Live from Rosemont, IL
Airdate: October 18, 1998
Attendance: 18,152 and me (sold out)
Hosted by Jim Cornette & Shane McMahon
It’s the pre-game show for Judgment Day ’98! HHH must present the Intercontinental title to Shamrock. Jarrett/Scorpio! Godfather/Faarooq! Plus, the Oddities! What will Mr. McMahon have in store for Austin?
Opening montage.
Prior to the first match, we revisit RAW for the first time when Shamrock attacked Blackman’s repaired knee on his way to victory.
Match 1: Bradshaw versus Steve Blackman
Highlights:
- Blackman dropkicked Bradshaw and followed with a belly-to-belly suplex.
- When he landed an elbow drop, Blackman fed Bradshaw a thrust kick sending him to the floor.
- Blackman attempted a cross body block, but Bradshaw caught and dealt him a fallaway slam.
- As he delivered a big boot, Bradshaw slammed Blackman.
- He hit a pair of elbow drops and got 2.
- After he creamed Blackman with a short-arm clothesline, Bradshaw attempted a powerbomb.
- Blackman backdropped out of it, reversed a cross corner whip, and hooked a snap suplex for 2.
- While Bradshaw reversed an Irish whip, Blackman ducked a big boot and stuffed Bradshaw with a shoulder block.
- He unloaded a bicycle kick and pinned Bradshaw at 2:57.
Rating: *
Summary: Comeback match for Blackman, yet the Rosemont faithful was NOT pleased.
After the match, the Blue Blazer jumps into the ring and attacks Blackman. Who is that masked man?
Match 2: The Oddities (w/ Insane Clown Posse & Luna Vachon) versus Los Boricuas
Highlights:
- Popcorn, anyone?
- Estrada and Perez fed Golga a double belly-to-back suplex followed by a series of elbow drops.
- As Golga ducked a double clothesline, he leveled Estrada and Perez with one of his own.
- Kurrgan tagged in, dealt Estrada a sidewalk slam, but missed an elbow drop.
- When Golga distracted referee Jim Korderas, Los Boricuas triple-teamed Kurrgan including a standing moonsault by Perez. Nifty!
- Kurrgan cleaned house before stymying Estrada with a big boot.
- After Silva tagged in, he powerbombed Estrada.
- Golga tagged in and flattened Estrada with a senton bomb.
- 1-2-3.
- The Oddities won at 2:31.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Showcase match for the big and tall crowd.
Following the match, the Headbangers brawl with ICP in the aisle until the NAO arrives to maul the Headbangers in anticipation of their upcoming match later.
Prior to the next match, we revisit RAW for the second time when D’Lo Brown and Mark Henry “excommunicated” Rock from the NoD per Cornette.
Godfather grabs the microphone and offers a choice of either getting his ass kicked or a ho. Initially, Faarooq chooses a ho but ambushes Godfather thereafter. Methinks he made the wrong choice.
Match 3: The Godfather (w/ ho’s) versus Faarooq
Highlights:
- The match immediately headed to the floor, and Faarooq bounced Godfather’s head off the steps.
- When Brown and Henry approached ringside, Faarooq gave Godfather a cross corner whip but ate boot on his follow-through.
- The Rosemont faithful informed Brown that he indeed “sucks,” and Godfather clotheslined Faarooq.
- As Godfather gave Faarooq a cross corner whip, he ate a back elbow on his follow-through.
- Shane pimped Pacific Blue while Faarooq slammed Godfather for 2.
- After Cornette exploited Silk Stalkings, Godfather reversed an Irish whip and powerslammed Faarooq for 2.
- Shane kink shamed La Femme Nikita although Godfather missed a leg drop.
- By the way, ZERO wrestling fans would be watching those shows with the PPV following this.
- Faarooq mounted the top turnbuckle, but Godfather upset his balance.
- While Godfather unloaded a thrust kick, he pinned Faarooq at 1:54.
Rating: *
Summary: Showcase match for Godfather.
Afterward, Brown and Henry yank Faarooq out of the ring and make him HIT THE POLE. They enter the ring, and Brown unloads with a Lo Down upon Godfather. When Henry SQUISHES Godfather with a splash, Rock storms the ring to chase them off.
During the break, Faarooq is met by Jackyl who whispers the Colonel’s eleven herbs and spices in his ear. Check out the fingernails on this guy!
Val Venis arrives while sporting both a WWF Attitude t-shirt and fanny pack.
Prior to the next match, we revisit RAW for a third time when Goldust debuted Shattered Dreams upon Venis.
Backstage, Michael Cole interviews Paul Bearer who’s here for fun and nothing else. Uh huh.
Match 4: Jeff Jarrett versus 2 Cold Scorpio
Highlights:
- Venis joined the broadcast table for this match and cut a quasi-political promo on Goldust.
- As Jarrett gave him a cross corner whip, Scorpio floated over and hip-tossed him.
- He dropkicked Jarrett while an usher delivered a present wrapped in gold to Venis.
- Of course, the match acted more as an aside for the Venis-Goldust saga.
- Meanwhile, Scorpio mounted the top turnbuckle but WHIFFED on a cross body block.
- Jarrett clotheslined Scorpio over the top rope to the floor and fed him a baseball slide.
- When Venis unwrapped the present, he found a golden cup. HA!
- Thankfully, Venis left the broadcast table, and Jarrett guillotined Scorpio with the railing.
- He mounted the top turnbuckle, scored with a cross body block, and got 2.
- After he planted a knee into the midsection, Jarrett ate a flying spin kick. Scorpio got 2.
- Jarrett shoved Scorpio knocking down referee Jim Korderas. How dastardly!
- While Jarrett dealt Scorpio a belly-to-back suplex, Al Snow approached ringside to a great ovation.
- Snow returned Korderas to the ring and stood on the apron.
- With Jarrett distracted by Snow, Scorpio rolled him up.
- 1-2-3.
- Scorpio won at 3:43.
- UPSET CITY!
Rating: *
Summary: WAY more angle than match with the Venis and Snow distractions.
After the match, Snow celebrates his shenanigans.
Stone Cold Steve Austin arrives for work over thirty minutes late, and Gerald Brisco fires him for it. Honestly, who can arrive for work like that and keep a job?
On a serious note, the Stooges halt Austin in the stairwell and direct him to the referee’s room since Austin will be the special guest referee for the PPV main event. They usher him into what looks like a closet, yet Austin heaves Mike Chioda out of there in a hurry.
We revisit RAW for a fourth time when Shamrock won the tournament to become the new Intercontinental champion beating Blackman, Venis, and X-Pac.
INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE PRESENTATION: With Ken Shamrock in the ring, HHH, on crutches, along with X-Pac and Chyna join him to present him the title. Commissioner Slaughter ejects both X-Pac and Chyna much to the chagrin of the Rosemont faithful. Next, Slaughter introduces Patterson as the first Intercontinental champion. Patterson mistakenly says WrestleMania instead of Summerslam, so HHH corrects him.
As Patterson addresses him, Austin watches on a monitor backstage. He instructs HHH to hand over the belt who does it begrudgingly. On the floor with microphone in hand, HHH along with the Rosemont faithful advises Shamrock to “suck it.” Shamrock shows tremendous frustration over being upstaged.
Backstage, HHH tries to get into a car, but Shamrock slams the door on his injured knee.
From the entrance, Mr. McMahon, with security in tow, addresses us. As you’d expect, Cornette acknowledges that the Big Boss Man is there as well. Mr. McMahon describes the ultimatum: award the WWF title to the winner of the PPV main event or be fired.
Mr. McMahon speaks, yet the Rosemont faithful drowns him out with an “Aus-tin” chant. As he appeals to them, the Rosemont faithful calls him an “asshole.” He vows to ‘humble” Austin who destroys the equipment backstage.
Conclusion: Quite the kickoff show as the PPV was pushed, angles were teased and/or furthered. Not sure about you, but I’m ready to watch Judgment Day ’98. Grab some refreshments and let’s see what happens.
TV Rating: 3.7
Stay tuned for WWF Judgment Day ‘98!
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