10 Best "Passing Of The Torch" Matches In WWE History
3. The Rock Vs. Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania X8)
In terms of pure workrate, Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock isn’t anything special. You won’t see breathless sprint periods, precise chain wrestling, or impactful high spots here: instead, this match is all about spectacle and atmosphere. The building was absolutely electric at WrestleMania X8, and while dozens of other WrestleMania matches have Rock vs. Hogan beat as far as the actual work goes, few can top it in terms of crowd reaction.
It was the two biggest crossover stars that wrestling has ever produced going at it on the biggest show of the year, and it was absolutely perfect. Hogan, the heel, wrestled to huge cheers from the crowd, and Rocky was booed throughout. The sight of the duo staring each other down, completely lost in the atmosphere, remains one of the most iconic images in Mania history, and as expected, the Attitude Era’s greatest showman eventually triumphed over the man who’d made WWE’s golden age so successful in the first place.
The outcome was a hugely symbolic moment. Rock’s in-ring career was gradually winding down, but in triumphing over Hogan, he had added an exclamation point to his status as one of the most successful babyfaces of all-time. The scene concluded with the victorious Rock drawing Hogan back into the ring to pose for the fans, closing their brief rivalry on a high note, and giving Hogan his first major WrestleMania moment in close to a decade.