http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVQR9Cs6If8 I was one of many who believed whole heartedly that The Rock had no business even attempting a 60 minute iron man match. The fact that it would be opposite super worker Triple H and would have super super worker Shawn Michaels refereeing still wasn't enough to convince me that Rock would have the fitness, skill and overall ability to work a 60 minute contest. Never have I been so happy to be proved wrong. The Rock and Triple H defied all the doubters and collaborated beautifully to create a storming 60 minute classic that kept audiences gripped from beginning to end. Both men did their utmost to fill every minute with drama and excitement as they traded holds and dynamic sequences throughout this incredible encounter. Keeping a modern day audience enthralled for 60 minutes is a tremendously complex task which demands patience, improvisational thinking and incredible stamina and the fact that this match was so well received is a testament to the incredible skill of both men. They went in an entirely different direction than the previous 60 minute iron man match (held at Wrestlemania 12 between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels) and came up trumps as a result. It would appear they were using the 1992 iron man match between Rick Steamboat and Rick Rude as a base for their contest and this was a wise choice as they delivered plenty of falls allowing the heel Triple H to take a seemingly unassailable lead before eventually being pegged back by the herculean efforts of the Rock leading to a frenzied final minute featuring run ins by Degeneration X and the Undertaker which all culminated in an incredible finale to a world class contest.
1. The Rock vs Steve Austin - WrestleMania 19
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ke5ybNgkWQ After the success of Wrestlemania 17 it was hard to see how Rock and Austin could do any better or produce anything greater than the seminal piece of business they unveiled in Houston Texas. However, at Wrestlemania 19 in Seattle, they did it. An emotional and intense tour de force that heralded the end of the incredible career of Steve Austin in the most memorable way possible. The Rock was at his best as a sneering heel determined to get the victory he felt owed to him and Austin as the gallant John Wayne figure struggling against a body that was quitting on him one day at a time to deliver one last unforgettable performance. There are some matches that make one incredibly proud to be a wrestling fan. This is one of those matches. A fitting send off for the texas rattlesnake who is defeated cleanly in the middle of the ring by his greatest rival at the grandest stage of all. A perfect match and a perfect performance from The Rock.