8. WWE Championship Match: Steve Austin vs. The Rock (Wrestlemania XIX)
"If there's one thing that Hollywood has taught The Rock, it's that act one and act two...they don't matter. The only thing that matters, everyone remembers...act three," The Rock told Jonathan Coachman, playing up his movie star heel character and eluding to the ultimate match in his epic rivalry with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. At WrestleMania X-Seven, Austin shockingly aligned himself with the villainous Mr. McMahon and brutalized The Rock to win the WWE Championship in the second of their three 'Mania main events. It was a clash of wrestling's biggest stars and the last time they would share the squared circle in a major singles bout for two years. By the time they met again in 2003 at WrestleMania XIX, they would be in different places in their careers. Austin would be competing in his first pay-per-view main event since walking out on WWE the previous May while The Rock would be a blossoming Hollywood star. Unbeknownst to many, their final clash at the Showcase of the Immortals would be the last time the Texas Rattlesnake would compete between the ropes. Austin and Rock delivered a classic match full of reversals and counters, entertaining spots, fan-favorite finishing maneuvers and dramatic nearfalls that captivated the fans inside Seattle's SafeCo Field. Austin showed tremendous guts given the fact that he had been hospitalized the night before with an elevated heart rate, a health condition that threatened his participation in one of the year's biggest and most anticipated contests. In the end, The Rock made up for two majorly disappointing losses to Stone Cold with a definitive pinfall victory.
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.
