Grilling JR - The Rock 1998 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Today we’re discussing the Rock and a big year of his career…1998. Before we get into that…Rock & Roman vs. Cody & Seth at WrestleMania night 1…not something you envisioned seeing when the year started am I right JR?

Heading into 1998, The Rock is in the midst of his biggest push up to this point. He was in his 2nd reign of being the Intercontinental champion, Steve Austin literally handed the belt to him and forfeited it to Rock, before stunnering him on Raw.

The Rock was pretty new into his first heel turn at this time. How did you think he was progressing at this time and in hindsight, do you feel it was a good idea to give him the IC title here, especially the way that he got it, with Austin literally handing it over to him?

His first pay-per-view after becoming IC champion is at the Royal Rumble when he took on Ken Shamrock

From the Observer

“The Rock beat Ken Shamrock in 10:53 via DQ to retain the IC title. Since both are relatively inexperienced, there were some sloppy spots such as both going for moves at the same time or hesitations and the finish was a screw-job. I can actually recall when I was in junior high school seeing Duane Johnson run around backstage every Wednesday night at the San Jose Civic Auditorium with his mom and sometimes his grandmother. 

Finish saw ref Mike Chioda distracted by the NOD, and Maivia clocked Shamrock with Brass Knux and put the Knux in Shamrock's tights but Shamrock kicked out of the pin. 

Shamrock then delivered a belly-to-belly and got the three count. Maivia told Chioda about the Knux in the trunks, and Shamrock went into his trunks and handed them to the ref who reversed his decision. Shamrock then gave Chioda a belly-to-belly and put him in the ankle lock until the other refs broke it up. Somewhat similar to Shamrock's SummerSlam finish. **¼”

The Rock & Ken Shamrock worked together a lot as Rock started to get hot - why do you think that was?

Later on in the Rumble, Rock drew an early number and it was the Rock & Steve Austin that it came down to and Austin would eventually get the win and move on to main event WrestleMania. Even with their program the year before - you can see this is a super hot program wasn’t it?

The Rock would stay programmed with Ken Shamrock as the roots of the dissension in the Nation looks like it’s forming between the Rock & Faarooq…did you see this as a long term program?

How much did Ron Simmons help the Rock in his maturity and being on the road to teach him things about the business?

There’s a Raw in Dallas that has a memorable moment - the Rock gives Faarooq a wrapped gift - a life size poster of Rocky with the IC title. Faarooq throws it away and it becomes a whole thing where Faarooq gets distracted and loses to Steve Blackman. Faarooq tears up the poster - and the heat is boiling almost over. The Rock’s charisma is bleeding out all over the place - you knew from the moment you met him he was a top guy - but was this when everyone else started to realize it?

The go-home Raw before WrestleMania 14 features Rock & Austin in the main event and it outdraws Nitro’s main event of Randy Savage vs. Roddy Piper. Mind you Raw hadn’t yet defeated Nitro in the head to head rating as that would happen weeks later - but this is a monumental step towards that. How important was Rock to helping get Austin up to the top spot?

At WrestleMania 14 Rock would officially christen himself just as “the Rock” in his interview with Gennifer Flowers - Bill Clinton’s mistress of course - before defending the IC title against Ken Shamrock again. 

From the Observer

“Rocky Maivia retained the IC title beating Ken Shamrock via DQ in 4:49. They are trying to give Maivia the same "Chairman" gimmick that WCW gave La Parka and then did nothing serious with. Not much to the match itself. Maivia used a hard unprotected chair shot to Shamrock's face but Shamrock kicked out of the pin. Shamrock came back with a belly-to-belly and an ankle lock and Maivia tapped out. 

He then put the ankle lock back on Maivia, while Faarooq came out and simply watched as Maivia, with blood spewing from his mouth, tapped out in agony. A stretcher came for Maivia. Shamrock then suplexed three referees and a guy in a suit. It was then announced the decision was reversed due to Shamrock putting the hold on after the match. 

Shamrock went nuts again, knocking Maivia off the stretcher in the aisle and pounding on him some more on the stage before leaving.”

This is a hell of a way to have a dusty finish on WrestleMania - but Rock’s chair shots on Shamrock have become almost legendary. What did you think of Rock & Shamrock on WrestleMania and the big stage?

Do you think the move would’ve been to give Shamrock the IC title here?

Raw the next night features Rock taking over as leader of the Nation…it was only a matter of time before this would happen right?

He’s a year removed from WrestleMania and the Sultan - and soon to drop the IC title - amazing what one year makes between 1997 and 1998 right JR?

At Unforgiven - Faarooq has the unlikely tag team partners of Ken Shamrock & Steve Blackman taking on the Rock, D’Lo Brown & Mark Henry of the Nation. The babyfaces would get the win - but the injury prone Shamrock had issues so Blackman had to carry the match. Not the best mix for that was it?

Faarooq got the pin on Rock to set up Over the Edge but at the show - Rocky was piledriven on a chair by Faarooq before the match - except the chair moved - and it ended up being a regular piledriver. Rock is stretched off like it’s a serious injury - that puts you in a bit of a bind to have to sell this - what do you do as an announcer when something like this happens?

The story is that Sgt. Slaughter - the commissioner at the time - that he doesn’t believe Rock - which is odd to act like this as a babyface commish to a heel - and Rock would come out with a neck brace on eventually so he didn’t forfeit the title…and then defeats Faarooq in 5 minutes. This…wasn’t the best psychology was it to help anyone was it?

It would lead to DX coming out for the save because they still hate the newest Nation member - Owen Hart. This would spur on one of the biggest fueds of 1998 - the Nation & DX. How important were these two for each other?

King of the Ring 1998 is coming up and the Rock is entered into the tournament by defeating Vader, and then Triple H to make it onto the pay-per-view and the semi-finals. There’s Rock - defeating the man who won the tournament the year before before his ascent into a top guy…same path here for Rocky right?

Well not quite - he heads to the pay-per-view and has to work Dan Severn in the semi-finals in a match that Meltzer would call awful. Rock would get the win - but this wasn’t the best way to highlight Rock am I right?

He faces his old foe - Ken Shamrock - in the finals but Shamrock would get the win in a match Meltzer would give *** ¼. Why Shamrock here over Rock do you think?

The DX parody of the Nation takes place in the build to the next PPV, Fully Loaded - looking back - these are some pivotal moments in the Monday Night War weren’t they?

It would lead to Fully Loaded in what is essentially a test for him & Hunter as on live pay-per-view it’s 2 out of 3 falls - and it’s the longest match for either man at this point in their career. This smells like a Pat Patterson test…tell me I’m wrong…

They go to a 30 minute draw with 1 to 1 at the ending and it’s to setup a ladder match at SummerSlam - but these two proved themselves that night didn’t they?

From the Observer about the SummerSlam Ladder Match

“The push of younger wrestlers was evident… with the ladder match being used as an attempt to catapult both HHH and Rocky Maivia up yet another rung on the real life ladder to greatness. Despite HHH going in with a legit knee injury and the obvious comparisons with the two Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon PPV matches that they couldn't live up to and that it's unfair to compare anything with, the two put on a very dramatic excellent ladder match which appeared to accomplish its goals and from most accounts Maivia came out of the event as the big star of the show.”

It’s tough in the same building as the original Ladder Match between Shawn & Razor at WrestleMania - but it’s hard not to see the Rock - even while losing and dropping the title - did come out of the event as the big star…

Rock is on the rise and the babyface reactions are really starting to become hard to ignore - it was time to move on from the Nation am I right JR?

Was it very obvious to you guys that the fans were turning Rock face at this time? Was this what you guys wanted?

The Rock is in a triple threat cage match at Breakdown 1998 against Ken Shamrock & Mankind…who are all pretty much babyfaces at this point, with Mankind’s crazy elbow drop attempt on Rock from the top of the cage. everything Rock does is met with amazing pops - especially for the People’s Elbow. JR - what did you think of the elbow?

The Rock would get the win by pinning Ken Shamrock and move on to Judgment Day where he would take on Mark Henry from the former Nation. It’s crazy when you look back at this now - but Henry pins him clean in 5 minutes. Not the finish anyone could expect looking back am I right?

Of course from there at Survivor Series the Rock would defeat the Big Boss Man, Ken Shamrock, the Undertaker (via DQ thanks to Kane) & Mankind - turning heel as the corporate champion in the final to become WWF champion. Was Rock ready for this?

The story of this - with Rock turning heel - what did you think of the swerve at the end?

Its really ballsy to do this when Rock is nipping on Austin’s heels as the #2 babyface - but it made Rock such a bigger heel did it not?

The Rock - Foley story would really heat up as it feels like the goal is Rock vs. Austin at WrestleMania. Foley was the perfect compliment for Rock wasn’t he?

You would sadly suffer your bell’s palsy attack while in England for the Capital Carnage pay-per-view and you would miss Rock Bottom - where the Rock’s first title defense on pay-per-view took place against Mankind. The finish is…unique. Mankind puts Socko on Rock and Tim White signals for the bell but the announcement is from Mr. McMahon that since Rock wasn’t pinned and didn’t submit - he can retain his title, and Vince gets Socko for his trouble. What do you think of a finish like that?