The Rock: Face Or Heel?

4. Promos

The Rock
WWE.com

Face:

Rock was too good at ripping the piss out of the hapless pricks he was programmed against. His perfection of trash-talk, and the sheer abundance of it - Rock wasn't one to put his opponents over on the mic - has informed WWE's modern style guide, and now, witless tossers bury other witless tossers in a race to the bottom. We have Rock to thank for "Godzilla-looking bastard," and the like, but it was worth it. Rock used absurd humour to get across how thick Booker T was, and claimed the omniscient God didn't know who Billy Gunn was. He was hysterical.

The Rock's patter developed something of a woozle wozzle quality when he returned in 2012, as incredible as his first burial of John Cena was. "Kung Pow Bitch" was a nonsensical echo of Rock's really not great at all bemusement of east Asian accents in the '90s. "Boots 2 Asses" wasn't great either. How many asses does John Cena have? That's all he was there for.

Heel:

Hollywood Rock was something else. There was such a delicious glee to the way in which he'd bury crowds during that time. He pissed himself laughing at the Sacramento public in a more free-form style than every other promo in 2003. He was in total control.This was Rock transcending wrestling, and he thought it was funny that you hated him for it.

Winner: Heel.

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!