by the fact that Foley is walking at this point, let alone working a match. He decides the 'sick bump' quota hasn't been met yet, however (yeah, tooth sticking into your nose - let's kick it up a notch!) - and pours a bag of thumbtacks out on the mat. Mandible Claw, but 'Taker backdrops him onto the tacks, turning him into a pincushion. Chokeslam onto the tacks, and a tombstone finishes at 16:00. What can you say about this match? It’s one of the most famous matches in all of wrestling history – and rightly so. Watching it live, I had never seen anything like it (I don’t think there has ever been anything like it since), and Mick Foley’s performance is truly quite mesmerizing as some sort of brutal art. It’s less a match then a few insane bumps (and I mean truly insane, look at your friends in disbelief, bumps) by Foley, and then an exercise in observing human nature – as the crowd goes wild watching this obviously concussed man continue to get beaten as opposed to seeking medical attention. ***.

Main Event: First Blood WWF Title Match: Steve Austin v Kane: Okay, and so, follow that. The gimmick of a 'First Blood' match is that the first man to beat the other so badly that he speaks like Sylvester Stallone wins. Or draws blood from his opponent. Whichever comes first. No pinfalls, submissions, countouts, or disqualifications. The rub is that, while Austin has a shaved head, and very exposed ring attire, Kane is masked, wears gloves, and his tights -  which normally expose one arm - tonight cover his entire body. Austin jumps him with the Thesz Press right away, and removes the turnbuckle pad, trying to ram his face into it - though the mask really would prevent any blood from being drawn. Kane counters with the Tombstone early, but gets dumped, and they brawl around the ring, as suddenly the Cell begins to lower. Kane takes control, whipping Austin into the half lowered cell, and he tries to crush his head under it as it lowers. The Cell manages to lower (without killing Austin, shockingly), and now it's a Hell in a Cell match, for fun. They brawl into the door, but the Cell begins to rise again, hanging Kane about ten-feet off of the floor before Austin pulls him down - in a nice bit. Up the aisle, Austin tries a piledriver, but gets backdropped on the floor. Kane with a suplex, and they head back to the ring. Austin rams him into the exposed buckle, but the referee gets bumped. Kane with a flying clothesline, but a second try misses, and Austin goes back to the buckle again. Mankind runs in (because, apparently the hospital was closed that night), but Austin quickly lays him out with a Stunner. Another one for Kane, but that won't do much to draw blood. Cue the Undertaker, and he swings a chair at Mankind, but clocks Austin by accident - drawing blood - but the referee is still out. Austin continues to take it to Kane (though, really, what's the point? He's already bleeding, and Kane is invincable), until the referee wakes up, sees the blood, and calls it at 14:52. That was a suitabley jarring ending at the time, though Kane's title run would last all of a day, as Austin won the belt back the next night on RAW, in a ratings grab. Match was your standard, Attitude Era main event (explosive, brawl up the aisle, fight near the entrance, a bunch of run-ins, little attempts at psycology, etc...), but that suited the storyline well, as seeing them trade wrislocks would have felt strange for a battle like this. The 'First Blood' stipulation, obviously, was flawed - as spots like the exposed buckle lost all dramtic effect when you know Kane can't bleed. Had Austin been making even token attempts at removing the mask, it would have been a considerably more interesting take. * ¼.

BUExperience: One of the most well received shows of the Attitude Era, and for good reason. All my friends and I could talk about the next day was Austin losing the WWF Title – though it was overshadowed some by the insanity of Hell in a Cell. A memorable show that holds up well today, with one particularly historically important match (Undertaker/Mankind), and while the significance of the tournament itself was losing relevance (King Shamrock was all but forgotten by the end of the week), the show itself was not, kicking off what would be a fun summer – filled with the same giddy sense of atmospheric mayhem prevalent throughout the night – from the WWF. ***.