The Rock's 10 Best WWE Moments
2. Showcase Of The Immortals
By 2002, the Rock was firmly entrenched as the face of the WWE. Steve Austin’s star was on the decline, if only slightly, and the Rock had usurped his positon as the company’s biggest star.
With Ric Flair recently a majority shareholder, McMahon had decided to inject a lethal dose of poison in his own company, deciding that if he couldn’t run everything, he would ruin everything. Enter the New World Order, the dominant WCW faction that ran roughshod in the 1990’s catapulting World Championship Wrestling into the position as the biggest wrestling company on the planet.
The group wasted no time in targeting the WWE's icons. Steve Austin was, to his alleged regret, paired with Scott Hall, while the Rock faced off with the returning Hulk Hogan. The Immortal One had not been seen in a WWE ring for 9 years at that point. As such, when the two arrived in Toronto, he returned a hero. Not just a hero, an icon.
The two took time listen to the crowd. The dynamic of the match shifted as Rocky, realizing Hulk had the crowd firmly on his side, switched his and acted more villainous than he had in years.. Hogan fought valiantly, but ultimately the younger, stronger Rock was able to overcome the legend. Despite this, the Rock displayed a show of respect to the Hulkster, inviting him back into the ring for a classic Hogan pose. The Rock had done the impossible, flipping the script on a hostile crowd and creating one of the greatest memories in Wrestlemania history.