Every WWE Backlash World Title Match Ranked From Worst To Best

5. Stone Cold Steve Austin Vs The Rock (1999)

Edge The Undertaker
WWE.com

A feast of Attitude Era treats, the WrestleMania 15 rematch between Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock was a breathless sequel to their 'Show of Shows' brawl.

Though 'The Rattlesnake' despatched 'The Great One' and Corporation overlord Vince McMahon a month earlier, the company squeezed one more monstrous pay-per-view buyrate out of the white hot pairing with the re-emergence of Austin's 'Smoking Skull' title belt.

Requesting return of his personalised strap in place of the standard title, Stone Cold met derision from Rock and an increasingly power-crazed Shane McMahon.

With Vince distracted by The Undertaker's unnerving attraction to his young daughter Stephanie, Shane had forcibly assumed control of the company, and was determined to screw Austin out of the title despite giving his word that he'd call the match down the middle.

As with most frenetic main events of the time, the opening salvo was fiercely entertaining fluff. Such was the excitement surrounding the product at the time, he 'gaga' drew responses as firey as the finishing sequence, allowing the charismatic duo to fight throughout the arena to the cheers and jeers of a baying crowd.

The climactic conclusion commenced when Shane inadvertently clocked his charge with a beltshot aimed for Austin's head. Losing control of the situation, Shane was flabbergasted to see his estranged father emerge with referee Earl Hebner to restore parity. Striking his son full in the face, Hebner registered Austin's eventual victory as longstanding rival Vince tersely returned the Smoking Skull title to it's rightful owner in a crowd-pleasing finale.

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