Activities Sports & Athletics 1998 WWE PPV Results - The Year Steve Austin Became WWE Champion Share PINTEREST Email Print Steve Austin won the WWE Championship for the first time in 1998. (Getty Images) Sports & Athletics Professional Wrestling Best of Wrestling Famous Wrestlers Baseball Basketball Bicycling Billiards Bodybuilding Bowling Boxing Car Racing Cheerleading Cricket Extreme Sports Football Golf Gymnastics Ice Hockey Martial Arts Skateboarding Skating Paintball Soccer Swimming & Diving Table Tennis Tennis Track & Field Volleyball Other Activities Learn More By Eric Cohen Eric Cohen is a sports writer focused on pro wrestling. He is a featured guest in wrestling discussions on BBC Radio and Sirius Hardcore Sports Radio. our editorial process Eric Cohen Updated July 10, 2017 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 GoldustMax Mini, Nova, & Mosaic beat Tarantula, El Torito, & BattalionIntercontinental Title: Champ The Rock beat Ken Shamrock by DQCasket Match for the WWE Championship: Champion Shawn Michaels beat The UndertakerSteve 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 & GoldustLight Heavyweight Title: Champ Taka Michinoku beat PanteraThe Godwinns beat The QuebecersNWA North American Title: Bradshaw beat Champion Jeff Jarrett by DQChainz, Skull, 8 Ball, Ahmed Johnson, & Ken Shamrock beat The Rock, Kama D-Lo Brown, Faarooq, & Mark HenryKane beat VaderSteve 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 ExpressLight Heavyweight Title: Champion Taka Michinoku beat AguilaEuropean Title: Champion Triple H beat Owen Hart. Chyna & Sgt. Slaughter were handcuffed together out side the ring.Marc Mero & Sable beat Goldust & LunaIntercontinental Title: Champion The Rock beat Ken Shamrock by reverse decisionDumpster Match for the Tag Team Title: Cactus Jack & Terry Funk beat Champions Billy Gunn & Jesse James to win the title. The decision was later reversedThe Undertaker beat KaneWWE 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 HenryEuropean Title: Champion Triple H beat Owen HartNWA Tag Team Title: Champions The New Midnight Express beat The Rock-n-Roll ExpressEvening Gown Match: Luna beat SableTag Team Titles: Champions The New Age Outlaws beat L.O.D. 2000Inferno Match: Undertaker beat KaneWWE 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 ApocalypseJeff Jarrett beat Steve BlackmanMarc Mero beat Sable. As a result, Sable was fired.Kaientai beat Bradshaw & Taka MichinokuIntercontinental Title: Champion The Rock beat FaarooqMask vs. Mask: Kane beat VaderOwen Hart, Mark Henry & D-Lo Brown beat Degeneration XWWE 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 KaientaiSemi-Final: Ken Shamrock beat Jeff JarrettSemi-Final: The Rock beat Dan SevernJerry Lawler is Referee: Brian Christopher & Scott Taylor beat Al Snow & HeadX-Pac beat Owen HartTag Team Title: Champions The New Age Outlaws beat The New Midnight ExpressFinals: Ken Shamrock beat The Rock by submission to win the tournamentHell in a Cell Match: The Undertaker beat MankindFirst 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 JarrettD-Lo Brown beat X-PacFaarooq & 2 Cold Scorpio beat Terry Funk & BradshawMark Henry beat VaderThe Disciples of Apocalypse beat L.O.D. 2000Owen 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 drawTag 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 DQThe Human Oddities beat KaientaiHair vs Hair Match: X-Pac beat Jeff JarrettEdge & Sable beat Marc Mero & JacquelynLions Den Match: Ken Shamrock beat Owen HartTag 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 titleWWE Title: Champion Steve Austin beat The Undertaker Breakdown: In Your House - Copps Coliseum; Hamilton, Ontario 9/27/1998 Owen Hart beat EdgeAl Snow & 2 Cold Scorpio beat Scott Taylor & Brian ChristopherMarc Mero beat DrozBradshaw beat VaderD-Lo Brown pinned GangrelTriple Threat Steel Cage Match: The Rock beat Mankind & Ken ShamrockVal Venis pinned Dustin RunnelsD-Generation X beat Jeff Jarrett & Southern JusticeWWE 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 MeroL.O.D. 2000 & Droz beat Skull, 8 Ball & Paul ElleringLight Heavyweight Title: Christian beat Taka Michinoku to win the titleGoldust beat Val VenisEuropean Title: X-Pac beat D-Lo Brown to win the titleTag Team Title: The Headbangers beat Champions New Age Outlaws by DQIntercontinental Title: Champion Ken Shamrock beat MankindMark Henry beat The RockWWF 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 GillFirst Round: Al Snow beat Jeff JarrettFirst Round: Steve Austin beat Big BossmanFirst Round: X-Pac & Steven Regal fought to a double-count outFirst Round: Ken Shamrock beat GoldustFirst 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 SnowQuarterfinals: The Rock beat Ken ShamrockWomen's Title: Sable beat Jacqueline to win the titleSemi-finals: Mankind beat Steve AustinSemi-finals: The Rock beat The UndertakerTag Team Titles: Champions The New Age Outlaws beat The Headbangers and D-Lo Brown & Mark Henry to retain the titlesFinal 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 HardyKevin Quinn beat Brian ChristopherTriple H beat DrozTag Team Titles: Champions New Age Outlaws beat The Acolytes by DQMark Henry & D-Lo Brown beat The Godfather & Val VenisThe Headbangers beat The Human OdditiesSteve Blackman beat Owen Hart by count outThe Brood beat Bob Holly, 2 Cold Scorpio, & Al SnowGoldust beat Jeff JarrettTag Team Titles: Champions New Age Outlaws beat Big Bossman & Ken ShamrockWWF Title: Mankind beat Champion the Rock by knocking him out with the Mandible Claw. Since Rock didn't submit Mankind didn't get the titleBuried Alive: Steve Austin beat The Undertaker Sources Used Include: Pro Wrestling Illustrated Almanac, wwe.com, onlineworldofwrestling.com, and thehistoryofwwe.com