King of the Ring (1998) Online

There's really only 2 matches from this PPV that people remember. the hell in the cell match and the first blood match. out of all the Pay-per-views, this one makes the biggest milestone. for one, it marks the third hell in the cell match (it wasn't the second, i did some research and found out the second one took place during an episode of RAW) and it's undertaker's first victory in one. it also marks the only time Kane has ever won the WWE Title belt, despite cheating.

Firsthand, the Hell in the cell match. This was a very hyped match, and it was to end a less than big rivalry. it ended with a huge explosion. firsthand, before the match began, Mankind/Mick Foley climbed to the top of the cell and waited for the undertaker to come out. then undertaker came out and climbed to the top of the cell. they fought up there for about a minute, then taker threw mankind off the top of the cell. this fall was planned. if you watch Mick Foley land, he landed on his buttocks and side, not his head or upper body.

the second fall came after Foley walked off from the stretcher to go back to the cell. then taker was supposed to chokeslam Foley onto a chair on top of the cell. unfortunately, the cell structure was not meant to stop a falling 287 pound man, and Foley fell through the cell and landed on his upper back, near his neck. this fall was not supposed to happen.

In a later interview, Undertaker said when he chokeslammed mick foley through the cell, he thought mick was dead.

in the first blood match, "stone cold" Steve Austin was defending the WWF/WWE title from Kane. now everyone knows the rules of a first blood match. the first person to draw blood loses the battle. however, Kane was supposedly bleeding, but he was wearing a mask, which meant the ref never saw his blood. stone cold eventually was cut open, leading to Kane's first WWF title.

What this Pay-per-view marked was Kanes First and Only WWF/WWE title, which he only held for 24 hours (stone cold Steve Austin won it back from Kane the next night on WWF Raw is War.)

it's a sweet pay-per-view, and it's well worth seeing.

1st Match: Kaientai vs Taka Michinoku and The Headbangers. A fun match to start the show, not great, but a good way of getting the crowd hot. I liked the spots and chemistry between Taka and his partners. Rating: 3.5/5

2nd Match: Ken Shamrock vs Jeff Jarrett. An OK qualifying match, with Jarrett working Ken's leg until he makes him tap to the ankle lock. Good for being so short. Rating: 3/5

3rd Match: The Rock vs Dan "The Beast" Severn. I liked Dan's attitude in this. No nonsense, comes out in a gray t-shirt, looking ready to destroy someone without remorse. His technical skill is obvious, but the match is only given 4 minutes, so that's about it. Easy win for Rock. Rating: 2.5/5

4th Match: Too Cool vs Al Snow & Head, Special Guest Referee: Jerry Lawler. I like Head, I like Al Snow, I hate this match. Lawler ruins everything he touches, and he's made my "Worst of" lists multiple times. He's fine with JR on commentary, but good God is he trash in the ring. He plays heel ref, doing fast counts and slow counts, which only drags the match along. The finish is also stupid because Head gets pinned, he's a head, he doesn't have shoulders. I hate bad comedy matches like this, absolutley hate them. Rating: 0/5

5th Match: X-Pac vs Owen Hart. I like the story going into this, and these two work pretty well together. I know Owen is considered by most to be a great wrestler, but I've only been blown away by a couple of his matches. Nothing against the guy, but he always just seems kind of there to me. He does take a nasty bump towards the end though, which makes sense why the match looks rushed to a finish. OK overall. Rating: 3/5

6th Match: The New Age Outlaws vs The New Midnight Express, WWF Tag Team Championships. The Outlaws carry this match, the other guys have talent, but this match is just straight-forward without much suspense. I like Cornette getting low-blowed though. Rating: 3/5

7th Match: The Rock vs Ken Shamrock. Triple H is on commentary here, and I like it. I was honestly thinking Rocky would win this, but they actually gave it to Ken. Strange considering he never went farther than the mid-card for another year. Maybe they had big plans for him at some point. Not a bad match, but weak considering the two guys involved. Rating: 2.5/5

8th Match: Undertaker vs Mankind, Hell in a Cell. Here it is folks, the most famous cell match in history. I had seen it once before, but it still gives me chills to this day. It starts on the top, both guys fight to the right side, and then Taker just chucks Foley off the cell. "As God as my witness, he is broken in half!" The cell's raised, and medical personel are called down. The match is stopped, and Foley's placed on the gurney with a dislocated shoulder. Once in the aisleway, he gets up. This match ain't over yet. He then climbs the cell again, and gets chokeslammed through the top onto the mat below. That wasn't meant to happen. Taker fights of the medics again, and he and Foley continue the match. Chair shots follow, steel steps are used, a piledriver onto a chair, and then thumbtacks. Foley gets dropped backfirst, then chokeslammed onto 'em. The madness finally ends when Taker hits a tombstone. In terms of match quality, it's alright at best. In terms of sheer spectacle, it's a 10 out of 10. You will never see another WWE match like this in your life. It's the match everyone points to when they think of brutality. Foley dislocated his shoulder, concussed himself, lost several teeth, and punctured clean through his lip, and he STILL walked out of that ring. As dangerous as the match is, I have a ton of respect for it, and thank you to everyone involved for making one of the most awe-inspiring examples of madness. Rating: 5/5

9th Match: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Kane, First Blood match for the WWF Championship. If Kane loses, he will set himself on fire. No matter what this match involved, there was no way it would be able to top the madness before it. It's an alright brawl with run-ins from Foley (who is somehow still able to walk), and Taker towards the ends. Taker accidentally busts Austin open, meaning Kane wins the title. He would lose it back to Austin the next night though, which is why this match is largely forgotten about. Rating: 3/5

Final Rating: 6 out of 10. This match is known for 1 match, and while that match is amazing, it saved this event from being doomed to mediocrity. The rest of the card is OK at best, and the Hell in a Cell match is spectacular. One amazing match does not make up for the flaws of the others.

Live from Pittsburgh, PA



Attendance 17,087



Your commentators are Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler



The Headbangers & Taka Michinoku Vs Kaientai



Taka and The Headbangers win. Pretty fun opener. Innocuous and high energy all the way. Good choice to open the show. This is a loud crowd.



**3/4 out of 5



Sable comes out and introduces Vince McMahon. Sable is dismissed by Vince to loud boos, but she slaps Pat Patterson. Vince insults the crowd as the crowd clamors for Austin. He promises that Austin will lose the title to Kane later tonight. Not sure why this was necessary, but it was a solid heel promo from Vince.



KOTR (Semi Finals)



Ken Shamrock Vs Jeff Jarrett



Shamrock wins by submission. Pretty mediocre match and the result was way too obvious. He has a short interview. He says he'll be King of the Ring.



*1/2 out of 5



KOTR: Semi Finals



The Rock Vs Dan Severn



The Rock wins, thanks to help from D'Lo Brown. Pretty bad match between these two. It sets up The Rock and Ken Shamrock in the finals.



*1/4 out of 5



Al Snow & Head Vs Too Much (Brian Christopher & Scott Taylor)



I could only take Al Snow in small doses a lot of the time. If Snow wins, he'll get a meeting with Vince McMahon. If he loses, he's done with the WWF. Jerry Lawler is the guest referee. Too Much wins. This was embarrassing and not funny at all.



* out of 5



X-Pac Vs Owen Hart



X-Pac wins with help from Chyna. A bit overbooked, but it was pretty exciting as well. Pretty decent stuff overall and worth a look.



**1/4 out of 5



Paul Bearer is out now. He plays his part so well that I wanted to sock him one. He says Kane wanted to be a WWF Superstar and he couldn't go out in the sun because the sun hurt his scars so bad. He says he'll be the Father and manager of the WWF Champion. Laugh at the fat man, because he'll laugh all the way to the bank!



Tag Team Titles



The New Age Outlaws (C) Vs Bombacious Bart & Bombastic Bob



Bart Gunn and Bob Holly as the new Midnight Express is really ridiculous. They're completely ignoring that Bart is the kayfabe brother of Billy. Weird. Never mind. JR Just mentioned it. The Outlaws win, thanks to Chyna. This was bowling shoe ugly as JR would say.



*1/2 out of 5



King of the Ring



The Rock Vs Ken Shamrock



Hunter Hearst Helmsley is out for commentary. Shamrock makes The Rock tap out to the ankle lock to become King of the Ring. Hell of a match and probably my favorite between the two.



***1/2 out of 5



Hell in a Cell Match



Mankind Vs The Undertaker



The Undertaker throws Mankind right off the cell. I don't care how many ECW matches there are. This remains the sickest bump I've ever seen. It gets even more disturbing after Undertaker chokeslams him through the cell, into the ring. He also gets thrown into thumbtacks (Once backdropped, once chokeslammed) Mankind valiantly fights back, but Taker wins with a tombstone. This is considered to be the definitive cell match by many. I wouldn't say that...but i'll be damned if it isn't memorable. Foley's bumps will never be forgotten and they will withstand the test of time. Spine chilling to say the least.



**** out of 5



WWF Championship (First Blood Match)



"Stone Cold" Steve Austin Vs Kane

Kane wins the WWF Title after The Undertaker accidentally costs Austin the title. Not necessarily a great match, but it was well-booked. Austin looks strong and Kane winning was a cool moment. It's a shame Kane lost the title 24 hours later. That was kinda stupid and this is coming from a huge Austin mark.

**1/4 out of 5

This is a highly underrated PPV. One you won't forget anytime soon.

9/10

Mick Foley became a legend, Ken Shamrock became a King, and Kane became WWE Champion at what proved to be the best PPV event of 1998, finally ending the show's losing streak after 4 lackluster King of the Ring events in a row, it was also a return to form after two mediocre In Your House PPVs following Wrestlemania.

The big story going in was centered around Kane and the Undertaker. They were taking a break from hurting each other but now found themselves caught up in the Austin vs McMahon rivalry. The Undertaker had refused to allow Vince McMahon to screw Austin out of the title at the previous PPV. Underaker's presence at ringside had cost Mick Foley the title, and he would have to answer for his actions in a Hell in a Cell match with Mankind. Foley's two failures meant that McMahon needed to find someone else to get Austin's title off him, so he turned to Kane and again stacked the deck against Austin by making it a first blood match. With Kane's entire body covered in a suit it would be almost impossible to tell if he is bleeding anyway! But the night started off with one of those junk matches that this era is famous for as the Headbangers defeated Kaientai in a nothing match. Headbangers would not have an overly long or memorable run in the WWE. Never really explained what wearing a dress has to do with heavy metal music.

The next match was the King of the Ring semi final between Ken Shamrock and Jeff Jarrett. Shamrock picking up the submission victory with his ankle lock.

The next match saw the Rock defeat Dan Severn in the other semi final. Severn, like Shamrock was an MMA fighter trying his hand at wrestling. Neither was a long term success, though Shamrock did have his moments. And so Shamrock and the Rock, who had a long bitter rivalry over the Intercontinental Championship earlier in the year, would meet in the final.

Next up comes the comedy match with Jerry Lawler acting as guest referee while his nephew (actually his son later better known as Grandmaster Sexay) Brian Christopher and his tag team partner Scott Taylor (later better knows as Scotty 2 Hotty) took on Al Snow and Head. THis was a comedy match and Lawler is actually pretty funny when he stalls on three counts for Snow. The bad guys end up winning, but this is one of the better done comedy matches. Lawler and Snow are both pros and just know how to go about it and keep things entertaining.

Next up saw Owen Hart, now a bad guy continue his feud with DX in a match with X-Pac which he lost. The addition of the New Age Oitlaws had really seen DX start to gain popularity from the fans.

This popularity became more evident in the next match as the Outlaws defeated Jim Cornette's New Midnight Express tag team. THis was Cornette's final stint in the WWE and the Midnight Express were a short lived part of it.

Next up saw Ken Shamrock finally avenge all of those screwy losses to the Rock by winning the King of the Ring Final in probably the best of their trilogy of PPV matches. While none were classics, the characters of both men just seemed to work together. This was Shamrock's brightest moment in the WWE, but in a little over a year he was out of the WWE and back in MMA.

Next came one of the best known matches ever as the Undertaker defeated Mankind in a Hell in a Cell match. Mankind was thrown off the top of the cell, through the top of the cell and slammed multiple times onto thumbtacks in the match that made his career.

The Undertaker was then heavily involved in a sweet main event match. Kane had promised to set himself on fire if he lost to Stone Cold. With Kane bleeding and the ref unconscious Undertaker came into the ring, busted Stone Cold open with a chair shot and then tipped gasoline all over the ref to revive him. The ref, seeing Stone Cold bleeding stopped the match and awarded Kane the title. McMahon was jubilant at finally taking the title off Austin, but his joy was short lived: Austin defeated Kane to win back the title in an excellent match the following night on RAW.

I have only watched this video two times and there is not too much I remember about it except for the first blood match between stone cold Steve Austin and Kane and the match that everyone who seen it will always remember the hell in a cell match.This was the caziest match I have ever seen and I have seen all 4 tables ladders and chairs matches.Any fan of pro wrestling should watch this match.

1. Head Bangers/Taka Michinoku Vs. Kaientai Quick good tag team action with clean Head Bangers victory 8/10

2. KoR Semi-Final: Double J Vs. Ken Shamrock - Shamrock advances. 7.5/10

3. KoR Semi-Final: Dan "The Beast" Severn Vs. The Rock - Cheap victory. 8/10

4. Too Much Vs. Al Snow/Head - Too much pinned Head, God that as awful booking. 6/10

5. X-Pac Vs. Owen Hart - Average match by these two good workers. 7/10

6. WWF Tag Team Title Match: New Age Outlaws Vs. Champs-Midnight Express - Ordinary tag match. 6.5/10

7. KoR Finals: Shamrock Vs. Champ-The Rock - I give credit to Rock, that he jobbed there. ShamRock is King of The Ring 1998 7.5/10

8. Hell in a Cell Match: Undertaker Vs. Mankind - You know - Suicider "Give him finally that fuc*ing belt" Mankind. He is truly the greatest legend of WWF from 1990 to 2000 For Mick Foley in that match i give 11/10

9. WWF World Heavyweight Title First Blood Match: Kane Vs. Champ-Stone Cold - We have new champ, the match wasn't something special. 7/10

i have seen this match more times then i think is healthy and still find something new in it each time.

if you look closely at the shamrock vs rock final match for the KOR you can see when Shamrock gets his hand caught in the ropes you see the Rock get him out lol. its so strange to see the rock being someones lackey.

the worst match on there i think is the al snow vs too much. when i first saw it i knew that there was going to be a screw job but that was the dumbest one i have seen and i have been watching pro wrestling for most of my life and that begins in the early days of hulkamania. but this was the time the Vince was trying to compete against wcw and turners billions.