WWE RAW ushered in a new era in 1998. The Austin era kicked off at WrestleMania 14. The Rattlesnake beat Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship at the sports entertainment extravaganza.
The red brand also witnessed the rise of numerous factions as both D-Generation X and Nation of Domination went to war with each other. Triple H and The Rock led their respective factions to greater heights during said period.
Having said that, let’s take a look at some of the best WWE RAW matches of 1998:
Mick Foley vs. Terry Funk (WWE RAW – May 4)
One of Terry Funk’s most well-known matches in WWE came at the April 28 RAW taping. The Funker took on Mick Foley in a No Holds Barred Falls Count Anywhere Match. Pat Patterson served as the special guest referee.
This was an all-out brawl that lasted for nearly 17 minutes. Both men beat each other into a pulp. Foley showed unforeseen determination in this match. The Hardcore Legend didn’t mind destroying his friend and mentor to get a title shot.
RIP Terry Funk!
Steve Austin vs. Ken Shamrock (WWE Title Match – September 14)
Steve Austin and Ken Shamrock put on one of the best WWE RAW matches of 1998. Both men got into a brawl in the early goings of the match. You knew Shamrock meant business when he caused Austin to pull off a rare powerbomb from his arsenal.
The champion and the challenger continued back and forth until The Undertaker and Kane arrived. The Brothers of Destruction chokeslammed the opponents to cause a premature ending to the match.
The Rock and Mankind showed up to a huge pop from the crowd. Steve Austin got back up and took out Kane and Taker with a chair shot to the head. The Rattlesnake walked out of the ring with the WWE Championship in his hands.
Mankind vs. Kane (Hell in a Cell Match – August 24)
Mick Foley made a career out of wrestling on thumbtacks and getting thrown off the top of the cells. The Hardcore Legend put his body on the line in a grueling Hell in a Cell match against Kane on the final WWE RAW before SummerSlam 1998.
Foley (as Mankind) took a huge beating in this match. He got himself spiked by a tombstone on a steel chair – courtesy of Devil’s Favorite Demon. The match ended in no contest (which is as weird as it sounds) after “Stone Cold” Steve Austin arrived to attack Kane inside the cell.
DX vs. Nation of Domination (Eight-Man Tag Team Street Fight – August 17)
The aforementioned Street Fight pitted D-Generation X against Nation of Domination. The two factions had been at war with each other since June 1998. This was an all-out brawl with both teams using foreign objects to beat the life out of each other.
Triple H started bleeding from his mouth after he took a beating from Nation members. The Game would eventually get his payback by winning the ladder war against The Rock at SummerSlam 1998.
Steve Austin vs. The Rock (WWE RAW – March 23)
Steve Austin was red hot going into this match against a rising superstar in The Rock. Both men had competed against each other before. This was a good back-and-forth contest between two of WWE’s most popular stars.
Fans were teased about a potential standoff between Nation and DX, but neither faction intervened. The Rattlesnake picked up the win against the Brahma Bull heading into his WrestleMania 14 contest against Shawn Michaels.
Also read: Best WWE RAW Matches Of 1999
