Sunday, June 28, 1998

King of the Ring 1998 - The Results

Taka Michinoku and The Headbangers (Thrasher and Mosh) beat Kaientai (Dick Togo, Men's Teioh, Sho Funaki) in what is advertised as a bonus match.

Sable shows up and introduces WWF owner Vince McMahon, who arrives with Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco. Patterson tells her to get out of the ring, and before she does, she slaps Patterson in the face after he pats her on the rear. Gerald Brisco demands respect for Vince, but it only makes the crowd boo louder. Vince says he is glad everyone in the arena joined him them tonight, and it becomes apparent by Vince asking the crowd want they want that they want to see "Stone Cold" Steve Austin retain the title and Kane set himself on fire. Vince suggests that the crowd is setting themselves up for one big disappointment, but it comes to no surprise as their entire lives has been symphonies of disappointments to the point that they were disappointments to their parents and that their parents disappointed them, too, and they will blame everything but themselves and know what failure and disappointment are all about. Vince then says he stands before the crowd tonight to soften the blow of the disappointment they will eventually feel and prepare them for what they are going to feel when Austin is no longer WWF Champion. He warns them of the inevitable when Kane takes the title.

"The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock beats "Double J" Jeff Jarrett with the ankle lock to continue to the finals of the King of the Ring Tournament despite interference by Tennessee Lee. Tennessee Lee rushes into the ring after the match only to eat a belly-to-belly suplex. Michael Cole then interviews Shamrock, who says he has one more peak to climb and that he will not be second best.

Before the next match, "The Godfather" Kama Mustafa and "The World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry are ejected from ringside.

"The Rock" Rocky Maivia beats Dan "The Beast" Severn to continue to the finals of the King of the Ring Tournament after "The Godfather" Kama Mustafa and "The World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry rush back in and distract the referee so that D'Lo Brown, who hasn't been seen in weeks, gets on the top rope with a chest protector around his torso and hits Severn with a frog splash before leaving through the crowd. Michael Cole interviews The Rock, who tells "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock he will have to go through him and that he'll make him hit rock bottom.

Jerry "The King" Lawler inundates Al Snow with head jokes before Al Snow says the head doesn't lay down for anybody. It is then announced that Lawler is the special guest referee for the next match.

Too Much ("Too Sexy" Brian Christopher and "Too Hot" Scott Taylor) beat Al Snow and Head after special guest referee Jerry "The King" Lawler hands Christopher an empty bottle of Head and Shoulders anti-dandruff shampoo so that Christopher can screw the bottle underneath Head and pin Head, who is the legal man, to get the win. During the match, it is announced that an interview with "The Rock" Rocky Maivia and "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock is available on the WWF Superstar Line.

X-Pac beats Owen Hart. During the match, "The World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry hits X-Pac with a splash out side of the ring, which causes Chyna to confront him. Henry is then attacked from out of nowhere by Vader, who brawls with Henry and takes it to the back as Chyna hits Owen with a DDT as he has X-Pac in the Sharpshooter. X-Pac taps out, but the referee is too busy with what's going on outside the ring to see it. X-Pac rolls on top of Owen to get the win.

Paul Bearer shows up, as promised. He says he wouldn't miss tonight for the world, afte taking two of the worst beating he has ever taken from The Undertaker, who he cursed to Hell with every stitch taken out of his forehead. For 20 years, his son Kane sat all alone in his home, in his room, surrounded by pictures of his brother, and watch Superstars and tell him "Dad, I want to be like him." His whole life, Kane suffered and was ridiculed, and couldn't even go outside due to the sun hurting his scars. Tonight will be the happies night of his life, for when he leaves this ring, he will be the father and manager of the WWF Champion. He says the crowd can laugh all he wants, for in the end, he will be laughing all the way to the bank.

The New Age Outlaws ("Road Dog" Jesse James and "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn) retain the WWF Tag Team Championships against The New Midnight Express ("Bombastic" Bob Holly and "Bodacious" Bart Gunn) after Chyna hits Jim Cornette with a low blow to stop him from interfering. During the match, former tag team partners Billy Gunn and Bart Gunn stare down when both of them get in the ring for the first time in the match at the same time.

"Triple H" Hunter Hearst Helmsley guest on commentary for the next match, while Chyna guests on Spanish commentary.

"The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock beats "The Rock" Rocky Maivia with the ankle lock to become the 1998 King of the Ring. During the match, The Rock confronts "Triple H" Hunter Hearst Helmsley only for Helmsley to spit water into his face.



The Undertaker beats Mankind in a bloody, brutal and violent Hell In A Cell Match - the second in WWF history, but one that will go on to to be viewed as an Attitude Era and WWF classic for years to come, if only for its sheer brutality compared to the WWF norm. Before the match begins, Mankind tosses the steel chair he came to the ring with to the top of the cell wall, and climbs up to the top. When the bell rings, Mankind and The Undertaker fight on the top of the cell, then The Undertaker tosses Mankind off the edge, and Mankind lands back first onto the Spanish commentary table. Jim Ross reacts with the legendary line "Good God almighty! Good God almighty! That killed him!" followed by "As God as my witness, he is broken in half!" Terry Funk has to check on Mankind after the feet-long fall, as does WWF owner Vince McMahon and WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter along with a host of referees. It is noticed by those checking on him that something has happened to one of Mankind's shoulders. The cell rises up somewhat with The Undertaker still on top of it, while a stretcher is prepared for Mankind. As Mankind is wheeled halfway down the aisle, The Undertaker climbs down from the cell. Mankind rises from the stretcher, and heads back towards the cell with a smile. Both men climb back up, and The Undertaker choke slams Mankind through the ceiling of the cell and onto the ring below. Jim Ross replies with "Will somebody stop the damn match?" as everyone checks on Mankind again, and The Undertaker drops down to the ring. He choke slams Terry Funk out of his shoes, then goes for the clothesline off the top rope only for Mankind to run into the ropes and crotch him. Mankind is then seen smiling as blood comes out of his mouth, then The Undertaker and Mankind continue fighting, and cannot even pick up the steel steps, which The Undertaker rams repeatedly into Mankind's injured shoulder. Later in the match, it is noticed that a tooth is protruding from out of Mankind's nose, and Mankind introduces a bag full of thumbtacks, and after a series of reversals into the Mandible Claw, The Undertaker recovers, carries Mankind on his back and slams Mankind back first into the them. After a choke slam back into the thumbtacks, Mankind gets up and walks into the Tombstone Piledriver. The match ends, and referees and medical staff check on Mankind again. EMTs try to take Mankind to the back, but Mankind still insists on leaving the ring under his own power. Terry Funk, Slaughter, referees, and two WWF doctors help Mankind to the back as the fans give Mankind a standing ovation.





Kane beats "Stone Cold" Steve Austin in a First Blood Match to win the WWF Championship. During the match, Austin is seen wearing bandages over his right elbow due to a staph infection and a 100 degree fever that left him in the hospital for three days. Also during the match, the cell from the previous match is lowered again, and when Austin and Kane are near the ring after some fighting, the cage is completely lowered after nearly coming down on Austin twice. After some fighting, the cell is then suddenly raised, and Kane is almost taken upwards with it. We also see Vince McMahon and Sable watching the match from the luxury box. At one point, Kane tosses Austin throat-first into referee Earl Hebner, pinning Hebner between Austin and a guardrail and knocking him out. Mankind, somehow still standing and moving around after the previous match, shows up minutes later with a steel chair and gets involved, and after Mankind gets in the ring, the cell lowers as Austin hits Mankind with a Stone Cold Stunner before doing the same to Kane to avoid a choke slam. The Undertaker shows up with a steel chair, and as Austin goes for Kane with Mankind's steel chair, The Undertaker knocks out Steve Austin, sending Austin's chair into his own head and busting him open. The Undertaken then places Earl Hebner back in the ring before taking a can of gasoline and pouring it on Hebner. Kane hits The Undertaker in the back with a steel chair, but Hebner is revived. Austin keeps fighting, the referee still not seeing Austin buster open. Hebner sees Austin after he hits Kane with a steel chair, and Kane wins the match and the WWF Championship. Vince McMahon is then seen in the luxury box, satisfied with his efforts as the show comes to an end.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.