4. WrestleMania XVIII: Steve Austin vs Hulk Hogan
Upon purchasing WCW in 2001, WWE became the only major wrestling league in the U.S. as such, Hollywood Hogans return to the sport in 2002 meant he would be setting foot in one of the companys rings for the first time in nine years. Entering as a villain as part of the New World Order, Hogan quickly set his sights on The Rock, whom he called a flash in the pan, and vowed to destroy. The two clashed at WrestleMania XVIII before a red-hot Toronto crowd that loved Hogan and hated Rock, turning the WWE legend against his evil nWo allies and putting him back in the red and yellow before long. Originally, though, the match with Hogan was offered to Steve Austin. Despite the more evident similarities between Hogan and Rock in terms of flashiness and entertainment style, one could argue that Austin versus Hogan was a more relevant clash of generations it was Austin who brought WWE out of its post-Hogan funk and ushered in a smash-mouth era that made WCWs established legends seem tired and dated by comparison. However, Austin turned the match down feeling that Hogan had squashed any opportunity for him in WCW, Stone Cold had no desire to work with the Hulkster (and no reason to trust that his politicking attitude had changed). Hogan wrestled Rock instead, while Austin took on nWo member Scott Hall in a midcard match. Had Hogan wrestled Austin, would the Toronto crowd have been as pro-Hogan. Would the Hulkster have turned babyface and had one final WWE Championship run? Well never know.