The Rock is undoubtedly one of the greatest pro wrestlers of all time. He was a cornerstone of the industry during the Attitude Era and was instrumental in helping WWE win the Monday Night Wars. His ability on the mic was second to none, and there has never been another wrestler as charismatic as the Brahma Bull.
It isn't a coincidence that he is the biggest movie star in the world today. During his time with WWE, The Rock didn't just entertain with his promos, as he worked some great matches as well. A number of these were lauded by critics and fans alike, including Dave Meltzer.
10 Vs. Chris Jericho At Vengeance, 2001 (4 Stars)
In the penultimate match on the Vengeance card in 2001, The Rock defended his World Championship against Chris Jericho. The match started off slow, with both men feeling each other out with rest holds, but quickly picked up the pace.
A huge table spot and both men swapping finishers eventually led to Vince McMahon making his way down to the ring, in the hopes of helping Jericho. The Rock attacked the Chairman, and while the referee was checking on him, Jericho landed a low blow and a Rock Bottom of his own to win the match. It earned 4 stars from Dave Meltzer.
9 Vs. 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin At WrestleMania XIX (4 Stars)
'Stone Cold' Steve Austin and The Rock's careers were often intertwined, due to their standing in the promotion during WWE's wildly successful Attitude Era. They met in their third WrestleMania encounter at WrestleMania XIX, with The Rock beating the Texas Rattlesnake for the first time at the event.
It was a great match between two of WWE's biggest stars and turned out to be the last match of Austin's career, bringing an end to one of the most storied in-ring careers of all time. The match received 4 stars from Meltzer.
8 Vs. CM Punk At Royal Rumble, 2013 (4 Stars)
In the main event of the Royal Rumble in 2013, CM Punk took on The Rock with the WWE Championship on the line. The winner would go on to face John Cena in the main event of WrestleMania 29.
They worked a great match, with Punk taking the lead, ensuring that the Brahma Bull did not burn out too quickly. There was even a Shield interference and an overturned pinfall before The Rock won his first WWE Championship in years. While it was disappointing to see Punk be robbed of a shot to main event WrestleMania, the match still received 4 stars.
7 Vs. Triple H At SummerSlam, 1998 (4.25 Stars)
In one of the biggest matches on the SummerSlam card in 1998, The Rock defended his Intercontinental Championship against Triple H in a Ladder match. Triple H had Chyna by his side, while The Rock had Mark Henry to give him backup.
Both men worked a violent, extremely enjoyable bout with lots of big spots. In the final sequence, The Rock gradually made his way up the ladder, only to be taken out by a low blow from Chyna. This gave Triple H the time he needed to make his way to the top and unhook the gold, winning his second Intercontinental Championship in a match that earned 4.25 stars.
6 Vs. 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin At Backlash, 1999 (4.25 Stars)
'Stone Cold' Steve Austin defended the WWE Championship against The Rock in a No Holds Barred match in the main event of Backlash in 1999, with Shane McMahon serving as the special guest referee.
It was a chaotic, extremely enjoyable match, with Shane trying to influence the outcome of the match, Vince McMahon getting involved, and lots of finishers to go around for everyone. Austin hit The Rock with a Stunner and then the championship belt to successfully retain. The match received 4.25 stars from Dave Meltzer.
5 Vs. Chris Benoit At Fully Loaded, 2000 (4.25 Stars)
The main event of Fully Loaded in 2000 saw The Rock defend his WWE Championship against Chris Benoit, with the stipulation stating he could lose the gold via disqualification. With Shane McMahon in Benoit's corner, the odds were stacked against The Rock, as he was mocked and goaded into making a mistake.
The Rock was wrongly disqualified and briefly lost the gold before the decision was overturned by WWE Commissioner Mick Foley. After a brief back and forth, The Rock hit a Rock Bottom to successfully defend the gold. The match received 4.25 stars.
4 Vs. Kurt Angle At No Way Out, 2001 (4.25 Stars)
The main event of No Way Out was high on drama, as Kurt Angle defended the WWE Championship against The Rock. Early in the match, the Big Show emerged to take everyone out, before action continued.
An exposed turnbuckle came into play, as both men used it as a weapon to hit one another with their finishers for some extremely close near falls. The Rock then hit Angle with another Rock Bottom to win the championship. It was a great match that was given 4.25 stars by Dave Meltzer.
3 Vs. Chris Jericho At Royal Rumble, 2002 (4.25 Stars)
Chris Jericho sought to continue his run as the Undisputed WWE Champion when he defended the gold against The Rock at Royal Rumble in 2002. After some great action, The Rock accidentally knocked out the referee. This pushed Jericho to bring out a heel referee in his favor.
The Rock took him out and as he tried to revive the original referee, Jericho hit him with a low blow and pinned him with leverage from the ropes to successfully defend the championship. The match was full of fun action and wonderful character work, prompting Dave Meltzer to give the match 4.25 stars.
2 Vs. 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin At WrestleMania X-Seven (4.5 Stars)
In the main event of WrestleMania X-Seven, The Rock defended the WWE Championship against his long-time rival, 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin in a No Disqualification match. Soon after the match started, Vince McMahon appeared at ringside to observe.
He got involved, pulling The Rock off Austin as he went for a cover, prompting the champion to attack the WWE Chairman. In the final sequence of the match, the unthinkable happened; Austin aligned himself with McMahon, who gave him a steel chair that helped him win the championship. It was one of the most shocking heel turns of all time and the match earned 4.5 stars.
1 Vs. Chris Jericho At No Mercy, 2001 (4.5 Stars)
In the penultimate match on the No Mercy card in 2001, The Rock defended the World Heavyweight Championship against Chris Jericho. They waged war in an epic battle that ran over 20 minutes long, full of huge spots, reversals, and surprises.
The inclusion of Stephanie McMahon elevated the quality of the match before Jericho picked up the win for the big gold belt. It was a thrilling encounter from start to finish and The Rock was protected, even in defeat. The match earned 4.5 stars from Dave Meltzer, and rightly so.