10 Wrestling Matches With Backstories You’ll NEVER Believe
2. Steve Austin Vs. The Rock
When: WWE WrestleMania XIX
What Happened: 'Mania XIX was Steve Austin's last wrestling match for 19 years, but the day before that mega-event was almost the final day of his entire life. Camped out in his hotel suite, 'Stone Cold' gripped his chest and thought he was having a heart attack as he shouted for help.
Austin had been training hard for the third of his series vs. The Rock, and was doubling up on coffee with loads of energy drinks for weeks beforehand. In hospital, doctors told him he'd collapsed due to a combination of exhaustion, dehydration and anxiety. Looking back, it's remarkable that docs let him wrestle at all.
The match wasn't a patch on previous efforts between the pair, but it was still top notch and memorable. That's incredible considering Steve figured he might be dying the night before. He traded a hospital bed for a wrestling ring in front of 50,000+.
Wow.