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The Rock is one of the greatest performers both in and outside the ring. 25 years today, the WWE Universe witnessed the debut of The Great One at Survivor Series 1996.
Debuting under the ring name Rocky Mavia, the WWE icon was part of the Traditional Survivor Series 4-on-4 Elimination match representing Team Mero. They were up against Team Helmsley. The People's Champion was the sole survivor and eliminated two established stars, Crush and Goldust.
The audience in attendance and fans around the world had seen a youngster who had the capability, the aptitude, and the insatiable desire to make it big in the field of professional wrestling. Outside of the ring, he carved a monumental path to success in the showbiz industry.
A quarter of a century later, we celebrate an icon and possibly the greatest wrestler to step foot in the squared circle in this article.
Let's take a look at five moments that carved The Rock's legacy in WWE:
#5 The Rock goes head-to-head with Triple H in an Iron Man Match at Judgement Day 2000
The Rock and Triple H had one of the fiercest rivalries during the Attitude Era.
In one of their earliest feuds, The Great One and The Game were involved in a Ladder Match at SummerSlam 1998 for the Intercontinental Title, where the latter won.
Their rivalry then progressed to the main event scenes. At Judgment Day 2000, The Rock, being one of the biggest babyfaces in WWE and Triple H, was arguably the biggest heel at the time, competed for the WWE title in a 60-minute Iron Man Match. The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels served as the special guest referee.
Both superstars claimed five falls each on the other until Road Dogg and X-PAC interfered, attacking The Great One. What happened next left everyone surprised as The Undertaker, in his new American Badass gimmick, returned to help The Rock.
Unfortunately for the People's Champion, Michaels disqualified him due to outside interference, making Triple H retain the title. Despite not winning the Championship, The Rock won millions of hearts with a praise-worthy performance.
#4 The Rock led Team WWE to win at Survivor Series 2001
The Rock showed his class at Survivor Series 2001, as his Team WWE competed against Stone Cold Steve Austin's Team Alliance to decide the future of the promotion.
In a gripping affair, the match went back and forth as eliminations happened on both teams. The biggest twist came when Kurt Angle betrayed Team Alliance, allowing The Rock to hit Rock Bottom to pin The Rattlesnake, the last surviving member of his team.
Team WWE won the contest as Team Alliance (WCW) went out of power, ending the Invasion Angle. The Great One, as a result, truly cemented his legacy as one of the biggest faces of WWE.
#3 The Rock surmounted WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan's challenge at WrestleMania 18
The Rock and Hulk Hogan are arguably two of the best wrestlers of their generation.
At WrestleMania 18, the two superstars locked horns in a match that pinned the battle of two eras. WWE built this contest as a Dream Match, making it the focal of the 2002 event.
The Rock not only won the contest but also put Hogan over, despite the latter's age and physical limitations. The two legends embraced after the match, much to the delight of the WWE Universe.
#2 The Rock overcame WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 19
The Rock and Stone Cold were two of the biggest superstars during the Attitude Era.
The duo had some memorable bouts at WrestleMania, with The Rattlesnake getting the better of The People's Champion at WrestleMania 15 and WrestleMania 17. Stone Cold turned heel after the second contest as Vince McMahon helped him inch to victory to everyone's surprise.
At WrestleMania 19, the two legends locked horns again, with The Rock having much to prove, having been beaten on two previous occasions.
The Great One hit two Rock Bottoms on The Rattlesnake but was unable to get the pin. After a third Rock Bottom, he finally won, exacting revenge on Stone Cold to cement his legacy further in WWE.
#1 The Rock trounced John Cena at WrestleMania 28 in one of the greatest comebacks
The contest with John Cena at WrestleMania 28 saw The Rock return to in-ring action after a gap of almost eight years. He hung up his wrestling boots back in 2004 to focus on his acting career.
The Rock interfered in John Cena's match against The Miz at the previous WrestleMania in 2010, costing him the WWE title. As a result, the Cenation Leader challenged The Rock to a match at next year's Showcase Of The Immortals. The match was billed as a "Once In A Lifetime" contest.
Despite not having wrestled for so long, the Great One looked in great shape and put up a praiseworthy performance. John Cena tried his very best to put The People's Champion down, even attempting The Rock's own People's Elbow move on him.
In the end, The Great One won after hitting Rock Bottom on the Cenation Leader. The Rock's performance indeed showed that he would never forget his past, truly making him the best in the pro wrestling business.
