5 Things You Probably Don't Remember About WWE SummerSlam 1998
Journey back down that Highway to Hell...
From the time The Undertaker coldly glared at Steve Austin in the post-match of Austin's successful title defense against Dude Love at May's Over the Edge, the stage was set for what became known as The Highway to Hell - a winding and wild three-month ride into the 1998 SummerSlam, in which the era's stars were deadlocked in heated conflict, and the headliners of tomorrow got ready for their own career-making performances.
The 1998 SummerSlam proved to be a monumental success for the then-World Wrestling Federation. Its 700,000 pay-per-view buys are a SummerSlam record, and the second-most for any non-WrestleMania in company history (the 2001 InVasion wins out there). As for the event itself, it doesn't get much better than Austin vs. 'Taker up top, The Rock vs. Triple H in a ladder match for the IC title, Shamrock vs. Owen in a brutal Lion's Den match, X-Pac vs. Jarrett hair-vs-hair, all confined within the hallowed halls of Madison Square Garden at its most raucous. This event was undistilled Attitude in a bottle.
As we approach the 2020 SummerSlam, let's look back at one of the finer events from the show's chronology, and a few things you may not have known about it.
5. WCW Monday Nitro Was Winning At This Point
Sometimes lost to history is how close the battle between Raw and Nitro was in 1998. Following the 83 week streak of Nitro victories ending, some believe Nitro was doomed from then on, and by the 1998 SummerSlam, Vince and company had begun routinely lapping their fading competitor.
Actually, the opposite is true. Despite the great build for SummerSlam and the big business that it did, Nitro dominated Raw in the ratings throughout August. That grip was only temporary, however, and Raw assumed the lead for good after October, and through to the end.
Written by Justin Henry
In addition to writing lists and commentaries for Cultaholic, Justin is also a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine, and is co-author of the WWE-related book Titan Screwed: Lost Smiles, Stunners, and Screwjobs.
