The Rock Vs. Steve Austin | Wrestling Timelines
April 2, 2001 - The Rematch
A rematch is set the very next night. In a Steel Cage match, Austin Vs. Rock goes to a no contest when Triple H interferes and establishes a partnership with Austin that will come to be known as the Two Man Power Trip. It’s not great. McMahon was a sensational, hammy supervillain with a wicked turn of phrase, delivery, and a deep bank of crazed schemes; Austin and Triple H are dour ass-kicking heels, and the relentless heat is boring and one-dimensional.
It’s a weird one. The Rock, so crossover that he’s on the first phase of becoming a Hollywood actor, is written off until July so that he can film ‘The Scorpion King’. There is no top face. The decision to turn Austin is questioned immediately; Austin later questions it himself. Moreover, the WWF is about to turn babyface as an entity, as the promotion is a couple of months away from feuding with the interlopers of the World Championship and Extreme Championship Wrestling promotions the company has purchased. Surely, the correct swerve is for Austin to defend the WWF.
He does, and then he doesn’t.
He turns a total of four times throughout 2001. He’s a face heading into WrestleMania, but turns heel in the main event. He turns babyface on the eve of the InVasion pay-per-view, but turns heel and sides with the ECWCW Alliance at the show itself. He turns face again on the Raw after Survivor Series.
But, before that…