The summer of 1998 in WWE was all about one match: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker for the WWE Championship in the main event of SummerSlam. The match featured three months of build centered around Undertaker's relationship with his brother Kane and whether or not they would unite in an attempt to take the heavyweight title from Austin. At the King of the Ring pay-per-view in June, it certainly appeared that way as Undertaker blasted Austin with a chair shot, busting him open and costing him both a First Blood match and the WWE Championship to Kane. Austin would regain the title the following night and team with Undertaker to defeat Kane and Mankind for the tag titles at July's Fully Loaded pay-per-view. It created a scenario in which neither Austin nor Undertaker trusted one another and as a result, their title reign was a short one. With Undertaker as the number one contender and Austin the reigning champion, the stage was set for a clash between the two most popular stars of the time. Whether or not Kane would be a factor in the outcome of the match was constantly hanging over the bout, creating a great deal of drama and intrigue and making it a must-see contest. The video packages leading into SummerSlam, set to AC/DC's epic "Highway to Hell" and featuring everything that had led to the match spliced with images of the competitors maneuvering through what looks like a war zone, really sold the importance of the match. Austin would overcome the challenge of the Deadman in a very good title bout, bringing to a close the one of the best-built stories in Undertaker's long and illustrious career.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
