1998 WWE PPV Results - The Year Steve Austin Became WWE Champion

Things looked bleak for WWE at the start of 1998. The prior year ended with Bret Hart leaving the company and 1998 began with Shawn Michaels suffering an injury that forced him into earlier retirement. On top of that, the company was being destroyed in the Monday Night War by WCW. When things looked their bleakest, a new crop of superstars took over and would eventually lead the company to victory in their war against WCW.

 The Rock and Steve Austin both won their first WWE Championships while Triple H literally led a new version of D-Generation X into battle against WCW.

Royal Rumble - San Jose Arena; San Jose, CA 1/18/1998

• Vader beat Goldust
• Max Mini, Nova, & Mosaic beat Tarantula, El Torito, & Battalion
• Intercontinental Title: Champ The Rock beat Ken Shamrock by DQ
• Casket Match for the WWE Championship: Champion Shawn Michaels beat The Undertaker
• Steve Austin won the Royal Rumble last eliminating The Rock

No Way Out of Texas - Compaq Center; Houston, TX 2/15/1998

• The Headbangers beat Marc Mero & Goldust
• Light Heavyweight Title: Champ Taka Michinoku beat Pantera
• The Godwinns beat The Quebecers
• NWA North American Title: Bradshaw beat Champion Jeff Jarrett by DQ
• Chainz, Skull, 8 Ball, Ahmed Johnson, & Ken Shamrock beat The Rock, Kama D-Lo Brown, Faarooq, & Mark Henry
• Kane beat Vader
• Steve Austin, Mankind, Owen Hart, & Chainsaw Charlie beat Triple H Billy Gunn, Jesse James, & Savio Vega

WrestleMania XIV - FleetCenter; Boston, MA 3/29/1998

• Tag Team Battle Royal: L.O.D. 2000 won by last eliminating The New Midnight Express
• Light Heavyweight Title: Champion Taka Michinoku beat Aguila
• European Title: Champion Triple H beat Owen Hart. Chyna & Sgt. Slaughter were handcuffed together out side the ring.

• Marc Mero & Sable beat Goldust & Luna
• Intercontinental Title: Champion The Rock beat Ken Shamrock by reverse decision
• Dumpster Match for the Tag Team Title: Cactus Jack & Terry Funk beat Champions Billy Gunn & Jesse James to win the title. The decision was later reversed
• The Undertaker beat Kane
• WWE Title Match with Mike Tyson as Special Enforcer: Steve Austin beat Shawn Michaels to win the title

Unforgiven: In Your House - Greensboro Coliseum; Greensboro, NC 4/26/1998

• Ken Shamrock, Steve Blackman & Faarooq beat The Rock, D-Lo Brown, & Mark Henry
• European Title: Champion Triple H beat Owen Hart
• NWA Tag Team Title: Champions The New Midnight Express beat The Rock-n-Roll Express
• Evening Gown Match: Luna beat Sable
• Tag Team Titles: Champions The New Age Outlaws beat L.O.D. 2000
• Inferno Match: Undertaker beat Kane
• WWE Title: Dude Love beat Champion Steve Austin by DQ

Over The Edge - Wisconsin Center Arena; Milwaukee, WI 5/31/1998

• L.O.D. 2000 beat The Disciples of Apocalypse
• Jeff Jarrett beat Steve Blackman
• Marc Mero beat Sable. As a result, Sable was fired.
• Kaientai beat Bradshaw & Taka Michinoku
• Intercontinental Title: Champion The Rock beat Faarooq
• Mask vs. Mask: Kane beat Vader
• Owen Hart, Mark Henry & D-Lo Brown beat Degeneration X

• WWE Title: Champion Steve Austin beat Dude Love in a match where the stipulations kept changing because Mr. McMahon was special referee

King of The Ring - Civic Arena; Pittsburgh, PA 6/28/1998

• Taka Michinoku & The Headbangers beat Kaientai
• Semi-Final: Ken Shamrock beat Jeff Jarrett
• Semi-Final: The Rock beat Dan Severn
• Jerry Lawler is Referee: Brian Christopher & Scott Taylor beat Al Snow & Head
• X-Pac beat Owen Hart
• Tag Team Title: Champions The New Age Outlaws beat The New Midnight Express
• Finals: Ken Shamrock beat The Rock by submission to win the tournament
• Hell in a Cell Match: The Undertaker beat Mankind
• First Blood Match for WWF Title: Kane beat Steve Austin to win the title

Fully Loaded: In Your House - Civic Center; Fresno, CA 7/26/1998

• Val Venis beat Jeff Jarrett
• D-Lo Brown beat X-Pac
• Faarooq & 2 Cold Scorpio beat Terry Funk & Bradshaw

• Mark Henry beat Vader
• The Disciples of Apocalypse beat L.O.D. 2000
• Owen Hart beat Ken Shamrock in a match that took place inside Stu Hart's Dungeon. Dan Severn served as special guest referee.
• Intercontinental Title: Champion The Rock and Triple H fought to a time limit draw
• Tag Team Title: Steve Austin & Undertaker beat Mankind & Kane to win the titles

SummerSlam - Madison Square Garden; New York, NY 8/30/1998

• European Title: Champion D-Lo Brown beat Val Venis by DQ
• The Human Oddities beat Kaientai
• Hair vs Hair Match: X-Pac beat Jeff Jarrett
• Edge & Sable beat Marc Mero & Jacquelyn
• Lions Den Match: Ken Shamrock beat Owen Hart
• Tag Team Title: The New Age Outlaws beat Mankind & Kane to win the titles. Kane did not show up for the match.
• Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Title: Triple H beat The Rock to win the title
• WWE Title: Champion Steve Austin beat The Undertaker

Breakdown: In Your House - Copps Coliseum; Hamilton, Ontario 9/27/1998

• Owen Hart beat Edge
• Al Snow & 2 Cold Scorpio beat Scott Taylor & Brian Christopher
• Marc Mero beat Droz
• Bradshaw beat Vader
• D-Lo Brown pinned Gangrel
• Triple Threat Steel Cage Match: The Rock beat Mankind & Ken Shamrock
• Val Venis pinned Dustin Runnels
• D-Generation X beat Jeff Jarrett & Southern Justice
• WWE Title: The Undertaker & Kane both pinned Champion Steve Austin to win the title. The title was declared vacant the next night.

Judgment Day: In Your House - Rosemont Horizon; Chicago, IL 10/18/1998

• Al Snow beat Marc Mero
• L.O.D. 2000 & Droz beat Skull, 8 Ball & Paul Ellering

• Light Heavyweight Title: Christian beat Taka Michinoku to win the title
• Goldust beat Val Venis
• European Title: X-Pac beat D-Lo Brown to win the title
• Tag Team Title: The Headbangers beat Champions New Age Outlaws by DQ
• Intercontinental Title: Champion Ken Shamrock beat Mankind
• Mark Henry beat The Rock
• WWF Title: Kane & Undertaker pinned each due to the actions of special ref Steve Austin. As a result, the title was declared vacant.

Survivor Series - Kiel Center; St. Louis, MO 11/15/1998

• First Round: Mankind beat Duane Gill
• First Round: Al Snow beat Jeff Jarrett
• First Round: Steve Austin beat Big Bossman
• First Round: X-Pac & Steven Regal fought to a double-count out
• First Round: Ken Shamrock beat Goldust
• First Round: The Rock pinned The Big Bossman (subbing for the injured Triple H)
• Quarterfinals: Undertaker beat Kane (both men had received first round byes)
• Quarterfinals: Mankind beat Al Snow
• Quarterfinals: The Rock beat Ken Shamrock
• Women's Title: Sable beat Jacqueline to win the title
• Semi-finals: Mankind beat Steve Austin
• Semi-finals: The Rock beat The Undertaker
• Tag Team Titles: Champions The New Age Outlaws beat The Headbangers and D-Lo Brown & Mark Henry to retain the titles
• Final Match for Vacant WWF Title: The Rock beat Mankind to win the title

Rock Bottom: In Your House - General Motors Place; Vancouver, British Columbia 12/13/1998

• Light Heavyweight Title: Champion Duane Gill beat Matt Hardy
• Kevin Quinn beat Brian Christopher
• Triple H beat Droz
• Tag Team Titles: Champions New Age Outlaws beat The Acolytes by DQ

• Mark Henry & D-Lo Brown beat The Godfather & Val Venis
• The Headbangers beat The Human Oddities
• Steve Blackman beat Owen Hart by count out
• The Brood beat Bob Holly, 2 Cold Scorpio, & Al Snow
• Goldust beat Jeff Jarrett
• Tag Team Titles: Champions New Age Outlaws beat Big Bossman & Ken Shamrock
• WWF Title: Mankind beat Champion the Rock by knocking him out with the Mandible Claw. Since Rock didn't submit Mankind didn't get the title
• Buried Alive: Steve Austin beat The Undertaker

_{Sources Used Include: Pro Wrestling Illustrated Almanac, wwe.com, onlineworldofwrestling.com, and thehistoryofwwe.com}