10 Things You Didn't Know About WWE In 1999

3. Michael Cole Spoiled The Main Event Of WrestleMania

Chris Jericho Road Dogg
WWE.com

Some would argue that Stone Cold Steve Austin spoiled the main event of WrestleMania when he turned out in a t-shirt for his one-on-one showdown with The Rock, but 'The Rattlesnake' forgetting his signature black vest for the night was forgotten pretty much as soon as the pair started throwing fists.

The hottest match in pro wrestling couldn't be tempered by the aesthetic setback, nor were the live crowd in the building aware that a Michael Cole commentary flub had clued the at-home viewers in on who might be winning.

While plugging a home shopping channel link-up starting after the event, Michael Cole noted how "we'll hear from the new WWE Champion" with post-game comments. A misspeak that was missed by plenty, those who picked it up didn't let Cole forget over the years. Though not the specific reason Cole was switched out for a returning Jim Ross in the headline bout itself, the overwhelmingly positive response JR received was as much to do with most fans thinking it was still very much his position. Lots of Cole's little goofs like this one were part of the reason why.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett