4 Era-Defining Matches Responsible for Our Readers' Fandom

These three men were mentioned more than almost any other in our poll of favorite matches of all time.

#2 The Attitude Era's signature trilogy

This rivalry created more than its fair share of wrestling fans (and, possibly, wrestlers' careers).

For two men whose wrestling legacy is so powerful, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and The Rock have very few WrestleMania matches compared to some of their contemporaries, and the bulk of each man's March/April resume is in the three matches they shared at WrestleMania XV, X-Seven, and XIX.

WrestleMania XV was peak Vince Russo gaga; it had multiple guest referees, interference galore, multiple teased swerves, and a chaotic finish that brought Philadelphia to its feet. WrestleMania X-Seven told the story of a desperate man making a deal with the devil, selling his wrestling soul to reclaim his championship glory, and brutalizing his friendly rival in the process with repeated blows from a Vince McMahon-provided steel chair. Finally, WrestleMania XIX was Austin's swan song, Rock's lone win in this trilogy but, as his Hollywood-inspired character reminded us in early 2003, the third act matters most in a film.

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The feud got high standing at three separate WrestleManias and never once felt stale.

When fans commented on our thread that Austin-Rock at WrestleMania was their defining match, it was interesting that very few people specified which Austin-Rock match was their favorite; each match has its own unique charms and brings something new to the series, and to the company. Further, each match defines its time period (the early peak of Attitude, the nominal end to the Era, and the fallout and the new direction of Attitude, where Rock-Austin is on the undercard to newer stars) perfectly.

Edited by Kishan Prasad