The Rock’s 10 best moments as a wrestler as he returns to the ring for WrestleMania 40
Here's the rundown, from an iconic People's Elbow to the showdown with Hulk Hogan.
Dwayne Johnson is one of the most recognizable movie stars in the world. But before he hit it big in Hollywood, The Rock was one of WWE’s biggest stars. At WrestleMania 40, Johnson is getting back in the ring to compete on the sport’s biggest stage once more as The Rock.
Ahead of his big return to the wrestling world, here’s a look back at his best moments and what to expect from his character at Lincoln Financial Field.
10. The People’s Elbow
The Rock has two signature moves: the People’s Elbow and Rock Bottom. During his time as a guest referee in September 1999 for a match between Triple H and the British Bulldog, Bulldog started to jaw at The Rock, so The Rock took matters into his own hands and showed off his signature moves.
9. The Rock and Ronda Rousey
The Rock came out to confront Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, also known as The Authority, at WrestleMania 31, and the crowd immediately went nuts. He brought out Ronda Rousey for an instant classic moment as he and Rousey silenced The Authority.
8. Halftime Heat
The Rock’s feud with Mankind was one of his most tense and long-standing during his first tenure with WWF. At halftime of the 1999 Super Bowl, a tense match between Mankind and The Rock aired, leading to an eventual loss for The Rock. But the nontraditional matchup, held outside the ring, was a huge hit with fans.
7. The Rock turns heel
After a long run as a fan favorite, The Rock turning heel and joining The Corporation at the Survivor Series in 1998 helped make him a WWF champion. The move shocked fans as he abandoned his “People’s Champion” nickname in favor of “The Corporate Champion.”
6. ‘This Is Your Life’
Mick Foley and The Rock’s team-up was brief, but it produced some iconic segments, including “This Is Your Life.” The humor and chemistry between the two of them as they brought back figures from their past who inspired or motivated them, for good or bad, was outstanding.
5. The Rock vs. John Cena
The buildup to The Rock’s headlining match at WrestleMania against John Cena in 2012 lasted a full year. The “Once in a Lifetime” tagline didn’t ultimately end up being true — they faced each other again at WrestleMania 29 — but the event is still the most watched pay-per-view event in wrestling history, and The Rock’s surprising victory cemented his return to the WWE scene after a few years away.
4. The Rock vs. ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin at WrestleMania 19
This match on March 30, 2003, was the end of an era. After two previous WrestleMania wars between “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and The Rock, Johnson redeemed his WrestleMania 17 loss with a cathartic victory. The match was Austin’s last until 2022, and was one of the last major matches of The Rock’s career before he left WWE in 2004 to pursue acting.
3. The Rock hosts WrestleMania 27
The Rock making a surprising return to host WrestleMania 27 sent shock waves through the wrestling world. After he left the sport behind in 2004, his return at WrestleMania in 2011 was the start of his part-time return to the world of wrestling in the early 2010s.
2. The Rock vs. ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin at WrestleMania 17
The lead-up to The Rock’s second WrestleMania main event with Stone Cold helped build one of the best storylines in the sport. Stone Cold, returning from a severe neck injury, made a heel turn and allied with Vince McMahon, ultimately winning the match on April 1, 2001. The match shocked fans and instantly became one of the most iconic main events in WrestleMania history.
1. The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan
The Rock’s match with Hulk Hogan on March 17, 2002, in Toronto is one of the most iconic matches in WrestleMania history. It’s the match that cemented The Rock as WWE’s biggest name. Hulk Hogan was past his prime, but the hype for this storyline was off the charts, and The Rock dismantled him in this match at WrestleMania 18.