Roy's Review: Survivor Series 1998

Survivor Series

November 15, 1998

St. Louis, Missouri, Kiel Center

Here is my review of Survivor Series 1998

In Ring: Vince McMahon comes out in a wheelchair with Pat Patterson, Gerald Brisco, Sgt. Slaughter and Big Boss Man. McMahon proceeds to put over Mankind's mystery opponent in WWF Title Tournament big time. Out comes Duane Gill.

Match 1: Mankind defeated Duane Gill to advance in the WWF Title Tournament

This was a massive squash. Mankind wrestled in a tuxedo, trying to impress Vince McMahon and show him he would make a great corporate champion.
0/10

Match 2: Al Snow defeated Jeff Jarrett w/Debra McMichael to advance in the WWF Title Tournament

This match was kinda dumb. The end came when Debra stole head and gave it to Jarrett. At the same time Snow got Jarrett's guitar but Jarrett hit him with head before the guitar was used. Snow basically no sold getting hit with head and then hit Jarrett with head for the win. With the win Snow faces Mankind in the next round.
4/10

Match 3: Steve Austin defeated Big Boss Man by DQ to advance in the WWF Title Tournament

This match started out hot but then settled down to rest holds and the ending quickly at about the 3 minute mark when Boss Man attacked Austin with the nightstick causing the DQ.
4.75/10

Match 4: X-Pac fought Steven Regal to a double count out in the WWF Title Tournament

This match was boring and didn't really do anything for me. With the double count out finish Steve Austin gets a bye in the next round. This pissed off McMahon so he sent Sgt. Slaughter out to tell Howard Finkel that the match would be restarted and go another 5 minutes but for some reason X-Pac just walked to the back and it was still ruled as a double count out. Awful finish.
3/10

Match 5: Ken Shamrock defeated Goldust to advance in the WWF Title Tournament

This was really average and only went about 6 minutes. Shamrock got the win with a ankle lock.
5.5/10

Match 6: The Rock defeated Big Boss Man to advance in the WWF Title Tournament

Rock was supposed to face Triple H but he was injured. They played Triple H's music but Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco came out instead. They informed us of Triple H's injury and that Big Boss Man was the replacement. Boss Man ran into the ring and Rock got him in a small package for the win. What a waste of a segment. Rock advances to face Ken Shamrock in the next round.
0/10

Match 7: Undertaker w/Paul Bearer defeated Kane to advance to the Semi Finals of the WWF Title Tournament

Undertaker and Kane both received first round byes because their match for the vacant WWF Title at Judgment Day was a no contest. This match was really average. Undertaker won with a tombstone after Paul Bearer distracted Kane.
5/10

Match 8: Mankind defeated Al Snow to advance to the Semi Finals of the WWF Title Tournament 

Mankind was still wearing the tuxedo in the match. They brawl outside the ring for a few minutes then Mankind finds Mr. Socko tied around Head. It was revealed in a split screen that Vince was the one that hid Socko. Mankind gets pissed and attacks Head. He then gets the win shortly there after with a mandible claw.
4/10

Match 9: The Rock defeated Ken Shamrock to advance to the Semi Final in the WWF Title Tournament

Some good brawling at ringside to start then they head back into the ring where Shamrock puts on a chin lock. Boss Man comes for his 3rd appearance. Rock fought out of the chin lock but ended up in the ankle lock. He got out of that too and managed to hit a People's Elbow but Shamrock kicked out. Shamrock hit a bell to belly suplex allowing Boss Man to introduce the night stick but Rock intercepted it and hit Shamrock for the win. Rock advances to face Undertaker.
6/10

Match 10: Sable defeated Women's Champion Jacqueline w/Marc Mero to win the title

This match was terrible. Sable did manage to hit a Sable Bomb on Mero on the floor.
3/10

Match 11: Mankind defeated Steve Austin to advance to the Finals of the WWF Title Tournament

Great brawl that started off hot. Austin stripped the tuxedo off Mankind, inadvertently creating his new ring gear. Midway Vince McMahon is wheeled out by Pat Patterson, Gerald Brisco, Sgt. Slaughter and Big Boss Man. Austin hit a Stunner and had the win but McMahon "recovers" from his ankle injury, leaps out of his wheel chair and attacks the referee, screwing over Austin.

Mankind attacked Austin with a chair but Austin fought back and hit a 2nd Stunner. Shane McMahon comes out to take over as referee but only counts to 2 then flips off Austin. This distracted Austin enough for Patterson and Brisco to attacked him allowing Mankind to get the win after a terrible Brisco chair shot.
8/10

Backstage: The McMahons and their henchmen high tail it out of the arena, hop into a limo and exit the arena. Austin chases them, stealing a vehicle and going after them.

Match 12: The Rock defeated Undertaker w/Paul Bearer by DQ to advance to the Finals of the WWF Title Tournament

A slugfest starts the match that spills into the crowd. They fight back into the ring and Boss Man comes out making his 5th appearance of the night. Rock went for a People's Elbow but Boss man prevented it. Undertaker then attacked Boss Man. Taker then goes for a chokeslam on Rock but Kane comes out and hits the chokeslam instead getting Taker DQed.
5/10

Match 13: Tag Team Champions: The New Age Outlaws: Road Dogg Jesse James & "The Bad Ass" Billy Gunn defeated The Headbangers: Mosh & Thrasher and D'Lo Brown & Mark Henry in a Triple Threat Match to retain

One member from each team was allowed in the ring which caused this match to be a gigantic cluster. Road Dogg took a super long beating which made the match boring. Gunn got the win with dumpy piledriver on Mosh, thus ending this pile of garbage match.
3/10

Match 14: The Rock defeated Mankind to win the Tournament and the WWF Championship

Good main event with lots of good brawling. Midway through Vince and Shane make their way to ringside. Mankind laid Rock on the announce table, then jumped off the 2nd rope but Rock moved and Mankind annihilated himself. Rock hit a People's elbow but only got a 2 count. Mankind gets Rock in the mandible claw but Rock countered into a Rock Bottom but again only got a 2 count. Rock then locks in a dumpy looking sharpshooter and Vince immediately calls for the bell.
7.75/10

In Ring: Vince and Shane celebrate with Rock. Mankind doesn't understand why he lost because he wasn't pinned and he didn't submit. Rock then attacks him. The pan to the entryway where Steve Austin is standing ready to attack. He charges the ring and Vince and Shane run away leaving Rock by himself. Austin beats the hell out of Rock and giving Mankind a Stunner too.

This show scored a 59 out of 114 for an overall score of 51.75%. While the wrestling sucked for the most part, this was still a fun show to watch as the storylines and shenanigans were entertaining. Check this show out because its a fun watch and its historically significance. 

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