10 Fascinating WWE King Of The Ring 1998 Facts
2. Austin Actually Bled Earlier In The Match
You know the rules of a First Blood match - first man to bleed their own blood loses the match. Couldn't be simpler. Austin was due to lose the Championship to Kane, but not before The Undertaker and a somehow-still-conscious Mankind inserted themselves into the closing moments, where Undertaker would accidentally whack Austin with a chair.
Earlier on in the brawl, Austin sustained a cut on his back, but a rather minor one. In theory, this would have been grounds for ending the bout, but a convenient bit of prescient wording worked to their advantage.
Earlier in the night on the pre-show, referee Earl Hebner did an interview where he declared that he would not stop the fight for a minor cut or a broken nose, or anything else short of a true gusher. Lucky break on their part.