This week Throwback Thursday continues to celebrate the rich legacy and history of SummerSlam as we look back at the SummerSlam ’98 countdown edition of WWF Sunday Night Heat, as seen on the WWE Network and Peacock, that aired 25 years yesterday!
By August of 1998 the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) was once again the number one wrestling promotion in the world. After suffering a 22 month drubbing at the hands of World Championship Wrestling (WCW), the WWF had turned the corner and put WCW on their back foot. The WWF’s numbers, from television ratings to pay-per-view buys to merchandise to attendance, were booming, seeing fifty-plus percent increases over 1997 in some sectors.
Though the “Monday Night Wars” were far from over, the worm had turned. Though WCW had won a string of head-to-head battles in August ’98, the momentum was a cruel illusion. In one months time the war would be all but decided, with the WWF taking a permanent lead in the head-to-head matchups and creating an insurmountable distance between the top of the mountain and everyone else that, in many ways, still exists today.
As WCW invested in experienced, established stars, the WWF had bet on youth. At SummerSlam ’98 the youth movement of the WWF proved itself the surest bet. Stone Cold Steve Austin, Undertaker, Rock, Edge, and Triple H, all main event players for the next ten-plus years, had breakout nights that helped lay the foundation for the future of the WWF/E.
The top story in the WWF at the time this edition of Sunday Night HEAT aired were the questions surrounding SummerSlam ’98. Could Stone Cold Steve Austin survive the grave challenge of the Undertaker? Could The Rock retain his Intercontinental title against Triple H with D-X lurking in the shadows? Would Owen Hart survive the “Lion’s Den” with Ken Shamrock?
The top song in the nation the week this edition of Sunday Night Heat aired was Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” while Korn’s Follow the Leader was the top album. On broadcast television NBC’s Seinfeld was the ratings winner while Comedy Central’s South Park was the top-rated program on cable. In theaters Blade, starring Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristopherson, N’Bushe Wright, & Donal Logue, was the top film in theaters.
Now let’s head over to the WWE Network on Peacock hit ‘play’, and let’s see how well this SummerSlam ’98 countdown edition of Sunday Night Heat holds up 25 years later!
Edits are not an issue with this edition of Sunday Night Heat on the WWE Network and Peacock. All unlicensed music has been removed, which unfortunately means the “Highway to Hell” music video has been scrubbed from this show, and, oddly, all SummerSlam ’98 PPV promos have been nixed as well. Context, meanwhile, is excellent. All prior editions of Sunday Night Heat, as well as all past editions of Monday Night RAW, as well as all prior WWF pay-per-view events, are available for you to enjoy on the WWE Network and Peacock right now!
WWF Sunday Night Heat #5 (WATCH)
Date: August 30, 1998 – Location: Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
Attendance: 21,588 – TV Ratings: 3.2 (>2 million homes)
Commentators: Shane McMahon, Jim Ross, & Shawn Michaels – Interviews: Shawn Michaels & Michael Cole
CHAMPIONS AT THE TIME:
WWF World Heavyweight Champion: Stone Cold Steve Austin (June 29, 1998, WWF Monday Night RAW, from Kane)
WWF Intercontinental Champion: The Rock (December 8, 1997, WWF Monday Night RAW, from Stone Cold Steve Austin; Austin forfeited the title to The Rock after refusing to follow Mr. McMahon’s orders to defend the title against The Rock that same night on RAW)
WWF European Champion: D-Lo Brown (July 20, 1998, WWF Monday Night RAW, taped July 14, 1998, from Triple H)
WWF Light Heavyweight Champion: Taka Michinoku (December 7, 1997, WWF In Your House 19: De-Generation X, defeated Brian Christopher in the finals of an 8-man tournament to crown an inaugural Champion; the 8-man tournament also included Super Loco, Devin Storm, Eric Shelly, Aguila, Scott Taylor, & Flash Flanagan)
WWF World Tag Team Champions: Kane & Mankind (August 10, 1988, WWF Monday Night RAW, from Undertaker & WWF World Heavyweight Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin; this was a “Fatal Four-Way” match that also included the New Age Outlaws (“Road Dogg” Jesse James & “Mr. Ass” Billy Gun) and the Nation of Domination (WWF Intercontinental Champion The Rock & WWF European Champion D-Lo Brown))
Following the standard “WWF Attitude” signature and Sunday Night Heat open of the era we head inside a sold out Madison Square Garden (“the house that grandpop McMahon built”, as Shane calls it) where Shane McMahon welcomes us to the show.
Suddenly Shawn Michaels’ music hits and HBK makes his way to ringside for commentary, pausing for a bit of posing in the ring. We then head to the announce position at ringside where Shane welcomes us to the show and introduces his partner Jim Ross. J.R. jumps right into things, talking about WWF Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin awaiting the arrival of Undertaker & Kane with a sledgehammer and “destruction on his mind”. As HBK takes his seat with Shane & J.R. at ringside L.O.D. 2000 makes their way to the ring for the opening contest.
Rather than L.O.D. 2000, though, we see Road Warrior Animal and Darren “Droz” Drozdov subbing for Road Warrior Hawk. As Howard Finkel introduces Too Much, however, Road Warrior Hawk, wearing his L.O.D. 2000 helmet, stumbles his way to the ring and convinces Droz to return to the back and allow Hawk to wrestle as scheduled.
—Tag Team Match (2:47)
Too Much (“Too Sexy” Brian Christopher & “Too Hot” Scott Taylor) vs. L.O.D. 2000 (Road Warrior Hawk & Road Warrior Animal)
At this point the L.O.D. 2000 were in the midst of a rather tasteless (and not all that entertaining) angle in which Road Warrior Hawk’s (very real) substance abuse issues were beginning to overtake the team and the man. As Too Much jumpstart this one, going after Road Warrior Animal, we get a shot of Edge looking on from the top of the entrance tunnel. Too Much control the action until Animal lands a double suplex. Animal takes the fight to both Christopher and Taylor before sending Christopher to the floor.
Animal tries to communicate with Hawk to scale the ropes for the Doomsday Device but Hawk is all out of sorts. Animal lifts Taylor into position as Hawk, still wearing his helmet, climbs the ropes backwards. In the confusion Christopher is able to save Taylor before Hawk falls off the rope and knocks heads with Animal, knocking Animal goofy with the helmet. In a flash Taylor makes the cover and scores the upset three-count at 2:16.
WINNERS are Too Much (“Too Sexy” Brian Christopher & “Too Hot” Scott Taylor) (Pin, 2:16)
After the match Animal fumes at Hawk for costing the team the match. We then see a replay of the awkward finish before catching another glimpse of Hawk stumbling around ringside.
We then head to the back where we see WWF Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin pacing, sledgehammer in hand, as he awaits the arrival of Undertaker & Kane before heading to our first Peacock ad-break of the hour.
After the break we return to the ring where Shawn Michaels introduces Sable for an in-ring interview regarding Sable’s mystery partner tag team bout against Marc Mero (Sable’s husband) & Jacqueline later on tonight on PPV. HBK starts by running down the “fire power” of the SummerSlam ’98 card before saying that Sable has the “big guns”, the “.38 Specials”.
Sable tells HBK that the Sable Bomb will be dropped on Jacqueline “here tonight” before HBK asks who Sable chose to be her mystery tag team partner tonight. Sable says that if she were to tell HBK who her partner was going to be “it wouldn’t be a secret anymore”. While Sable won’t reveal who her partner will be, she will tell us who it isn’t, revealing her partner won’t be one of the Oddities, whose “dance card” was full tonight.
With the “dance card” in mind, Sable tells HBK to “show me what you’ve got!” HBK’s music hits and the two start dancing for the fans of MSG before we cut to the back to see Stone Cold Steve Austin, sledgehammer still in hand, continuing to await the arrival of Undertaker & Kane before we cut to the next Peacock ad-break.
—Singles Match (11:56)
Dustin Runnels vs. Gangrel
This marked Gangrel’s first match at MSG. Gangrel had debuted, officially, on the August 16, 1998, edition of Sunday Night Heat, pinning Scott Taylor, and was still undefeated at this point in time. Gangrel jumpstarts this one, going straight after Dustin. The match is, by and large, a fifty-fifty kind of affair. The two trade momentum back and forth with neither being able to take full control of the action. As Gangrel takes it to Dustin we get an insert shot of the WWF.com location where Kevin Kelly & Tom Prichard are preparing to call the action for fans unable to watch tonight’s card on PPV. Dustin makes the comeback and has Gangrel reeling, nearly winning with a stiff lariat, when Gangrel connects with his Impaler DDT for the flash three-count at 2:32.
WINNER is Gangrel (Pin, 2:32)
Following the match we head to the back where Michael Cole has caught up with a late arriving D-X (Triple H, Road Dogg, Billy Gunn, X-Pac, & Chyna). With everything that has been going on in the past few weeks “many people”, Cole tells Triple H, are saying that the “future” of D-X hangs in the balance tonight. Triple H says D-X only lives for today and that after the last bell rings tonight things in the WWF will “never be the same”. We then head to the next Peacock ad-break.
After the break we head to the back where Michael Cole is preparing to interview Mr. McMahon next.
First, though, we get a vignette detailing the recent history between Val Venis and Mario Lopez, star of the USA Network series Pacific Blue. Lopez gives us a rundown of what happened on the inaugural edition of Sunday Night Heat (August 1, 1998) when Venis and Lopez got into a fight after Venis shoved Lopez to get to Lopez’s co-star Amy Hunter Cornelius.
Lopez says Venis is lucky the cops got there when they did while Venis says that Lopez should have shown more respect to Venis. Venis wants us to know that while Lopez has “guts”, Venis’ attention was back on Cornelius as soon as the “Big Valbowski” was back on his feet. Cornelius, though, was busy gagging herself at the sight of Venis’ gyrations.
Suddenly we cut to Michael Cole in Mr. McMahon’s office for the promised interview. Cole starts by asking McMahon what he thinks of Austin’s “antics”. Mr. McMahon is not pleased, that Austin could hurt himself or someone else. McMahon says he has to “do something about it”, that he wants to “protect” his main event. If McMahon has to go and take the sledgehammer away for Stone Cold himself, then that’s exactly what Mr. McMahon is willing to do. McMahon is not going to let Austin ruin things for McMahon or WWF fans.
We then head back into the arena where Jeff Jarrett & Southern Justice (Mark Canterbury & Dennis Knight) head to the ring. Jarrett, scheduled to face X-Pac in a “hair versus hair” match at SummerSlam ’98, tackles ring announcer Howard Finkel as Southern Justice set Finkel in a chair in the middle of the ring. Southern Justice then hold Finkel down as Jeff Jarrett begins to shave Fink’s hair.
Finally, after shaving off Fink’s famous mustache, they leave Fink in a heap in the ring in a pile of his own hair. Jarrett grabs the microphone and says he has some advice for everyone in the Garden, including X-Pac: “Don’t piss me off!”
Next we head to the back where Jack Brisco, Pat Patterson, and WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter try to wrangle the sledgehammer away from Stone Cold Steve Austin. Austin refuses to give up the sledgehammer, though, threatening to glom the trio with it. Austin says it’s going to be one-on-one tonight with the Undertaker, that he wants to prevent Kane from jumping him from behind. As the Stooges flee we head to our next Peacock ad-break.
Coming out of the break we return to Mr. McMahon’s office where the Stooges explain what happened with Stone Cold and why they couldn’t get the sledgehammer away from him. Mr. McMahon tells the three to “shut up”, that the three “disgust” him. Austin is just one man, McMahon says. Patterson jumps in and tells McMahon to go out there and get it himself then. “That’s exactly what I’m going to do,” McMahon says. The Stooges say they’ll go with McMahon as McMahon continues to reason that Austin is “just a man, that’s all he is. He’s just a man.”
—Tag Team Match (21:58)
Disciples of Apocalypse (Skull & 8-Ball) w/Paul Ellering vs. Bradshaw & Vader
Vader and Bradshaw have a hard time deciding who will start the match, highlighting the mounting issues between the men. Vader starts out with Skull, who quickly takes the upper hand, taking the fight to Vader. Vader manages to run Skull down before tagging in Bradshaw.
Skull and Bradshaw trade shots before Bradshaw drops Skull with a short-arm clothesline and tags Vader back in. Vader goes after Skull but an Ellering distraction causes Vader to knock Bradshaw off the apron. Vader tries to explain what happened but Bradshaw decks Vader instead. Vader stumbles into a Skull school boy for the 1-2-3 at 2:57.
WINNERS are Disciples of Apocalypse (Skull & 8-Ball) w/Paul Ellering (Pin, 2:57)
After the match Vader and Bradshaw start brawling on the floor. Referees and officials come to break it up to no avail. In a flash the fight moves to the ring where Vader gets the better of Bradshaw, knocking the big Texan over the top rope to the floor where the referees finally break the two apart.
As the brawl breaks up Jim Ross hypes the post-SummerSlam ’98 WWF merchandise sale on the Home Shopping Network (HSN). J.R. then tosses to Michael Cole who is standing with HSN’s Brian Collard to discuss some of the items HSN will be selling after the conclusion of SummerSlam ’98 tonight.
J.R. and Shane then hype the “Lion’s Den” match between Owen Hart and Ken Shamrock, giving us a live look at the structure inside the Theater at MSG.
We then cut to the back where we see Mr. McMahon, flanked by the Stooges, heading to confront Stone Cold Steve Austin about the sledgehammer before we head to the next Peacock ad-break.
Coming out of the break we return to the parking area in MSG where Mr. McMahon & the Stooges confront Austin. McMahon begs for Austin to put the sledgehammer down but Austin isn’t buying McMahon’s concern. All McMahon cares about is Undertaker or Kane, Austin says, and about McMahon’s “little pay-per-view” and if the main event is going to happen.
The match will happen, Austin says, he just wants to make sure that Kane doesn’t jump Austin like he has been doing. Slaughter then tries to swipe the sledgehammer from Austin but can’t grab hold of it. At last Mr. McMahon throws up his arms. “Forget it!”, McMahon yells.
Back in the arena The Rock’s music hits and the Intercontinental Champion Rock makes his way to the ring as wee a clip of HBK clobbering Mark Henry, Rock’s Nation of Domination teammate, with a chair as the Nation held Chyna for Mark Henry to kiss.
In the ring Rock starts to talk when D-X (Road Dogg, Billy Gunn, X-Pac, and Triple H) hit the ring swinging! As fight rages on, though, Rock cracks Triple H in the right knee with his Intercontinental title belt, hobbling Triple H, whom Rock faces later tonight on PPV in a “ladder” match for Rock’s Intercontinental title. The scrum rapidly breaks up as the Nation is sent fleeing and D-X checks on the now-injured Triple H.
Suddenly we cut to the back where Stone Cold Steve Austin is still waiting with his sledgehammer. Just then headlights appear and a hearse makes it way slowly up the ramp and parks. Austin rushes the hearse, tosses the driver to the ground, and begins attacking the hearse with his sledgehammer. Unable to get into the back of the hearse, Austin gets behind the wheel of nearby forklift and smashes into the back of the hearse as the show fades to black!
Final Thoughts
This is an exciting, fast-paced countdown edition of Sunday Night Heat that leaves the viewer wanting more! This edition of Heat does a fantastic job of building anticipation and excitement for SummerSlam ’98. While the bulk of the card is ignored, aside from the odd plug here and there, the main event Austin/Undertaker WWF Championship match and the Triple H/Rock Intercontinental title “ladder” match are hyped brilliantly. Don’t be surprised if you catch yourself checking in SummerSlam ’98 after watching this exciting edition of Heat! Who knows, you may end up liking it, and that’s never a bad thing!
Already subscribed to the WWE Network on Peacock? Then you can relive this classic SummerSlam ’98 countdown edition of WWF Sunday Night Heat right now or experience it for the very first time! As always, let us know what you think in the comments section below!
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Thanks for reading – until next week, see ya at ringside!