8. The Rock's Departure Would Have Been Very Different
Whether he knew it or not (and I suspect he did) when his shoulders were pinned for the 1-2-3 at WrestleMania XIX, Steve Austin was able to savour a pretty dramatic send-off. He had his last match in front of over 50,000 people, against one of his most legendary opponents, and the match was skillful and entertaining. The Rock's departure, shortly thereafter, was not tied to Austin's, as Dwayne Johnson was headed for the greener pastures of Hollywood. But he cannot cite that WrestleMania match as his last (of that era), and Austin was no longer on hand to give him the legendary send-off that he likely desired. No, The Rock faced a wrestler making his WWE debut: Goldberg. From a business standpoint, what better way to promote Goldberg as an unstoppable force, than to have him beat the guy who effectively retired Steve Austin? And it has been customary for WWE to bid adieu to talent with their shoulders down on the mat. It would have been a much more dramatic exit, and much more fitting closure, to have The Rock and Steve Austin clash a few more times to finish their feud. Both men had been working part-time and/or returning from hiatuses before they met at 'Mania, and so that story was only compelling by virtue of their shared history. Even though The Rock won that match, he still had other jobs to fulfill before taking his leave, and I'm guessing he would have loved to work with Austin. His farewell performance flailing around in the ring at Backlash after being clobbered by Goldberg felt like an afterthought, and not a turning point.