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Austin wins title at WM15

John Powell

They call it the “granddaddy of them all”. WrestleMania, it’s the Super Bowl of the sports-entertainment biz. Most years it lives up to the pomp and circumstance. Not so in 1999. Throwing all their eggs in one basket, the World Wrestling Federation casually whipped through the under card to arrive at the main event of WrestleMania 15 and the fateful conclusion of the “Stone Cold” Steve Austin – Vince McMahon storyline.

Shoved to the backburner, most of the other matches ended so quickly that almost half the card was over before the first hour had gone by. A poorly orchestrated WWF Women’s World Title match and a rather brisk Brawl For It All bout armed the torpedo that eventually sunk the event.

Nothing else seemed to matter much but Austin’s impending revenge on WWF owner McMahon for a year’s worth of meddling. The goliath Paul Wight blew his chance as well as McMahon’s plans to skew the main event by ChokeSlamming Mankind through two steel chairs. The referee disqualified Wight. Enraged, McMahon confronted Wight in the middle of the ring. Wight teased a Chokeslam then gently put the WWF owner down. McMahon persisted on dressing down The Big Show so Wight punched him in the chops. McMahon had Wight charged with assault and arrested. Mankind was loaded onto a gurney and “transported” to the local hospital.

Rehashing a recent WWF angle, McMahon appointed himself the special guest referee and took his place in the squared circle. This didn’t sit too well with WWF Commissioner Shawn Michaels. Michaels entered the First Union Center Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to a huge pop reminding McMahon that the WWF rule book states that only the commissioner can select a new referee.

“Start da stepping and hit the bricks, McMahon,” said Michaels barring The Corporation from ringside. On the way to the dressing room McMahon argued his case getting nowhere as Michaels assigned a regular WWF ref to work the crucial match.

Wrestling in trunks and boots not athletic wear, The Rock traded insults with Austin. Punches flew. Austin reversed an Irish whip into the ropes clotheslining the WWF champion over the top rope and to the floor. They brawled in the crowd twice then The Rock walked Austin to the entrance way. Austin shot Rock into a metal barrier following up with a clothesline. Backdropping Stone Cold onto a light stand The Rock stomped on Austin’s heavily-braced knee.

Whipping The Corporate Champion into more production equipment Austin choked him with an electrical cable. The WrestleMania sign hovering over the entrance way swayed dangerously after Austin threw The Rock into it. Clutching the champ in a headlock, Stone Cold prepared to walk him back to the ring. Austin’s suplex on the concrete floor was countered and Stone Cold cracked the hard cement floor. Blowing his nose on the challenger, The Rock flung Austin into a set of steel steps. Taking a bottle of water off the announcer’s desk the champ guzzled it spitting the contents into Austin’s face. This awoke the WWF rattlesnake. He slammed Rock’s head into the announce desk, climbed the ringside barricade and dropped an elbow. The Spanish announce team’s table didn’t break as planned so Austin repeated the move which finally shattered the announce position. Austin spat on a bewildered Rock.

The champ hit The Rock Bottom but Austin amazingly kicked out at two. Stone Cold inadvertently creamed the ref with a steel chair. A spinning neckbreaker by The Rock took Austin down momentarily. Stone Cold attempted a Stunner. Rock reversed the move casting Austin into the ropes and landing a back-elbow to the jaw. The Corporate Champ took the steel chair to Stone Cold’s knee also hitting him in the head for a two-and-a-half count. A reverse chinlock zapped Austin’s energy. Stone Cold punched his way out only to be Somoan-dropped. Another two-and-a-half count for The Rock.

Taking out his frustrations out on the official, the Corporate Champion Rock Bottomed him. Austin spiked Rock with The Stunner. A new official slapped two. McMahon came down to ringside distracting Austin who hefted the steel chair once again. The Rock low-blowed Austin as he turned around. McMahon punched the official and joined The Rock in stomping Austin in the corner.

Out of nowhere, Mankind reappeared. He first order of business was to punch out McMahon. The Rock missed The Corporate Elbow and another Rock Bottom. Austin performed The Stunner for the win.

The new WWF World Heavyweight Champion shared a beer with ref Earl Hebner. As Austin exited the ring a distraught McMahon met him.

“That’s MY belt!,” shouted McMahon threatening Austin. Stone Cold leveled him with one punch, rolled him into the ring and put him out with a Stunner. McMahon rolled around the canvass as Austin poured beer on him.

 

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