On April 1, 2012, the Rock will main event his first Wrestlemania in eight years against a man who has more or less stepped into his role as the top dog ever since: John Cena. It’s rather fitting that the two are battling it out now, on this stage. After all, it was at Wrestlemania XX when Cena began his ascent, winning his first singles title, the United States Championship, against the Big Show.
Meanwhile, the Rock stepped into the ring for the last time to reform his occasional tag team with Mick Foley, the Rock ‘n’ Sock Connection, to battle Ric Flair, Randy Orton, and Batista. It wasn’t billed as Rock’s final match—it just happened that way. The Rock was already out the door, having made Hollywood his new home. His appearances on WWE television at the time were sporadic at this point, more guest spots than anything else. In this case, the Rock came to help put a cap on the Foley/Orton feud, and in the process, put Orton and Batista over. (Orton would go on to win his first world title that summer, and Batista would follow suit at the following year’s Wrestlemania.)
But while Orton and Batista were still in the shadows of their mentors, Triple H and Ric Flair, John Cena stood alone, his charisma and star quality shining brighter than few in the company. He first appeared no more than a year before on Smackdown, seemingly out of nowhere to give Kurt Angle a run for his money. He was big, angry, and explosive, but still pretty bland until a Halloween episode put him in rappers’ gear—he took to it naturally, a hip-hop head himself. Soon that was his character, and despite being the bad guy, fans loved his freestyle raps and general disrespect for everyone and everything. So the company made him a face, and gradually stripped away everything that was ever interesting about John Cena, turning him into a Hulk Hogan-style superman. They also phased out his rap gimmick, emphasizing military imagery to tie into Cena’s leading role in The Marine. (This despite the fact that Cena never served, and that the movie went on to become as big a joke as Hulk Hogan’s No Holds Barred.)
But on March 14, 2002, Cena was riding high as the Rock rode off into the sunset. One wonders what it was like backstage that day. Did those two bump into each other? Shake hands? Exchange pleasant small talk? Did the Rock congratulate Cena on his title win? Or did he show up, wrestle his match, and leave? Well, I wonder.
Eight years later, they’ll cross paths. Rock, the returning icon, an Attitude Era standard-bearer. Cena, the stalwart, the kid-friendly superman whose merchandise outsells everyone else on the active roster. Rock returned to host Wrestlemania XXVII this past spring, but also to start a beef with Cena over comments the younger star made over the past couple years. Rock playfully roasted him at the Hall of Fame once about The Marine (though to be fair, he also took a shot at his own film choices, specifically Doom). Cena started expressing his disappointment at the Rock, citing how Rock left the fans behind to become Dwayne Johnson, action hero. Rock left, he stayed. And Rocky didn’t take kindly to that talk.
Whatever happens at Wrestlemania XXVIII will be epic. It’ll be amazing. John Cena vs. the Rock will likely be talked about by the kids and the smarks alike for years to come, regardless of its success or failure. It’s going to be what WWE calls a “Wrestlemania moment.”
But it could never be Rock vs. Hogan. How could it?
Almost ten years ago, the Rock was the younger man in his own cross-generational dream match. In the opposing corner, in front of 68,237 screaming fans, was Hulk Hogan, one of the biggest icons in pop culture. It’s safe to say that John Cena is certainly no Rock, and although the Rock is iconic in his own right, there will never be another like Hogan in his prime (Hogan now is another story that we won’t get into).
Hulk Hogan vs. the Rock was a Wrestlemania moment. I was watching it on campus at the time with my friends, and all of us could feel the electricity, the tension through the television. (My friend Todd was actually at SkyDome for the event; I can only imagine how he felt.) The match itself was a bit of a disappointment for me, a little short and simple for my tastes, but I should have known to adjust my expectations. Workrate wasn’t going to be a concern going into this match. Hulk Hogan and the Rock weren’t known for extremely technically offenses, flashy spots or quick counters.
Fortunately, what wasn’t lost on me at the time was the spectacle, and that’s what elevated a 2.5-star match to one of the greatest moments in wrestling history. I thought the staredown between the two on RAW, when Rock challenged Hogan, was huge, but it was nothing compared to ‘Mania, when the two stared so hard into each other’s eyes, it looked as though they could have bored holes through each other’s skulls. The audience reaction was through the roof. I was on the edge of my seat. Watching that match again today, I got that same feeling, that same tingle at the brain stem. Hulk Hogan vs. the Rock was a moment for the ages, and no matter how hard the Rock and John Cena work, how much they tear the house down, it won’t be the same.
Don’t get me wrong, the Rock vs. John Cena is a veritable dream match. But Hulk Hogan vs. the Rock was instant history.
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