This week we’re doing the most electrifying man in all of sports entertainment, the Jabroni-Beating, la-la-la-la Pie Eating, Trailblazing, Eyebrow Raising, People’s Champ - The Rock.
Thanks to everyone that voted him being this weeks list, it was a very tight poll with The Rock getting 115 votes and Edge getting 111, just missing out by a few votes. There will be another poll at the end for next weeks superstar, at the bottom of this list – Please vote. These collection of matches comes from Dave Meltzer (his matches feature his ratings for matches rated 3 Stars and matches that I believe that are also good too (these matches will be included in honourable mentions). If you have any suggestions for matches that could be included simply privately message me or add a comment on this and I will considerate it. Please read the entire list before commenting saying I’ve forgotten a match when it’s already on the Honourable Mentions. Also since a few people have commented on these posts saying 'stop throwing lists at us with no information' so on a few matches I’ve added a little bit of a backstory for new fans/fans of who haven’t seen the matches, some match details do contain spoilers, so you have been warned, but really if you’re getting up in arms about a match spoiler from several years ago that’s not my problem. I have also tried to add a link to each match as well, videos come from either WWE Network, YouTube and Daily Motion. Lastly, and most importantly, I used Meltzer’s ratings as a guide but make sure to make your own opinion (or rating in this case) about the matches. Just cause he gives something a 3, doesn't mean that it isn't a 5 to you! If you do not like this list because I’ve based it off ratings, that is not my problem. Alright, now lets start the list:
1998:
- The Rock Vs Ken Shamrock - King of the Ring 1998 - 3 ¼* - Ken Shamrock & Rocky shared a great feud with each other for the first 6 months of 1998, this would be one of their final matches with each other, but it still holds up really well.
- The Rock Vs Triple H - Fully Loaded 1998- 3 ¼* - Right after the Shamrock feud ended it would lead to famous Triple H & Rock feud which helped evolve both men into top stars during the Attitude Era. This match was contested under a 2 out of 3 falls match with a 30 minute time limit, and they steal the show and prove why they’re going to be great stars for the company.
- The Rock Vs Triple H - Summerslam 1998 - 4 ¼* - Great match from two wrestlers who were going to help epitomise the Attitude Era. Before the classics of the tag team ladder matches in the early 00’s this was the match that helped re-establish how good ladder matches could be. Highly recommend this match, as it also one of Rocky’s best matches in general.
- The Rock & Stone Cold Vs Kane & Undertaker - Raw 12/10/1998 - 3 ¼*
- The Rock Vs Mankind - Survivor Series 1998 - 3 ½* - After a gruelling series of tournament matches which featured 14 superstars these two saw each other face off each other in the finals. It’s noticeable for many reasons because not only was it The Rock’s first WWF Championship win, but it also featured a rare double-turn and also the first attempt of a ‘Montreal Screwjob’ re-enactment.
1999:
- The Rock Vs Mankind – Royal Rumble 1999 – 3 ¾* - This match is truly brutal, these two met each other in a ‘I Quit Match’ the first one at the time (to my recollection). It featured some of the hardest chair shots to a wrestlers head of all time. Unfortunately this didn’t help Foley’s career in the long run – it’s also infamously known on the Beyond the Mat documentary that Foley’s wife and children were shown at ringside for the match.
- The Rock Vs Stone Cold – Wrestlemania XV – 3 ½* - The epitome of the attitude era starts and finishes with these two guys – they finally got to meet for the WWF Championship in the main event of Wrestlemania, and it sure wouldn’t be there last.
2000:
- The Rock, Cactus Jack, Grandmaster Sexay, Rikishi & Scotty 2 Hotty Vs Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Perry Saturn, Triple H & X-Pac - Raw 07/02/2000 - 4 ¼* - Twists and turns lead us to this match, but its fast, it’s impactful and honestly it has one of the best endings to a Raw ever. I wont spoil it; I’ll just let you watch it.
- The Rock Vs Triple H – Backlash 2000 – 3 ¾* - This is the main event that should’ve taken place at Wrestlemania the previous month, but nonetheless this match holds up really well and the last 5 minutes sequence really makes you miss how good the wrestling was back in the attitude era.
- The Rock Vs Triple H – Judgment Day 2000 – 4* - This is the only 60 Minute Iron Man match in the WWF during the Attitude Era, and these are the two main-eventers that pulled it off fantastically. Ignore the convoluted ending, the match is very well and also allows the return of The Undertaker… with a very interesting new look. Personally, I love Iron Man Matches/Long matches and I really like this match.
- The Rock Vs Chris Benoit – Fully Loaded 2000 – 4 ¼* - Chris Benoit who was a relatively new WWF Wrestler at this time to get an opportunity at the top WWF Star and the WWF Championship at the time. This match is sort of forgotten (or tried to be forgotten by WWE) but it really is a fantastic match and can show that Rock can really work. This PPV as a whole is super underrated and rarely talked about so if you’ve got a spare couple of hours on your hands watch this show.
- The Rock Vs Kurt Angle – No Mercy 2000 – 4 ¼* - Kurt Angle became a major player in a really fast time, he debuted in November 1999, and by October 2000 he had obtained the following WWF Championships: European Championships, Intercontinental Championship and King of the Ring. But in this match he won his first WWF Championship, becoming the fastest person to do it at the time. The Rock and Angle had perfect connection with each other. Fun match, and nice to see an authentic amateur wrestler become a WWF Champion.
2001:
- The Rock Vs Kurt Angle – No Way Out 2001 – 4 ¼* - Just like there previous match at No Mercy 2000, these two have fantastic chemistry with each other.
- The Rock Vs Booker T – Summerslam 2001 - 3* - This was Rocks return match in 2001, after he had been away for sometime to shoot his film The Scorpion King it’s a fun match between to them two. Also always loved the Rock with the big gold belt – guilty pleasure of mine.
- The Rock Vs Chris Jericho – No Mercy 2001 – 4 ½* - Much like Kurt Angle a new-comer to WWF, Jericho whilst also relatively new had great chemistry with each other. This is one of my favourite matches of Rock, Jericho’s and really of 2001. I highly recommend everyone who sees this list watches this match.
- Team WWF (The Rock, Chris Jericho, Kane, The Big Show & The Undertaker) Vs Team Alliance (Booker T, Kurt Angle, Rob Van Dam, Shane McMahon & Steve Austin) - Survivor Series 2001 - 4 ½* - The Rock was the team leader of the WWF going into this match. This was the end to the Invasion feud, and honestly no one was really disappointed about that. But nonetheless it’s still a very fun match to watch, but most people going into this show knew there was no way Team WWF losing. Watch the unedited promo if you can find it, it will honestly make you so hyped for this match.
2002:
- The Rock Vs Hulk Hogan – Wrestlemania X-8 - 3* - The Legend Vs. The Icon. Listen to that crowd. This is Hulk Hogans first Wrestlemania since 9, and he was going against one of the biggest WWF Stars at the time – The Rock. The electric crowd help make this match be as good as it is.
- The Rock Vs Kurt Angle Vs Undertaker – Vengeance 2002 – 4 ½* - Easily one of the most loved triple threat matches of all time and for good reason – Fast paced and action packed. This match is at the start of the turn WWF to WWE, and that also means that many attitude era stars were leaving the company, the big one missing was Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Rock as a face, Kurt Angle as a heel and Undertaker as a newly tweener was just a perfect combo between each other. The addition of these men stealing each others signature and finisher moves make this match even better.
- The Rock Vs Brock Lesnar – Summerslam 2002 – 3 ¼* - This was a real passing of the torch, and putting a younger talent over. Brock Lesnar in one of the fastest debuts in WWE history would win the King of the Ring, thus earn him self a shot at the WWE Championship and he would win that too. This was the rise of Brock Lesnar; it was also the fall of The Rock’s career because after this run he would return a few more times but never a full time star like he once was.
2003:
- The Rock Vs Stone Cold – Wrestlemania XIX – 4* - Now if you ask me too choose my favourite Rock/Austin match; I’d honestly pick this one. No championships on the line, just a straight up brawl to see whom the greatest of all time was. The Rock had to win, he couldn’t lose three times to Austin at Wrestlemania, but also Austin had to win, he couldn’t lose to The Rock after he walked out on the WWE in 2002, and made a return in 2003. The final Rock Bottom to Austin is the full stop to Austin’s Career, as it turns out that Austin would need to retire after this match due to injuries. If you ask me, Rock needed this win to help establish himself as THE main star still in the company.
2004:
- Evolution (Batista, Randy Orton & Ric Flair) Vs Rock N Sock Connection – Wrestlemania XX – 3 ¾* - This was The Rock’s last match for almost 7 years.
2011:
- The Rock & John Cena Vs R-Truth & The Miz – Survivor Series 2011 – 3 ½* - In early 2011, The Rock returned to WWE after 6 ½ years to host Wrestlemania 27 and to also start his feud/build to his match with Cena at Wrestlemania 28. For a strange reason, John Cena decided to choose Rock as his tag team partner at Survivor Series. To make sure the Rock didn’t have any ring rust before he returned for his big fight with Cena at Wrestlemania 28 they set him up in a tag-team match where he would team with Cena and face the top heels on Raw – The Miz & R-Truth. It was almost like Rock hadn’t left WWE because he didn’t miss a beat and the crowd still absolutely adored him.
2012:
- The Rock Vs John Cena – Wrestlemania 28 – 3 ¾* - This match was built up for more than a year and it was set in stone one year in advance. It was billed as ‘Once in a Lifetime’. It main-evented a stacked card which also featured Jericho/Punk for the WWE Championship and also Triple H/Undertaker End of an Era Hell in a Cell match, and still did decent. The match was really fun, and it was good to see Cena play the ‘heel’ role during this match for the crowd.
2013:
- The Rock Vs CM Punk – Royal Rumble 2013 – 4* - The Rock was determined to become WWE Champion one more time, and that came at CM Punk’s expense. This is the end of Punk’s 434 WWE Championship reign – a lot of people are still angry about the ending to this match to this day, me included. I guess it was nice to have Rock become WWE Champion one last time, I just wish he did a few more appearances/matches whilst he was champion.
- The Rock Vs John Cena – Wrestlemania 29 – 3 ½* - So yeah, the match that was billed as ‘Once in a Lifetime’ was going to happen again in the main-event back to back Mania’s. Plenty of people shit on this match, me included honestly – I generally don’t like this match, I feel as if they could’ve done more maybe they could’ve gone with the triple threat match with Punk included or maybe they could’ve even had Rock face someone else (maybe Ryback who could’ve used the rub to become WWE Champion because he was so over with the crowd.)
Honourable Mentions:
- Rocky Maivia, Jake Roberts, Marc Mero & The Stalker Vs Crush & Goldust & Hunter Hearst Helmsley & Jerry Lawler - Survivor Series 1996 - The Rock’s first WWF match, you can listen to The Rock’s thoughts/opinions on this match
- Rocky Maivia Vs Hunter Hearse Helmsley – Raw 13/02/1997 - The Rock’s first Intercontinental Championship win.
- Rocky Maivia Vs The Sultan - Wrestlemania 13 - The Rock’s first Wrestlemania.
- Rocky Maivia Vs Stone Cold - In Your House 19: D-Generation X - One of the first time these two would meet in a match on PPV for a championship.
- The Rock Vs Mankind – Raw 04/01/1999 - Probably one of the biggest highlights of the Monday Night Wars and a very proud moment for Mankind.
- The Rock & Sock Connection Vs Undertaker & Big Show – Raw 30/08/1999 - The Rock & Sock Connection’s first WWE Tag Team Championship win.
- 30 Royal Rumble Match – Royal Rumble 2000 - The Rock wins the 2000 Royal Rumble – for weeks after this Big Show would claim Rock’s feat hit the ground before his and they would even have a match at the following PPV. Justice and the truth didn’t really come out until January of 2016 when Rock admitted to Big Show that he actually won the match.
- The Rock Vs Eddie Guerrero – Raw 22/07/2002 - This match was actually really fun, to start the night they have a segment with each other and it sets up a match between the two later on in the night.
- The Rock Vs Goldberg – Backlash 2003 - This was Goldberg’s first WWE match, he wasn’t the greatest wrestling but oh boy was he a sight to see. Good match between the two of them, probably could’ve been a little bit shorter to really prove how good Goldberg was, he could’ve simply destroyed Rock on his last night in WWF.
- The Rock Vs Erick Rowan – Wrestlemania 32 - The Rock returned for one last match highly anticipated match at the 32nd Wrestlemania against a young talent against one of the best in this new era – Erick Rowan. Big Red. After a hellacious battle between the two men Rock would be the victor of the match. The Rock’s future in WWE is unknown but for intents and purposes could be his retirement match.
Wrestlers in the most matches with The Rock
| Wrestler | Number of Matches |
|---|---|
| Mr. McMahon | 1 |
| British Bulldog | 1 |
| Dean Malenko | 1 |
| Perry Saturn | 1 |
| Rob Van Dam | 1 |
| Brock Lesnar | 1 |
| Batista | 1 |
| Randy Orton | 1 |
| Ric Flair | 1 |
| R-Truth | 1 |
| The Miz | 1 |
| Erick Rowan | 1 |
| Crush | 1 |
| Goldust | 1 |
| Jerry Lawler | 1 |
| The Sultan | 1 |
| Edge | 1 |
| Christian | 1 |
| Eddie Guerrero | 1 |
| Goldberg | 1 |
| Hulk Hogan | 2 |
| John Cena | 2 |
| CM Punk | 2 |
| Rikishi | 2 |
| Road Dogg | 2 |
| Billy Gunn | 3 |
| Chris Benoit | 3 |
| Booker T | 3 |
| Chris Jericho | 3 |
| Shane McMahon | 3 |
| Ken Shamrock | 3 |
| Kane | 4 |
| Big Show | 4 |
| X-Pac | 4 |
| Kurt Angle | 6 |
| Mankind | 9 |
| Undertaker | 9 |
| Stone Cold | 10 |
| Triple H | 19 |
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