Survivor Series 1998 - Kiel Centre, St. Louis Missouri, November 15th, 1998

The PPV opens with a pretty low energy video package that I could swear had the actual featured superstars voices in it originally but is instead dubbed on the WWE Network but with some bored sounding voice over guy. Disappointing, but this show does have one of the all time great in house production tracks, “Deadly Game” so here's a YouTube link to that instead of the rubbish PPV opening;

The bulk of tonight’s PPV is the 14 man “Deadly Games” tournament to declare a new WWE Champion, which has been a vacant position since Breakdown on September 27th. 

Before we get anything, Vince McMahon is at ringside with the WWF Championship belt (which we haven’t seen in even longer as Austin was using his Smoking Skull belt for a while prior to losing it) with the Big Bossman, Pat Patterson and Gerry Brisco. Vince struggles out of his wheelchair and props himself up on the apron to announce the participants in the first match. Mankind comes out in a tuxedo, hair tied up proudly showing off his new Hardcore championship belt. He shakes hands and hugs all of Vince and his entourage at ringside before he gets in the ring. As crazy as it seems now, at the time the rumour was that Mick’s mystery opponent here was going to be a returning Shawn Michaels and the fans even chant “HBK”

Mr. McMahon puts on his reading glasses and gets some cue cards out to read the introduction for the opponent. The person debuted in 1990 and had a win-loss record that is the stuff of legend, before jumping ship to “the dubya cee dubya” (which gets a huge boo). It’s a long build up to the reveal of the opponent being famous early 90s jobber Dwayne Gill. He has a titantron video which is just him being beaten up. He even has pyro which gives him a big fright. His theme music has obviously been dubbed on the network as it’s quite loud and is a jazzy instrumental.

Deadly Games Tournament First round match

WWF Hardcore Champion Mankind vs. Duane Gill

Mankind obviously dominates and wins this very quickly with a double arm DDT. Into this PPV, Mankind had a couple of stories going as he was being openly used and manipulated by Mr. McMahon who is being very nice to him but also pulling disgusted faces whenever he gets a hug. He also misplaced Mr. Socko a couple of weeks ago and is obsessed with finding “him”

Earlier tonight on Sunday Night Heat during an in ring interview with Marc Mero and Sable, Jacqueline jumped her from behind and hurt her neck. We then get some comments from Sable who is angry and guarantees us that tonight she’ll become the new WWF Women’s Champ. 

First round match

Jeff Jarrett (w/Debra) vs. Al Snow

The first proper match of the tournament has a little story going into it as Al Snow and Head kept getting in Jeff Jarrett’s way but they have yet to have a singles match. Debra debuted a couple of weeks ago and Jeff has ditched Southern Justice quietly. Debra is in from WCW and JR keeps making quite extreme comments considering how little she’s done. Calling her evil, implying that she and Jeff have a personal relationship (I don’t know why we care) and that Debra is mysteriously very wealthy, which I think is a joke/reference to her being newly divorced from former NFL player and WCW performer Steve McMichael. Head has Mr. Socko tied around it as a headband. Remember that for later. 

The match starts on the outside as JR rattles through the rules - the opening round matches have a 10 minute time limit, and only winners advance (that also ends up not being true). A time limit draw will eliminate both men. JR mentions that Al is now the “inspirational leader” of the JOB Squad who won a match earlier tonight on Heat (that’s Bob Holly and Scorpio).

This is good because both men are great workers but it's too short to be anything.

Debra tries to distract Al but it backfires as both men end up trying to use each other's weapons. Jeff ducks a guitar shot, hits Snow with Head but he shrugs it off and uses Head himself behind the referee’s back to get the three count. 

Al Snow will now face Mankind in the quarter finals.

Deadly Games Tournament First round match

Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Big Boss Man

As Bossman makes his entrance, JR speculates whether Bossman wants to win or has just been told to hurt Austin. Stone Cold gets a massive pop for his music (obviously) and Bossman meets him on the entrance way and the match starts before they’re even in the ring. Austin uses his Thesz press and elbow drop off the ropes before Bossman gains control with a blatant low blow which doesn’t draw a disqualification for some reason, which King says is because the referee is probably scared of Mr. McMahon. 

We see Vince and the stooges watching backstage on a tiny TV in his office laughing at Stone Cold’s misfortunes as Bossman works him over. With only a 10 minute time limit they’re rushing through the big spots and Austin is in a chin lock for about 5 seconds before powering out and making his comeback. 

Bossman cuts him off with his nightstick and loses by disqualification. Stone Cold technically advances but Mr. McMahon doesn’t look too bothered and laughs as Bossman hammers Stone Cold with his nightstick outside the ring. 

Michael Cole asks Vince McMahon if he’s concerned that Austin advanced but Vince laughs about it and says that there’s plenty more in store for Stone Cold tonight.

Deadly Games Tournament First round match

WWF European Champion X-Pac vs. Steven Regal

King loves Regal’s “real man’s man” theme song and sings it during his entrance which made me laugh. This was during Regal’s “ballooned off his tits on pills all the time” phase which he talked about a lot in his autobiography and actually makes it quite hard to watch him at this point. On one of the Raw’s in the build up he was slurring through this promo. 

The original idea for the real man’s man gimmick was that he would do these videos where he was very manly, but then show up on TV acting really camp and “gay” basically. It was the 90s so that probably would have worked. In the end, either because Regal was so out of it or because the writers realised that’s homophobic, he played it pretty straight as just an aggressive heel. 

We see Vince and the stooges watching this match closely too as the winner will face Stone Cold in the next round and they discuss who would make the tougher opponent. 

This is decent as they mat wrestle and exchange big moves and near falls but as the two brawl on the floor, it ends via a double countout. That means both mens are eliminated and Stone Cold now has a bye. Vince is furious and sends Sgt. Slaughter out to the ring to restart the match. 

Regal is up for it but X-Pac’s neck is bothering him and he just goes to the back. This is all quite a weird disjointed spot because if the match has been restarted and Regal wants to go but X-Pac doesn’t then surely Regal wins by forfeit. I think that the match was supposed to go to a time limit draw but either because Regal injured X-Pac legit or because he wasn’t in a state to perform, X-Pac just called an audible and ended it early. That is purely speculation on my part of course.

Deadly Games Tournament First round match

WWF Intercontinental Champion Ken Shamrock vs. Goldust

Goldust has lately been focused on his feud with Val Venis and his now pregnant estranged wife Terri and no one knows who the father is. We’d never find out. 

Shamrock won the King of the Ring tournament and the Intercontinental title tournament this year already so has a shot here.

Not much to say about this one - Shamrock wins clean in a few minutes with the ankle lock.

For the next match, The Rock enters first, and then Triple H’s music plays but he doesn’t enter - Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco come out instead and Gerry informs us that Triple H has chosen not to show up here tonight after being sent plane tickets several weeks ago and so Triple H is “fined very heavily” JR protests and says that Triple H is still recovering from knee surgery.

The Rock won’t get a forfeit win and will face a replacement - The Big Bossman. So much for only winners advance.  

Deadly Games Tournament First round match

The Rock vs. The Big Boss Man

This match actually makes some WWF history as the shortest PPV match of all time as Bossman slides into the ring and right into a small package for the three count. Bell to bell, this was less than 5 seconds.

Deadly Games Tournament Quarter final

The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) vs. Kane

The Undertaker has fully turned heel and reunited with Paul Bearer officially. “Brother Paul” will lead his “Ministry of Darkness” but we’ve had no more details on what that means (yet) Kane’s story has been one of loneliness. He keeps showing up on Raw and doing things like chokeslamming nine people on one show, or trying to set fire to The Brood. He is a ship without a rudder. He has no guidance and no one to lead him. He’s like a wild animal who doesn’t know right from wrong. 

This is the sixth time this year that these two men have been across the ring from each other on PPV. 

This is slow and in the end, Kane chokeslams Undertaker and has it won but after a distraction by Paul Bearer, The Undertaker delivers a chokeslam of his own and when pinning, Paul Bearer holds Kane’s ankle down from the outside for a cheap three count. 

Bearer and Undertaker leave quickly and Kane takes off after them.

Deadly Games Tournament Quarter final

WWF Hardcore Champion Mankind vs. Al Snow

Al Snow starts really aggressively here. Mankind’s appearance is starting to fall apart as his hair is no longer tied up. They fight on the outside and Snow tries to use a chair and dive off the ring barrier but Mankind blocks it and flapjacks Snow onto the chair. JR says that Mankind appears to be McMahon’s chosen one. We get a picture in picture of Vince and the Stooges and reveal that he’s the one who stole Socko and tied it around Head, with the idea being that when Mankind sees it, he’s going to go ballistic at Snow. He does spot it and reclaims Mr. Socko then starts stomping on and throwing punches at Head in retaliation! 

Mankind uses his reclaimed Socko to clamp on the mandible claw for a submission victory.

As we see the match bracket and JR explains what's happening to us, you can hear Al Snow screaming in anguish which made me laugh. 

Our first semi-final is set thanks to Stone Cold now getting a bye because of the draw in the Regal/X-Pac match - Mankind vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Deadly Games Tournament Quarter final

The Rock vs. WWF Intercontinental Champion Ken Shamrock

Much like Undertaker and Kane earlier, we’ve seen this match a fair few times too. Including multiman tag team matches and a triple threat, this is their 7th time being against each other on PPV this year. I’m not as sick of this as I am of Undertaker and Kane though. 

It's amazing how different this is to their last singles match as The Rock is so popular with loud “Rocky” chants and he is absolutely the People’s Champion. It was such a natural progression too. The fans chant “Shamrock sucks' ' as his new attitude and lust for gold has turned him into a nasty person.

Shamrock drives The Rock into the ring steps and then body slams him on the floor before taking control in the ring with a big heel kick and a russian leg sweep. 

The Big Bossman wanders down to ringside - Vince McMahon seemingly does not want The Rock to win this tournament almost as badly as he doesn’t want Stone Cold to win. 

Shamrock gets the ankle lock on and the fans lose their minds but explode when Rocky gets to the bottom rope to break the hold. They wipe each other out after a lightning fast back and forth on the ropes and double clothesline. 

More good action and Shamrock barely kicks out of the People’s Elbow. He manages to counter out of the Rock Bottom into a belly to belly suplex and both men are down again. 

Bossman throws his nightstick to Shamrock and in a flawless spot, The Rock catches it in mid-air and uses it instead while the referee is paying attention to Bossman and The Rock picks up another victory. 

Both semi-finals are now set and he’ll go on to face The Undertaker. On paper, that’s an awesome final four and all very possible winners. 

WWF Women’s Championship

Jacqueline © (w/Marc Mero) vs. Sable

Jacqueline comes out to weird techno music I’ve never heard before. I am certain that it’s been dubbed on the WWE Network. 

Shane McMahon is the referee for this one - after crossing his dad, he was demoted to “lowly referee” and has popped up refereeing random matches on Raw the last couple of weeks too.

Sable uses a big kick and then quickly hits the TKO but before the three count, Marc Mero pulls her former manager (and real life ex-wife) out of the ring. She thanks him with an ugly looking Sable Bomb on the floor but it's enough of a distraction to let Jackie get control in the ring and Mero doesn’t sell it for long, back on his feet and cheering on his woman pretty shortly after.

Sable counters Jacqueline’s tornado DDT attempt and hits another Sable bomb for the victory and the WWF Women’s Championship! 

Finally after a full calendar year, Sable’s feud with Marc Mero (and by association Jacqueline) is over. This felt like quite a big moment for Sable but they move on from it super fast to the next segment and match.

Deadly Games Tournament Semi-final

Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. WWF Hardcore Champion Mankind

Austin is holding one of his arms very close to his body like it’s injured from Bossman’s attack earlier. Stone Cold works fast and aggressive and strips Mankind out of his tuxedo, even using one of his shoes as a weapon. Mankind ends up wrestling in socks, shirt untucked and trousers falling down. He still has his bowtie on though.

McMahon wheels to ringside with his stooges to watch this one up close.

Austin has the advantage and Mankind actually slides out of the ring and tries to leave but Patteson and Brisco stop him and talk him back to the ring. Austin gets impatient and charges off to meet them, clunking Pat and Gerry’s heads together. Mankind counters a piledriver on the concrete attempt into a backdrop and then whips Stone Cold into the ring steps. 

“It is not healthy, mentally or physically, to hate someone as much as McMahon hates Austin” says mental health advocate Jim Ross. He is right though. 

This show has been edited pretty heavily on the WWE Network as the audio goes quiet for a moment everytime someone says “WWF” (World Wrestling Federation is fine) and it didn’t bother me but in this match, they blur Austin’s hands when he gives Mick the double fingers in the corner.

Mankind almost wins after a double arm DDT on a chair but Stone Cold kicks out. He counters an attempted piledriver onto the chair with a backdrop and then hits the Stone Cold stunner but before the referee can count three, Vince McMahon dives out of his wheelchair to grab the referee, pulling him out of the ring and punching him in the face. Mankind tries to get the advantage and locks in the mandible claw with his trousers around his ankles and gets a low blow and another stunner! Austin has the three count when Shane McMahon sprints to the ring to count but stops at two. He gives Austin the double finger and backs out of the ring as Austin tries to get him. Patterson and Brisco get in the ring and hit Austin with a chair allowing Mankind to get the cover for the three count! Mankind advances to the finals.

Vince, Shane and the stooges take off running. Now this was a great heel turn by Shane McMahon and a good twist, but it was overshadowed by a massive botch - Bossman was supposed to knock out Austin with his nightstick right after Shane turned but he missed his cue and was still backstage which meant there was lots of awkward waiting about and time killing until the stooges were able to cobble together a replacement finish which ended up being a very weak chairshot from Brisco. 

Austin takes off after the McMahons and steals some guys' car in the parking lot to chase their limo. Austin and the McMahons are seemingly done for the night.

Deadly Games Tournament Semi-final

The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) vs. The Rock

The crowd doesn't really react to either man when they come out. Is it because they’ve already seen them a couple of times tonight, or is it because they’ve had the wind taken out of their sails by seeing Austin eliminated? The commentators discuss that the McMahon’s have left for the night and now that Austin is out, aren’t so interested in the rest of the tournament. 

The Undertaker slowly works over The Rock and even has some help from Paul Bearer but the People’s champion comes back with a DDT and after taunting Bearer’s big belly, a slam and a people’s elbow attempt which is interrupted by the Big Bossman who to everyone’s shock, is back in the arena. I thought he left with the McMahons?

Kane makes his way to the ring and chokeslams The Rock, costing The Undertaker the match via disqualification which was exactly Kane’s plan. The Undertaker attacks Kane and they brawl off through the crowd.

The Rock vs. Mankind is our finals for the vacant WWF title and in a cool twist of fate, we’re guaranteed a first time new champion tonight either way.

WWF Tag Team Championships

The New Age Outlaws © (Roaddogg and Bad Ass Billy Gunn) vs. The Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher) vs. D’Lo Brown and Mark Henry

During their pre-match promo, Billy Gunn gives a shout out to Triple H (who as discussed earlier is still recovering from knee surgery) and Chyna (who in kayfabe was taking a leave of absence after being arrested due to Mark Henry’s sexual harassment lawsuit but in reality was taking time off to have some more cosmetic surgery on her jaw) 

The Headbangers and D’Lo and Mark both tried to get tag title shots the same way - randomly attacking the champions out of the blue. They did have a number 1 contenders match against each other but Kane came out and chokeslammed everyone ending that before there was a winner and hence, triple threat. As a nice additional storyline point, it adds to the narrative that Vince doesn’t like DX. 

They still haven’t quite nailed the rules for matches like this as we’ve had a few four team matches lately and the rules were all over the place then too. There’s three men in the ring at all times but people can tag whoever they want so we could have a two on one situation. It’s still better than when Roaddogg let Billy pin him in one of these matches to win it. It’s been months and that still annoys me. 

This is quite slow and amazingly despite there being three teams in the match, it still boils down to Roaddogg being beaten down and worked over for the bulk of the match until he gets a hot tag to Billy Gunn.

Weird messed up finish as D’Lo hits the Sky High and clearly has the three count but Roaddogg runs past the cover to attack Mark Henry instead and the referee has to wait ages before starting to count until someone is in position to break it up. Mosh does in the end.

Really flat finish where after that, Billy drops Mosh with a piledriver and pins him for three out of the blue. 

Billy does pull down his trunks and moon the crowd which gets a squeal from the ladies in attendance. These guys all missed a huge chance here in my opinion as on this show, there's almost no good wrestling due to there being so many short tournament matches. They had a chance to really wow everyone with a good, energetic performance and be the one "good" match on the show but they failed big time. 

Deadly Games Tournament Final for the vacant WWF Championship

The Rock vs. WWF Hardcore Champion Mankind

Mankind has changed into his proper wrestling boots for this one. He has his usual ring gear on actually but still has a bowtie rather than his regular tie. JR says that the McMahon’s are probably on their private jet by now but they cut to the parking lot with the McMahons sending Bossman home for the night, all laughs and handshakes as they say they’ll handle this last match themselves.

This will be the 5th Survivor Series in a row that has seen a new WWF Champion at the end of the night - we’re guaranteed that here but even before 1997, Survivor Series had a bit of a reputation for shock title changes and screwy finishes. 

This PPV has flown by - with there being so many tournament matches and all with such short time limits, there’s been no time for video packages or promos.

King makes a joke about how we’ll see all of this PPV which JR sarcastically tells him off for, mocking “those less fortunate” That’s an insider joke about WCW’s last PPV being cut off 30 minutes early and missing the main event due to them not telling the PPV providers they were planning on running longer that night. Amazingly, that wasn’t the last time WCW would make that mistake.

Really interesting dynamic here as both these guys are beloved but The Rock is at odds with Mr. McMahon and Mankind is being manipulated and controlled and seemingly groomed for this role as the gullible easily controlled champion. 

Vince and Shane swagger down to the ring during this match and JR gets worked up about it, about how Shane McMahon duped us all and that he thought he was a man of character but he’s worse than his dad. 

This is a good match with lots of entertaining brawls but really as they’d work together multiple more times on TV and PPV in the next few months, they’re definitely holding stuff back for their next match already. 

They fight into the crowd and Rock uses a plastic trash can as a weapon, then clotheslines Mick back in over the barrier.

Vince and Shane whisper in each other's ear and share a laugh at ringside. After making each other cry crocodile tears on Raw lately, it's heartwarming to see father and son being friends. 

Mankind picks up the ring steps and walks towards The Rock who blasts the steps with a chair, and then hammers them with the chair as they lay on top of Mankind which looks and sounds awesome. Then he hits Mick across the head with a straight chair shot as JR shouts about brain cells being scrambled. He talks like that a lot, especially about Mankind and it's always a bit uncomfortable given how the world’s view of concussions and head trauma has evolved since 1998.

JR also calls Earl Hebner “the best referee in this business” which makes me angry. He’s a TERRIBLE referee both in kayfabe the way he shoves performers and doesn’t call DQs for obvious things but also in reality as he is constantly on camera, always getting in performers' ways and drawing attention to himself. He’s a shockingly bad referee.

Mankind comes back with a flying elbow from the apron to the outside and then uses parts of the announce table as weapons, before leg dropping Rock on top of the announce table which doesn’t break and they bounce off onto the floor. 

They go back to a chinlock in the middle of the ring and that’s how this match is - a flurry of awesome hard hitting spots and then a chin lock or sleeper in the ring. This is both men’s fourth match tonight though and even though they were short matches and they had time to rest in between, I’m sure all the stop-start is tiring in its own way. 

The Rock hits a beautiful DDT and we get a panning shot of the WWF title being held at ringside - it’s a new belt. The same design as the one they’ve used since after Wrestlemania but with the new scratch WWF logo at the top in place of the blocky version.

Another incredible spot as Mankind has The Rock propped up against the announce table and dives from the middle rope. The Rock side steps and Mankind crashes violently through the table. “He is out of his mind, that guy is sick” laughs Shane McMahon. 

The Rock scoop slams Mankind in the ring and delivers the People’s Elbow but Mankind kicks out. Given how often he says that movie is stupid, he had to kick-out. Mankind hits a double arm DDT and pulls out Socko to clamp on the mandible claw! The fans start to chant “Rocky” as it seems like he’ll fade but The Rock hangs on, turns it into the Rock Bottom and both men are down and seemingly out. The Rock is slow to go for the cover and Mankind kicks out.

The Rock pauses to give the People’s eyebrow to Vince and Shane and then locks the sharpshooter in on Mankind and Vince excitedly demands the bell be rung. Just like that, The Rock is the new WWF Champion! 

Vince grabs the title belt and he and Shane get into the ring and embrace The Rock! The Rock immediately looks awesome with the WWF title belt over his shoulder. Vince gets on the mic and says “the people are just as stupid and gullible as Mankind” and that he’ll explain more on Raw tomorrow night but he wants to say that the McMahon family are proud that tonight Stone Cold was “totally, utterly and royally screwed”, and that no one has more contempt for Austin and the People than himself apart from maybe The Rock. He says Shane gave an Academy Award performance and Shane says that he’s just like his dad and laughs. The Rock gets the mic and says that it's time for every piece of trailer park trash in the crowd to kiss his ass. Mankind is confused because he wasn’t pinned and didn’t submit so how did he lose? The Rock hits Mankind from behind with the title belt and gives him a Rock Bottom at Vince’s urging. 

Vince straps the WWF title around the waist of The Rock as Shane decrees “the McMahon family is proud to present The Corporate Champion, The Rock!” The title belt won’t stay around Rock’s waist and he ends up just slinging it over his shoulder again.

I'm going to be boring here and point out another cosmetic change - the WWF title belt has had this design, affectionately known as "big Eagle" by fans, since the night after Wrestlemania but it probably gives away how out of the blue the success of the Attitude era caught the company that this title belt as well as the newly designed Tag, Intercontinental, Light Heavyweight and European titles all still had the blocky WWF logo on them from days gone by. Having been off TV for a couple of months the belt has been redesigned here - it looks crisper, newer and has the scratch logo. The other titles would be quietly updated over the next year at different points too. I've mentioned it before but for trivia fans, the first title belt to actually feature the iconic scratch WWF logo was the Women's Championship.

This is absolutely where the PPV should have ended but instead, Stone Cold returns, running to the ring and brawling with The Rock while the McMahon’s slip away. Austin gets the better of the new champion, stunning The Rock and then throwing the title belt at him out of the ring. Stone Cold then drops Mankind with a stunner too for good measure and the PPV instead closes with Stone Cold Steve Austin celebrating in the ring.