1998 Royal Rumble Review

If one believes in Karma then this is THE ppv of justice for Shawn Michaels. It was at this ppv that Michaels injured his back and would be put out of action for 4 1/2 years. After the way he had acted between 93-98 it was deserving. He kind of brought it on himself anyway, with his crazy bumping style. JR and Lawler are calling the shots tonight.


Match #1

The Artist Formerly Known As Goldust w Luna Vachon Vs Vader


Another example of how misused Vader was in the WWF. He is over pretty well as a face and after this feud he was turned into a joke. TAFKAG jumps Vader which doesn't last. Outside Vader runs into TAFKAG who gets knocked into Luna and they both go down. Vader tries using the steel steps but the ref stops him. This feud goes back to Survivor Series where Goldust walked out on his team, specifically Vader. He was being a emo puss and refused to tag in once for that match. TAFKAG goes to the legs but Vader overpowers him for most of the match. Luna interferes when she can and the ref missed the low blow by TAFKAG on Vader as he's attempting a Vader bomb. Vader rallies and goes up for the vader bomb, Luna gets on his back and he still goes ahead and splatters TAFKAG for the pin at 7:51. The finish got a big cheer. 2 stars.


Austin arrives, and tells off Michael Cole. The Godwins run over looking for Austin and are hot on his trail.


Next we get a midget match. I don't rate midget matches usually, so im skipping this thing. It's a standard midget tag. You seen one? Youve seen them all. Sunny was the special referee who is close to the end of her contractual gravy train.


Backstage the Nation are looking for Austin, but only find a foam middle finger in the locker room.


Match #2


Intercontinental Championship Match

The Rock Vs Ken Shamrock


Prematch interview, Faarooq is obvivously pissed at Rocks attitude. Inevitable breakup following. Brawl to start. Shamrock hits a cross body and a fishermans suplex for 2. Rocky takes over with a floatover ddt and goes to the chinlock. Rocky tries another ddt but Shamrock counters with a northern lights suplex and starts to snap. Nation makes the run in, while the ref is distracted Rocky pops Shamrock with some brass knuckles and slips them into Shamrocks tights for some odd reason. It only gets a 2 count. Shamrock is up and he hits a belly to belly suplex and the three count. That was way too easy of a pin and Shamrock celebrates and the crowd cheers. Rocky complains to the ref that Shamrock used the knucks on him, the ref finds them on Shamrock and reverses the decision to give Rocky the win at 11:22. Shamrock puts the ankle lock on the ref. Shamrock got screwed big time in this feud. Im going 1 1/2 star for the bad finish.


Match #3

Tag Team Championship Match

The New Age Outlaws Vs The Legion Of Doom


Not that I care personally about how long some guys have been around, but JR contradicts himself inside of 15 minutes by saying this isn't the senior circuit, and it's all guys in their prime. Taking a feeble shot at WCW. The following match has the LOD who aren't what they used to be in the WWF and haven't done anything memorable since coming back in early 97. Plus you got Terry Funk who's been around longer than dirt. LOD hand the Outlaws their asses for most of this match. Bad finish as Animal hits a powerslam pin and Roadogg hits him with a chair to draw a dq at 7:55. Hawk is handcuffed to the ropes in the corner and the Outlaws chair shot Animals already bad back. Hawk breaks the cuffs and makes the save. 1 star.


Match #4

1998 Royal Rumble Match


Okay, the match that people REALLY bought this ppv for. Me included, I watched this one live and thought it was better than 96 and 97. #1 is Cactus Jack. JR informs us earlier in the night that Dude Love and Mankind are not gonna be here tonight. #2 is the recently debuted Chainsaw Charlie, Terry Funks alter ego and tag partner for Cactus Jack who debuted only a few days before. Chair fight to start. Both guys take turns cracking eachothers skulls with chairs then #3 Tom Brandy runs in, and they double team him throwing him out in about 5 or 7 seconds. Why bother putting on tights for a night like that??? JR didn't even have enough time to finish telling us who Brandy was feuding with. Back to the hardcore rumble. Horrendous spot as Jack suplexes Charlie on a pair of set up folding chairs. Charlie landing on the seats bends them backwards and Chainsaw sells it like he's broken some ribs. #4 is The Rock?? That's a bit of a suprise. Rocky takes over and is feeling pretty good. That's until he turns around and gets a trash can dented on his head. One of my favorite spots, Cactus sticks the can down over Rocky and they take turns jabbing at him while inside the can. Cactus takes a chair to the can which could blow out somebodies eardrums or make them ring for a few minutes. Rocky spills outside and Cactus celebrates. Charlie hits him low then throws a chair at #5 Mosh on his way in and they pair off. Charlie misses a moonsault on Mosh and #6 Phineos Godwin makes his way down. Cactus does a blind charge on Charlie and he goes out. #7 is 8-Ball and everybody pair off again. Charlie gets beat up and hangs on the ropes almost losing his pants several times. #8 is BlackJack Bradshaw. #9 is Owen Hart and he gets waylaid by Jeff Jarrett and Jim Cornette, and they take racket shots at him. Owen dissapears not making it into the match. #10 is Steve Blackman. Here comes #11 D-Lo Brown. D-Lo and Rock punch it out. #12 is Kurrgan. Charlie tries making friends as Kuurgan makes his way in then skidaddles to the other side of the ring:) Mosh shows guts going after Kuurgan who dumps Mosh in the middle of a 10 punch. Blackman ALMOST legitimately knocks Kuurgans block off with a jump spin kick but it misses Kuurgan by an inch. Sure didn't look fake to me. Kuurgan swamps Blackman in the corner. #13 is Marvelous Marc Mero with Sable, who gathers all the attention which pisses off Mero. Kuurgan tosses Blackman. #14 is Ken Shamrock and he's right after Kuurgan. He knocks him down then he Phineos, Bradshaw, and 8-Ball gang up to dump the big oaf. Kuurgan goes bat****. Rocky hits the mediocre elbow on Charlie which gathers cheers from nobody. #15 at the halfway mark is Thrasher. #16 is.........Mankind??? Mankind goes right after Charlie who is losing his jeans fast, Mankind eliminates him quickly, that was a big showing by Charlie. #17 is TAFKAG with Luna, in a totally different messed up outfit. TAFKAG eliminates Mankind in short order then #18 Jeff Jarrett struts down to ringside. OWEN HART!!! Runs in and just beats the ever loving **** out of Jarrett and Jarrett manages to send him over the ropes, Owen skins the cat while Jarrett gloats and Owen sends him out as Jarrett oversells going over the top rope like he's being ejected from a car seat. #19 is The *beep* Tonk Man who I think was made the replacement for HHH who had a bum knee. Owen flips off HHH then Chyna takes a swing at Owen with a crutch giving HHH a chance to crack him with the other and they pull him out of the ring to the biggest BS boo of the night. Shamrock gets punched in the nuts and Rocky eliminates him, boy, what a shty night for Shamrock. Owen runs after them as #20 Ahmed Johnson is out next but no one cares anymore. #21 is Mark Henry who joined the Nation just recently by turning on Shamrock in a tag match. #22 is nobody, enforcing the belief that somebody got to Austin earlier in the night. Ahmed gets powder in his eyes and he's gone, Phineos gets sent out next who had a good showing. #23 is Kama Mustafa. Austins music hits at #24 and the building errupts. Everybody stops to wait on Austin. Stone Cold sneaks in from the crowd and Mero is first on his **** list. Austin throws 8-Ball next and is fighting off everybody. #25 is Henry Godwin followed by #26 Savio Vega who's bringing in Los Boricuas. Austin fights them off and Savio/Austin rekindle their feud from 2 years ago. Austin kicks TAFAG in the nuts. #27 is the last Nation member Faarooq who attacks all his guys first. Rock and Austin fight outside and some lady is squealy a fit as Rock and Austin fight by her seats. Rock chucks Austin to the steps. #28 is.....Dude Love??? Dude immediately picks off Bradshaw who's on the ropes. Austin throws Blue Dust to the steps. #29 is Chainz. Thrasher ropes D-Lo into Faarooq on a counter and Faarooq backdrops D-Lo out. AAAANDDD Mr Luck is.....ITS VADER TIME!!! Next to Austin and Foley or Rock, Vader would of been a worthwhile push, the fans were behind him. *beep* is the first of the finalists to leave. Big suprise he went that long. Austin tosses Thrasher then eliminates Kama. Austin and Savio do a mini match with Savio getting the short end, he's gone. TAFKAG sends Vader out, short and dissapointing night there. Mark Henry is gone, Chainz goes out and busts his noggin on the steps on the way down. Mark Henry is supposed to be gone but he tries getting back in and Faarooq shoves him out. Final four. Austin/Rock/Dude/Faarooq. Dude ddt's Rocky then a lowblow by Austin after a mandible claw attempt stuns him and Faarooq clotheslines out Dude. Rock sneaks up and eliminates Faarooq while he's working over Austin. Final showdown gets the crowd going!! Austin chucks Rock who does a uturn. STUNNER!!! Austin flings Rock out at 55:44. You know? Even though 1998 had an obvious winner it was still an exciting Rumble. I liked it more than 95-97. Im going 3 1/2 stars.



Mike Tyson says "Cold Stone is his favorite" Oy.

Match #5

World Heavyweight Championship Casket Match

World Heavweight Champion Shawn Michaels Vs The Undertaker


Leading up to this match they were being vauge about Kane's loyalty. I guess they were trying to add some mystery to an otherwise obvious outcome. Shawn goes right after Taker who shrugs him off. And about 1:00 into the match Michaels gets backdropped over the top rope catching his back on the edge of the casket which would cause his back to flame up over night and leave him to do anything until Mania 14. Michaels is able to keep going and it doesn't look like anything has happened to him. Shawn tries speed and Taker stops him at every turn. Michaels gets sent into the casket and Taker goes to shut the lid but gets more gold bond powder in the eyes. Shawn hits a piledriver on the steps after throwing Taker legs first into them. HHH gets in on the action with crutch shots. Shawn goes to a sleeper which Taker breaks with a belly to back suplex. Shawn hits a flying forearm and kipups which can't be too good for that lowerback. Shawn hits the flying elbow and JR says nobody does it better. Shawn Michaels meet Randy Savage. Michaels hits sweet chin music and rolls Taker into the casket but takes time to crotchchop. Taker goozles his balls and they fight into the ring where Taker misses a flying clothesline and ends up rolling into the casket where Shawn does a flying elbow into the box. Shawn trying to crawl out with Taker holding onto him. Taker chokeslams Michaels then does a super tombestone from the apron into the casket!!! Outlaws and Boricuas do a run in and it's 1994 all over again. Lights go out and Kane makes his way down and saves Taker from the heels. After a long pause, Kane turns on Taker and lays him out. Kane chokeslams Taker into the casket and Shawn closes it to win at 20:31. Postmatch Kane busts up the casket with a pick axe then douses it with gasoline brought out by Paul Bearer and they light it up. In a WWF home video exclusive the WWF crew open up the casket and Taker has vanished, followed by a Undertaker monolouge. He will be back same Undertaker time, same Undertaker place. The deadman would resurface and Mania 14 for the showdown with his evil brother that he made evil by burning and killing his parents at the same time. The story started out alright then got really stupid around this time. Im going 3 stars. Better working by Shawn/Taker and the aftermatch while goofy wasn't as bad as 94.


Overall Opinion: Watch it for the Rumble and the title match. Everything else is forgettable.


Final Score: Im a sucker for Rumble ppvs pretty much. The title match and the Rumble are the things that matter. The rest of the card doesn't help the ppv out much so it's stuck with a score of 3.5. Still worth checking out.