Customer Reviews

WWF: King of the Ring 1998 - Off with Their Heads [VHS]

5 star:		(85)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The most memorable pro wrestling event of '98 saw violence the once family-orientated WWF had never seen before. It was also the card in which a man willingly put his career and life on the line just for the sake of entertainment.

By now, just about every wrestling fan (casual or hardcore) has seen the legendary Hell In A Cell bout between Mankind (Mick Foley) and The Undertaker, but the impact of the undeniably disturbing encounter will probably never fade. Mick Foley risked life and limb to surpass the original HIAC match between Undi' and Shawn Michaels (at Badd Blood) and, to his credit, most would agree he did just that. Some would argue the match was a classic and some would say it was merely a succession of insane bumps - one thing's for sure, though, it'll never be forgotten.

But as if all of that weren't enough, there was still the main event to come. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin faced Kane a thrilling, brutal and gruesome 'First Blood' match-up which, believe it or not, saw run-ins from Undertaker and Mankind just minutes after they had gone through hell themselves.

While King Of The Ring '98 may have lacked the overall match quality that SummerSlam '98 contained, I have a feeling 1998 will be remembered as the year of Foley's unsettling stunt show rather than The Rock and Triple H's classic Ladder Match two months later. 5 stars, Mick.

King of the Ring 1998 is known mostly for one match and not much else. That's not really fair because a lot of good stuff was going on at the time. In no order:

The Headbangers and Taka Michinoku vs. Kaientai - Taka was a member of Kaientai in Japan but that doesn't get mentioned much. This is pretty good as the Headbangers are fairly talented and Taka and Kaientai are exceptionally talented. ***1/2

Al Snow and Head vs. Too Much - Jerry Lawler (Brian Christopher's dad) is the referee. Too Much is Too Cool before they got over. Al Snow was trying to work his way back into the WWF after a run in ECW. The idea is he's crazy and talks to a mannequin head so the head is his partner. Total comedy match as Lawler reprimands the head at one point. I thought for sure that the head would go over. *

Ken Shamrock vs. Double J - (KOTR Semi) - These two don't really mesh that well together, as Shamrock is state of the art shoot-style and Jarrett is old school Memphis heel. **

The Rock vs. Dan Severn - (KOTR Semi) - Same as the other KOTR match only more so. Severn never really adapted to the pro-style and the Rock was not at a point where he could carry him. *

X-Pac vs. Owen Hart - Owen was putting over every single member of D-X and slipping further and further down the ladder as he did. This is X-Pac's return from injury. Good match, but not up to the standards of these two. Overbooking kills the ending. ***

Tag Team Title Match - New Age Outlaws vs. The New Midnight Express - For those who don't know, the Midnight Express was a revolutionary tag team in the mid-eighties who feuded with the Rock `n' Roll Express. This was the Hardyz vs. Edge/Christian fifteen years earlier. It was revolutionary because they changed the formula of tag team wrestling from two single wrestlers that just happen to be a team to two men who use each other, their opponents, and the referee to their advantage. This new version of the Midnights is Bob (Hardcore) Holly and Bart Gunn (Billy's storyline brother). They have more physical talent, but can't hold a candle to the old Midnights. This by the way is the first time the WWF Champions and the NWA Champions have faced off. ***1/2

The Rock vs. Ken Shamrock - KOTR Finals - These two had an eternal feud from early to mid-1998. Rock was transitioning feuds from Shamrock to HHH who is on commentary. Rock was also the IC Champ at this point. This was a classy move on Rock's part. I won't say why, but everyone came off better. **3/4

Main Event #1 - Hell in a Cell - Undertaker vs. Mankind - I think we've all heard of this one. The atmosphere starts off very nicely with Mankind scaling the cage. Undertaker follows and throws Mankind off the cell!!! This was shown over and over and over on WWF TV for the next three years and was a big part of Mankind's career continuing. Mankind then takes a sicker accidental bump THROUGH the cage!!!
Then the match starts! Teeth fly, tacks are used, chairs are used, and blood is everywhere. The match isn't that great on its own merits, but for sheer entertainment and historical value it's a must have. ** for the match ***** for entertainment.

Main Event #2 - First Blood WWF Title Match - If Kane loses he sets himself on fire. That should give you an idea of the ending. Someone lowers the cell down and we have a First Blood cage match. Mankind interferes and Undertaker interferes conveniently setting up a tag match at the next PPV. **3/4

In the End: Really only remembered for the HITC match, but there's lots here to find. HHH vs. Rock started here. The summer of 1998 angles heated up and the tag title match was very solid. Recommended.

This was a great ppv from start to finish. Taker vs. mankind was the best match ever. Also HHH comments during rock vs. shamrock were hilarious. GOOD EVENT...BUY IT

foley is the man when it comes to taking very big bumps. but i tell you, that his 17 foot fall from the top of the cell is one of the most sickening. and just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, the real "toughest s.o.b." gets off the stretcher, only to climb back up again. his 14 foot fall through the cell was even more sickening. then just when you think it cant get any worse than now, out come the hundreds of shiny new thumbtacks. i guess you can figure out what happens with those. by far, this is the most brutal match i've ever seen. and i've seen him go through WCW, where he lost his ear; ECW, where he got wrapped up in b-wire and burned; and the IWA, King of the DeathMatch Tournament, where he...well the name speaks for itself. This video is a MUST SEE for anybody who likes to see people take their bodies to the ultimate limit.

The Headbagers and Taka Michinoku vrs. Kaientai
Good match. And at the end the Headbagers picked up Taka and let go and Taka fell on Funaki and gave him a Michinoku driver.***4/10

Semi Finals of King of The Ring
Ken Shamrock vrs. Double J
This match was pretty good. Double J didn't do good. At the end Shamrock gave Double J a Ankle Lock and Double J tapped out. And Shamrock moved on.***3/10

The Rock vrs. Dan"The Beast"Severn
Another good match. But D'lo Brown gave Severn a Frog Splash while the ref wasn't looking. Rock pinned Severn and would face Shamrock in the finals.***4/10

X-Pac with Chyna vrs. Owen Hart
Another match between DX and The Nation. X-Pac has a score to settle with Owen. At the end Chyna gave Owen a DDT face first while the ref wasn't looking. X-Pac pinned Owen.***4/10

Al Snow and Head vrs. Too Much with special ref. Jerry"The King"Lawler
A good match. At the end Brian Christifer put a Head and Shoulder bottle on head while Al Snow was pinning his partner. Too Much won because Al Snow wasn't the legal man but Head was.***3/10

Tag Team Title Match
The New Age Outlaws(champions) vrs. NWA Tag Team Champions Midnight Express
Another good match. It was so funny to see Midnight Express manager get hit below the belt by Chyna. The Outlaws won the match.***4/10

Finals for the King of The Ring
The Rock vrs. Ken Shamrock with special side annoncers HHH and Chyna
What a match. HHH called over Rock and sprayed water on Rock. Shamrock gave Rock a Ankle Lock at the end and became King of The Ring***7/10

Hell in a Cell match
Mankind vrs. the Undertaker
Oh my god! This match has to be one of the most brutal match of Federation history. Undertaker tossed Mankind off the top of the cell and Mankind fell through a annocment table. Then Mankind got back up on the top of the cell and Undrtaker Choke Slamed Mankind through the cage and Mankind fell on the ring. Then Undertaker slammed Mankind on thumtakes twice and Tombstoned Mankind and won.***10/10

WWF Title Match
First Blood Match
Stone Cold Steve Austin(champion) vrs. Kane
Another very brutal match. The Hell in a Cell cage was being lowered and almost landed on Austin. Then Mankind came out and Austin tossed Mankind out of the ring. Then the Undertaker came out with a steel chair and Austin was holding a steel chair too. Undertaker hit Austins head with both steel chairs. The ref saw Austin bleeding and Kane became the WWF champion.***10/10

Buying this was the single best thing i have ever done with my money. Every match, form Taka and the Headbangers vs. Kaientai to the HELL IN A CELL was great. After watching the HELL IN A CELL i didn't think Austin vs. Kane would be any good, but i was wrong! Mick Foley and Undertaker even made a run in. This pay-per view was breathtaking. If you didn't like Mick Foley, after this tape you will see him in a whole new light. If you call yourself a WWF fan you need this tape. This PPV is a must buy. Order NOW!

perhaps the greatest ppv ever featuring the 98' best match of the year mankind v.s undertaker which was non-stop thrilling and the first blood match between steve austin and kane which was totally awesome THE BEST PPV OF 98'

For those of you who don't know already, the Hell in a Cell match between the Undertaker and Mankind was voted Match of the Year for 1998. Even though there wasn't much wrestling we saw possibly the greatest bump ever taken by a wrestler. Mick Foley is the King of Hardcore. The rest of the event was average but still good. Buy this video and see why the WWF is the leader in sports entertainment.

Excellent...a PPV without a HHH match and without a Sable match! The New Age Outlaws retain the tag team straps again, but I kinda doubt anyone expected the New Midnight Express (Bart Gunn, Bob Holly, Jim Cornette, and Jim Cornette's tennis racket) to win the gold. The final match in the King of the Ring tournament was pulled off well, and the opening "bonus match" with Taka Michinoku and the Headbangers vs. Kaientai was a pleasant surpirse. Owen Hart proved that he is one of the most underappreciated wrestlers on the WWF roster, staging a grueling battle with X-Pac with nine staples in the back of his head from the latter's clumsy chair shot. Austin vs. Kane in the first blood match was decent, if not spectacular. But, the big selling point here is the legendary Hell in a Cell clash of the titans...Mankind and The Undertaker. It clocks in at around 18 minutes...nowhere near as long as the first Hell in a Cell match with the 'Taker against Shawn Michaels, but it's a lot more impressive...Mankind suffers a mislocated shoulder, a bruised kidney, two broken ribs, two missing teeth, and two blackouts, and he doesn't beat up a camera man like Michaels did. Jim Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler say "I've never seen anything like that in my life" all the time, but for this match, they actually mean it! This was definitely one of the best WWF PPVs of 1998...grab it!

80-76%-perfect
75-71%-awsome
70-66%-good
65-61%-poor
60-56%-awful

1. The Headbangers & Taka Michinoku v. Kaientai- This was an above average tag match and accualty surprised me as being ggod. The head bangers have always had alot of potential and i think they carrie the load here. The headbangers controll alot of the match which gets kind of boring but than Taka Michinoku gets the hot tag and cleans house and some good near falls for an okay match. WInners Taka Michinoku v. Kaientai. Match Rating 7/10.

2. Ken Shamrock v. Jeff Jarrett Semi-Final match for the king of the ring- This was a decnt match but the ending really was wierd and not used corect. It starts out with back and forth action and than jerret issolates shamrock and slows down the pace. Ken fights back hits a few big moves but than out of no were gets on the ankle lock and jerret tps out after controlling 90% of the match. Okay i guess. WInner Ken Shamrock. Match Rating 6/10.

3. Dan "The Beast" Severn v. The Rock Semi-Final for the king of the ring- I would say that this was better than the shamrock match. I really liked the rock back in the day he played his role really well and tried to be heel. It was abovious who was going to win but the match itself was okay. Winner the rock. Match Rating 7/10.

4. Al Snow & Head v. Too Much- You talk about a bad match it is here. Sure the head thing was funny the first few time you saw it but after a while it got really old. It was boring and dumb with al talking to the head for most of this match. Reminded me of boogyman vs. JBL at the royal rumble. Winners too much. Match Rating 2/10.

5. X-Pac V. Owen Hart- This was a great match. It was just a few months before owne died rip and they put on a good match. More of a wrestling match which x-pac was not used to but it seemed like he caught on and flowed throguh the match pretty well. Good match. Winner X-Pac. Match Rating 7.5/10.

6. New Age Outlaws (Champions) V. The New Midnight Express for the wwe tag team titles- This was a decent tag match. Not a whole lot to sya about this match excpet that it is average and just good tag wrestling. Winners and still wwe tag team chmap the new age outlaws. Match Rating 6.5/10.

7. The rock vs. Ken Shamrock in the king ring finals- This is the match that really surprised me winner wise. I would say that this was better than there wretlemania match but not as good as there royal rumble. Good soild wrestling matcha nd this was one of the better macthes that shamrock had lots of near falls and the rock sold the ankle lock great. Winner Ken Shamrock. Match Rating 8/10.

8. Mankind vs. Undertaker hell in a cell - This is one of the most brutal macthes that you will ever see. How mankind survived this is beyond me. They start at the top of the cell and the first thing is he gets throughn off through a table. The climb back up and he gets chokeslammed through the cage were a chair hits his mouth a busts him open. The rest is average but at the end the thumbtacks come in and he gets chockslammed on them. One of the sickest matches you will ever witness. Winner Undertekr. match rating 10/10

9. Stone COld vs. Kane for the wwe title in a first blood match- This was a good way to close off the show. They were starting to push kane let him win the title but than he lost it the next night back so dumb. ANyway the match was good not really wrestling at all just alot of hardcore action with chairs stairs and almost fire. Taker cost austin the title. WInner and new wwe champ Kane. Match Rating 8.5/10.

Well that raps up another i would give king of the ring 1998 a grade of 69.5/90 which is a 77% which means this is a perfect ppv. I would not say that is true but there are matches on this card that are unbelieable. If you can tell me if my review was helpful or not i would appreicate that. Thanks for your time.