Saturday, May 2 is the Rock's 43rd birthday. The former WWE superstar, who has made a major name for himself in Hollywood, is also regarded as one of the most popular WWE superstars ever. Rock left WWE for Hollywood in 2003 but returned in 2011, on a part time basis.
Here we recollect five of Rock's greatest rivalries.
5) Rock v/s Mick Foley/Mankind: Mick Foley, also known as Mankind, Cactus Jack and Dude Love, was a constant feature in the late 90s WWE. Typecast as a ragged, unsophisticated, untalented, bizarre athlete who was nevertheless good at heart, Mick Foley rose to the top during 1998-99. During the fall of 1998, Mick Foley began to feud with the Rock, who was at the time the WWE champion, and a heel (bad guy). Good guy Mick Foley and bad guy Rock fought a series of brutal, if unathletic matches. Mick Foley initially won the title from the Rock during a January 4, 1999 taping of RAW due to interference from Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Rock-Mankind match at the 1999 Royal Rumble would however be one of the most brutal matches ever in professional wrestling, as Rock smashed a chair about 14 times into Mankind's skull and used a variety of vicious manoeuvres to force him to quit.
Later, Rock and Mankind would form a reluctant tag team known as the 'Rock n Sock Connection' which would win the WWE tag team title once. The two were also part of a record-breaking segment 'This is Your Life' in which Mankind brought out several people from the Rock's past, on his 'birthday'.
4) Rock v/s John Cena: The reason this rivalry is ranked at No 4 is because Rock was working part-time in 2012 and 2013, and John Cena's star had begun to wane. The Rock made a return on the February 14, 2011 edition of RAW after seven years of absence from WWE, targeting John Cena and giving voice to adult fans who had grown tired of him. The Rock then became the guest host for Wrestlemania 27 and cost John Cena the victory in his match against the Miz. The next night, the two set up a clash at Wrestlemania 28 the following year. Their Wrestlemania 28 match would cause the highest buyrate in Wrestlemania history. The two would clash again at Wrestlemania 29, with Cena winning the match to end the rivalry.
3) Rock v/s Hulk Hogan: Hulk Hogan returned to WWE in 2002 after a gap of 9 years and following the fall of WCW. Initailly, Hogan was supposed to do a Wrestlemania programme with Stone Cold Steve Austin, but negotiations fell through as neither man wanted to lose to the other. The stage was then set for Rock v/s Hogan in Montreal at Wrestlemania 18. The raucous crowd, which booed the good guy Rock out of the building and cheered Hogan, made the match more special than it already was.
Rock would soon go on a hiatus from WWE to film in Hollywood, and on his return, would turn on the fans. A Rock-Hogan rematch at No Way Out 2003 followed, which Rock won with the help of Vince McMahon, ending the Rock-Hogan rivalry.
2) Rock v/s Triple H: Triple H in 1999 and 2000 was typecast as a very evil villain, who would go to any extent to becoming the WWE champion. Rock on the other hand was experiencing incredible levels of popularity which only surged further after Stone Cold Steve Austin had to leave for neck surgery. As the top face and top heel in the company, Rock and HHH would go on to have a series of matches for the WWE title.
It started at Wrestlemania 2000 when HHH defeated the Rock in a match involving Mick Foley and Big Show as well. At Backlash 2000, the Rock overcame HHH despite Vince McMahon and his entire family being on the villain's side. The win was effected by Stone Cold Steve Austin who returned to an incredible ovation and took out the McMahon-Helmsley faction.
Rock would successfully defend his title against HHH at King of the Ring, but lose a 60-minute, 'Iron Man' match at Judgment Day despite interference from a returning Undertaker.
1) Rock v/s Stone Cold Steve Austin: This was inarguably one of the greatest feuds of all time, and the greatest of the Attitude Era after Steve Austin v/s Vince McMahon.
It began as early as 1997, with the two engaging in a feud over Steve Austin's Intercontinental Championship. At one point, Rock 'stole' Austin's title, and on another occasion, Austin 'handed over' the title to the Rock before attacking him. At the 1998 Royal Rumble, Steve Austin would last eliminate the Rock to win the Rumble.
Some time passed before Austin became embroiled in a feud with a villainous Rock, in the winter of 1998. The WWE management smartly kept the two away from a match until Wrestlemania in 1999, when Austin defeated the Rock to win the WWE title. He would beat the Rock again at Backlash 1999 to retain the title and end Chapter 1 of the feud.
Chapter 2 of the feud began when Steve Austin won the 2001 Royal Rumble, and the Rock the title the following month. This set up a marquee Rock-Austin clash at Wrestlemania 17 in Texas, Austin's home state. In front of a hostile crowd, Rock was beaten to a pulp by Austin who then shockingly used Vince McMahon's help to beat him and win the title. This is perhaps the greatest match in the careers of both Rock and Austin because of the incredible intensity and ring psychology, as also the shocking ending.
The Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (WWF... by mikeorellana
Fast forward to 2003, and past-their-primes Rock and Austin fought a third Wrestlemania match, with a heel Rock coming out the winner following 3 Rock Bottoms.
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock... by mikeorellana
Rock's feud with Steve Austin is his greatest - and one of the greatest in history - for several reasons. Firstly, Rock was the only man who could match the popularity of Steve Austin in the Attitude Era - and the two men were unbelievably popular. Secondly, the ring chemistry between the two competitors was incredible and they brought great intensity to the feuds. Thirdly, Austin and Rock made the Attitude Era the most successful era in professional wrestling. While Austin saved WWE from bankruptcy, Rock helped it reach heights never envisioned before. Together they managed to overcome the competition of WCW and run that organisation into the ground.
While the Rock may no longer be an active competitor, his legacy as one of the greatest in professional wrestling will endure for ever.