Earlier than Dwayne Johnson grew to become some of the recognizable film stars on planet earth, he was a longtime wrestler within the WWE. With an extended historical past linked to wrestling and a number of nice feuds, even with out his post-wrestling profession, The Rock could be some of the beloved stars within the historical past of wrestling.
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As one of many largest stars in WWE historical past regardless of a comparatively brief profession, The Rock competed in some unforgettable matches at SummerSlam.
The Rock’s feud with “Stone Chilly” Steve Austin and Triple H had been a few of the biggest feuds within the historical past of the WWE. His match with Hulk Hogan was the “true” closing chapter of the Monday Night time Wars. Together with a Corridor Of Fame solo profession, The Rock additionally competed with lots of the greatest (and worst) wrestlers as a tag crew. This record will study the most effective and worst tag companions of his illustrious profession.
Greatest: Faarooq – Instrumental In Rock Rising As A Star
The Rock Actually Discovered Himself As A Performer Whereas Below Faarooq’s Tutelage
Rocky Maivia joined The Nation of Domination, led by Faarooq, turning him heel. Maivia rapidly emerged as a breakout star within the group and finally took Faarooq’s place as chief. Maivia quickly grew to become ‘The Rock’ and took off as a star.
Rocky Maivia’s transition from followers chanting “Die, Rocky, Die” to “The Rock” began together with his heel flip. He joined the Nation of Domination in 1997 and the whole lot modified for him. Though he competed with numerous members of the nation, Faarooq was his biggest tag crew companion from the group.
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These WCW World Champions proved that the wrestling world is extra than simply giants!
The previous WCW World Heavyweight Champion was an enormous a part of the rise of The Rock, who would turn into one of many largest stars within the historical past of popular culture.
Worst: Teddy Lengthy – The Rock Teamed With Two Referees
In A Weird Second Of The Angle Period, Rock Teamed With Lengthy And Jack Doan, WWE Referees
For some motive, referees Jack Doan and Teddy Lengthy had been booked to crew with The Rock. The three-on-2 handicap match happened on the Jan. 8, 2001 episode of RAW. The match led to a DQ when Kane shoved the match’s official referee, Tim White.
Any time The Rock teamed with a go well with, which occurred on many events, the matches had been nearly at all times unhealthy. He is already an over-the-top character speaking within the third individual and including somebody like Teddy Lengthy to the fold did little to floor The Rock like lots of his nice tag crew companions did.
Jack Doan, Teddy Lengthy, and The Rock competed in opposition to Rikishi and Kane in a handicap match which led to a DQ.
Greatest: Steve Austin – Dream Staff
As The Firm’s Two High Faces, Rock And Austin Teamed Up On A number of Events
The Rock and Stone Chilly sometimes teamed up when confronted with a typical foe. Opponents included The Radicalz, Kurt Angle and Triple H and the nWo. The 2 by no means competed for the WWE Tag Staff Championship.
No, we’re not speaking about The Rock and Austin’s epic duet, as we’re sticking with bell-to-bell motion for now.
The Rock and Steve Austin had a chemistry that was unmatched of their period. The 2 of them are as accountable for the rise of wrestling tv as anyone. Their feuds will at all times be legendary since they headlined three WrestleManias in opposition to one another.
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by way of 2k.comWrestling followers could have a motive to look at the Emmys this yr, as two icons of the business, The Rock and Stone Co
The 2 additionally competed as a tag crew unit many instances on Uncooked and SmackdDown. Their chemistry as opponents carried over to their tag crew matches. As a unit, they defeated everybody from The Radicalz to Kurt Angle & Triple H.
Worst: Shane McMahon – Allies As Members Of The Company
The Two Competed Far Extra Usually As Adversaries
Shane McMahon and The Rock had been each members of The Company. The 2 joined forces, however by no means competed in a tag crew match as teammates. The Rock confronted Shane on a number of events in singles matches and as members of opposing groups.
Whereas The Rock was a member of The Company, he was one of many high heels within the WWE. Though Shane McMahon did have many memorable moments with The Rock, their tag crew matches weren’t nice.
Shane McMahon was a below-average wrestler, and he and Rock by no means did something particular as a unit.
Greatest: Chris Jericho – Chemistry As Each Allies And Enemies
Gained The Tag Staff Titles Throughout Their 2001 Feud
Jericho and The Rock defeated The Dudley Boyz throughout their 2001 feud. Jericho and Rock’s pairing didn’t final lengthy, with Jericho cementing a heel flip. Their feud over the WCW title continued in the course of the firm’s Invasion storyline.
Many followers overlook that Chris Jericho and The Rock had been as soon as the WWE Tag Staff Champions. A day after their nice WCW World Heavyweight Title match at No Mercy 2001, they teamed up and received the WWF World Tag Staff Titles from The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley).
Their run as tag crew champions lasted just a little over per week, however the two had been a fantastic unit and would have most likely been a big-name secure in the event that they weren’t such enormous solo stars.
Worst: Check – Members Of The Company
Check By no means Fairly Reached The Rock’s Degree Of Starpower
Check joined The Company throughout Rock’s time because the ‘Company Champion’. Rock left The Company proper after Backlash ’99. Check would quickly go away The Company as nicely, earlier than feuding with Shane McMahon.
Check was at one level seen because the second hand in The Company subsequent to, world champion, The Rock. The 2 stars solely competed in a single televised tag match the place they had been dominated by D-Technology X (Triple H & X-Pac).
Contemplating how a lot display screen time Check shared with The Rock, it appeared the 2 would have extra chemistry, but it surely was at all times missing between the 2.
Greatest: The Undertaker (Tag Staff Champions)
Rock And ‘Taker Gained The Titles From Edge And Christian
The Rock and Undertaker received the tag titles from Edge and Christian on the 12/18/2000 episode of RAW. They’d lose the titles on SmackDown, televised just some nights later. The 2 would additionally crew up at Survivor Sequence 2001, as a part of Staff WWF.
Sure, The Undertaker and The Rock had been as soon as the WWE tag crew champions.
It appears insane the 2 enormous stars would ever compete within the tag crew division, however they’d nice matches as a unit.
The 2 competed and held their very own as a crew in opposition to Christian & Edge and The Dudley Boyz. Although their tag title reign solely lasted at some point, the 2 would crew up numerous instances till the Rock’s first departure from the WWE in 2004.
Worst: Mike Chioda – What’s With The Rock And Referees?
Rock And Chioda Gained In Their Solely Tag Match
Mike Chioda was employed by the WWE as a referee from the 80s to the early 2020s. The Rock And Chioda teamed up with Chris Jericho on a 2001 episode of SmackDown. The trio defeated The Dudley Boyz and Alliance referee Nick Patrick.
Mike Chioda has been a wrestling referee for the reason that 80s. He is likely one of the most recognizable faces and even refereed Ric Aptitude’s final match in 2022. He, The Rock, and Chris Jericho as soon as teamed up on an episode of SmackDown.
Mike Chioda’s contributions within the match had been as small as you’ll anticipate. They received the match because of a Individuals’s Elbow from Chioda. The match was enjoyable, however contemplating the various legends The Rock has competed with, Mike Chioda was an oddball pairing.
Greatest: Mankind – The Rock ‘n’ Sock Connection
Maybe The Greatest Instance Of The ‘Odd Couple’ Idea Working To Perfection
The Rock and Mankind competed in a bitter feud from late ’98 to early ’99. Mankind satisfied The Rock to crew with him to face Massive Present and The Undertaker for the tag crew titles. The Rock ‘n’ Sock Connection grew to become some of the beloved groups of all time, profitable the tag titles 3 times.
The best tag crew companion of The Rock’s profession will at all times be Mankind. The 2 had been enormous property to the Angle Period and their matches and promos are iconic. The 2 held the WWE tag crew titles three completely different instances. The Rock ‘n’ Sock Connection additionally holds the report for the best seen phase within the historical past of Monday Night time Uncooked.
The pair fought their final official match collectively at WrestleMania 20, when The Rock returned to assist Mick Foley compete in opposition to Evolution. The Rock ‘n’ Sock Connection misplaced their final match, however gave followers one final nostalgic run of some of the beloved, albeit shortlived, pairings of all time.
Worst: The Massive Boss Man (Company Members)
Boss Man Was Seen As The Company’s Enforcer
The Rock teamed with Boss Man whereas the 2 had been each members of The Company. They teamed with fellow Company member Ken Shamrock to tackle The Brood. Whereas they remained allies in The Company, they did not work together all that a lot.
The Massive Boss Man is usually a forgotten member of The Company. If he had competed with The Rock in his prime, then they may’ve had higher matches, however the whole lot they did in 1998 was beneath common.
The pair additionally had Ken Shamrock on their crew and had been capable of defeat The Brood (Christian, Edge & Gangrel) by way of DQ, however they did nothing memorable as a unit outdoors that one match.
