The Rock Vs. Steve Austin | Wrestling Timelines
January 24, 1999 - Awful Booking Doesn’t Matter
Austin is screwed out of the Royal Rumble by Mr. McMahon himself. McMahon forfeits his WrestleMania main event, but is dumb enough not to realise that this allows the runner-up to take his place. The administrative element of the ‘Mania build is poorly received.
This leads to the fabled singles match.
It actually happens this time, in a steel cage, at St. Valentines Massacre on, yes, February 14. The buy amount of 455,000 is better than a typical In Your House, but not what you’d expect.
Austin wins accidentally, when the debuting Paul Wight emerges from under the ring and throws him through the cage, which collapses. He enters the ‘Mania main event as a result.
It’s a diabolical finish. Wight is not particularly motivated, but he’s a dud in record time.
The booking is nonsensical and actively atrocious, and will get worse as 1999 unfolds. The logic is as thin as the cardboard sings fans hold aloft in a vista of enthusiasm. The glory days continue through sheer personality and star power.
At the Rumble, the Rock takes liberties with Mankind in their I Quit match for the WWF title. In a distressing, sickly hypnotic match, Rock repeatedly smashes the back of a handcuffed Foley’s head with unprotected chair shots. He swings the weapon more often than the two men had agreed upon beforehand.
The effect is disturbing, but it works: Rock is now positioned as a vile heel several steps above the mediocre standard set on pay-per-view in the back half of 1998.
He is ready for WrestleMania.