Wrestling’s Most Iconic Moment Happened Right Here In Upstate New York

In the 1990s wrestling was the most popular thing. Not only were you into it, but so was everyone around you. People were wearing wrestling t-shirts as often as you saw rock band t-shirts. It was really quite incredible. While in 2025 WWE has gone fully global, and might be at a new height, this era was unlike no other.

The Capital Region has been home to an arena that sits in downtown Albany for years. Now it is known as MVP arena, but back in the late 90s it was the Pepsi arena and WWE came through often with Monday Night Raw. One night in 1999 Albany got a real treat from the legendary Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Stone Cold's Beer Bath

In the then Pepsi Arena on Monday Night Raw Stone Cold Steve Austin drove a beer truck right into the arena and gave The Rock and the rest of Vince McMahon's corporation a beer bath. He soaked them right in the ring right before WrestleMania XV that took place on March 28th. Wrestling fans got to witness history.

I was 15-years-old and this was hands down one of the coolest things I had ever seen. To top it off it happened right here in Albany, NY March 22, 1999. Stone Cold Steve Austin was the coolest wrestler at the time, and he might still be the coolest of all time.

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While that may have been the greatest moment to happen in New York, it is certainly not the greatest match. That honor belongs to another group of WWE legends and took place five years earlier.

Greatest New York Match

WrestleMania X had one of the most memorable matches between Shawn Michaels and Scott Hall aka Razor Ramon. It took place at Madison Square Garden in 1994 and has been called the greatest ladder matches of all time.