Highlights
Over time, The Rock has grow to be one of many largest stars in WWE historical past.
He has competed at 11 WrestleManias, having among the greatest matches on the cardboard.
He’ll return to the ring on the Grandest Stage of Them All this yr, so it is time to take a look at his historical past on the occasion to date.
The Rock is an absolute legend in skilled wrestling. Via all his iterations, Dwayne Johnson has over 27 years of in-ring expertise and has a profession few may match. Due to his profession in Hollywood, he is one of many largest stars on this planet and even finds himself on the Board of Administrators at WWE’s mother or father firm TKO.
He’s now again on this planet of WWE and can be teaming with Roman Reigns to battle Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins on the primary evening of WrestleMania 40. So, what higher time to mirror on all of The Nice One’s earlier ventures onto the Grandest Stage of Them All, as GIVEMESPORT ranks each single Rock match at WrestleMania ever.
To give you the definitive rating, a number of various factors have been taken into consideration:
Match high quality Environment Impression
The Rock’s 11 WrestleMania matches (ranked)
Rank
Match
Occasion
1.
The Rock vs Hulk Hogan
WrestleMania 18
2.
The Rock vs Stone Chilly Steve Austin
WrestleMania 17
3.
The Rock vs Stone Chilly Steve Austin
WrestleMania 15
4.
The Rock vs John Cena
WrestleMania 28
5.
The Rock vs Stone Chilly Steve Austin
WrestleMania 19
6.
The Rock vs John Cena
WrestleMania 29
7.
The Rock and Mick Foley vs Evolution
WrestleMania 20
8.
The Rock vs Mick Foley vs Massive Present vs Triple H
WrestleMania 2000
9.
The Rock vs Ken Shamrock
WrestleMania 14
10.
Rocky Maivia vs The Sultan
WrestleMania 13
11.
The Rock vs Erick Rowan
WrestleMania 32
11 The Rock vs Erick Rowan
WrestleMania 32
At WrestleMania 32, there weren’t many followers who anticipated to see The Nice One compete within the ring. On the time, The Rock was merely there to announce the attendance of the present, making a particularly elaborate entrance which included cheerleaders and setting his personal identify on fireplace, soaking within the adulation from the gang. As he was saying the variety of followers within the stadium that evening, although, Johnson was interrupted by The Wyatt Household, and the bell sounded for a match between Erick Rowan and the then 44-year-old.
To say this was a ‘match’ could be doing it a favour, as from begin to end it solely lasted six seconds. Admittedly, there would not have been many anticipating a basic when an impromptu contest between Erick Rowan and the eight-time WWE Champion was made, however Rock merely hit his ending transfer and recorded a victory at ‘Mania 32.
10 The Rock vs The Sultan
WrestleMania 13
Counting his squash of Rowan, 2016 was Rock’s eleventh WrestleMania match. However, when he took on The Sultan at WrestleMania 13, it was his first time showing on the Present of Reveals. Beneath his Rocky Maivia identify, Johnson defended the WWF Intercontinental Championship towards the longer term Rikishi in 1997.
On the time, his pure babyface character wasn’t fairly connecting with the viewers, and he was on the point of outright rejection from the followers. This match didn’t land and was met with sturdy apathy from spectators and even the commentary workforce, who weren’t all that centered on the motion. Rocky did win, however his victory got here by way of a roll-up which didn’t notably do a lot to impress.
9 The Rock vs Ken Shamrock
WrestleMania 14
One yr on from the match with The Sultan, Johnson was extra snug dealing with Ken Shamrock underneath his iconic ‘The Rock’ identify. As was the case 12 months earlier, this was a bout for the Intercontinental Championship, and this one had way more fireplace to it. The 2 brawled instantly and exchanged blows each out and in of the ring in an intense battle.
When it got here all the way down to it, Shamrock really made The Rock undergo the Ankle Lock, however, even when the Nation of Domination tried to interrupt the maintain post-match, Ken was decided to maintain making use of the maintain. This made the referee reverse the unique determination and hold the title on Rock, one thing that infuriated Shamrock. A really promising exhibiting.
8 The Rock vs Triple H vs Mick Foley vs Massive Present
WrestleMania 2000
The four-way match that closed WrestleMania 2000 was chaotic, to say the least. For Rock, it was his second-ever time happening final on the Present of Reveals, and it was definitely star-studded. With a McMahon in each nook, Johnson (the Royal Rumble winner) was flanked by Mr. McMahon in a four-way elimination match that includes WWF Champion Triple H, Mick Foley and The Massive Present.
Within the elimination bout, Johnson was among the many last two, going 20 minutes with Triple H in any case different rivals had been eradicated. Nevertheless, it wasn’t he who walked out because the champion, as Vince turned on Rock, permitting The Sport to maintain maintain of the WWF Title in a convoluted and typically complicated near ‘Mania 16.
7 The Rock and Mick Foley vs Evolution
WrestleMania 20
At WrestleMania 20 in 2004, The Rock ‘N’ Sock connection reunited to tackle Evolution. On the time, Foley was locked in a feud with the legendary group, and particularly, Randy Orton, which boiled over to the purpose that Rock wanted to make a return to help his former associate towards the dominant faction. However, regardless of his comeback, the numbers nonetheless weren’t even because the Folks’s Champ and Foley took on Orton, Ric Aptitude and Batista in a 2-on-3 handicap match on the Present of Reveals.
The match itself blended flurries of entertaining motion with comedy from two of wrestling’s most charismatic males ever in Rock and Aptitude. It was the proper mix of established legend and future star, as Orton pinned Foley following a profitable RKO. A person down, Rock ‘N’ Sock weren’t in a position to overcome Evolution on the evening, however this proved to be precisely what was wanted, because the feud rattled on into the next pay-per-view.
6 The Rock vs John Cena II
WrestleMania 29
As we’ll get to, WWE marketed the primary assembly between The Rock and John Cena as a ‘As soon as in a Lifetime’ incidence. But, when John received the Royal Rumble in 2013, it turned abundantly clear that The Rock would emerge victorious over CM Punk of their WWE Title match on the identical present, organising a second historic assembly one yr on from when The Nice One pinned the chief of the Cenation in Miami.
The match options references to their authentic encounter and does really feel large time as two of probably the most iconic stars ever clashed over the WWE Championship. Finally although, Rock suffered an belly muscle damage through the contest which had an impact on the proceedings. Cena got here out on high (to the dismay of the viewers) and it spelt the top of Rock’s final actual run in WWE till 2024.
5 The Rock vs Stone Chilly Steve Austin III
WrestleMania 19
2003 noticed the third ‘Mania match between Rock and Stone Chilly Steve Austin in 5 years, and the final time that the 2 icons would share the ring on the largest stage. This time, Rock returned to the corporate as a heel and was hell-bent on lastly getting a WrestleMania win over The Rattlesnake after two unsuccessful defences of the WWF Title towards him.
It was the rivalry that outlined the Perspective Period and made a era of followers fall in love with wrestling, and, whereas this match wasn’t as sturdy as the opposite two which we’ll get to later, it was an ideal ending to the pair’s journey collectively, with Rock even whispering to Austin that he liked him post-match in a second that Stone Chilly nonetheless will get emotional about to this present day. The Nice One lastly obtained the win over his longtime foe, and the match would show to be Austin’s final till his one-off bout with Kevin Owens at ‘Mania 38 in 2022.
4 The Rock vs John Cena I
WrestleMania 28
After a yr’s construct, it lastly got here time for The Rock to face John Cena in The Nice One’s hometown of Miami, Florida. The pair had been on a collision course for the reason that earlier yr’s Mania (when Rock performed an enormous half in Cena’s loss to The Miz), they usually’d even teamed as much as tackle the Superior Reality on the best way to their eventual showdown, however, on condition that the match was introduced on the Uncooked after ‘Mania 27, followers have been greater than able to see them combine it up when the bell rang.
The match has quite a lot of high quality and performs off how each males have an excessive amount of delight to lose to the opposite. The ending of the match turned notorious, too, because it was solely Cena’s overconfidence and try at mimicking The Rock which ended up costing him. On the time, we thought The Nice One’s win was last, however ‘Mania 28 was a useful gizmo in prolonging the story as Cena battled again from a tricky yr in 2012 to assert the WWE title a yr down the road.
3 The Rock vs Stone Chilly Steve Austin I
WrestleMania 15
The primary time that Rock and Austin graced the ‘Mania stage collectively, it was clear that they may create magic collectively. Instantly getting in one another’s faces, the no DQ match began with an superior brawl which noticed them struggle into the gang. It’s charming from begin to end and even options Austin changing into the primary individual to kick out of the Rock Backside (as cited by JR on commentary).
The Nice One grows so pissed off that he hits his iconic finisher on the ref, and that is the place the match options an look from Vince McMahon. Mankind comes to save lots of The Rattlesnake as soon as the numbers have been towards him, and the followers rejoiced when Foley counted the deciding fall to have Austin win the WWF Title once more.
2 The Rock vs Stone Chilly Steve Austin
WrestleMania 17
‘Mania X-7 is many individuals’s favorite ever version of the Present of Reveals, and this match is quite a lot of the explanation behind that. This was a really legendary contest that noticed each Rock and Austin stroll in as babyfaces, as the primary man to win the Royal Rumble thrice chased down one other WWF Title. One factor was clear, The Rattlesnake was determined to win.
The match itself references to their ‘Mania 15 match and different key moments from each of their careers and was a conflict between two of WWE’s hottest and celebrated stars of all time. In fact, the ending of the match doesn’t sit properly with most individuals, as turning Austin heel was definitely a really daring transfer, however there’s no taking away from how enormous the second was, no matter something that adopted ‘Mania X-7. A basic.
1 The Rock vs Hollywood Hulk Hogan
WrestleMania 18
This was really iconic. It doesn’t get a lot larger than Hulk Hogan vs The Rock, and, regardless of The Nice One coming in because the babyface combatant, the gang overwhelmed the event and cheered Hogan just like the hero because the skilled duo in-ring rode the wave and went together with what the gang needed to see. Simply Rock and Hogan being within the ring collectively created a magnetic vitality which had a lot gravitas.
The match itself actually ought to’ve fundamental evented WrestleMania 18, as the gang have been extra into this than the rest on the cardboard. The enduring conflict blew the roof off of the SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario, and it was really a legendary showdown. Whereas the precise in-ring work wasn’t fairly as spectacular as his wars with Stone Chilly, the storytelling and the ambiance surrounding the bout make it worthy of being known as the Nice One’s best-ever WrestleMania match.