The Rock Vs. Steve Austin | Wrestling Timelines

August 3, 1997 - Austin Breaks His Neck

Steve Austin SummerSlam 1997
WWE.com

At SummerSlam, Austin breaks his neck in a match against Owen Hart, yet somehow draws upon the fortitude to roll Owen up. If he doesn’t, per the stipulation, he has to kiss Owen’s ass. His character is profoundly damaged if he doesn’t no-sell temporary paralysis.

This is the worst thing that could have happened to Austin, but he’s so undeniable that it works for him: the finish looks terrible, but takes so much in the way of guts that the fans become all the more besotted with him. His persona as the “toughest S.O.B’ is born.

Austin is never the same in the ring, but the bar room brawling style he is forced into adopting thereafter further casts him as a relatable man of the people.

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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!