Even as the fans anticipated Austin regaining the WWE Championship that was ripped away from him by McMahon, then-heel Rock was gaining on Stone Cold in popularity. Even as the braggadocios face of the Corporation, Rock's catchphrases, timing, and charisma were on a level never before seen in wrestling. Austin was the expected winner of the title bout, but greater days were certainly ahead for Rock. Indeed, "The Great One" turned face a bit more than a month after WrestleMania, and never looked back. When Austin had necessary spinal surgery in late-1999 that put him out for almost a year, The Rock seamlessly stepped in as the face of WWE and the Attitude Era alike. A WrestleMania main event only further galvanized the unstoppable push to new horizons.
Justin has been a wrestling fan since 1989, and has been writing about it since 2009. Since 2014, Justin has been a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine. Justin also writes for History of Wrestling, and is a contributing author to James Dixon's Titan series.
