On a recent episode of his “Grilling JR” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross reflected on the WWE Title match between The Rock and Steve Austin at WrestleMania 15.
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin dethroned The Rock to win the WWE Championship at the event.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On Steve Austin and The Rock wanting him to call their WrestleMania 15 main event: “All right with the world, Conrad, on that illustration. There’s another reason you don’t quit. Another reason you don’t give up in the fight. It’s another reason you don’t unsaddle your horse and put it in the barn, and call it a career. That’s how I look at it. I use every simplistic metaphor I can. But that’s kind of where I’m at right now with that.
“So yeah, that was a surprise. I didn’t ask too any questions. You’re not bringing me down there to be an usher because I got a nice suit. So I was happy for the heads up, and happy to do any assignment that I was assigned. Especially that main event. You know, I signed both of those guys. They’re both friends of mine. They’re both valued talents. It was good for me to call their match, for me and for them. Because they knew that I was going to have an emotional attachment to their presentation. And I wonder today if today’s announcers still make that emotional attachment to the majority of their matches. I don’t know how you could, to be honest with you. But Austin and Rock were a different situation. So I really, that was a very — I’m sure the next call, when I hung the phone upm I called Jan and said ‘Hey, look, we’re going to Philly.’ It was a week later, she’s got to get close to where. [Chuckles] So anyway, I was very blessed to get that call.”
On having a crisis of confidence appearing on camer after his Bell’s palsy bout: “Ah, probably. Close enough. Subconscious, insecure, ‘Why me, poor me.’ Blah, blah, blah. So when I got to Philadelphia, I wasn’t really thinking about my face. Because how many times are we on camera anyway? So, I made it through. And we told a great story with those two studs. It worked out really well. They were very happy with my work.
“And they also had a big hand in Vince making that call. They wanted me to call their match. And I took that as a tremendous ‘Atta boy, we appreciate you. Go do this show like you can do it.’ And that’s what we tried to do. And it worked out. I thought we had a nice match that night to call.”
On The Rock’s feud with Mankind putting Rock on the map: “I agree. Yeah, I agree. Because Mick was established. He was a recognized global star. He was unusual, unique. And I thought he brought the best out in the Rock. And into the Rock’s credit, being a green guy, he didn’t miss a beat. He didn’t miss a beat, because — Dwayne has always been really smart. I talked about that before here. You know, he had a great way of forecasting. He had a great way of asking the right questions. So yeah, it was good, man. I was very happy with that match. And that program. It helped Rock immensely. So maybe Mick doesn’t get the credit that he deserves, but in any event, he was a key cog in developing Dwayne Johnson.”
The WWE Title match between The Rock and Steve Austin at WrestleMania 15 is still remembered as one of the most iconic and significant matches in professional wrestling history. Recently, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross reflected on this historic event on his “Grilling JR” podcast.
During the podcast, Ross discussed how both Austin and The Rock personally requested him to call their main event match. Ross expressed his gratitude for being chosen and emphasized the importance of not giving up in the fight and continuing to pursue one’s career. As someone who had signed both wrestlers and considered them friends, Ross felt emotionally invested in their match and believed that announcers today may not have the same level of emotional attachment to matches.
Ross also opened up about his crisis of confidence after battling Bell’s palsy. He admitted to feeling subconscious and insecure about his appearance on camera. However, when he arrived in Philadelphia for WrestleMania 15, he put those concerns aside and focused on telling a great story with Austin and The Rock. Both wrestlers were pleased with Ross’s work, and he considered their request for him to call their match as a vote of confidence.
Furthermore, Ross acknowledged the impact of The Rock’s feud with Mankind in putting The Rock on the map. He credited Mick Foley’s established status as a global star and his ability to bring out the best in The Rock. Despite being relatively new to the industry, The Rock showcased his intelligence and foresight, asking the right questions and adapting seamlessly to the program. Ross believed that Foley played a crucial role in developing Dwayne Johnson’s character.
The WrestleMania 15 match between The Rock and Steve Austin remains a significant moment in WWE history. It not only showcased the talent and charisma of two wrestling legends but also highlighted the importance of emotional investment from announcers like Jim Ross. As fans continue to look back on this iconic match, it serves as a reminder of the impact that these wrestlers and their stories had on the industry.