411’s Countdown to WrestleMania 25: The Stories of WrestleMania

Posted by Aaron Hubbard on 03.30.2009

Looking at the overarching stories of three of WrestleMania's greatest performers: Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and Stone Cold Steve Austin.


Thanks to John Meehan for creating this year's logo…

Wrestlemania has had countless memorable matches and moments. Shawn Michaels once said that you can almost immortalize yourself in an instant. Hundreds of wrestlers have performed at "The Big Dance", and dozens of them have had Wrestlemania moments that will live forever. Title victories, incredible feats of strength or athleticism, five-star matches and emotional drama all take place at Wrestlemania. It truly is the Showcase of the Immortals.

Wrestlemania often serves as the culmination of storylines. Feuds are finished and disputes are settled. The Wrestlemania payoff to an angle is generally considered to be the end of that angle. But a historian will be able to look back at Wrestlemanias past and note that some of stories don't end at ‘Mania. Some stories take several years (and thus several ‘Manias) to finish. It is these epic story arches, three in particular, that are the focus of this piece. These are the Wrestlemania stories of three of the most popular superstars to ever lace a pair of boots. And we start with the biggest one.

Hulk Hogan
He's the Babe Ruth of wrestling, brother. Easily the most recognizable superstar in pro wrestling, to most non-fans, Hulk Hogan IS wrestling. He was a larger than life icon during the 1980's, and was the top star in the World Wrestling Federation when Vince chose to make the gamble of a lifetime. Because of Hulk Hogan, the early Wrestlemanias were a success. Hogan was somehow involved in the main event of the first nine ‘Manias, something not even Triple H can lay claim to. Here is his Wrestlemania Story.

Wrestlemania I
The biggest gamble in wrestling history. Were it not for Hulk Hogan, this first Wrestlemania would have flopped, we would have never seen another one, and perhaps the WWF would have gone out of business. Vince put all his eggs in one basket, and he struck gold. Hogan was one of the top draws, the other being his tag team partner and star of the A-Team, Mr. T. Cyndi Lauper, who was huge at the time due to her song "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", had already drawn mainstream attention to wrestling, establishing the "Rock-n-Wrestling Connection", but it would be up to Hogan and Mr. T to keep the new audience there after the show.

Hogan and Mr. T defeated "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper in the first ‘Mania main event. The celebrities involved Muhammad Ali, Liberace and Billy Martin, as well as Mr. T himself. They drew many casual and non-fans to the Garden and to closed circuit theatres. Wrestlemania did great business, and was considered a success. But Hogan had managed to draw those outsiders in, and made them fans. Wrestlemania was a critical step on bringing the WWF into one of its most prosperous eras.

Wrestlemania II
To see how much bigger wrestling and Hulk Hogan had gotten since the first Wrestlemania, one need only look at this year's main event as opposed to the first one. At the inaugural ‘Mania, Hogan was considered one of the top draws, and competed in a tag main event that was rife with celebrity involvement. This year, Hulk Hogan would be in the main event with one other man, the mammoth King Kong Bundy.
He would defend his WWF Championship in a steel cage match, a traditional blowoff at the time, and the only celebrity involved would be Elvira on commentary. Yes, Wrestlemania II was filled to the brim with celebrities, but the MAIN event, the MAIN attraction, was a wrestler defending a championship against another wrestler in a cage match. Quite a turn around from last year, huh? Hogan's stock was raising, and soon, he would be involved in the biggest match in wrestling history.

Wrestlemania III
At this point, Hogan was a proven commodity. He could draw casual fans in by himself, and didn't need any celebrities. In many ways, he was a A-List celebrity himself. There are very few people who grew up in America in the ‘80's, wrestling fan or not, who are not familiar with Hogan's face and now that he is a wrestler. Naturally, Vince McMahon was going to do something special for Wrestlemania III, and would have his two top draws face EACH OTHER.

Andre the Giant was a legendary figure in wrestling, and since the increased exposure, was well known outside wrestling as well. This man was billed as "The Eighth Wonder of the World". Over seven feet tall and over five-hundred pounds, Andre inspired awe in everyone who saw him. Vince knew he could make a small fortune off of this match, and depending on your sources, the match drew between 70,000 and 90,000 fans to the Pontiac Silverdome, to watch these two titans clash.

Hogan vs. Andre was no technical classic, but it was a spectacle. The entire audience hung on every move, and nearly blew the roof off of the place when Hogan slammed the massive Giant. On the biggest stage possible, Hogan asserted himself as the top star in wrestling, and Hulkamania reached its absolute peak. The question was, where did he go from here?

Wrestlemania IV
The answer is Hollywood. Hogan's popularity transcended wrestling, and Vince saw dollar signs on a movie. Since Hogan would be gone, Vince would have to create a new babyface champion, someone to fill the void until Hogan was ready to take the reigns again. Hogan lost the title to Andre the Giant, and at this Wrestlemania, fought him to a double disqualification, ensuring that a new champion would be crowned that night.

The most important thing Hogan did was to interfere on Randy Savage's behalf (more on that in a minute). In doing so, Hulk had endorsed the new champion, and the fans would be behind him for the next year, until Hogan was ready to go back on his throne.

Wrestlemania V
For Hogan, Wrestlemania V was a strange night. It was certainly the biggest match since Hogan-Andre, featuring the two biggest stars in the company at that point. But the result was a foregone conclusion if there ever was one. Savage was not going to beat Hogan. Hogan was the guy, and Savage was just a benchwarmer.

Hogan vs. Savage was a great match, which many critics consider to be Hogan's best ever. It also led to Hogan's second reign as world champion. But for Hogan, it was obsolete. The statement being made was that Hogan was "The Man" in wrestling, but everybody knew that already. It's probably for the best that Hogan and especially Savage had wrestled such a compelling and dramatic contest, because otherwise, history would not have been kind to this redundant match.

Wrestlemania VI
While Hogan was unquestionably the biggest star in wrestling, Vince knew he could not rely on him forever. He was headed into the 1990's, and he needed a new star, a new hero, a new icon. Enter the Ultimate Warrior. Like Hogan, Warrior was a charismatic competitor with an action figure-like build. Fans were extremely behind him, and he was the logical heir to Hogan's kingdom at the time. Warrior made "The Ultimate Challenge", and the match was set.

Those in attendance at the Toronto Skydome saw a titanic struggle that night. Hogan was night the underdog, as he had been three years earlier, but he didn't have the advantage, as he had the year prior. Hogan was facing an opponent that was just as strong, and had to rely on his experience and oft-overlooked skill to even keep up with the young stud. Eventually, Hogan would lose to Warrior, his first clean loss since becoming WWE Champion in 1983. It was Vince's attempt to fade Hogan out of the picture, to trade him in for a newer model. Hogan proved to be a total class act, personally giving Warrior the title in a moment of good sportsmanship. While Hogan had already cemented his place as the top star of business, here he cemented his legacy, and become "The Immortal" Hulk Hogan.

Wrestlemania VII
There was only one major problem with Hogan's passing of the torch. Warrior wasn't ready to carry it. Part of this was having no one to play off of. Warrior had no Andre and Savage wasn't nearly the commodity he had been (again, more on that in a minute), and Warrior did not have a "Warrior" to his Hulk Hogan. But he also had personal issues that got in his way and it didn't take long for Vince to jump off the Warrior's bandwagon. He needed a quick fix, and there was only one guy to call: Hulk Hogan.

This match never should have had to happen. Warrior was supposed to bring prosperity, to push WWE even further into the mainstream, but he wasn't able to. So Vince went into panic mode. Playing off of the war in Iraq, Vince made Sgt. Slaughter an Iraqi sympathizer and put the belt on him. Hogan, representing good ol' America, defeated Slaughter to become a three-time champion, solely to clean up Vince's mess. And for a long time, all of the good that Hogan had done at Wrestlemania VI was erased by the booking here. Hulkamania was a drug, and Vince was the ultimate pusher.

Wrestlemania VIII
Hogan was also starting to tire. He had been pulling the train of WWE by himself for a long time, and he should have gotten a chance to pass the reigns to Warrior at ‘Mania VI. Vince put the yoke back on Hogan and forced him to carry the company an additional year. Hogan was looking into retirement. This change in attitude couldn't have come at a worse time. Ric Flair, the biggest star of the NWA in the ‘80s, had defected to the WWE, and the stage was set for what would have been the biggest match-up since Andre-Hogan. Due to Hogan's need for time off, among other reasons, this dream match up would not happen.

Hogan would instead face Sid Justice, in a retread of every Hogan storyline ever. Sid was a monster heel who had been Hogan's friend, but they had issues and it led to this match. Sid would kick out of the Hogan Legdrop, but Hogan would get the disqualification victory when Papa Shango interfered. Ultimate Warrior made a surprise return to clean house, and again, Hogan was symbolically passing Warrior the torch. It had a similar effect for Warrior, but this was not the blaze of glory that the WWE's Top Star deserved to go out it.

Wrestlemania IX
For only the second time, Hogan would compete in the midcard of Wrestlemania, teaming with friend Brutus Beefcake against Money Inc, Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster. This was treated as a special thing, Hogan coming back for the big show, but it was obvious he had plans outside of wrestling, so the disqualification finish wasn't really a surprise. It was cool to see Hogan and that was good enough.

But something had changed. Hogan had figured out by this point that Vince was addicted to Hulkamania and the money it gave him. He would do anything for a bit more of that success. Hogan took advantage of that and booked a scenario where Bret Hart would lose the WWE Championship to Yokozuna, and Hogan would Yokozuna in under a minute to become a five-time WWE Champion. For the second time, Hogan had closed out a ‘Mania with the championship around his waist, when the year before he was supposed to be off of the wagon. This combination of Hogan's ego and Vince's addiction left a bad taste in fan's mouth, and Hogan would lose the title back to Yokozuna three months later after making no other defenses.

He would not be seen in a WWE ring for nine years.

Wrestlemania XVIII
Between 1993 and 2002, Hogan had gone through a lot. He had left WWE to compete for WCW, and got his big dream match with Ric Flair. He had made the greatest heel turn in history and formed the nWo. And he had been screwed and disrespected by Vince Russo for much of 2000. It seemed almost cruel that the last Hogan memory would be of his boss calling him a racist and kicking him out of the company that owed its greatest success to Hogan. Hogan needed redemption.

In 2002, Vince McMahon brought Hogan back to WWE. He was under his nWo gimmick, and he would be facing one of the biggest stars that WWE had to offer: The Rock. It was a dream match that fans never thought they would see. This was Babe Ruth vs. Sammy Sosa. Muhammad Ali vs. Mike Tyson. But as it turns out, the fans still loved Babe Ruth. In the Toronto Skydome, Hogan was cheered. Even though he was a heel, even though he had spent the better part of a decade in the competition, Hogan was still loved by his Hulkamaniacs. For the second time, Hogan would be pinned cleanly in the Skydome, losing to the Rock in one of the most memorable matches of all time. This loss was the price Hogan had to pay for betraying the WWE, but his reward was even greater. He was once again the biggest star in wrestling. This was the blaze of glory that the biggest star in wrestling history deserved, but had been denied on two previous occasions.

Wrestlemania XIX
The man who was largely responsible for Hogan's overexposure, and for pushing him to carry the load LONG after Hogan deserved to have others carry it was Vince McMahon. Vince is a business man, and he wants to make money. As I said, he was a pusher, and Hulkamania was his drug. He could not handle not having "The Big Thing". It took five years for him to find new superstars, the duo of the Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Now he's using John Cena, hoping he can be as big as Hulk Hogan. Vince will never get over Hogan.

This is what made the street fight between these two so special. This was the marketer vs. the product. Hogan needed to prove that he was bigger than Vince, and that Vince needed Hogan much more than Hogan needed Vince. Hogan would be victorious over the man who was responsible for his greatest success, but also his greatest failures. This was the ultimate example of good vs. evil. Vitamins, prayers, and training vs. greed, corruption, and ego. Good won once again. It would be Hogan's last Wrestlemania match, and it was the same story that we loved Hogan for. Hogan's Wrestlemania is a story of the biggest star in wrestling, his fall from grace, and his eventual redemption.

*****

"The Macho Man" Randy Savage
One of the most charismatic and controversial competitors to ever grace a wrestling ring, Macho Man's Wrestlemania story was also one of redemption. Savage was an extremely talented worker, and every year, he seemed to want to steal the show. Before Shawn Michaels, Savage was Mr. Wrestlemania. The entire story of his WWE Career can be found in his Wrestlemania performances.

Wrestlemania II
Savage entered his first Wrestlemania as the Intercontinental Champion. His opponent was George "The Animal" Steele, and the match had little to do with Savage's title. It centered around his valet, the beautiful Miss Elizabeth. George was enamored with Liz, much like everyone else. If this is the first Savage match you ever watch, you will know that he was a crazy brawler, way ahead of his time, and that his relationship with Liz was a vital part of his character. It is this relationship that is the most important part of his story, and it is fitting that she was the main issue in his first ‘Mania performance.

Wrestlemania III



I can't really do justice to that with words, so I hoped you didn't mind actually seeing it. Anyway, this magnificent performance was the end of one phase of Randy Savage's career, and the start of another. Savage had proved that athleticism was just as entertaining as spectacle, and this match is talked about in the same reverent tones as the Hogan-Andre match. Quite an accomplishment.

Wrestlemania IV
Savage continued to prove his value as an athlete, defeated Butch Reed, Greg Valentine and One Man Gang en route to the finals of the WWE Championship Tournament. He was facing Ted DiBiase, who had a much easier journey, with Hogan vs. Andre going to a draw and giving him a bye. Savage tried his best, but ultimately, it wasn't enough. Thankfully for Savage, Hogan would interfere and allow Savage to win the belt. The fans supported Savage due to Elizabeth, his athletic ability, and now, because of Hogan's endorsement, but he had not changed. He was willing to win the title at any cost, and that included Hogan's interference. Sweet as it was, Savage knew his first World Title Victory would always be tainted. It was only natural for him to be wary of Hogan, who had left a Hulkamania-sized stain on what would have been a storybook ending.

Wrestlemania V
A year passed, and things changed. Hogan and Savage had formed a super team known as the Mega Powers, but it was obvious that Savage was second fiddle. Savage had an ego, and wanted to be the top star. He was also extremely protective of his woman, and grew paranoid with her friendship with Hogan. The Mega Powers would explode, but as I mentioned earlier, it was inevitable that Hogan would win. Savage was a placeholder, a footnote, keeping the belt warm. Hogan gained everything, but Savage lost everything. His title, his fans, and his woman. Savage left ‘Mania a broken man, but it would be a long time before he realized it.

Wrestlemania VI
In his pride, Savage was blind to how much his star had fallen. He formed a new relationship with Sensational Sherri, and was now the "Macho King" Randy Savage. But this couple was not the same as Savage and Elizabeth. Savage was missing a huge piece of his puzzle, the heart of his character. And when Savage saw Elizabeth accompany his opponents, perhaps he woke up and saw what everyone else had seen.

At Wrestlemania III, Savage had competed in one of the greatest matches of all time. At Wrestlemania V, he had been in the main event with the Babe Ruth of wrestling. A year later, he was in the middle of the card, teaming with Sherri to face Dusty Rhodes and Sapphire. The match was neither important nor good, and was the lowest point of Savage's career. When Savage lost to Dusty Rhodes and Sapphire, it was obvious that he had hit Rock Bottom.

Wrestlemania VII
Savage would wade through purgatory for a while, looking for any chance to escape. Finally, he found his answer: The Ultimate Warrior. Warrior was a man who had defeated Hogan, the heir apparent, WWE's Golden Boy, and he was the WWE Champion. If Savage could defeat him, he could escape from his Hell, and reign a top the wrestling world once more. Warrior denied Savage his title shot, so Savage cost Warrior the title. The fact that Savage could not defeat Warrior for a championship was not a big deal, especially when it was announced as a retirement match. If Savage could defeat Warrior and end his career, it would be the boost he needed. This was his chance for salvation.

It was only fitting that Miss Elizabeth would be in attendance when Savage put his career on the line. It was clear that Savage had no intention of retiring, as he wrestled like a man four years younger, giving everything he had to defeat the Warrior. The problem was, Savage's best was not enough. He was missing his heart, his soul: Elizabeth. Without her, he was not good enough to beat Warrior, and even though he gave the performance of his life, he fell down in defeat, the broken shadow of a once great and proud gladiator.

Queen Sherri was irate at this, and kicked away at Savage, adding insult to injury and kicking a dead horse. Elizabeth could not take this. She loved Randy Savage, and after seeing him give his best and still failing, losing everything, she would not allow him to suffer further embarrassment. She fought Sherri off, a rare show of physicality for a woman who was essentially wrestling's princess. Savage at first fought her off, unwilling to accept her forgiveness. Perhaps it was shock, perhaps it was guilt, but Savage was not able to believe that Elizabeth still loved him. Eventually, he was able to accept her grace, and in the process, won back his soul and became whole again.

Wrestlemania VIII
While Wrestlemania IV had seen Savage win the championship as a fan favorite, it was a tainted victory, and Savage was no changed man. Four years later, he was riding an emotional high. The woman who loved him was now his wife, and he was truly a changed man. The fans embraced him. A feud with Jake "The Snake" Roberts had reinvigorated Savage, and he was the talented warrior that he had been in 1987 once more. He was no longer broken, and he needed only one more thing. A decisive title victory that HE had earned.

At Wrestlemania VIII, Savage defeated Ric Flair BY HIMSELF, with no Hogan to taint the victory. He had earned this title, and he was a hero. This was the culmination of Savage's journey, the reward for his redemption. Everything he had lost three years prior was back: his title, his fans, his talent, and most importantly, his woman and his soul.

Wrestlemania X
Unlike a lot of former main eventers, Savage's last Wrestlemania did not see him try to grasp at past glory. He was a commentator, content with his accomplishments. He had already redeemed himself. Savage only competed at this show because his friend Crush had betrayed him. Savage once again entertained the crowd, but did not try to steal the show. Savage was complete, and did not need to look for anyone's acceptance. He already had it.

It is perhaps fitting that Savage's last Wrestlemania was the same one where Shawn Michaels had his first show-stealing match. Although there was no passing of the torch, Savage had passed the torch to the next generation. Nothing could illustrate that any clearer than the event's conclusion. After Bret Hart beat Yokozuna BY HIMSELF, Savage came out and lifted the Hitman on his shoulders. Savage, who had already gotten his redemption, was not looking for the spotlight. He was genuinely proud of Hart, and his Wrestlemania Story, had a happy ending.

*****

Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold could not be more different from Hogan and Savage. Austin was blue-collar, a redneck who kicked ass, took names, and raised Hell. He was a rebel, he did things his way, and become a working class hero in the process. His Wrestlemania story is the story of a man who went from nothing to becoming the biggest star in wrestling, having the greatest rivalry in ‘Mania history, and finishing it in spectacular fashion.

Wrestlemania XII
The Ringmaster vs. Savio Vega. This match at first seems rather insignificant to Austin's story, but it is important to see where Austin was. He had only been in the WWE for a short time, and was competing in a midcard match with a crappy gimmick. He was a tremendous talent, but he had no direction. If you told anyone watching Wrestlemania XII live that the Ringmaster would be main eventing Wrestlemania two years later, no one would have believed you. Seeing how insignificant Austin was in the beginning makes his future success even greater.

Wrestlemania XIII
I covered this match as thoroughly as I can on Saturday, so I'll give a brief sum up here. In one year, Austin had become one of the hottest acts in the company. His Austin 3:16 was the catalyst for him to go from being just another midcarder to the rebel we know and love. At this time, he was a heel, and feuding with his exact ideological opposite, the traditionalist Bret Hart. These guys had a bloody, brutal, and dramatic match that has been called the greatest match in Wrestlemania history.

Austin, crimson plasma streaming down his face, was locked in Bret's Sharpshooter, but refused to quit, and passed out from the pain. This display of courage and true grit was the straw that broke the camel's back. Before, Austin was a bad guy that had a sizable amount of fans who respected his no-nonsense attitude and his talent. Now, he was a courageous anti-hero that gave everything he had. This match MADE Steve Austin, and serves as the BC/AD point for his career. From this point on, Austin was on a road to become the biggest superstar in the industry.

Wrestlemania XIV
Austin was booked to face WWE Champion Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania XIV, and at one point, that match may have been a five-star classic that would lead into an epic feud after ‘Mania. But fate intervened. First, Austin broke his neck on an errant piledriver from Owen Hart, which severely limited his athletic ability and forced him to turn the charisma and the brawling up to a whole other level to compensate. Then, Shawn suffered a severe back injury in a casket match with the Undertaker, and would have to retire from wrestling. Michaels would be forced to pass the torch, but it was ironic that he would be passing it to a man whose years in the business were numbered.

This match is remembered for two things. 1) Shawn Michaels' inspirational performance, as he performed at a high level despite being practically crippled, determined to give his all in what he thought would be his last match. 2) It was Austin's first title victory, and symbolized the start of the Austin Era. It should also be noted that this is the first time in Wrestlemania history that the torch was truly passed with any real success. Warrior had flopped. Rock would leave the business to make movies. Not until Wrestlemania 22 would a top star lose to a guy who was to become the future of wrestling. But unlike Triple H, Shawn was forced out of the spotlight, and Austin truly had to carry the load that Austin gave to him.

Wrestlemania XV
And Austin was more than ready to carry it. He was the horse that carried WWE into a new era of prosperity, and made wrestling cool again. Unlike Warrior, he had people to play off of. Shawn and Bret had left, but had put Austin over in the biggest way. Over the next year, Austin would face Mick Foley and the Undertaker, two of the industries biggest stars. But his biggest rival was not a wrestler. It was his boss, Vincent Kennedy McMahon.

McMahon was hated in a post-Montreal Screwjob world. This media mogul and self-made billionaire represented corporate evil, while Austin represented blue-collar work ethic and redneck attitude. The two naturally clashed, and it was their rivalry that made for compelling, must see television throughout 1998. It would come to a head at Wrestlemania XV. McMahon had his own "Corporate" Champion, the young, talented and EXTREMELY charismatic third-generation superstar known as The Rock. At the time, he was just a cog in the Austin-McMahon machine, a third wheel, but it time, he would become just as big as Austin. On this night however, he was merely the scapegoat, and lost the WWE Championship to Steve Austin. 1999 continued to be a huge success for Austin, but fate again intervened as he could no longer put off taking care of his neck injuries. Austin would be forced to take a year off from wrestling.

A lot happened in that year. Triple H rose to become the top heel in wrestling. Young, talented workers like Kurt Angle, Eddie Guerrero, and the Canadian Chrises were bringing wrestling back into the sports entertainment world. The Hardy Boyz, Dudley Boyz, and Edge and Christian had gone to new levels of spotfests. And most importantly, the Rock had become "The Man" in WWE. He was the top star, and on par with Austin. How would Austin fare in this radically changed World Wrestling Federation?

Wrestlemania XVII
Wrestlemania XVII, better known as X-Seven, was a very special one. It featured a main event that could only have existed in the unique circumstances that had led up to it. Had it not been for Austin's year of absence, would the Rock have become his equal? This was not Hogan vs. Warrior. This was not even Hogan vs. Andre. It was like Hogan vs. Hogan. Much like Austin vs. Hart, this match will likely never be duplicated or even properly imitated. The circumstances were too unlikely and could never have been planned out. The event was in the Houston Astrodome, the first dome Wrestlemania since Wrestlemania 8, and in the challenger's home state. And a week before the show, WCW went out of business, and Vince bought the company, bringing a definite conclusion to the Monday Night War. It was as if Divine Providence put every piece of the puzzle in perfectly, to allow for this clash of two of the wrestling's biggest stars.

Austin summed up this match with a single quote. "I need to beat you Rock. I need to beat you more than anything you could imagine." It was true. Austin only had a couple of years left before his body would give out on him. With WCW defeated and a massive influx of talent, and with Rock as his equal, Austin must have feared becoming irrelevant. He could not afford to lose. But Rock would not be beaten. The two men engaged in an epic battle, neither one able to beat the other. Eventually, it was made obvious just how much Austin needed to win, and how paranoid he was. With the aid of Mr. McMahon, he was able to defeat Rock and win back the WWE Championship at the biggest show of the year. In a way, it was poetic justice for the two bitter rivals to share beers after having won the war with WCW. But it was also obvious that Austin had become desperate for his spot, because he could only cling to it for so long.

Wrestlemania XVIII
A year later, it was painfully obvious that Austin's paranoia at becoming insignificant was merited. This year, Austin would face Scott Hall, but nobody cared. Triple H had his inspirational comeback story against the young talented champion Chris Jericho. The Rock, Austin's equal, was wrestling Hulk Hogan, the one man who could claim to be Austin's superior. Austin's match was unimportant. After all he had given to WWE, he was now wasting away to midcard obscurity. Austin had risen to the top of the industry in record time, and it was clear that he would fall from the top of the mountain just as fast. A few months later, Austin quit WWE.

Wrestlemania XIX
While Austin was sitting at home, he must have realized that his body was given out on him. Austin had pushed himself as hard as anyone, and his neck would not allow him to wrestle much longer. Desperate to regain his past glory, Austin entered into negotiations with Vince. He knew he only had a little bit left, and he wanted to go out in style. Austin would face the man he had beaten twice previously, The Rock, arguably no longer his equal, but greater than him. In 1999, Austin had beaten Rock decisively. In 2001, he had beaten him, but just barely, and only after selling his soul. How would he fair in 2003?





Austin faced his three greatest opponents at Wrestlemania on that night. The Rock, the Sharpshooter, and his own body. Eventually, it was too much. Rock beat Austin cleanly, but not until Austin gave it his all one more time. It would be the last match Austin ever wrestled, and he went out in a way befitted a man of his character. Austin lived by his ways and on this night, he died by his ways. The competitive fire, the never-say-die attitude, the need to give it his all, and his refusal to make excuses, were seen here. Austin gave us everything he had, but it wasn't enough. He did not cry and he did not make excuses. He could not have asked for a better finish to his in-ring career.

**********

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