I don't think it was Michael that didn't fit as much as the PANEL didn't fit. I've said it before, but the panel seemed to be "lets just pull names out of a hat and whomever we pull out is on the panel"
Vicki Lawrence was an obvious choice considering her longtime association with game shows, even though she was only on the original Match Game twice. However I noticed as the series progressed she seemed more and more bored. Nell Carter did absolutely nothing, other than write "pee pee" on her card whenever she could. George Hamilton, I think, TRIED to make something out of the show, but sitting next to Nell he had little to work with. Don't get me started on Judy Tenuta... she was always trying to steal the spotlight, she was LOUD, OBNOXIOUS, and can't play an accordion to save her life! The original MG panel at least meshed together, and they never tried to top each other or steal the spotlight. The MG 98 panel was just a random assortment of celebs that did their own thing. It didn't work.
The show, however, did have interesting contestants. One of them was Matthew, a Jewish contestant that wore a very colorful yamalca (forgive me if I spelled that wrong). Judy was "sending vibes" to him and he, in return, sent vibes back to Judy, making the funniest faces. When the contestant is funnier than the panel, there's something wrong.