The Rock vs. Mankind will go down as WWE's 'great war of attrition'
When the WWE Universe looks back on the greatest feuds of the the Attitude Era, there a few that come to mind right away: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels, DX vs. The Nation of Domination and (of course) The Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin.
It's easy to understand why, as each of these helped to shape the history of the promotion. But one all-out war that has escaped some fans' memories is the brutal struggle between The Rock and Mankind.
It's the type of conflict where no one really wins, you just escape with what's left of you after it's finally over. The two battled in a series of different matches, some of which had never been performed on WWE TV before. And Mankind, who had already earned the fans' respect, took his game to a whole new level in a rush to glory.
It was truly WWE's 'war of attrition', as there were no victors. Only survivors.
Speaking of survivors, this entire feud began during Survivor Series 1998, when The Rock and the McMahons double-crossed Mick Foley/Mankind in order for The Great One to take the WWE Championship.
It was a tournament final for the vacant title in St. Louis, and Foley thought he had The Corporation on his side. But it wound up a double turn, with Mankind emerging as the babyface and The Rock morphing into the villainous 'Corporate Champion.'
20 years ago tonight, Survivor Series 98 featured @TheRock winning a tournament to crown a new WWE Champion, defeating Mankind via Vince McMahon screwjob in the finals and revealing he was now the "Corporate Champion." https://t.co/pxXvNNU3DS
They would meet again for the title at In Your House: Rock Bottom, only to have The Rock escape with the belt due to another McMahon technicality. After this, Mankind desperately chased the title, and their contests grew more and more violent along the way.
Finally, on the January 4, 1999 edition of Monday Night RAW, Mankind captured the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from The Rock. The Brahama Bull was accompanied by The Corporation, but DX evened things out by being in Mankind's corner.
That night's RAW had been pre-taped. Infamously, Tony Schiavone tried to 'spoil' the results during Monday Nitro by saying 'that'll really put some butts in the seats.' Upon hearing the news that Foley would be winning the title, approximately 600,000 viewers switched over to RAW to witness Mankind's victory.
The two went on to trade the belt back and forth from there, with The Rock mostly dominating the title scene and Foley coming out of 1999 with three short reigns. But in reality, this war became less about the championship and more about besting a bitter rival.
Foley would battle 'The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment' on the USA Network during halftime of Super Bowl XXXIII. On the show, which was titled 'Halftime Heat', the two enemies fought in an empty arena match.
But perhaps no bout in this historic feud better captures its levels of sheer bitterness and brutality than their 'I Quit' match at Royal Rumble. This match is a case study in violence, and it's generally regarded as one of the most sickening displays of savagery ever showcased on WWE television.
The Rock hit Mankind (whose hands were handcuffed behind his back) with 11 open chair shots to the head before the words 'I Quit' finally echoed through the microphone and out into the arena.
21 years ago today, the 1999 Royal Rumble took place. Let's gloss over the fact that Vince McMahon won this match after some shenanigans, and focus on the BRUTAL "I Quit" match between Champion, The Rock and his challenger, Mankind.
SO. MANY. CHAIRSHOTS. https://t.co/wiXoqpaJSI
In reality, Mankind had passed out, and the words 'I Quit' had been piped in by the McMahons. It was from a promo that Foley had done prior to the match.
But on the real-life side of things, this contest was a microcosm of how far the two men pushed each other. Foley legitimately put his life, or at least his long-term health, on the line for this particular encounter. It had all been a wild ride, but it had suddenly gone too far.
Of course, as the storyline began winding down, the two went their separate ways. The Rock would eventually become a babyface himself, and the mutual respect earned would lead the pair to eventually form the legendary Rock 'n' Sock Connection. But that... is a story for another day.
What were the best moments of the Mankind vs. The Rock feud during the late 1990's? Please share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.