The Rock Vs. Steve Austin | Wrestling Timelines
November 12, 2001 - Margaritaville
It’s Monday Night Raw. Earlier in the show, the mild-mannered Mick Foley bemoans the state of the business. He talks about the sacrifices he made to become the champion, only for there to be 10 titles in the company that don’t mean anything. It’s a caustic, savage rant masquerading as a promise to unify the WCW and WWF midcard titles. He thinks everything sucks.
The Rock and Austin, in a sign of the times, share their worst verbal interaction to close out the episode. They can’t sell the WWF Vs. WCW war with any conviction, and so they instead amuse themselves. This isn’t just terrible. This isn’t just baffling. It’s really sad.
They each impersonate one another’s catchphrases in baby voices - Austin’s off-kilter comedic heel persona has lost every drop of its charm - before, mercifully, ripping the mic out of one another’s hands. The Rock says that Austin’s breath smells like dog turds. Austin’s “What?” chant is volleyed across the arena. It’s a question many fans have asked in earnest throughout the year. The Rock Vs. Steve Austin is a legendary programme. It’s such a shame that Chris Kreski never penned a chapter of it.
Steve Austin decides to sing ‘Delta Dawn’ “to break the tension”. Rock serenades Austin with ‘The Gambler’. Rock asks Austin if he’s feeling any better; Austin immediately deadpans “I feel like crap”, and it’s the lone highlight of a wretched segment.
This is smug, self-indulgent nonsense, and it’s the first words Rock and Austin have exchanged in canon since WrestleMania X-Seven. They do a duet of ‘Margaritaville’. Why?
They sing songs at funerals, too.