Stone Cold Steve Austin’s WrestleMania XIX match with The Rock was more than the third chapter in their famous rivalry: Austin had returned to the ring only weeks earlier, and he later recalled being hospitalized the night before the bout. The Rock won after three Rock Bottoms, in what WWE later described as Austin’s final in-ring match at that time.
It was their third WrestleMania meeting
WrestleMania XIX took place on March 30, 2003, at Safeco Field in Seattle. In WWE’s event preview, Austin had won his first two WrestleMania matches against The Rock, making the Seattle bout the deciding chapter in their WrestleMania trilogy. WWE also framed The Rock as entering without the support of his usual fans. WWE’s March 28, 2003 announcement described an expected “record-breaking crowd of more than 50 000” fans; that was an advance projection, not a verified final attendance figure.
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WWE: WrestleMania XIX | $8.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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WWE WrestleMania XIX | $180.97 | Buy on Amazon |
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Austin had only just returned
WWE’s 2003 preview said Austin had returned to the ring the month before WrestleMania after a nearly eight-month hiatus. That made the match a high-stakes return as well as a rivalry rematch: he was coming back from an extended absence to face one of his most familiar opponents on one of wrestling’s biggest stages.
Austin later described a frightening night before the match
In an excerpt from his memoir, The Stone Cold Truth, Austin recalled that his heartbeat began racing the night before WrestleMania and that he feared he was having a heart attack. He wrote that WWE staff and a doctor helped him, paramedics took him to a Seattle hospital, and doctors kept him overnight for evaluation. This is Austin’s retrospective account, not an independently reviewed medical record or confirmed diagnosis. He also described living with back, neck, and knee problems and worrying that the match might be his last.
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- Sunday, March 30, 2003; 54, 097 fans fill SAFECO field in Seattle, Washington: Is this really the end of Hulkmania? Will Austin make it 3ifor 3? Can Booker T best "The Game"? Can Kurt Angle take the pain? WWE Championship Match Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock Street Fight 20 Years In the Making Hulk Hogan vs. Mr. McMahon World Heavyweight Championship
In the memoir, Austin recalled deciding after the overnight stay that he could still wrestle. He said he wanted The Rock to beat him cleanly in the middle of the ring. His account captures the uncertainty he felt going into the bout; it does not establish what other people backstage knew or what fans generally expected at the time. Simon & Schuster’s memoir page includes the excerpt and lists the book’s trade paperback edition.
The Rock won after three Rock Bottoms
WWE’s later retrospective says Austin kept the match close before The Rock landed three Rock Bottoms and pinned him. WWE describes the bout as the final time the two wrestled each other and as Austin’s final in-ring match at that time. Its account says health concerns prevented Austin from competing again, though he remained involved with WWE in other roles. These are WWE’s retrospective descriptions of the match and Austin’s subsequent career, rather than a claim that he left the company altogether.
Rank #2
Austin revisited the match years later
A September 24, 2019 episode listing for The Steve Austin Show says Austin revisited the match, discussed why he retired, and talked about his hospitalization the night before and the action in the ring. The listing confirms that he later spoke about those subjects; it does not independently verify the medical details in his memoir.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is—and is not—established about the match
The cited WWE material establishes the trilogy sequence, the WrestleMania XIX result, and WWE’s characterization of the bout as Austin’s final in-ring match at that time. Austin’s memoir supplies his personal account of the night before. These sources do not establish an independently verified diagnosis, a reliable exact match duration, or exactly who knew beforehand that this might be Austin’s last match. WWE’s event preview also gives an announced attendance expectation, not the final verified count.
Rank #3
WWE’s match page hosts the bout. The page lists WWE Network and directs viewers to Netflix, Sony LIV, and Flow for WWE content; availability can vary by region and change over time.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- It set an indoor attendance record, and to this date no sports-entertainment crowd has been bigger. Two of the biggest WrestleMania matches of all time took place, as well as countless additional memories. WrestleMania III was a worldwide phenomenon, and now this Championship Edition will allow fans to experience it in a whole new light, with a Championship Experience version of the event that giv
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