Favorite year of the Rock/Austin feud?

[DaylitoJames]

Two words: My Way.

"I need to beat you, Rock. I need it more than anything you can ever imagine"

Austin sold his soul to the goddamn devil

 

[HipHopStan]

From a match story point of view, it doesn't get much better than X7.

Austin is already insecure from losing the 2 out of 3 falls match to HHH after being up 1 fall to none at the previous month's ppv. That isn't what's supposed to happen. He's supposed to come into WM strong. He also needs validation to himself that he can come back from serious neck surgery and again be top guy. Who's on top at the time? The Rock.

Austin's beat Rock before. However, the loss to HHH from the previous month coupled with a great dueling promo bit a week or two out where Austin states he NEEDS to win the title. Problem for him is, Rock isn't the same Rock from 1999. He's better and his popularity has skyrocketed in his absence. .

Which is why it isn't a surprise that Austin attacks Rock before the bell even rings. Odd behavior for a babyface. He bloodies Rock. Rock gives it all back. Things are evening up in a great brawl. You start to see Austin pulling things out from matches past and such to try to put Rock away. Stunner. Doesn't work. A second stunner, it worked in WMXV. Not this time. Austin tries to finish Rock with his own Rock Bottom. Still not good enough. Austin starts to even go back to old tricks like the Millon Dollar Dream and almost suffers defeat with it just like Survivor Series 96. Austin's facial expressions during this time of trying to finish off Rock are incredible. It's similar to Ultimate Warrior staring at his hands when he couldn't finish off Savage at WM7.

Austin goes to the final plan. Vince McMahon. The man he has hated for years. His greatest nemesis. Vince is the Ace up Austin's sleeve and Austin HAS to use it to put Rock away. Austin doesn't use any wrestling move or finisher to put Rock away. He uses pure barbarism with a chair to do it. Austin pretty much is gone in terms of this as a wrestling match and basically uses an assault with a weapon to get the job done. Even if he has to align himself with Vince to do it, Austin had to win this match or else him coming back would mean nothing. I didn't have as much of an issue with the chair and McMahon interference finish as others did because it fit within the story they were telling very nicely.

That is why it's their best match and it's the climax of the Attitude era for me. The other 2 matches can't even begin to scratch the surface of that kind of storytelling.

 

[The Intergalactic Koala]

WM 17 feud for the following reasons:

• My Way
• Nobody wasn't expecting Austin to turn
• The moment at WM 17 where the Rock came out to do his whole top rope stance while Austin looked at him like followed by.

The last bullet point spoke volumes to the feud because this was like the sequel that turned into the best of their three matches. Like two megastars colliding to conclude a end of a era. This match was like the curtain call for wrestling to be popular ever, and I mean EVER again.

That shyt means a lot because there will be another feud that will have that much of a strength on both shoulders. Not even Cena/Punk provided such weight because the machine would never allow it to hold that much weight.

It's like wrestling went back to becoming niche the moment Mcmahon became a factor to Austin's victory, showing whose really the problem all along

 

[R=G]

From a match story point of view, it doesn't get much better than X7.

Austin is already insecure from losing the 2 out of 3 falls match to HHH after being up 1 fall to none at the previous month's ppv. That isn't what's supposed to happen. He's supposed to come into WM strong. He also needs validation to himself that he can come back from serious neck surgery and again be top guy. Who's on top at the time? The Rock.

Austin's beat Rock before. However, the loss to HHH from the previous month coupled with a great dueling promo bit a week or two out where Austin states he NEEDS to win the title. Problem for him is, Rock isn't the same Rock from 1999. He's better and his popularity has skyrocketed in his absence. .

Which is why it isn't a surprise that Austin attacks Rock before the bell even rings. Odd behavior for a babyface. He bloodies Rock. Rock gives it all back. Things are evening up in a great brawl. You start to see Austin pulling things out from matches past and such to try to put Rock away. Stunner. Doesn't work. A second stunner, it worked in WMXV. Not this time. Austin tries to finish Rock with his own Rock Bottom. Still not good enough. Austin starts to even go back to old tricks like the Millon Dollar Dream and almost suffers defeat with it just like Survivor Series 96. Austin's facial expressions during this time of trying to finish off Rock are incredible. It's similar to Ultimate Warrior staring at his hands when he couldn't finish off Savage at WM7.

Austin goes to the final plan. Vince McMahon. The man he has hated for years. His greatest nemesis. Vince is the Ace up Austin's sleeve and Austin HAS to use it to put Rock away. Austin doesn't use any wrestling move or finisher to put Rock away. He uses pure barbarism with a chair to do it. Austin pretty much is gone in terms of this as a wrestling match and basically uses an assault with a weapon to get the job done. Even if he has to align himself with Vince to do it, Austin had to win this match or else him coming back would mean nothing. I didn't have as much of an issue with the chair and McMahon interference finish as others did because it fit within the story they were telling very nicely.

That is why it's their best match and it's the climax of the Attitude era for me. The other 2 matches can't even begin to scratch the surface of that kind of storytelling.

Another point was Austin was beat and McMahon saved him before that 3 count.

 

[Jmare007]

Austin vs Rock at WM 17 and the build up to it is truly some historic shyt that will never happen again. Sure, the Debra stuff was meh but both of them going at it at that stage of their careers and at the peak of Attitude Era is something that feels kinda surreal we were able to witness.

Macho vs Hogan at 5 is masterpiece storytelling and basically Vince's peak as a booker. But Austin vs Rock at 17 is some blockbuster shyt that's never ever happening again with people THAT talented, popular and entertaining making magic.

 

[Jmare007]

From a match story point of view, it doesn't get much better than X7.

Austin is already insecure from losing the 2 out of 3 falls match to HHH after being up 1 fall to none at the previous month's ppv. That isn't what's supposed to happen. He's supposed to come into WM strong. He also needs validation to himself that he can come back from serious neck surgery and again be top guy. Who's on top at the time? The Rock.

Austin's beat Rock before. However, the loss to HHH from the previous month coupled with a great dueling promo bit a week or two out where Austin states he NEEDS to win the title. Problem for him is, Rock isn't the same Rock from 1999. He's better and his popularity has skyrocketed in his absence. .

Which is why it isn't a surprise that Austin attacks Rock before the bell even rings. Odd behavior for a babyface. He bloodies Rock. Rock gives it all back. Things are evening up in a great brawl. You start to see Austin pulling things out from matches past and such to try to put Rock away. Stunner. Doesn't work. A second stunner, it worked in WMXV. Not this time. Austin tries to finish Rock with his own Rock Bottom. Still not good enough. Austin starts to even go back to old tricks like the Millon Dollar Dream and almost suffers defeat with it just like Survivor Series 96. Austin's facial expressions during this time of trying to finish off Rock are incredible. It's similar to Ultimate Warrior staring at his hands when he couldn't finish off Savage at WM7.

Austin goes to the final plan. Vince McMahon. The man he has hated for years. His greatest nemesis. Vince is the Ace up Austin's sleeve and Austin HAS to use it to put Rock away. Austin doesn't use any wrestling move or finisher to put Rock away. He uses pure barbarism with a chair to do it. Austin pretty much is gone in terms of this as a wrestling match and basically uses an assault with a weapon to get the job done. Even if he has to align himself with Vince to do it, Austin had to win this match or else him coming back would mean nothing. I didn't have as much of an issue with the chair and McMahon interference finish as others did because it fit within the story they were telling very nicely.

That is why it's their best match and it's the climax of the Attitude era for me. The other 2 matches can't even begin to scratch the surface of that kind of storytelling.

awesome.

 

[Jim Cornette]

17..

But that austin heel turn with Vince in texas


That was ass and kinda ruins that whole match for me tbh...

 

[Nero Christ]

From a match story point of view, it doesn't get much better than X7.

Austin is already insecure from losing the 2 out of 3 falls match to HHH after being up 1 fall to none at the previous month's ppv. That isn't what's supposed to happen. He's supposed to come into WM strong. He also needs validation to himself that he can come back from serious neck surgery and again be top guy. Who's on top at the time? The Rock.

Austin's beat Rock before. However, the loss to HHH from the previous month coupled with a great dueling promo bit a week or two out where Austin states he NEEDS to win the title. Problem for him is, Rock isn't the same Rock from 1999. He's better and his popularity has skyrocketed in his absence. .

Which is why it isn't a surprise that Austin attacks Rock before the bell even rings. Odd behavior for a babyface. He bloodies Rock. Rock gives it all back. Things are evening up in a great brawl. You start to see Austin pulling things out from matches past and such to try to put Rock away. Stunner. Doesn't work. A second stunner, it worked in WMXV. Not this time. Austin tries to finish Rock with his own Rock Bottom. Still not good enough. Austin starts to even go back to old tricks like the Millon Dollar Dream and almost suffers defeat with it just like Survivor Series 96. Austin's facial expressions during this time of trying to finish off Rock are incredible. It's similar to Ultimate Warrior staring at his hands when he couldn't finish off Savage at WM7.

Austin goes to the final plan. Vince McMahon. The man he has hated for years. His greatest nemesis. Vince is the Ace up Austin's sleeve and Austin HAS to use it to put Rock away. Austin doesn't use any wrestling move or finisher to put Rock away. He uses pure barbarism with a chair to do it. Austin pretty much is gone in terms of this as a wrestling match and basically uses an assault with a weapon to get the job done. Even if he has to align himself with Vince to do it, Austin had to win this match or else him coming back would mean nothing. I didn't have as much of an issue with the chair and McMahon interference finish as others did because it fit within the story they were telling very nicely.

That is why it's their best match and it's the climax of the Attitude era for me. The other 2 matches can't even begin to scratch the surface of that kind of storytelling.

I felt (still do) that their WM19 had great storytelling too as you saw the inverse of this here. Rock is the one tormented by the fact he never beat Austin not just at WM but with the fans opinions too. The lead up to WM19 is a mix of WM15 comedy & WM17 intensity. Hollywood Rock's heel turn is in response to him never getting that Hogan/Austin love but with Austin, you have the more detailed beef.

The match isn't as good as WM17 but follows strong storytelling like WM17...at the start, Rock coulda jumped Austin, but didn't showing that immediate respect for his 1 & only equal. Then throughout the match, you get Rock putting on Austin's vest & using his moves, callbacks to previous matches as well as taunting the fans to say "this is what you like over me right"...then the ending...3 Rock bottoms, 1 for each WM classic and to end the feud once & for all

 

[Jimmy Two-Times™]

I'm not sure what year it was but when The Rock threw Stone Cold's smokin' skull belt into the river. I was so shocked.

Classic.

 

[R=G]

I felt (still do) that their WM19 had great storytelling too as you saw the inverse of this here. Rock is the one tormented by the fact he never beat Austin not just at WM but with the fans opinions too. The lead up to WM19 is a mix of WM15 comedy & WM17 intensity. Hollywood Rock's heel turn is in response to him never getting that Hogan/Austin love but with Austin, you have the more detailed beef.

The match isn't as good as WM17 but follows strong storytelling like WM17...at the start, Rock coulda jumped Austin, but didn't showing that immediate respect for his 1 & only equal. Then throughout the match, you get Rock putting on Austin's vest & using his moves, callbacks to previous matches as well as taunting the fans to say "this is what you like over me right"...then the ending...3 Rock bottoms, 1 for each WM classic and to end the feud once & for all

I watch the WM 19 match the most

 

[93 til]

WM XV was dope

19 was so good to the point where its underrated imo

But 17 was perfect. It was literally the perfect build and the intensity going into it could never be replicated. Crazy thing was it wasn't a typical face vs heel. It was just 2 guys going at it to see who truly was the best in the game. These 2 couldn't be more different personality wise but that's what made it great. And how many times does the match meet and exceed an already top notch build. If someone asks you to show them any match that could turn them onto wrestling, this should be it.

And the promo

 

[OmegaK2099]

 

[livindajetlife]

Dog being a kid Watching this I was so lucky .. I wouldn't even waste my time trying to watch wrestling now but back then this was the shyt

 

[ALTRUISM]

Mania 17, but 19 is very vastly underrated from a storytelling perspective. It was practically the reverse, "I need to beat you, more than you can ever imagine" from Rock's perspective, and the end of his journey with a five-year build behind it. From the nation, to the corporation, to the people's champ, and now Hollywood...

That. That is the face of a man who finally - FINALLY - achieved his goal after a lifetime of growth and adventures, trials and errors, being loved and hated amongst many. Something about it all is just really inspirational to me.

 

[OmegaK2099]

That time Austin back body dropped D'Lo onto the hood of his truck during a match with rocky