The BEST Wrestling Moment Every Year (1989 - 2026)

28. 1999 | Butts: Seated

Because the WWF was so red-hot heading into 1999, there are two separate choices for best moment of the year, they happened in the same segment of television, and they happened immediately on the very first episode of Raw of the year: January 4. 

The Rock defended the WWF World title against Mankind. It isn’t remembered for its match quality, but it was actually something else. There’s a great moment in which the Rock takes the headset and does his commentary trash talk bit. He thinks he can get away with it because the Corporation, enabled by the No Disqualification stip, has spent the entire match kicking lumps out of Mankind. He can’t: Foley is too awesome, and he smashes the bottle of water out of Rock’s hand before jumping at him over the table. The fire-up spot is so good: Foley scrapes his forearms against the Rock’s head, violently and repeatedly, before using the stip himself to strangle the arrogant bastard. 

The Corporation eventually regains control, but when a schmozz breaks out, the glass shatters. Steve Austin’s entrance here is the first aforementioned moment. It is impossible to watch it back and not rewind the pop at least five times (in watching it back to write this entry, that total reached eight). The delayed realisation that it actually is Austin, and the sheer last-minute-winner noise somehow generated by an audience knackered after a marathon block taping, is phenomenal.  

Austin helps Mankind win the title, which is the second moment. It’s also one of the most earned moments in the history of our sport.