The Rock's 10 Best Matches Ever
3. Vs. Triple H (SummerSlam 1998)
What a difference one year can make. In the summer of 1997, after months of being rejected as a Jason Jordan-like smiley babyface, Rock was turned heel to try and get the most out of the genuine heat. Fast forward to SummerSlam the following year, and Rock would've been the biggest star on the roster if not for Austin.
The casual delivery, well-executed tics and mannerisms, and showy performances in the ring had brought Rock a long way in a short amount of time. His resume lacked a truly blowaway match, up until he and Triple H climbed that ladder to greatness, with a packed Garden crowd bearing witness.
The New York fans have generally been a barometer for the McMahons, and on that night, they were buying everything that Rock was selling. When he sandwiched Helmsley between a ladder and his own People's Elbow, it was a moment of arrival, Rock's clear ascent from failure to valedictorian. Oh, and the match was quite awesome as well, each man's best to that point.