Han, err I mean The Rock shot first (RAW 99)

[msc]

Watching the Reliving the War series on YouTube, which is great and recommended incidentally though the recent Owen stuff was as hard to watch as we all knew it would be. But anyhow, I was watching the 31st May 1999 episode last night and it turns out I've been holding onto a wrestling Mandela effect thing for years.

As a young mark in the nineties I loved The Rock, and Mankind, and so the Rock n Sock Connection was designed for people like me, as much as it was to show the warmer side of Rock's new face character. Because of Foley's books, and remembering the big angle where they officially joined forces and won the tag belts from Undertaker and Big Show, I remembered well that it was Foley who took the first step to be friends with The Rock, and mend bridges after their blood feud earlier in the year.

Mankind coming to Rock's aide, and proposing the tag team. The first move. And that's why the whole thing was to show the kinder side of The Rock.

But then, on May 31st 1999 RAW, the episode where they wrote out Foley so he could have his knee surgery over the summer, Triple H goes to continue his sledgehammer attack on Mankind and... The Rock bloody well shows up to save Mick.

I'd totally forgotten this and it changes the whole genesis of the angle. It wasn't Mankind reaching out and slowly changing Rock, it was Mankind returning the favour.

Anyhow, this blows my mind and I've no idea how I forgot this, as a childhood Rock fan.

(It doesn't make Rock going to bat for Foley's job, or that bit where he hinted he'd bought a replacement of Foley is Good, or "it's now 5...on 2" any less amazing, just that they were building on character work already done which WWE and both competitors seemed to have forgotten from the narrative!)

[msc]

I thought, is this worth a thread, and then decided if it fascinated me it might interest others on here...

[David-Arquette was in WCW 2000]

I honestly don't recall much of the summer of 1999, and how The Rock N' Sock connection came to be, but I do love instances like this. The Rock saving Mick might not have been a real intentional decision, but as a fan you can add that to the narrative and it makes these arcs all the more interesting.

Somewhat on topic, I thought Rocky saving Cactus at Royal Rumble 2000 was a great touch, along with some irony haha

[nobody]

Mar 23, 2024 8:32:06 GMT -5 David-Arquette was in WCW 2000 said:

Somewhat on topic, I thought Rocky saving Cactus at Royal Rumble 2000 was a great touch, along with some irony haha

That’s always been one of my favourite moments ever. Same event, same weapon, one year later it always brings a smile to my face.

[Bang Bang Bart]

Mar 23, 2024 8:32:06 GMT -5 David-Arquette was in WCW 2000 said:

I honestly don't recall much of the summer of 1999, and how The Rock N' Sock connection came to be, but I do love instances like this. The Rock saving Mick might not have been a real intentional decision, but as a fan you can add that to the narrative and it makes these arcs all the more interesting.

Somewhat on topic, I thought Rocky saving Cactus at Royal Rumble 2000 was a great touch, along with some irony haha

they were heading full steam into Rock as a face at that time and I guess running in to save a guy who, a few months back, was someone he was feuding with, was a good way to do that.

[Renslayer]

I had completely forgotten mankind was gone for months prior to summerslam 99