10 Moments That Destroyed WWE's King Of The Ring
9. Shamrock Vs. Severn Fails To Materialize
In 1998, WWE had an incredibly hot product. The company had embarked upon the Attitude Era in which fans had come to expect a more physical style of sports-entertainment. These factors and more combined to create quite the buzz surrounding the 1998 King Of The Ring.
The tournament semifinals would take place at the PPV with former UFC Superfight Champion Dan Severn battling The Rock, while another former UFC Champion, Ken Shamrock, wrestled Jeff Jarrett. The winners of each match would clash in the finals later in the evening.
Many fans assumed that a Shamrock vs. Severn finals was a foregone conclusion. The two men that fought twice in the tournament-happy UFC could've had their rubber match at the King Of The Ring as a way for WWE to utilize their history.
Instead of capitalizing on the buzz and presenting the finals that the fans wanted to see, WWE decided to book yet another Shamrock vs. Rock match in the finals, despite the two having already fought each other on 4 of the first 5 WWE Pay-Per-Views of 1998.
The decision to eliminate Severn in the semis took the air out of the Pittsburgh Civic Arena and left a negative impact on the 1998 King Of The Ring.