Main event matches at WrestleManias 15 and 17, plus a high-profile match at WrestleMania 19, is almost enough to be included on this list all by itself. It was more than just that, though, with Austin VS Rock. It was the two top guys in one of the most prolific and profitable eras of all-time, battling it out to see who was the guy. They were both "Alpha Males", trying to get the top spot. Fans that were of a certain age during the Attitude Era fondly remember fights and arguments breaking out in school over this feud. If you were an "Austin Guy/Gal", so to speak, you were at constant odds with people who considered themselves a "Rock Guy/Gal". You just didn't see people publicly claim to be fans of both. WrestleMania 17 was, simply put, a magical night. The end of the match was slightly marred by a heel turn that could not have happened at a worse time (Austin wasn't going to get booed in his home state, even after he "sold his soul to the devil" to win the WWF Title), but the match itself was incredible, full of drama, with a molten-hot crowd throughout. When it was all said and done, Austin had won, giving him his second WrestleMania victory over Rock, and their feud would go on and continue as Rock fought for Team WWF, while Austin captained The Alliance. The final match in their WrestleMania trilogy was a fitting end to their feud. It was an emotional roller coaster ride, with Austin being at the end of his in-ring career. When Rock got the win, both men were fighting back tears as they broke character and had a private discussion in the middle of the ring for a few moments. It was the end of an era, in more ways than one, and you could just sense it.
Columnist/Podcaster/Director at LordsOfPain.net for nearly seven years, with nearly 2000 total columns written. Interviewed and/or involved in interviewing the likes of Tyler Black/Seth Rollins (twice), Diamond Dallas Page, Jimmy Jacobs, Christopher Daniels, Uhaa Nation and more.
