The Rock Vs. Steve Austin | Wrestling Timelines

August 30, 1998 - Highway To Hell

The Rock Triple H
WWE.com

Austin’s SummerSlam match against the Undertaker is a major box office attraction. The ‘Highway To Hell’ promotional blitz is extravagantly successful, drawing a staggering 655,000 buys. WWF fans are energised to a level beyond belief; for a few sweltering weeks, a 1979 hard rock number composed by AC/DC is cooler than any nu-metal song on MTV rotation.

Wrestling, however, moves at an incredible speed. This time last year, the Undertaker was headlining against Bret Hart, still in the first year of his 20 year WWF deal. A year later, Hart is going nowhere in WCW. You can’t stop. The sharks don’t sleep in that tank.

Austin suffers a mid-match head injury as an already lethargic brawl threatens to fall apart. Austin isn’t happy. He knows it isn’t great, either.

In the semi main event, the Rock steals the show in a Ladder match against Triple H. The Ladder is still very effective as a symbol of ascension up the card; despite the total excess elsewhere, the WWF had not promoted the gimmick since SummerSlam 1995. This is Rock’s first undisputed classic match - incontrovertible proof that he can reach the main event. He loses, and while the story of the match isn’t necessarily designed to get him over in defeat, the Rock has his own WrestleMania 13 moment here.

The Rock is progressing at an incredible rate. He isn’t Austin, but the only reason people think that is because the top guy spot is nailed down. It’s Austin’s.

There can’t be two top guys…

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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!