The Rock Vs. Steve Austin | Wrestling Timelines

January 18, 1998 - Austin Hits His Target

Steve Austin Royal Rumble 1998
WWE

The San Jose Arena plays host to the annual Royal Rumble event. By this point, Steve Austin is so over that there is no doubt whatsoever that he is winning the match. Actually staying true to the promise, Vince knows that you know Austin is winning and does not insult your intelligence. He does not promote the match with the question ‘Who will win the Royal Rumble?’

Locked in, accelerating into a hot run that will last for almost three incredibly lucrative years, McMahon promotes the Rumble with an inspired idea:

Austin, with a target on his back, enters a match premised not on who could win, but on how even ‘Stone Cold’ could possibly win. He enters at #24 and dumps out seven wrestlers.

There is no real drama in the climactic meeting between Austin and the Rock, whom Austin eliminates last: the Rock is a very promising heel, but he’s no favourite. He’s the best of the rest on a roster so depleted that Mick Foley enters thrice under each of his ‘Three Faces’ personas.

On the same show, Shawn Michaels suffers a ghastly back injury when his spine clips the edge of a casket in a match against the Undertaker. WrestleMania XIV will be his last match for over four years.

The route to the top of the WWF recedes further.

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!