wrestling / Video Reviews
Leighty’s Retro Review: WWF King of The Ring 1998
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-It’s the 25th anniversary of one the most famous matches of all time that also happened to take place in Pittsburgh. There was no way I wasn’t going to review this show. So, we will take a step back from our 1996 reviews and go forward two years with the WWF firmly in The Attitude Era. As mentioned this show took place in Pittsburgh which is about about 38 miles north of where I’ve lived my entire life. I did not attend the show as I had just turned 17 and didn’t feel like driving into Pittsburgh by myself on a Sunday night when I had the school the next morning. Instead, I watched at home and my girlfriend (now ex) watched with me. She didn’t really care much about wrestling, but it wasn’t something she hated. She actually got into RAW the next night when Austin and Kane had their rematch. The only time I can remember her actually cheering for something happening in wrestling. I have made nearly every WWF PPV since this show that has taken place in Pittsburgh. I missed No Way Out 2005 and Roadblock, but caught everyone since Unforgiven 2001. With that stroll down memory lane, let’s get to it!
-Announce Team: Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler
-Date: June 28, 1998
-Pittsburgh Civic Arena (THE IGLOO), Pittsburgh, PA
-Attendance: 17,087 (CROSBY)
-PPV Buys: 310,000
The Head Bangers and Taka Michinoku vs. Kaientai (w/ Yamaguchi-San)
-This is kind of a weird grouping but whatever. Teoah and Thrasher start us out and Thrasher gets a tilt-a-whirl sidewalk slam. Teoh ducks a clothesline, but gets caught with a powerslam for two. Tag to Mosh and he comes off the middle ropes with a dropkick. Teoah tags out to Funaki and he gets caught with a sick powerbomb. Back splash in the corner from Mosh as JR goes over the credentials of Funaki. Taka gets the tag and throws some chops in the corner. Running kick to the face and a top rope missile dropkick sends Funaki to the floor. Taka flies off the top with a dive, but gets blasted from behind by Togo. Funaki makes the tag to Togo and he gets caught with a monkey-flip that sends him to the floor. Togo regains control and tags Teoah who plants Taka with a DDT though it looked like Taka landed a spinebuster. Even JR was confused by that one! Double team from Kaientai as Taka gets planted on his face. Togo back in and Taka avoids a suplex by throwing some elbows, but Togo springs off the middle ropes with a headbutt. Funaki in and he accidentally hits Teoah which lets Taka make the hot tag. Everyone starts hitting everyone else as the ref has lost control. Funaki misses an elbow off the top. Funaki gets the tag and The Bangers elevate him in the air for a splash on Funaki. The Michinoku Driver finishes at 6:44.
Winners: The Head Bangers and Taka Michinoku via pin at 6:44
-This was kind of a train wreck at times, but was okay. **1/2
-Sable heads down to the ring to a big pop. Lots of signs that won’t make the air in today’s PG WWE. The cheers soon turn to boos as Sable is out to introduce Vince McMahon and he is followed by The Stooges, Patterson and Brisco. Vince sends Sable to the back and Patterson grabs her ass and gets slapped for it. Vince heels on the crowd though JR sticks up for Pittsburgh and notes he likes the city. I believe his late wife was from Pittsburgh. Not really sure why we needed this on a PPV.
-We see the bracket for The King of The Ring Tournament: Shamrock/Henry, Jarrett/Mero, Rock/HHH, Severn/Owen were the first round matches with Shamrock, Jarrett, Rock, and Severn advancing to tonight’s semi-finals.
King of The Ring Semi-Final: Jeff Jarrett (w/ Tennessee Lee) vs. Ken Shamrock
-Two of the men that would hold the NWA Title during the NWA-TNA era. Cool! Jarrett jumps Shamrock at the bell and that goes badly for him. Shamrock gets in a high knee and throws Jarrett into the corner for some right hands. Clothesline out of the corner drops JJ. Shamrock gets a nice snap suplex for two. Jarrett ducks a clothesline, gets in a boot and hits a swinging neckbreaker. Dropkick right to the face connects but Shamrock comes back with a kick to the face and a clothesline that sends Jarrett over the top to the floor. They fight on the floor and Shamrock backs up Tennessee Lee before dropping Shamrock throat first across the security railing. Jarrett gets sent into the steps and then back into the ring. Lee grabs Shamrock’s leg to provide a distraction and Jarrett goes to the knee with a chop block. Lee gets in some shots to the ankle and Jarrett goes to work on that as JR reminds us that The Nation broke Shamrock’s ankle. Tim White pulls Jarrett off Shamrock in the corner, but that lets Lee wrap Shamrock’s leg around the ring post. Shamrock fights back with an elbow and then another kick to the face. Jumping back elbow followed by a side kick and then a powerslam for two. Jarrett misses a clothesline and Shamrock snaps off a rana and gets the ankle-lock. Jarrett immediately taps at 5:30.
Winner: Ken Shamrock via tap-out at 5:30
-This was fine as it was basically what you would see on a match on Main Event now. Shamrock winning was the right call as he is still over with the crowd following the run with The Rock during WrestleMania. Jarrett was still searching to find himself and all it took was a haircut later in the summer. **1/4
King of The ring Semi-Final: The Rock (w/The Godfather and Mark Henry) vs. Dan “The Beast” Severn
-Rock was the IC Champion at this point and the ref immediately tosses Mark and Godfather from ring side. This seems like a major style clash, but perhaps I am wrong. JR is all about The UFC knowledge and who knew 25 years later UFC and WWE would merge under one company. Severn gets a take down and looks for a knee-bar, but Rock gets to the bottom rope. Rock gets a back elbow and sends Severn into the corner. He misses a charge in the corner and Severn gets a Fireman’s Carry into an armbar. He hooks a modified Dragon Sleeper, but The Rock gets to the ropes again. Clothesline from The Rock and he mocks Severn before hitting a suplex for two. Severn falls down throwing a punch as JR mentions people are hoping for a Shamrock/Severn Final to play off their UFC history. Henry and Godfather are back out to distract the ref and that lets D-Lo come off the top with a Frogsplash with his new chest protector (his pec was “torn” three weeks earlier by Severn). Rock covers for the pin at 4:25.
Winner: The Rock via pin at 4:25
-Short and not really anything to this. Severn just wasn’t cut out for The WWF in The Attitude Era. 1/2*
Too Much vs. Al Snow and Head
-Too Much is Too Cool before they go over by dancing with Samoans. So, if Snow and Head win then Al gets a meeting with Vince McMahon as he is not yet a member of the WWF. If Al loses then he is gone from the WWF. Also it is announced that Jerry Lawler is the special guest referee. Al bitches to Head about Lawler being the referee. Taylor starts with Snow and Lawler yells at him about using a closed fist. Snow gets an atomic drop and follows up with some clotheslines. Christopher gets the tag and JR immediately brings up the strong family resemblance between him and Lawler. Christopher complains about a hair pull and obviously Lawler believes it. Lawler stops Snow from throwing a punch and Christopher throws as many as he wants. Snow brings Christopher off the top with a slam. He heads up and Taylor knocks him off balance. Snow gets a sunset flip into a powerbomb from the corner, but Lawler slow counts. Clothesline sends Christopher over the top to the floor and Taylor gets tossed as well. Snow slams Christopher on the floor and heads up the ramp to run all the way back with a clothesline. Taylor flies over the top to land on Snow to turn the tide. Back in the ring Christopher gets a missile dropkick and Snow reaches for a tag to head. Christopher bites his hand and then tags in Taylor. Double Atomic Drop and then a basement dropkick from Too Much! We get some dancing, but as I said it took having a Samoan to dance with them and a worm to get that over. JR is asking rhetorical questions on commentary as you can tell he knows this is a train wreck. Snow ducks a clothesline and gets a suplex, but the tag to Head is cut-off as Christopher comes in and gets a bulldog. Double Backdrop is countered as Snow gets a double DDT. The crowd pops for the tag to head and Snow uses it to blast both men. Snow hits a Snow Plow, but Head is legal. JR: “What the hell am I saying?” Head goes low on Taylor as Lawler throws a bottle to Christopher. Another Snow Plow and there is a three count, but it’s for Christopher as he put Head on a bottle of Head and Shoulders to get the pin at 8:27. Yep! JR: “Well, that was a first and will likely be the last one for that piece of business.”
Winners: Too Much via pin at 8:27
-Not matter what they did here, it wasn’t going to matter. The whole idea was dumb and the finish was awful. This was one of the things on screen that made me embarrassed to be a wrestling fan. DUD
X-Pac (w/ Chyna) vs. Owen Hart
-This is a battle of DX vs. The Nation which ate up most of the summer between the two factions. X-Pac jumps Owen in the aisle before the bell. He throws his kicks in the corner, but misses a Bronco Buster in the opposite corner. Owen throws Pac hard into the corner. Sweet! Again to the other corner as these two are flying out there early in this one. Owen hits a back breaker and then lands a spinwheel kick for two. Owen gets sent into the corner and takes a Bret bump. Pac back with another kick and then some chops in the corner. Owen fights back and drops Pac with a European Uppercut. Nice Perfect-plex for Owen, but it only gets two. Gut-wrench suplex as the crowd lets Owen know he sucks. Owen sets too early on a backdrop and eats a boot, but gets an inside cradle for two. Backdrop from Pac and a clothesline sends Owen to the floor. Pac hits a clothesline to the back of the head from the apron. Nasty bump from Pac as he gets whipped into the timekeeper’s table in impressive fashion. That was awesome! Owen with a suplex on the Spanish Announce Table as JR asks if they have a bullseye on them. Just wait JR! Back in the ring Owen hooks a sleeper as JR goes over Pac’s neck issues and how it nearly cost him his career. Lawler mentions Owen got his skull split open by a chair shot from Owen and bypassed stitches for staples. Pac fights his way out and gets how own sleeper, but Owen pushes off. He tries another backdrop, but Pac just plants him face first into the mat. Owen catches a kick, but Pac throws a kick with the other leg and then hits The Bronco Buster in the corner. Pac with a slam and then he heads up top, but Owen meets him up there and Pac falls to the floor. Mary Henry is out and he hits a splash on Pac on the floor. Chyna gets in Mark’s face, but here comes Vader to deck Mark. Meanwhile in the ring, Owen gets the sharpshooter, but Chyna plants him with a DDT as the ref was dealing with Vader and Henry. X-Pac rolls over for the pin at 8:31.
Winner: X-Pac via pin at 8:31
-They were going a hundred miles an hour to start before slowing down a bit. It was good though short, but that’s been a theme tonight. **3/4
-Paul Bearer is out to cut a promo as he would not miss this night for the world. He has taken two beatings from The Undertaker and we see Taker beating the piss out of Paul in his own home last week on RAW. He talks about poor Kane and how he couldn’t play Little League or go outside, but he told Paul, “Daddy, I want to be like him.” Tonight Paul will be the father and manager of the WWF Champion.
WWF Tag Team Titles: The New Age Outlaws (c) (w/ Chyna) vs. The Midnight Express (w/ Jim Cornette)
-The ME are the NWA Tag Team Champions and this is the new ME with Bob Holly and Bart Gunn. The NWA Tag Titles are not on the line here. Bob and Dogg start us out and Dogg gives a clean break in the corner. The crowd is so enthralled they start a “Here we go Steelers” chant. That’s pretty normal for Pittsburgh. That happens in church in the Fall. Won’t save them this year when my 49ers stomp them. Anyway, back to the match as nothing of note is happening. Billy and Bart each get the tag and JR mentions they are brothers as they were still running with that. They have a decent reversal sequence that ends with Bart getting a clothesline into a pin for two. Another go and Billy gets a backslide for two and hits a Fame-asser, but it wasn’t a finisher at this point, so Bart is out at two. Hard clothesline from Billy has Bart flipping and Billy tells him to suck it. Dogg back in which sucks as I was enjoying “brother vs. brother.” Dogg tries a roll-up, but Bob lands a right hand from the apron and gets a tag into the match. Then a tag back to Bart who delivers a boot to the ribs. Drop toehold by Bart and Bob comes to drop an elbow for two. Slam from Bob and he heads up top and comes off with a splash for two. More double team offense from the ME though the crowd doesn’t care. Bob throws a sweet dropkick and then tells Dogg to suck it and I think drops an F bomb as well. Billy in with a shot and that lets Dogg gets a roll-up for two, but Bob cuts off the tag attempt. Bob hooks a chinlock which won’t help this match any. Bob heads up top, but comes down into a foot from Dogg. The crawl is on and the hot tag is made to Billy. He runs wild for a bit, but gets blasted by Cornette with one of the NWA Tag Titles, but it only gets two. Dogg pulls Bart to the floor where they battle. In the ring Billy gets a roll-up and Cornette is in again. Chyna is in and lands a ball shot on Cornette. The Outlaws hit a double team Hot Shot for the pin at 9:56.
Winners and Still WWF Tag Team Champions: The New Age Outlaws via pin at 9:56
-This was a mess as the crowd wasn’t buying the ME (I don’t blame them) and it sucked any drama out of the match. Chyna hitting Cornette in the balls got the biggest pop of the match. *1/4
-More DX as Triple H is out to do commentary for the King of the Ring Final. It makes sense as he is the reigning King of The Ring and has issues with The Rock. Chyna is out as well as she makes her third entrance of the night.
King of The Ring Final: The Rock vs. Ken Shamrock
-HHH on commentary: “you just can’t pose in any nude magazines or they take your crown away.” My first thought was that was a Shawn Michaels reference, but he never won King of The Ring. HHH also gets in a shot at WCW by nothing these are two athletes and not two old men stumbling around. Anyone want to tell Hunter he would be jobbing to one of those old men in a WWE Title Match four years after this show. These two met at WrestleMania after feuding all winter and Rock was able to leave with his IC Title that match. This match I believe ended up being the blow-off to the feud. HHH makes masturbation jokes about Shamrock. Shamrock swings wildly on a punch and clothesline and misses and then again, but finally lands a kick to the chest which sends Rock bailing to the floor. HHH on commentary has been the most interesting thing so far as he lets us know he is bi in a lot of things, but lingual is not one of them and then wonders if he was supposed to say that. The Rock continues to stall and walks over to HHH, who calls him fuzzy top. HHH spits water in Rock’s face, so Rock rightfully shoves him. I mean, HHH asked for that. Shamrock attacks and Rock gets in a low blow and fires Shamrock back into the ring. HHH: “testes 1, 2, 3….testes.” Back in the ring Shamrock gets a suplex into a float over for two. A whip is reverse and Shamrock gets his arm tangled in the ropes as he spills to the floor. Rock gets sent into the railing, but rebounds with a clothesline and stares down with HHH again. He drops Shamrock on the railing though he totally misses. Back in the ring Rock gets a swinging neckbreaker for two. Brief comeback by Shamrock, but Rock plants him with a DDT for two. The crowd starts a Rocky Sucks chant, so he hooks a chinlock. That will show ‘em! HHH goes on a rant about the WWF not being about having stroke as the guy who runs the place. Twenty five years later HHH is running the WWF! People’s Elbow gets a big reaction as this was the phase where he was starting to get the move over, but it was still just a mid-match move and not a finisher. HHH tells us he was a fan of the tag match featuring Lawler earlier. Why am I not surprised? Another Shamrock comeback is cut off by another DDT for two. Shamrock with a belly to back suplex to leave both men down. Both men are up at nine and Shamrock starts rolling through his offense including a powerslam for a close two. Bridging suplex gets another two! The Rock goes to the eyes but gets caught with an elbow in the corner. Shamrock rushes out and leaps into a powerslam for two. A third DDT is countered into a Northern Lights Suplex for another strong near fall. Rock counters a whip into a short-arm clothesline for two. Shamrock responds with his own short-arm clothesline for two. Rock back with a Hot Shot for two and he bitches at the ref. That lets Shamrock hit the ankle-lock and Rock taps at 14:10.
Winner and King of The Ring: Ken Shamrock via tap-out at 14:10
-This took a while to get going, but the final few minutes with all the near falls was good. Shamrock did nothing with this win as it was another case of a babyface not needing to win this tournament, but I guess Shamrock needed a win over Rock to pay off their feud and Rock was above being King of The Ring at this point. ***
Hell in a Cell: Mankind vs. The Undertaker
-This is the second ever Cell Match and they had a lot to live up to with Shawn/Taker putting on an all time classic last year. Mankind throws a chair on the roof of The Cell and decides to climb. Taker gets his usual awesome entrance and Mankind standing on top of The Cell while experiencing it must have been something else. When I watch this match I always think of Foley telling the story of climbing the cage and hoping Taker would follow, and how sad it would look if Taker just went inside The Cell and he had to climb back down. Fortunately for us (and unfortunately for Mick) Taker climbs the Cell with a broken heel. Mankind catches Taker with some right hands to slow down his climb, but Taker makes it up and gets greeted with a chair to the back. The panels start to buckle as they walk across the roof which only builds the anxiety. Taker fights back and then IT HAPPENS! “Good God Almighty They’ve Killed Him. As God As My Witness He is Broken In Half.” Taker throws Mankind off the Cell and he splats through the Spanish Announce Table and ends up with his legs under the security railing. They crowd loses it and now we all start to wonder if Mick is alive at this point. They make sure we get multiple replays and then Terry Funk, WWF Officials, and a doctor are all out to check on Mick. He is talking so that is a good sign. When watching live, I jumped off my bed and nearly pushed my girlfriend into a wall because of what I just saw. It was so crazy that my parents even came in to see the replay. Vince McMahon comes out as he breaks character to check on Mick. Here are some more replays as JR is prepping the audience at home for the very real possibility this match is finished. Some sensitive fan in the crowd tells Mick to finish the match. The Cell is raised with Taker on the roof so the EMTs can get to Mick with a stretcher. The crowd starts an Undertaker chant while poor Mick is getting wheeled out on a stretcher. JR again apologizes for the match ending, oh, but we aren’t done yet as Mick decides he is not going out that way and gets off the stretcher. The crowd explodes as Mankind climbs back up and Taker, who was on his way down, starts his climb again. JR: “How in the hell is he standing?” Mankind somehow makes the climb with a separated shoulder and they start teeing off on each other again. Taker then CHOKESLAMS MANKIND THROUGH THE CELL AND INTO THE RING THAT HAD TO FEEL LIKE CONCRETE. Now this is my favorite call of the match. JR: “Good God. Good God.” Lawler: “That’s it, he’s dead.” JR: “Would somebody stop the damn match. Enough is enough.” It’s Lawler’s line that has always stuck with me as you believed him when he said it. That was absolutely brutal as they show the replays and if this was today, this match is over and rightly so. They probably stop it after the first fall, but 10000% after the second one as it knocked Mick legit out. Taker climbs down through the hole in the roof and gives Funk a choke slam to buy Mick more time. The replay shows the chair fell down and caught Mankind in the face. Taker basically walks Mankind through the next few moments of the match and goes Old School so Mankind can knock him off to buy him more time. Mankind gives us the famous visual where JR points out he is smiling. Of course Mick has explained he was trying to put his tongue through the hole under his bottom lip, but the beard and blood blocked it. Oh, and he has a tooth lodged in his nostril. Mankind tries to lift the stairs, but he has a separated shoulder, so they improvise. Taker gets sent into the Cell and now he is bleeding because that’s the least he can to try to keep up with Mick. Back in the ring Mankind hits a sick stump piledriver on the chair. Mick seems to have his faculties back, but my guess is he is also basically on auto-pilot. He drops a leg and that gets a two count as the crowd is trying to gather themselves. Mankind lands the double arm DDT which gives him a chance to pull a bag out from underneath the ring. Mankind dumps out a massive amount of thumbtacks because why not? Taker teases getting sent into them, but is able to land a boot. He goes for The Tombstone, but Mankind slides off and gets the Mandible Claw. Taker starts to fade, but rallies and Mankind ends up on his back. Taker falls backwards, but kind of hits the tacks while mostly missing them. Ever the pro Mankind rolls through the tacks to make sure he gives us our money’s worth. Taker then hits a chokeslam on the tacks to a big pop. The Tombstone ends this one at 17:38.
Winner: The Undertake via pin at 17:38
-What else can you say about this match? It has it’s own Wikipedia entry and is easily one of the most famous and influential matches of all time. There are people who have it as the Greatest Match of All Time and others who hate it for what it was and how it influenced a generation. I had this match at **** when I reviewed it years ago on a Foley DVD release. You can rate this * to ***** and I can understand, but at this point this match deserves every bit of the full rating. This is The Attitude Era’s version of Hogan slamming Andre in that it will be replayed until the sun explodes. Those who saw Hogan slam Andre remember where they were and this is the same deal. The match itself is a heck of a brawl and the history and influence give it the extra bit. *****
-Mankind doesn’t want to leave on a stretcher and gets a standing ovation as he is walked up the aisle by Terry Funk and a ref. JR and Lawler show more replays of the two falls off the Cell. Lawler has a handful of the thumbtacks and shows them off.
-Video package for Austin vs. Kane. Vince McMahon made it a First Blood Match and then Kane announced he would set himself on fire and breath his last breath if he doesn’t win The WWF Title. Well, that kind of paints them into a corner.
WWF Title: First Blood Match: Steve Austin (c) vs. Kane (w/ Paul Bearer)
-The crowd chants for Austin and pops when the glass shatters. Austin rushes into the ring and immediately uses the belt to blast Kane in the face. The other thing is that Kane is sporting a full mask which makes it kind of hard to see if he is bleeding. The only exposed skin on Kane is his left hand and Lawler mentions that as soon I do. Austin exposes the top buckle, but Kane decks him from behind. The Tombstone is escaped and Kane gets dumped to the floor. Austin sends Kane into the stairs a few times as The Cell lowers around the ring. JR is pissed as he wonders who is controlling The Cell. Austin gets tossed into the ring steps and then into The Cell that is still slowly descending to the floor. Kane holds Austin down as the Cell lowers on his throat. They tease Austin getting crushed by The Cell, but he is able to roll out of the way. Kane puts the Cell to good use as he tosses Austin into it repeatedly. Austin has a cut on his back, but JR and Lawler both note the ref stated earlier he wasn’t stopping the match for a small cut. Austin sends Kane into the Cell and now it raises so that Austin can’t use it to his benefit. Kane get stuck on the bottom of The Cell and ends up getting lifted off the ground and falls to the floor. They brawl up the aisle and Austin tries a piledriver, but Kane backdrops out as we see Vince in a luxury box with Sable. They brawl up the short ramp and Kane gets a suplex. Kane grabs a piece of security railing and dumps it on Austin as the brawling continues. Austin lands a boot and gets things back in the ring where he bounces Kane’s head off the exposed buckle. Lawler notes that Austin is going to have to rip Kane’s mask off. Yeah, Kane losing his mask! That’ll be the day! Austin steals a desk fan and blasts Kane in the face, but again, he has a mask, so no blood. The ref gets bumped into the railing and JR yells for another one to come out and then points out that Lawler is licensed. Yeah, Lawler isn’t jumping at this one. Back in the ring Kane comes off the top, but misses and Austin starts to stomp a mud hole and then takes Kane to the corner for some proper mud hole stomping. Austin turns his attention to trying to split the back of Kane’s head open. Mankind comes down because it seems smart to send a concussed maniac down for more punishment. Mankind eats a Stunner and Kane takes one as well. Now The Undertaker is here and he swings a chair at Mankind, but he ducks and he hits Austin’s chair which goes back into his face. Austin is pouring blood as Taker puts the ref back in the ring and uses the “gas” to wake him up. Kane hits Taker with a chair to send him packing. The ref starts to wake as Austin pummels Kane in the head with a chair. The ref sees that Austin is bleeding and calls for the bell at 14:53.
Winner and New WWF Champion: Kane via ref first blood at 14:53
-This match had the troublesome task of following one of the most famous matches off all time, and while the crowd loves Austin, they just couldn’t fully recover. It was a solid Attitude Era brawl, but never really got going and couldn’t really build any drama thanks to the stipulation and the fact it was impossible to see Kane bleed. As noted the stipulations made it impossible for Kane to lose which I guess was the point as you weren’t going to believe Austin was losing without something crazy happening. The setting himself on fire stipulation was also stupid and there was no way they were going to pay that one off, so Kane got a 24 hour reign as WWF Champion. **1/4
-We quickly go off the air with the last image being Vince in the sky-box nodding his head in approval.
-Thanks for reading!
