Kane made an explosive WWE debut at Badd Blood: In Your House, when he interrupted his brother The Undertaker’s Hell in a Cell match with Shawn Michaels. The Big Red Machine was a menace, and he was destructive with his father Paul Bearer by his side. Kane felt like a big star during his early WWE career, and feuding with The Undertaker successfully, got Kane over.
Whilst, Kane might not have wrestled on Raw for seven months after his WWE debut, he still appeared on WWE television in various segments. Kane spent the majority of his WWE career on Raw, and the first batch of matches in his WWE career on Raw saw him featured in several championship matches.
10/10 Kane Vs. Goldust – 5/4/98
Kane competed in his first match on Raw since he made his WWE debut on the May 4, 1998, edition of Raw. He faced off with Goldust, who was a former two-time Intercontinental Champion at this point in his career. However, Kane’s right hand was bandaged from the Inferno match with The Undertaker.
Goldust tried to inflict pain on Kane’s arm by wrenching it. Nevertheless, the action spilled onto the outside, and Undertaker ran down the aisle and he attacked Paul Bearer. Kane retaliated by fighting his brother, and the match ended in a disqualification with Kane and Undertaker brawling.
9/10 Kane Vs. Road Dogg – 6/22/98
Kane clashed with one-half of the WWE World Tag Team Champions Road Dogg, but Billy Gunn was sent back to the locker room. Kane was in control of proceedings, and he had the size and strength advantage. Kane was riding a wave of momentum as he was the number one contender for both the WWE and WWE World Tag Team Championships.
Dogg managed to clothesline Kane over the top rope, and Kane landed on his feet. The referee failed to spot Dogg’s low blow on Kane, but that didn’t deter the Big Red Machine as he connected with a Chokeslam and a Tombstone to secure the win.
8/10 Kane & Mankind Vs. The New Age Outlaws – 7/13/98
Kane and Mankind challenged The New Age Outlaws for the WWE World Tag Team Championship, and The Undertaker made his presence felt at ringside. Mankind was still reeling from the effects of his brutal Hell in a Cell match with The Undertaker, and Chyna hit him in the shoulder with one of the Tag Team Championships.
The Rock and Owen Hart both interfered with the Nation and DX brawling. Kane got straight back up from Billy Gunn’s Fameasser. Moreover, D’Lo Brown executed the Lo Down on Dogg, and Kane Tombstoned Dogg to secure the WWE World Tag Team Championship for himself and Mankind.
7/10 Kane & Mankind Vs. The New Age Outlaws – 8/3/98
Kane and Mankind’s paths with The New Age Outlaws crossed once more on the August 3, 1998 edition of Raw. The Outlaws got the upper in the early stages of the match, but Kane showcased his strength as he double suplexed both of The Outlaws, who attempted to double-suplex him.
Dogg was bleeding from the mouth, and Mankind clocked Dogg with a sickening chair shot to the head on the outside. Gunn retaliated by doing the same to Mankind. However, despite Dogg not being the legal man, Kane executed the Tombstone for victory with Mankind grabbing Gunn’s foot, preventing him to break up the hold.
6/10 Kane & Mankind Vs. Steve Austin – 7/20/98
WWE Champion Steve Austin had his hands full with the WWE World Tag Team Champions Kane and Mankind in a handicap match on the go-home episode of Raw before Fully Loaded: In Your House. Austin hit Mankind with the WWE Title when he made his way down the aisle, and Undertaker was supposed to fight Kane and Mankind but he left the building.
This was a brawl with Austin attempting the Stunner on Kane but Kane blocked it and Mankind clotheslined him. Undertaker returned to the building with a chair in hand, and Austin hit Mankind with the Stunner, and Kane broke it up but he accidentally hit his partner. Nonetheless, Kane went for the Chokeslam and Austin low-blowed him with the reigning Tag Team Champions victorious by disqualification after a few chair shots were given.
5/10 Kane & Mankind Vs. Steve Austin & The Undertaker – 6/15/98
Kane and Mankind pulled double duty on the June 15, 1998, episode of Raw with the Hell in a Cell match featuring the two monsters colliding with Steve Austin and The Undertaker. It was the first Hell in a Cell match to take place on Raw. It was more of an angle instead of a wrestling match.
Paul Bearer locked himself in the cell thinking he was safe, but Undertaker emerged through the ring and viciously attacked Bearer. Kane was trying to save his father but he couldn’t as the cell was locked. Bearer bled profusely, and Austin hit Mankind with a wicked chair shot to the skull. Furthermore, Austin climbed to the top of the cell, and he clashed with Kane but the show went off the air.
4/10 Tag Team Royal Rumble Match – 6/15/98
The winners of the first-ever tag team Royal Rumble match would become the number one contenders for the WWE World Tag Team Championship. Kane and Mankind were the second entrants, and they got the match underway with LOD.
This was an impressive performance from Kane and Mankind who were dominant throughout. Terry Funk nailed Kane with several chair shots but Mankind stopped Funk by nailing Funk in the head with a chair shot. Nonetheless, Kane Tombstoned 2-Cold Scorpio, and Kane booted Funk in the face whilst Mankind held the chair to win the match.
3/10 Kane & Mankind Vs. The New Age Outlaws – 7/13/98
The New Age Outlaws invoked their rematch clause on the same night, and they challenged the new WWE World Tag Team Champions Kane and Mankind for the gold. This time Steve Austin and The Undertaker were enforcers ensuring everything ran smoothly.
The Outlaws targetted Kane’s legs, and this was a back-and-forth match with both teams enjoying spells of dominance. Dogg was close to regaining the titles with an inside cradle but Undertaker stopped Austin’s count. The same happened with Kane chokeslamming Dogg, and Undertaker was counting but Austin halted him. Ultimately, Kane began to fight Austin, and Mankind brawled with Undertaker whilst chaos ensued with the Nation and DX continuing to fight each other with the match ruled as a no contest.
2/10 Kane Vs. The Undertaker – 6/1/98
Kane was still seeking his first victory over his brother The Undertaker, and the stakes were high as the winner in their first encounter on Raw earned the right to become the number one contender for the WWE Championship. Kane attempted to get the first strike in but Undertaker countered it with some strikes.
This was a competitive match, and Undertaker executed the Tombstone but the referee was knocked down. Mick Foley made a return by reprising his Mankind role and he cinched in the Mandible Claw on Undertaker. Mankind’s distraction played into Kane’s hands as he put Undertaker away with the Tombstone, to become the number one contender for Steve Austin’s WWE Championship at King of the Ring 1998.
1/10 Kane Vs. Steve Austin – 6/29/98
24 hours removed after defeating Steve Austin for the WWE Championship at King of the Ring 1998 in a First Blood match, Kane put his newly won title on the line against Austin in a rematch. This was a superb wrestling match with Kane doing a good job of keeping up with Austin.
The atmosphere was electric, and fans desperately wanted the Texas Rattlesnake to regain the WWE Championship. Nevertheless, Austin executed the Stunner on Kane to become WWE Champion once more with Kane having one of the shortest WWE Championship reigns in WWE history.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
