Definitely not the usual "Survivor Series" (which is almost exclusively a lot of tag-team matches) and what an unusual start to Survivor Series 1998. I have to admit it was actually laughable. I have no idea who that dude was but that had to have been one of the fastest matches in WWE history. (The supposed 9-second pinfall by "King Kong Bundy" suffered by S.D. "Special Delivery" Jones at the original Wrestlemania in 1985 notwithstanding.) After that unique - and hilarious - opening match, which wasn't really a match but a joke, we move into the "opening round" of the tournament for the WWF championship. This one features "Al Snow & Head" vs Jeff Jarrett, and I still get a laugh at how "Al Snow & Head" has become such a popular character. Very entertaining match with a great conclusion. Next, a special one-on-one match between "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs "The Big Boss Man" (Ray Traylor) who's making a WWE appearance for the first time in several years. Of course, with the ongoing story featuring "Mr. McMahon" and Austin, you sort of know what this about, and it doesn't fail to deliver. Following this was a match that I would just as soon skip over, as it features Sean "Gee I Wish I Could Be a Real Wrestler But I'm Just So Gosh-Darned Tiny" Waltman. This time he's taking on a very laughable "Real Man's Man" Steven Regal and that has to be the funniest bit on this entire card. "A Real Man's Man" Steven Regal... That's as laughable (almost) as Sean Waltman's so-called "martial arts". They tried to make this interesting with an "on-the-fly" backstory but neither Waltman nor Steven Regal are very convincing entertainers, so the match itself was just flat out boring. Next up is Ken Shamrock vs Golddust (Dustin Runnels) and this turned out to be basically a snooze-fest. Sorry, Golddust, you tried to make it interesting but Ken Shamrock just never seemed comfortable as a "sports entertainer". He was good as a true MMA fighter but Shamrock never did really fit well into the circus environment of the WWF. The next altercation, however, proved to be highly entertaining as "The Rock" (Dwayne Johnson) took on a surprise opponent in the form of "The Big Boss Man". Don't blink... Next on the card: a match between "Al Snow & Head" (I still find that hilarious) vs "Mankind" (one of the many characters portrayed by Mick Foley). The match was interesting enough (nothing spectacular but certainly not boring) but when "good ol' JR" Jim Ross announced at the 1:09:42 mark _"Calling Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard"_ I almost lost it. You'd have to be a hardcore fan of the _Three Stooges_ to catch that, but I caught it. JR, that was classic! Next was a great match between the now soaring-to-popularity "Rock" (Dwayne Johnson) vs Ken Shamrock. The match between these two was great but it was the conclusion that made it even better. Definitely one of the more entertaining matches on this card. After this was a .... I'm sorry, but I just never could get into "womens' wrestling".... and this match between two curvaceous and busty babes - Jacquelyn vs Sable - still did absolutely nothing for me. I don't know why women wrestlers - even the curvy ones - aren't as entertaining as the male wrestlers but for some reason, they just... their moves and "fights" all look so fake, in spite of who and what they try. And this one was no different, and I couldn't get through this one fast enough. Yawn. Next on the card was what, by all rights, should have been an excellent match: a "semi-final" match for the WWF Championship between "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs "Mankind". Unfortunately, though, the WWF has turned into what Jim Crockett Promotions / NWA (prior to its becoming WCW) used to be: nothing but lopsided matches that end either in interference or disqualifications, or outright cheating. Now we have yet another "semi-final" match, this one between "The Rock" (Dwayne Johnson) vs "The Undertaker. Decent match with a bit of a surprising finish... Following this, a "triple-threat" tag-team match for the WWF tag-team championship between "The New Age Outlaws" vs "The Headbangers" vs Mark Henry & D'Lo Brown. This one actually turned out to be more entertaining than I had expected. Now for the main event: a match for the WWF Heavyweight Championship title between "The Rock" (Dwayne Johnson) vs "Mankind" (Mick Foley). The match itself was great but I have to admit, the commentary by Jim Ross was hilarious. I mean, I've listened to Jim Ross call wrestling since his days in the Mid-South/UWF and he's always been a favorite; this was no different because he makes it seem so plausible and so authentic with his running dialogue of _"Good god a'mighty....will somebody please stop the damn match...they're gonna kill each other...I've never seen such carnage..."_ etc etc. If _you_ don't believe it's true, you can at least believe that JR believes it's true. LOL The conclusion of the match was something I didn't see coming but you have to admit, the (the WWF) knows how to write a story. Has to rank as one of the best finishes to a WWF pay-per-view. Ever.