Summerslam 1998: A Retrospective Look

[Dagger Dias]

This summer I'll be looking back on each of the previous Summerslam events, one by one. Every few days I will submit a new topic until we reach 2014's edition of the 2nd biggest brand in WWE.

This thread will be for discussing.... Summerslam 1998!

Summerslam 1998 took place on August 30, 1998. It was held at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. Here are the results of the matches from this show:



0. Too Much (Scott Taylor and Brian Christopher) defeated L.O.D. 2000 (Hawk and Animal) in a tag team match

0. Gangrel defeated Dustin Runnels in a singles match

0. The Disciples of Apocalypse (8-Ball and Skull) (with Paul Ellering) defeated Bradshaw and Vader in a tag team match

1. D'Lo Brown (c) defeated Val Venis by disqualification in a singles match for the WWF European Championship (15:31)

2. The Oddities (Kurrgan, Golga and Giant Silva) (with Luna Vachon and The Insane Clown Posse) defeated Kaientai (Taka Michinoku, Dick Togo, Mens Teioh and Sho Funaki) (with Yamaguchi-san) in a handicap match (10:08)

3. X-Pac defeated Jeff Jarrett in a Hair VS Hair match (11:09)

4. Edge and Sable defeated Marc Mero and Jacqueline in a mixed tag team match (08:24)

5. Ken Shamrock defeated Owen Hart (with Dan Severn) in a Lion's Den match (09:16)

6. The New Age Outlaws (Billy Gunn and Road Dogg) defeated Mankind (c) in a No Disqualification Handicap match for the WWF Tag Team Championship (07:30)

7. Triple H (with Chyna) defeated The Rock (c) (with Mark Henry) in a Ladder match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship (24:32)

8. Stone Cold Steve Austin (c) defeated The Undertaker in a singles match for the WWF Championship (20:50)



Now, here are some discussion questions concerning the event:

What was your favorite match on this show, and why did you like it the most? What about the worst match of this show, why did you like it the least?

If you could change a few things about Summerslam 1998, what would it be and why?

You may only use wrestlers who were available at the roster at that time or make changes that could have realistically taken place in August 1998. Please keep in mind the situations going into the show such as who could actually have been pushed into a title match, or what songs existed back then if you wanted to change the show's theme music, and so forth.

You may only discuss Summerslam 1998 in this thread. The remaining Summerslam events will be getting their own retrospective threads, any posts regarding other events will be considered spam and you risk getting an infraction.

Discuss!

 

[Wolf Pac]

Solid Summerslam like the previous year. It was given a Wrestlemania like build and had a Wrestlemania feel to it. The Austin vs. Taker "Highway To Hell" video was epic, still gives me goosebumps to this day whenever I watch it. Next to Limp Bizkit's "My Way" for Stone Cold vs. The Rock, it's my favourite hype video for a wrestling match. It's a shame Austin took that nasty headbutt from Taker during the match that caused him to slow down cause it could have been a great main event and could've lived up to the hype had it not happened. Why is Summerslam so mean to Austin? It still turned out good/decent though.

Best match: Rock vs. Triple H in the Ladder match. Those two stole the show and tore MSG down. This is the match where you knew these two would go on to become something truly special in the future especially The Rock. He got the fans on his side mid-way through the match and even I found myself rooting for The Rock to retain. It pissed me off when Chyna cost Rock the belt but, man, was it a great match.

Worst match: Oddities vs. Kaientai but what do you expect in a comedy match like this?

Some changes I would've made.

Mankind vs. Kane in a Falls Count Anywhere/No Holds Barred Match

This would've added a 3rd main event to the card. I would have had Kane turn on Mankind and drop the Tag belts to the NAO on the final Raw before Summerslam. I think the go home episode of Raw was the episode where they revealed that Taker and Kane were in cahoots with each other, so there was no need to wait for Summerslam for Kane to ditch him as a partner. Kane vs. Mankind in Falls Count Anywhere/No Holds Barred wouldn't have been no Taker-Mankind Hell in a Cell match but they still could've put on a crazy, wild hardcore match.

Ken Shamrock vs. Dan Severn in the Lions Den Match

I'm suprised the WWE never booked this. I thought this would have ended up being the Finals of the King Of The Ring that year. Owen-Shamrock was good but I felt Severn-Shamrock should've took place in the Lions Den instead after all their history in the UFC.

The New Age Outlaws (c) vs. The Nation (D-Lo Brown & Mark Henry) for the WWF Tag Team Titles

Add another DX vs. Nation match. This is the event where the feud between the two factions would end, even though D-Lo and Henry would continue using the Nation moniker and would feud with X-Pac and the Outlaws, but The Rock and The Godfather would go out on their own after Summerslam, so the rivalry between The Nation and DX was pretty much done here.

Owen Hart (c) vs. Val Venis for the WWF European Title

Or you could swap Owen and D-Lo around, but I think D-Lo is more fitting for the Tag Team Title match and Owen for the Euro Title match. Owen could drop the title to X-Pac who could then drop it to D-Lo.

 

[The Fabulous Rougeau's]

Another great SummerSlam following 97. The double main event hit it out the park. The WWE Title match was probably the best singles match between Austin and Taker and Rock and Triple H with their ladder match created the foundation for their main event push. The opener between D'Lo and Val was a very good match as well and nothing in between disappointed.

 

[wrestler36]

I saw this with friends on PPV. Quite honestly, the only match I really remember was the ladder match with HHH and Rock. The match was great and the buildup was spectacular. I remember Rock talking down Chyna on Raw leading up the match, being real disrespectful and acting the perfect heel. You can tell that this is one of the defining matches leading both of these guys to the main event status.

Fun fact - on Austin's podcast, he says Undertaker knocked him out briefly early on in their match. I watched it a few weeks ago, Taker either punched or kicked him right on the chin. He goes down fast, and you see Earl Hebner talking to him while he's one the ground.

 

[The Brain]

SummerSlam 98 was a very strong pay per view. The slow build all summer long was phenomenal and Highway To Hell was such a perfect fit. This felt like a huge show. My favorite match was the IC ladder match between Triple H and the Rock. These guys ran parallel with each other throughout their careers and this was the match that proved both could be main eventers. There was an electric feeling in the Garden for this one and both guys delivered a great blowoff to an awesome feud. My least favorite match was The Oddities vs. Kaientai. I didn't hate it but it was a comedy match between low card guys so nothing to get too excited about.

I have a few ideas for some changes. I like the idea of Mankind vs. Kane. The team was falling apart and Foley had become a sympathetic face since KOTR. Kane didn't even show up for the tag title match which I thought ended up hurting the Outlaws since they ended up beating the sympathy character two on one. Mankind vs. Kane would have been a great addition to the card. I would have had the Outlaws defend the titles against the newly repackaged Southern Justice. A title shot at SummerSlam would have been a good way to showcase the former Godwinns. There was kind of a crossover feud with X Pac and Jeff Jarrett anyway so this would have worked.

I was always confused by the opening match. Val Venis was new and popular but I don't recall any storyline with D Lo Brown. He just didn't seem to fit there. I think Venis may have been a better fit in the mixed tag. Edge had nothing to do with Marc Mero or Sable before or after SummerSlam. He was a mystery partner which just didn't seem necessary. Val Venis and Sable would have made a better team with Venis defending Sable as Mero always tried to censor her and hold her down. As for D Lo, he could have defended against Faarooq. Rock had already gotten the best of Faarooq so the feud with the Nation was pretty much over but it could have been extended since D Lo was the only one that was with Faarooq in the original Nation. I hate to leave Edge off the card but honestly he was so new that his absence would not have been noticed. If anything maybe throw him in a match with Gangrel.

 

[flyingslugs]

This was a great PPV and I am not saying that because I was there for this.
The opener was great DLO and Val showcasing some really good wrestling and it was a nice way to start a solid night.
I would have probably changed the tag title match and left the rest as is.
Edge made his entrance right next to me and of course the camera wasnt on him at that time but my sign did make it on during the HHH-Rock match as I was just 2 sections over from the entrance.

 

[Judah's Lion]

i'm with Brain on this one. SummerSlam 98 was a very solid show. i'm always a sucker for events held in MSG anyway, but the build to this show was long, dramatic and personal on a lot of levels. almost every match on the card we got had a LOT of history behind it and several of those were very heated rivalries. so it made the matches intense and the payoffs were satisfying. still, some changes would have made the overall card just that much better.

again, going with Brain, i'd do Val Venis/Sable vs. Marc Mero/Jacqueline. Edge as the mystery partner was a cool surprise but didn't fit at all. Val Venis had a gimmick that fit perfectly with Sable's so the pairing would make a lot more sense.

European Title: D-Lo Brown vs. Farooq. the Nation was mostly split up by the time this ppv was over, but one last match between former member and former leader would have given D-Lo a nice push.

Lion's Den Match: Shamrock vs. Dan "the Beast" Severn. i'm actually not a fan of this match since i never thought much of Severn inside the WWF ring. these two being in the finals of the King of the Ring Tournament would have been okay, but a big time match on the second biggest ppv of the year? not so much. maybe Shamrock vs. Steve Blackman in the Lion's Den instead? i really loved Shamrock/Owen but wanna save Owen for something else. otherwise i'd leave Owen where he was.

Owen Hart vs. Edge. these two had an incredible match around this time billed as a "Tortured Soul" Match. not sure what the "Tortured Soul" had to do with anything, but the match was freaking amazing. go look it up. seriously. it's that good. i'd save it for SummerSlam though. Owen can still go over and make Edge look like a star even in defeat on such a big stage.

Oddities vs. Kai en Tai was what it was.

X-Pac vs. Jeff Jarrett in a Hair vs. Hair Match was great. these two had one of those aforementioned personal feuds that felt very real and heated. loved the stipulation and the match and the outcome of several wrestlers helping X-Pac get the job done on Jarrett's locks.

Tag Team Titles: New Age Outlaws vs. Southern Justice vs. LOD 2000. maybe throw in one more tag team, such as the Headbangers, if you want. either way, Outlaws walk away with the belts at the end of the night. Brain is dead on in saying that the Outlaws vs. Mankind was no good because Mankind was turning face and becoming a sympathetic character. the 2-on-1 assault made the Outlaws look like jerks. it just wasn't booked well. since X-Pac was already in a match with Jarrett, the Outlaws vs. Southern Justice makes more sense. adding LOD 2000 would add up since they had history with both the Outlaws and Southern Justice and were also newly repackaged.

IC Title: Triple H vs. Rock in a Ladder Match. i'd leave this exactly as is. i loved the match, though it doesn't get match of the night for me. still, it was amazing and pretty neat to see both men climb the ranks of the WWF together.

Mankind vs. Kane in a Street Fight would have been good here. they had a very intense rivalry that never really got a big blow off match. add it to the mix.

Austin vs. Taker for the WWF Title is my match of the night. the build up was literally months in the making. i thought Austin was gonna lose the title for sure. it had a very big match feel to it. Taker sending Kane away was surprisingly excellent storytelling. amazing how such a small detail like that added to the match. and the flying leg drop from the top turnbuckle to the announcer's table was so freaking epic. i'd never seen Taker do anything like it before. again, it all added up to that big match feel.

so that's my final card. keep the same guys on the card that were really on it, but swap a few out here and there to make a solid ppv into a great one. my opinion.

 

[Cub McCallister]

This was a decent summerslam tbh but some matches needed to be changed around in my opinion, the main event and the ladder match both delivered.

1) Owen Hart (c) Vs Edge
European Title Match. Lets say that Owen wins the title from X-pac and then defends it against Edge, these two had a great match later on and Edge wins by DQ.

2) LOD 2000 Vs Southeren Justice Vs Headbangers Vs The Oddeties Vs Kai En Tai Vs Skull & 8 Ball Vs Los Bioricuas. Tag Team Turmoil Number 1 Contenders, Southeren Justice get the victory and go on to feud with the NAO.

3) Val Venis & Sable Vs Marc Mero & Jacqueline
Mixed Tag Match. Venis & Sable with the victory.

4) X-Pac Vs Jeff Jarrett
Hair Vs Hair Match. Stays the same.

5) Ken Shamrock Vs Dan Severen
Lions Den Match. Swap Owen for Severen and have Ken go over.

6) New Age Outlaws (c) Vs Nation of Domination (D'LO Brown & The Godfather)
Tag Team Titles No DQ Match. NAO get the victory in this match.

7) Kane Vs Mankind
Street Fight Match. This match should of been done tbh.

8) The Rock (C) Vs Triple HHH
Intercontinetal Title Ladder Match. Same result as before.

9) Stone Cold Steve Austin (C) Vs The Undertaker
WWF Title No DQ Match. Same result as before.

 

[roipdh123]

It was a decent show and I would have changed some of it.The Main event was great and was the 2nd best match of the night of course after the memorable IC Title Ladder match.

This is how I would have booked the show {using some ideas that some pepole have given me here that I didn't thought about}:
1.Edge defeated Owen Hart {C} to win the WWF European Championship.
2. Taka Michinouko [C} defeated Dustin Runnels to retain the WWF LIght Heavyweight Championship.
3.X Pac defeated Jeff Jarrett in a Hair vs Hair match.
4.The New Age Outlaws {C} defeated Nation Of Domination {DLO Brown and The Godfather} & LOD 2000 & Bradshaw and Vader in a Fatal 4 Way Tag Team match to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship.
5.Ken Shamrock defeated Dan Severen in a Lion's Den match.
6.Val Venis and Sable defeated Marc Mero and Jacqueline in a Mixed Tag Team match.
7.Kane defeated Mankind in a Falls Count Anywhere match.
8.Triple H defeated The Rock {C} in a Ladder match to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship.
9.Stone Cold Steve Austin {C} defeated The Undertaker to retain the WWF Championship.