The Rock Vs. Steve Austin | Wrestling Timelines

March 23, 1998 - A Slow Start Continues

The Rock Referee
WWE

Austin and Rock wrestle one another for the second time on Raw.

The sort of booking decision that would infuriate fans for years subsequently does not matter here: the Intercontinental champion is defeated, yes, but increasingly, nothing is sacred. Austin is more important than a midcard belt, and he needs the shine on the go-home Raw.

The match is a much better, fiery brawl than the pay-per-view encounter. It’s notable as evidence of the Rock’s inexorable improvement. There are no chin locks here. The Rock, if anything, steadfastly refuses to slow down. He is dialled-in, animated, swearing his f*cking head off at the ref for getting in his way.

Legendary commentator Jim Ross - there’s an optics war to win - refers to Austin here as the most popular superstar of all-time. It’s a tad desperate, and he’s a little early, but he’s not wrong.

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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!