SummerSlam 98' starts off with Val Venis challening D'Lo Brown for the European Championship. I wasn't expecting much out of this match as I'm not a big fan of Venis and was always so-so on D'Lo, but this was an above-average contest (marred a bit by D'Lo nearly paralyzing Val Venis with his running powerbomb attempt, something that would end up happening with Droz a year or so later). The finish of the match was not going to be a crowd pleaser - though D'Lo does get some pops at one point - but I liked it as an ending that you don't see everyday (the referee inadvertently crotched Venis on the top rope when he was trying to prevent him from using D'Lo's chest protector and got shoved to the mat for it, leading to a DQ). A good opener to the show. (3/5)
The Oddities - Golga (John Tenta), Giant Silva, and Kurrgan with Luna Vachon and the Insane Clown Posse in tow - took on the four-man squadron known as Kaientai next (Taka Michinoku, Dick Togo, Men's Teioh, and Funaki). I was surprised at how much time this got as the Oddities, aside from Tenta, couldn't do much of anything in the ring. This match is built around comedy spots and Taka Michinoku performing some absolutely outrageous mega-pumps. He practically flings himself halfway across the ring after move he takes, doing everything he can physically to get the crowd to react. This goes at least 4-5 minutes too long too, but at this point, the WWE's roster wasn't as star-studded as it would be a year later (and the in-ring quality wouldn't really pick up for another two years). A point awarded for Taka's bumping and John Tenta's ability to carry the workload for his entire team. (1/5)
Jeff Jarrett took on X-Pac in a Hair vs. Hair match next. I don't remember too much about the build for this match, but Jarrett's various runs in the WWE kind of all blur together. Anyway...this was maybe a bit disappointing considering Jarrett and X-Pac were arguably too of the best in-ring performers on the roster at the time. I wonder if they had shaved a few minutes off the previous match if this would've worked better, but its not like they rush anything. Its almost a bit too back-and-forth and I kinda wish it had been built more around X-Pac as the underdog having to overcome a more dominant Double J (this is where having Southern Justice - aka the Godwinns - as your heaters and not just sent to the back before the match even starts - might've helped draw some heat from a mostly indifferent crowd). X-Pac gets the feel-good W and Jarrett is held down on a chair by the Outlaws and the Headbangers to get his hair shaved off. An average match with the expected outcome. (2.5/5)
Next up - "Marvelous" Marc Mero and Jacqueline take on Sable and her mystery partner...Edge! Edge had only recently debuted on TV so this was his first PPV match (if I'm not mistaken). I wasn't expecting much out of this match, but this really wasn't too bad. Sable was super over with the crowd, people loathed Marc Mero, and Jacqueline, while not a super worker by any means, had undeniable presence, charisma, and obvious toughness. I also thought this was smartly worked with Mero and Edge keeping things kinda slow so that when it was time for Sable and Jacqueline to get their moments, it didn't feel like the match was grinding to a halt or anything. Edge hits two very respectable dives/splashes in this match, showcasing some high-flying that he rarely does today (and who could blame him 25 years later?). Another feel-good victory for the babyfaces as Edge hits Mero with his Downward Spiral finisher and then slams Sable onto him for the pinfall. Another match I'd consider no worse than average, which is actually quite good considering Sable was barely trained and Edge was not established at all. (2.5/5)
Backstage, Vince McMahon convinces Mankind to compete tonight despite the fact that his co-WWE Tag Team Champion, Kane, has not arrived and, according to the Undertaker, will not be in the Garden tonight.
Speaking of the Garden, this next match was held at the adjacent Madison Square Garden Theater: Owen Hart vs. Ken Shamrock in a Lion's Den Match (basically the UFC Octagon). In certain circles, this match is considered a hidden gem and unheralded classic, the best possible version of a gimmick/stipulation/match style that the WWE (and countless other promotions) would struggle to execute for decades to come: a "shoot"-style wrestling match in an MMA environ. What works here is that Owen and Shamrock work everything with intensity. There's no playing to the crowd. There's no feats of agility by Owen or overdramatic "snapping" out of Shamrock. There are also some truly excellent bumps into the cage walls that give this a feel very different from your typical cage match. Owen Hart doesn't ever "show ass" or try to run and hide like he might if this were in a Hell in a Cell and Ken Shamrock doesn't do any of the countless dumb, illogical things that a babyface might in your typical pro-wrestling bout. I can understand certain criticisms - I mean, the match, which is not broken up into rounds, does go a bit long for what is supposed to be a UFC fight and, remember, Ken Shamrock was a legit UFC Champion that, in a shoot fight, would've likely mopped the floor with Owen - but, from beginning to end, this has a unique feel and, even 20 years later, stands as the best version of this sort of thing that the WWE has ever put on. A must-see match just because there are so few matches like it and Owen and Shamrock do a tremendous job making it work. (4/5)
Mankind defends both WWE Tag Team Championship belts against the New Age Outlaws in the next match. This is another unexpected treat and unique match. Mankind's tag team partner was Kane, but as the Undertaker had said on Heat, Kane was not going to be appearing. After his legendary fall from the top of the cell at King of the Ring a few months prior, Mankind was basically a "tweener" - popular with the fans, sympathetic for his naivete and trusting nature, but clearly being manipulated by Vince McMahon into doing heel things. People talk about the Bloodline storyline being one of the best the WWE ever produced, but I'd nominate Mankind's work in 98' to be right there with what Roman and the Usos (and Zayn) have been doing. Anyway...the Outlaws come out to a big pop, but you can tell the audience is fully behind Foley too as they cheer for every one of his offensive maneuvers. I like how this was booked as Foley, the King of Hardcore, is able to hold his own at times but never really seems like he's going to win because, at almost every turn, the numbers game cuts him down. There are also some legit great spots in here - a proto-Conchairto by the Outlaws with cookie sheets, a great-looking swingin' neckbreaker on the concrete from Mick to Billy Gunn, an absolutely vicious Russian Leg Sweep from the Outlaws that sends the back of Mankind's skull into a steel dumpster, and a two-man powerbomb through a pair of chairs. This match works because the Outlaws get to look like serious ass-kickers (there's absolutely none of that lame Road Dogg dancing shtick here) that will do what it takes to win the championships and Mankind gets to prove how tough he is. The only thing that doesn't quite work for me is the post-match, though, again, to the WWE's credit, they didn't do what I expected by having the Outlaws praise Mankind for his toughness. Instead, after getting the pin, the Outlaws actually berate Mankind a bit and throw him into the dumpster (a very heelish move, but, again, DX weren't supposed to be lovable babyfaces, so it actually makes sense that they would gloat a bit and be obnoxious). Once Foley is in the dumpster, we get a surprise appearance from Kane, who emerges from within it and then strikes down Foley with a sledgehammer (we don't actually see Foley get struck by the way it is filmed). Its a cool visual and cleverly puts the heat onto Kane and off of the Outlaws. I'm on the fence over whether or not this is must-see, but, then again, this might be the most entertaining match the Outlaws were ever involved in from beginning to end. (4/5)
The Intercontinental Championship is on the line next as The Rock defends his gold against Triple H in a ladder match. I remember thinking this was a tremendous match when I watched it live back in 98' when I was 14 at my friend Nash's house (pronounced "nosh" not "Nash" like Kevin Nash). Despite having dozens of other high profile matches over the course of his lengthy career, this might still stand as a top 5 Triple H match too. Some of the spots they do are lifted directly from the Shawn/Razor series, but this never feels like a retread because the guys involved have such different overall styles to me. I loved the use of the ladder as a "table" by the Rock as the atomic drop he gives to Triple H onto it gets a huge reaction (I'm not sure if this was a wholly original concept, but nowadays, you'd see this kind of thing in any and every ladder match so it doesn't register as all that special). The crowd is electric for this match and the back-and-forth works in a way that I'd argue is better than what Shawn and Razor did - mostly because Shawn and Razor relied a whole ton on Shawn's pinball bumping style while this match is fought between two guys that have somewhat similar size, strength, and even technique but vastly different characters. One review I read mentioned that this felt like a mix of the ladder matches of old (and, in the WWE, there weren't really all that many) and the super spotfests that would come in the years to come and I can see how this match could represent a link as it feels both violent and dangerous, but also very much a pro-wrestling match where big moves are sold and the competitors don't miraculously spring up from big moves to sprint up the ladder (if anything, the amount of effort it takes for them to get up the ladder is comical at times). I also just love the amount of false finishes as its perfect amount between too few and too many. I think its also commendable that this match, which goes 26 minutes (according to Cagematch) is riveting and exciting and somehow never feels repetitive despite parts of it actually being repetitive if you were to write it out. A match that stands the test of time. (4.5/5)
The WWE Championship is on the line next as "Stone Cold" Steve Austin defends the title against The Undertaker. This match, kinda like Austin's title win against Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XIV, is somewhat "famous" not for being an all-time great match, but for being a significant step below that, a match that Austin himself has spoken about as being a disappointment. Part of that comes from the fact that Austin got knocked loopy early on in the match, but Austin noted on his podcast that he and Taker never had the great chemistry despite a ton of mutual respect. Watching this match, there are some good sequences and the brawling is perfectly fine, but the Undertaker's lumbering style doesn't pop enough and the tone of the match isn't as fun as Austin's better work against The Rock or Mankind from the same era. Kane does make an appearance, but Vince (somewhat surprisingly) does not. The most memorable moment of the match is Undertaker delivering a leg drop from the top rope to the outside onto Austin (the table doesn't break, but both men end up on the floor and its still an impressive spot to see the Deadman do). This match isn't bad - the crowd may not be going wild for every moment of it, but by the end, they're definitely into it - but its not the epic encounter that these two clearly wish they could've executed. (3/5)
With a Kwang Rating of 3.06-out-of-5, SummerSlam 98' is a show that starts a bit slow but gains momentum as it goes on and becomes one of the better PPVs of the 90s by the time its all over. The Rock/Triple H Ladder Match holds up 25 years later and is the most well-know match on this card for good reason, but the Mankind/Outlaws match is a hidden gem and the unique Owen Hart/Ken Shamrock match is also worth checking out. The main event is a disappointment, but still above average and the opener isn't too bad either.
FINAL RATING - Watch It (With Remote in Hand)
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