10 Most Exciting Run-ins In WWE History
1. Stone Cold Steve Austin (Raw Jan. 4, 1999)
Maybe it’s a little one-sided to have Stone Cold Steve Austin chart in first, second and third place on this list. But that’s not a sign of any personal bias -he’s just really, really good at running in on matches.
Truth be told I could have gone with any one of the top three in first place; in the end though I’ve opted to go with his intrusion in the main event of Raw is War from the Jan. 4, 1999 episode.
Not for the first time, Austin found himself intruding in one of the Rock’s matches, although this time he very much didn’t have the Brahma Bull’s back. This was during the Rock’s “corporate” days and after Ken Shamrock had intervened, hitting Mankind with a chair, this clearly rubbed Austin the wrong way.
As a ringside brawl broke out between D-Generation X and the Corporation, Austin took it upon himself to set things straight inside the ring. Entering the fray, he wasted no time in seizing a chair and slogging the Rock over the head with it, paving the way for Mankind to get the cover and score an emotional maiden WWF title win.
It sounds simplistic and really it was, but what made this such a memorable run-in was the utter pandemonium it caused at ringside. Awash with panic, Vince McMahon was absolutely seething at seeing Austin thwart his plans, while Austin himself responded with a volley of abuse and middle fingers, as well as tossing his hat at McMahon in a final act of defiance.
The scenes were the perfect summation of the Attitude Era, making for a moment that will likely forever be remembered as one of the best run-ins in history.