WWF Judgment Day ’98 -

Live from Rosemont, IL

Airdate: October 18, 1998

Attendance: 18,152 and me (sold out)

Hosted by Jim Ross & Jerry “The King” Lawler

Who will win the vacant WWF title? Will Austin have anything to say about it? Mr. McMahon? What happens between Venis and Goldust? Four other title matches are on the line. Don’t be left out!

Prior to the first match, Jeff Jarrett approaches the ring and distracts Snow. Mero sees his opportunity and attacks him.

Match 1: Al Snow (w/ Head) versus “Marvelous” Marc Mero (w/ Jacqueline)

Highlights:

Snow reversed an Irish whip and powerslammed Mero.
When Mero got spooked by Head, Snow clotheslined him.
He gave Mero a cross corner whip followed by another clothesline for 2.
As Mero rebounded with a flying back elbow, he sauntered after Head.
Snow rolled up Mero and got 2.
After Mero clotheslined him, he gave Snow a cross corner whip.
Snow applied the brakes and fed Mero a DDT.
While he slammed Mero, Snow mounted the top turnbuckle and scored with a moonsault.
Jacqueline jumped onto the apron and distracted Snow.
Taking advantage of the situation, Mero nailed Snow down near Comiskey Park.
He planted Mero with his own DDT and got 2.
With Mero distracting referee Tim White, Jacqueline gave Snow the business. SNEAKY!
Mero dealt Snow a knee lift, mounted the top turnbuckle, and delivered a moonsault press for 2.
Connecting with a series of head butts, Snow got reversed on an Irish whip and ate another clothesline.
Snow unleashed an enziguri and followed with a sit-out spinebuster for 2.
Mounting the top turnbuckle, Snow missed a second moonsault thanks to Jacqueline’s saving Mero’s bacon.
Mero hooked a rollup and got 2.
Stymying Snow with a Samoan Drop, Mero mounted the top turnbuckle but missed Marvelocity.
Snow made a cover but only got 2 thanks to a foot on the bottom rope.
Escaping a TKO, Snow demolished Mero with a Snow Plow.
1-2-3.
Snow won at 7:15.

Rating: ***

Summary: Solid match where Snow had Mero’s previous finisher scouted.

We revisit HeAT when Austin was relegated to the referee’s room.

Match 2: The Road Warriors & Droz versus the Disciples of Apocalyse & “Precious” Paul Ellering

Highlights:

DoA implemented subterfuge on Animal leading to a big boot from Skull.
As he fed Animal a swinging neckbreaker, Skull got reversed on an Irish whip and ate a clothesline.
Animal dropkicked Skull sending him to the floor.
When Hawk tagged in, Skull powerslammed him.
Hawk reversed an Irish whip and dealt Skull his own powerslam.
After he clotheslined Skull, Hawk delivered a hangman’s neckbreaker.
He landed a fist drop and got 2.
While Droz tagged in, he unloaded a flying back elbow to Skull.
8-Ball tagged in and baited Animal into the ring.
Since Droz was in the heel corner, Ellering and Skull double-teamed him. How dastardly!
8-Ball clotheslined Droz and tagged in Skull.
Speaking of Skull, he uncorked a sidewalk slam followed by a series of elbow smashes.
8-Ball tagged in, but Droz hit a lariat.
Entering the match for the first time, Ellering got in a few shots on Droz.
8-Ball tagged in, but Droz planted him with a DDT.
With tags exchanged on both sides, Hawk nailed both members of DoA and even got to nail his old mentor, Ellering.
All six wrestlers were in the ring, and Animal leveled Skull with a flying shoulder block.
Upon mounting the top turnbuckle, Hawk joined Animal in devastating Skull with a Doomsday Device to a big pop.
Droz snuck in and made the cover much to Hawk’s chagrin.
1-2-3.
Droz and the Road Warriors won at 6:06.

Rating: **

Summary: It’s great to see the Road Warriors succeed near Chicago, but what’s up with Droz and Hawk?

Match 3 for the WWF Light Heavyweight title: Taka Michinoku (champion w/ Mr. Yamaguchi) versus Christian (w/ Gangrel)

Highlights:

Christian gave him a cross corner whip, but Michinoku floated over.
When Christian reversed a cross corner whip, he didn’t fall for a second float over and fed him a release German suplex.
On the other hand, Michinoku landed on his feet.
He dealt Christian a spinning heel kick and clotheslined him over the top rope to the floor.
As Michinoku soared with a tope, Edge could be seen watching amongst the Rosemont faithful. He tried to swindle a dollar from me by offering me a looney, but I knew better.
Christian got caught on the second rope, so Michinoku mounted the top turnbuckle and unloaded a flying knee for 2.
After Christian gave Michinoku a cross corner whip, he ate a thrust kick on his follow-through.
He delivered a reverse DDT and followed with a dropkick.
While he unloaded a pair of suplexes, Christian demolished Michinoku with a sit-out front suplex for 2.
Michinoku charged but flew over the top rope to the floor thanks to a low bridge by Christian.
Hitting a springboard plancha, Christian tossed Michinoku back into the ring and powerbombed him for another 2.
He slammed Michinoku, mounted the top turnbuckle, leaped, but there wasn’t any water in the pool.
Rebounding with a dropkick, Michinoku caught Christian with a baseball slide.
He unfurled an Asai moonsault, but the Rosemont faithful couldn’t care less.
Back in the ring, he gave Christian a cross corner whip but got vaulted to the apron.
He mounted the top turnbuckle and uncorked a cross body block.
Using momentum, Christian landed on top and got 2.
Michinoku hooked an O’Connor roll on his second attempt and got 2.
He destroyed Christan with a seated dropkick for another 2.
Giving Christian a pair of cross corner whips, Michinoku fell victim to a side Russian leg sweep for 2.
Michinoku mounted the second turnbuckle and crushed Christian with a tornado DDT.
Countering a Michinoku Driver, Christian cradled Michinoku.
1-2-3.
Christian won at 8:36.
WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!

Rating: **

Summary: If either of these guys had any physical charisma, the rating would be higher. As it is, Christian wins the title in his WWF debut match.

Video featuring the Goldust-Venis saga airs including the gold cup from HeAT.

Prior to the next match, Venis grabs the microphone and attempts his pre-match promo. Instead, Goldust interrupts him.

Match 4: Val Venis (w/ Terri Runnels) versus Goldust

Highlights:

Venis reversed an Irish whip and fed Goldust a big boot.
As he dealt Goldust a back elbow, Venis landed an elbow drop.
The match segued to the floor, and Goldust reversed an Irish whip sending Venis back-first into the railing.
When Goldust guillotined him with the steps, Venis rebounded by mounting the top turnbuckle and launched a cross body block.
He tossed Goldust back into the ring, mounted the adjacent top turnbuckle, leaped, but ate a shot to the midsection.
After Goldust delivered an inverted atomic drop, he connected with a springboard belly-to-back suplex. Quite the homage to Tully Blanchard albeit a different type of suplex.
He gave Venis a HARD cross corner whip to further injure the back and followed with a clothesline for 2.
While he took down Venis with a snap mare, Goldust hit a somersault neck snap like Curt Hennig.
He gave Venis another cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through. In fact, he fell all the way to the floor.
Joining Goldust, Venis rammed him shoulder-first into the ring post.
He punished Goldust with a hammerlock slam and planted a series of elbow drops on the affected shoulder.
Trading forearm smashes, Venis got the upper hand with a clothesline for 2.
Goldust rebounded with his own cross body block and got 2.
Quickly returning to his feet, Venis clotheslined Goldust again for 2.
He unfurled a side-Russian leg sweep for another 2.
Devastating Goldust with a powerslam, Venis mounted the top turnbuckle.
Goldust nailed and joined him.
Flattening Venis with a superplex, Goldust got 2.
He mounted the second turnbuckle but missed a flying elbow.
Hooking a sleeper, Venis got sandwiched in the corner twice.
Venis charged, but Goldust applied his own sleeper.
Escaping with a belly-to-back suplex, Venis got reversed on an Irish whip but got clotheslined again.
Goldust backdropped Venis, gave him a third cross corner whip, and decimated him with a bulldog.
With Terri on the apron, he baited Venis into a charge that would have demolished Terri.
Venis, however, applied the brakes, and Terri distracted referee Jim Korderas.
Unsupervised, Goldust punted Venis WAY DOWNTOWN.
1-2-3.
Goldust won at 12:09.

Rating: ****

Summary: Impressive match where Venis’ psychology was outmatched by Goldust’s comeuppance.

After the match, Goldust taunted Terri.

Backstage, Michael Cole provides an update on HHH’s medical condition—he’s an asshole.

Nevertheless, Cole interviews X-Pac who cuts a promo on Shamrock and Brown.

We revisit RAW from two weeks ago when Henry cost X-Pac the European title.

Match 5 for the WWF European title: D’Lo Brown (champion) versus X-Pac (w/ Chyna)

Highlights:

Before the bell sounded, the Rosemont faithful and I informed Brown again that he indeed “sucks.”
X-Pac fed Brown a pair of kicks to the chest followed by a leg lariat.
When X-Pac leapfrogged him, Brown responded with a clothesline for 2.
He slammed X-Pac and landed an elbow drop.
As he gave X-Pac a cross corner whip, Brown came up empty on his follow-through.
X-Pac hip-tossed Brown and unloaded a series of kicks in the corner.
After Brown wisely split the uprights on a Bronco buster attempt, he scored with a leg drop for 2.
He delivered a spinning heel kick and got another 2.
While he powerbombed X-Pac, Brown couldn’t get 3.
He hoisted X-Pac atop the top turnbuckle, joined, but got shoved down to the mat.
Leaping from the second turnbuckle, X-Pac hit a cross body block.
Brown used momentum to land on top for 2.
Rebounding with a kick in the mush, X-Pac gave Brown a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
Brown slammed X-Pac again, mounted the second turnbuckle, and launched a fist drop for 2.
Splitting X-Pac in half with a backbreaker, Brown got another 2.
Brown hooked a Texas Cloverleaf yet shifted to a Boston crab.
Escaping, X-Pac got slammed for a third time as the Rosemont faithful and I chided our nemesis.
Brown mounted the top turnbuckle, leaped, but there wasn’t any water in the pool.
Coming back with his own spinning heel kick, X-Pac got reversed on an Irish whip and smacked Brown with a lariat.
He dropkicked Brown and successfully followed with a Bronco buster.
With referee Mike Chioda concerned for X-Pac’s well-being, Chyna belted Brown. How opportune!
Do we have a new champion?
1-2-NO!
X-Pac reversed an Irish whip, and Brown bulldozed Chioda between the ropes to the floor.
Planting Brown with a belly-to-back suplex, X-Pac couldn’t immediately capitalize.
Henry sauntered to ringside and pestered Chyna.
Grabbing the belt, Brown clobbered X-Pac with it. Sinister!
Henry tossed Chioda back into the ring, and the finish seemed inevitable.
1-2-NO!
X-Pac kicked out!
Powerbombing X-Pac again, Brown got another 2.
He mounted the top turnbuckle again but fell directly into an X-Factor.
1-2-3.
X-Pac won at 14:37.
WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!

Rating: ***

Summary: Since they’ve been programmed together for a while, the chemistry was quite fluid. They told a great story, and the underdog triumphed. It ain’t Shakespeare, but that tale never ceases to age.

POINT OF ORDER: Remember when Mark Canterbury cracked his C7 vertebrae taking a Doomsday Device from the Road Warriors? Well, he returned from injury too soon as part of Southern Justice as he herniated the injured vertebrae as well as pinched a nerve in his spine. Spinal fusion surgery ended his wrestling career.

What does that mean for the next match? Well, remember how Gunn got disgruntled recently and threatened to quit DX? The next match was supposed to be his heel turn. Since that won’t happen, let’s see what will.

Backstage, Cole’s spreading rumors! Afterward, he interviews the Headbangers who run down the NAO.

Prior to the next match, Road Dog performs his spiel much to the delight of the Rosemont faithful.

Match 6 for the WWF tag team titles: New Age Outlaws (champions) versus the Headbangers

Highlights:

Before Road Dog could finish, the Headbangers infiltrated the ring and ambushed the NAO.
Road Dog backdropped Mosh while Gunn pitched Thrasher over the top rope to the floor.
As the NAO fed Mosh a drop toe hold/shaky-shaky knee drop combo, Gunn dealt Mosh a leg drop, brother.
Gunn countered a hip toss with a swinging neckbreaker and got 2.
When Road Dog tagged in, Mosh leapfrogged him but ate a hip toss.
Thrasher tagged in but also ate a hip toss. I hope there was giardiniera on it.
After Road Dog dropkicked him, he blasted Thrasher for 2.
He gave Thrasher a cross corner whip followed by a corner clothesline.
While Mosh tagged in, he mounted the second turnbuckle and unloaded a flying body attack for 2. Couldn’t really see it as most of it was off-camera.
He guillotined Road Dog across the top rope and tagged in Thrasher.
Upon joining Mosh in double-teaming Road Dog with a leapfrog guillotine, Thrasher got another 2.
The Rosemont faithful and I tried to rally the NAO with a “suck it” chant, but our hero received a cross corner whip.
Coming up empty, Thrasher took a sternum-first bump.
Road Dog planted Thrasher with a belly-to-back suplex, and both wrestlers were down on the mat.
Hot tag Gunn.
Cleaning house, Gunn gorilla-pressed Mosh, but Thrasher low-bridged him. Devious!
Meanwhile, Road Dog distracted White.
Thrasher sent Gunn shoulder-first into the steps and rammed him face-first into them.
Despite Thrasher’s returning of Gunn to the ring, Mosh only got 2 thanks to a foot on the bottom rope.
Mosh hit Gunn with a running guillotine and followed with a slam.
With Thrasher atop the top turnbuckle, the Headbangers hammered Gunn with a front superplex.
Thrasher nailed Gunn with a flying elbow drop and Mosh got another 2.
Rebounding with a flying headscissors, Gunn couldn’t tag out.
Thrasher tagged in, stymied Gunn with a jawbreaker, but couldn’t get 3.
Guillotining Gunn with the bottom rope, Thrasher distracted White.
That permitted Mosh to blast Gunn with a flying elbow smash from the apron. Evil!
Tagging in, Mosh clotheslined Gunn and baited Road Dog.
The Headbangers illegally switched, and Thrasher got 2.
Applying a sleeper, Thrasher couldn’t put Gunn away.
Gunn escaped and hooked his own sleeper, but Thrasher countered with a belly-to-back suplex.
Rejoining the match, Mosh whipped Thrasher into Gunn in the corner.
He charged and attempted to further SQUISH Gunn; however, Gunn caught and demolished Mosh with his own belly-to-back suplex.
Storming into the ring, Thrasher knocked Road Dog off the apron to prevent the tag.
The Headbangers double-flapjacked Gunn and set up for the Stage Dive.
Instead, Road Dog re-entered the ring and CREAMED Mosh with a boom box.
White called for the bell, and the Headbangers won by DQ at 14:01.
Regardless, the NAO retained.

Rating: ***

Summary: While the NAO is over, the Headbangers are not creating waves among the Rosemont faithful. Having said that, what an incredibly shitty finish as Mosh was correct in his prediction that the NAO did the J-O-B on the P-P-V.

Following the match, Gunn rallies the Rosemont faithful to yell “suck it” one more time.

Backstage, Cole’s continuing to spread rumors until Mankind with Mr. Socko interrupts. Mankind takes a potshot as Mr. Socko refers to Ken Shamrock’s interviews as “brutal.” HA! Nonetheless, he cuts a rather weird promo on Shamrock.

Match 7 for the WWF Intercontinental title: Ken Shamrock (champion) versus Mankind

Highlights:

Shamrock swept the leg and fed Mankind a knee crusher.
When he gave Mankind a cross corner whip, Shamrock ate boot on his follow-through.
Mankind attempted a clothesline, but Shamrock hooked the arm.
As Mankind dealt him a back elbow, he slammed Shamrock.
He delivered a leg drop and got 2.
After Shamrock hooked a huracanrana, Mankind reversed an Irish whip and applied a Mandible claw.
Shamrock escaped and quickly slid to the floor.
While Mankind trapped him, he attempted to give Shamrock another Mandible claw.
Shamrock escaped, and the match segued to the floor.
Bouncing Mankind’s face off the Spanish broadcast table, Shamrock got reversed on an Irish whip and ate some steps.
Mankind grabbed a chair, but referee Mike Chioda tried to wrestle it away.
Although he succeeded in getting the chair, Mankind got a mouthful of it thanks to a kick by Shamrock.
Speaking of Shamrock, he PLASTERED Mankind in the head with it.
Back in the ring, he gave Mankind a cross corner whip followed by a clothesline for 2.
Mankind gave Shamrock a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
Scoring with a belly-to-belly suplex, Shamrock got planted by a double-arm DDT.
Mankind decimated him in the corner with a running knee and tied him to the Tree of Woe.
Rearranging Shamrock’s face, Mankind hit him with a running elbow in the corner.
He gave Shamrock a ten-top-turnbuckle count-along, migrated to the apron, and guillotined him with a leg drop.
Sending Shamrock to the floor with a Cactus clothesline, Mankind mounted the apron and landed a Cactus elbow.
Mankind charged, but Shamrock caught and powerslammed him on the floor.
Returning Mankind to the ring, Shamrock trapped him in an ankle lock.
Mankind made the ropes to escape, but Shamrock reapplied the hold.
Rather than submit to the ankle lock, Mankind placed a Mandible claw on himself.
Mankind lost consciousness, so Shamrock retained at 14:36.

Rating: ***

Summary: Fascinating twist to keep both the title on Shamrock and credibility for Mankind.

Afterward, Shamrock’s in disbelief that the Mandible claw won the match and put the boots to the fallen Mankind. Chioda stops him only to fall victim to a belly-to-belly suplex. While Shamrock keeps the other WWF officials at bay, Mankind dons Mr. Socko and applies it to Shamrock. Mankind leaves the ring, and the Rosemont faithful showers him with socks.

Backstage, Cole believes he can interview Mr. McMahon, but the Big Boss Man tells him otherwise.

Prior to the next match, we revisit RAW when Henry and Brown destroyed Rock during the main event.

Henry grabs the microphone and dedicates a poem to Chyna who is being sued by Henry for sexual harassment if you can believe it. Yes, folks. WWF didn’t claim to borrow ideas from ECW. They outright stole them.

Match 8: Rock versus Mark Henry (w/o D’Lo Brown)

Highlights:

Rock entered the ring, and the brawl was ON.
As Henry reversed an Irish whip, Rock clotheslined him.
He gave Henry a cross corner whip followed by another clothesline.
When he suplexed Henry, Rock got 2.
The match segued to the floor, and Rock rammed Henry face-first into the steps.
After he blocked a shot to the broadcast table, Henry bounced Rock off it.
Rock clotheslined Henry a third time, got reversed on an Irish whip, and ate a back elbow.
While he landed an elbow drop, Henry got 2.
He clotheslined and gave Rock a cross corner whip.
Conversely, Rock made a brief comeback only to get clotheslined again.
Henry fed him a leg drop for another 2.
Reversing another Irish whip, Henry succumbed to a DDT for 2.
Rock slammed and dealt Henry a People’s Elbow to a monster reaction.
Finally showing up, Brown jumped onto the apron only to get pounded.
Henry bulldozed Rock with yet another clothesline and followed with a splash.
Wait a minute! Brown hooked Rock’s feet.
1-2-3.
Henry won at 5:04.
UPSET CITY!

Rating: **

Summary: Quite the upset as Rock stands near the top of the card while Henry’s still making a name for himself.

Video airs surrounding the soap opera that has led us to the main event.

Match 9 for the vacant WWF title: Undertaker versus Kane

Highlights:

Stone Cold Steve Austin was the appointed special guest referee for this match and must declare a winner or be fired. As you’d expect, his pop dwarfed the reactions of the participants.
When Undertaker mounted the top turnbuckle, he fed Kane a ropewalk shoulder smash.
He gave Kane a cross corner whip but ate a back elbow on his follow-through.
As Kane powerslammed Undertaker, he followed with a clothesline.
Kane gave Undertaker a cross corner whip but ate boot on his follow-through.
After Undertaker clotheslined Kane, he attempted a pin, but Austin deliberately didn’t reach the count of 1.
Kane clotheslined Undertaker, and Austin fast-counted to 2.
While Kane reversed an Irish whip, he dealt Undertaker a big boot.
Kane clotheslined Undertaker over the top rope to the floor, yet Undertaker landed on his feet.
With the match moving to the floor, Undertaker rammed Kane face-first into the protective railing.
He rammed Kane face-first into the steps and made him HIT THE POLE.
Grabbing a chair, Undertaker almost committed first-degree murder with malice but nailed the ring post instead of Kane.
Kane bounced Undertaker face-first off the broadcast table and made him HIT THE POLE.
Back in the ring, Undertaker suplexed Kane, but Kane no-sold it.
He clotheslined Undertaker but botched something that JR delightfully covered up.
Ramming Kane’s left leg into the apron, Undertaker received a cross corner whip followed by a sidewalk slam.
Kane landed an elbow drop but missed a big boot.
Sweeping the leg, Undertaker hooked a spinning toe hold. Can you tell Undertaker’s from Texas?
He tied Kane to the Tree of Woe, yet Austin didn’t make him break the hold.
Once again, Undertaker rammed Kane’s left leg into the apron, charged Kane in the corner, but got caught with a spinebuster.
Kane clotheslined Undertaker yet again and gave him an Irish whip.
Suddenly, he reversed course and whipped Undertaker directly into Austin.
In lieu of going down, Austin tried to catch himself by heading into the center of the ring.
There stood Kane, and he chokeslammed Austin.
Double-teaming Austin, the Brothers of Destruction worked together…until they didn’t.
Kane reversed yet another Irish whip and chokeslammed Undertaker.
Abruptly, Paul Bearer approached the ring with his own chair.
He entered the ring and swerved Kane by hitting him with it.
Since it didn’t faze him, Kane sauntered after Bearer.
That allowed Undertaker to grab the chair and CROWN Kane with it.
Smiling from ear to ear, Bearer watched as Undertaker put Kane into prone position.
On the contrary, Austin had risen to his feet but didn’t count the pinfall.
Instead, he duped Undertaker and demolished him with a Stone Cold Stunner.
The Rosemont faithful and I LOST OUR DAMN MINDS.
Blasting Undertaker with the chair, Austin counted a double pin.
No winner at 17:38.
I fear for Austin’s chances of retaining employment.

Rating: ***

Summary: Unique finish without a winner; thus, the WWF title remains vacant.

After the match, Austin grabs the microphone and announces HIMSELF as the winner. He challenges Mr. McMahon to approach him. When Mr. McMahon fails to do so, Austin heads backstage. Bruce Prichard sends him further, and Austin encounters Dok Hendrix and the Superstar Line. Next, Austin encounters the Blue Blazer who’s not seen Mr. McMahon.

As Austin returns to the arena, he re-enters the arena and yaps at Mr. McMahon. Instantly, Mr. McMahon can be heard but not seen. The video wall rises, and Mr. McMahon appears in an enclosed suite. In the meantime, a member of the Chicago faithful tosses something at him. He tries to speak, but the Rosemont faithful and I shower him with an “ass-hole” chant.

Mr. McMahon warns everyone to take a picture as we’ve seen the last of Austin. As he declares: “Screw you. You’re fired,” Austin makes him repeat it, and Mr. McMahon heads elsewhere. To a strong ovation, Austin warns McMahon: “You ain’t seen the last of Stone Cold Steve Austin.” He grabs of pair of Steveweisers and toasts the Rosemont faithful.

Conclusion: Despite the longer matches, this show felt like a RAW taping. The main event angle cements this argument. Title changes led to new champions with Christian and X-Pac. Contrarily, Shamrock and the NAO retained their titles. Goldust got the better of Venis while Henry stunningly upset Rock. While Snow won in the opener, the Road Warriors and Droz also succeeded albeit in a fascinating manner.

As a wrestling fan, I enjoyed attending the show as the atmosphere was astounding. However, as a viewer, I’m not terribly captivated by the show and only recommend it to either those who haven’t already seen it or wrestling historians. Hopefully, the next WWF PPV will earn a better recommendation.

Stay tuned for WCW Monday Nitro 10-19-98!

Buyrate: 0.89

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