SolidChamp
Banned
The Rock did win their last bout together. They probably should have kept with tradition and had Stone Cold retain his streak against him, but what a great match that was.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Hulk Hogan vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock vs. John Cena
- Thread starter JaseMath
- Start date
- Status
The Rock did win their last bout together. They probably should have kept with tradition and had Stone Cold retain his streak against him, but what a great match that was.
Hippopuncher12
Member
The Rock. Never understood the love for Austin. Once The Rock stopped wrestling full time wrestling was dead to me.
Host Samurai
Member
Cena by far will be the least memorable of the generation leaders.
In terms of impact is gonna be between Hogan and Austin. Cena just is generic and The Rock had a pretty short career. WWE wouldn't be where it is now without Hogan and Austin.
In terms of impact is gonna be between Hogan and Austin. Cena just is generic and The Rock had a pretty short career. WWE wouldn't be where it is now without Hogan and Austin.
Nah when you retire, you do it on your back for the next guy. Austin was passing the baton.
Taker did the same.
SolidChamp
Banned
Same here. The Rock's star turn in the late 90's/early 2000's is what got me watching wrestling. He was just so fucking entertaining to watch.
Was that Austin's legit retirement match? Was he really done after that?
Dang, feels like that was decades ago. Lol
crackhead_bob
Member
Savage was a maniac in terms of his physicality and work rate, and this doesn't even broach the stuff he did in mid south, or his work in his father's territory. Him and his brother, Lanny reminded me of the contrasting dynamic that Terry Funk had with his brother, Dory Funk Jr..
crackhead_bob
Member
Who would Edge have done the favors for had he gotten that chance?
Galactic Barret
Member
Attitude era was my favorite era of wrestling. Don't even watch it anymore because no one sells it like they used to. The Rock and Austin are my two favorite Attitude era wrestlers, with Austin getting the comfortable edge.
However, I give it to Kurt Angle, because its probably in poor taste to give the nod to one of the True GOATs:
However, I give it to Kurt Angle, because its probably in poor taste to give the nod to one of the True GOATs:
Chris Benoit.
Irishmantis
Member
Okay you guys caught me
I'm a Rock Mark
Austin ain't got shout on the most electrifying man in sports entertainment
Austin would win a 4-way elimination match in kayfabe.
Hogan's only good for one hulk-up so that's not enough in a four-way match. Dude's record against the truly elite that he's faced (Warrior, Goldberg, Rock, Lesnar) isn't good.
Cena can't really beat anyone without hitting his finisher 3-4 times. Too much of a good guy and would probably get taken advantage of by everyone in the match.
The Rock likes to showboat and his finishers aren't very effective against anyone in this match. Has lost a lot in comparison to the others.
Stone Cold's got the best chance to win. The stunner is probably the most protected move of the bunch. He doesn't tap and rarely gets pinned cleanly. He's vicious enough to take advantage of the rules and cut corners while keeping his super babyface comeback powers. Only one not to get destroyed big-time by Lesnar.
Hogan's only good for one hulk-up so that's not enough in a four-way match. Dude's record against the truly elite that he's faced (Warrior, Goldberg, Rock, Lesnar) isn't good.
Cena can't really beat anyone without hitting his finisher 3-4 times. Too much of a good guy and would probably get taken advantage of by everyone in the match.
The Rock likes to showboat and his finishers aren't very effective against anyone in this match. Has lost a lot in comparison to the others.
Stone Cold's got the best chance to win. The stunner is probably the most protected move of the bunch. He doesn't tap and rarely gets pinned cleanly. He's vicious enough to take advantage of the rules and cut corners while keeping his super babyface comeback powers. Only one not to get destroyed big-time by Lesnar.
im pretty sure austin hit rock with like 3 stunners at mania 17
the only actual protected finisher in that group is the leg drop
WelfareBurger
Member
Hollywood Rock was the greatest thing to ever grace our TVs.
If I have to pick one it has to be The Rock, but it's super close between him and Austin. The Rock still to this day makes me crack up so fucking hard in all of his legendary WWE moments, I hate that these days he basically never slips back into that character even in movies or when he shows up at Wrestlemania. He used to straight up call people in the audience fat scumbags sometimes, like in that clip posted last page lol.
TarpitCarnivore
Member
Notice how I said "argue" not fact. If you read my follow up I bring it up because one put wrestling into the mainstream and pop culture, while the other was a huge driving force in it being saved and re-entering pop culture.
The fact is all 4 of these guys are top tier known face of the WWE at various points.
I think it depends on the era, but if we put everything into a vacuum and took into account the statuses of each it'd probably go Hogan > Cena > Austin > Rock
His selling is easily the worst in recent memory for big-name guys. Just because he did a springboard stunner and Canadian Destroyer with some indie guys doesn't mean anything.
British Monsoon
Member
Prime Hogan wins. Rock wouldn't be able to resist selling big for the leg drop and flips out of the ring onto the back of his neck, Austin would be legit shook when Hogan hulks up after getting hit by a stunner, Cena would try and out-wrestle the Hulkster, but Hogan would switch it up to his Japanese move-set, rolling armbar, high knee, axe bombaaaa for the 3-count and The Hulkster wins, brother, jack, dude.
*when it comes crashing down and it hurts inside...*
*when it comes crashing down and it hurts inside...*
TheSkullPrince
Member
1. Austin
2. The Rock
3. John Cena
Fuck Hulk Hogan.
I also think The Undertaker should be mentioned, he is the WWE's GOAT after all.
2. The Rock
3. John Cena
Fuck Hulk Hogan.
I also think The Undertaker should be mentioned, he is the WWE's GOAT after all.
BudokaiMR2
Member
Maybe until a certain Hitman breaks out his Sharpshooter.
This made me realize how messed up it must be for kids to go to live shows. When I was a small kid, WWF was mostly for kids cheering people like Hogan and Warrior. WCW was where "real" skill was appreciated but even they had Sting for kids. Now kids that go to cheer Cena have to listen to people from my age group yell obscenities at their hero.
The Silver
Member
The bigger the odds the higher the likelihood of Cena winning, however this is a F4W so he doesn't have to be pinned so I'm saying he won't win.
At their primes Austin moved the most money so Vinnie Mac will book him to win, the issue is if prime Hogan has enough backstage pull, the man was the premier backstage politician.
Rock is a good chap and won't mind doing the job.
At their primes Austin moved the most money so Vinnie Mac will book him to win, the issue is if prime Hogan has enough backstage pull, the man was the premier backstage politician.
Rock is a good chap and won't mind doing the job.
JasonUresti
Member
No need to mention him when he was just a slightly lesser clone of the Dynamite Kid.
Galactic Barret
Member
I don't know enough about the man to refute your statement, but I also haven't been convinced otherwise. I stand by my pick; you don't get labeled the greatest technical-wrestler (of all time, I believe) pre-controversy by being a lesser-than.
Also, I wouldn't be too upset if Hogan was replaced by a HHH or Undertaker.
Zombie James
Banned
Hogan goes over but don't worry, he'll return the favour at SummerSlam. He promises.
Cena.
Hogan sold more tickets, Austin made more money, Rock was a better promo. But Cena has been the man for twelve straight years. He also dragged the US title to being prestigious again while putting on classics every week against underused guys.
And he put AJ Styles, CM Punk, Daniel Bryan AND Kevin Owens clean.
Dude also dragged Khali to a three star match.
He really will be listed in the upper ranks when people get over their irrational hatred of him for holding back the next big star.
Hogan sold more tickets, Austin made more money, Rock was a better promo. But Cena has been the man for twelve straight years. He also dragged the US title to being prestigious again while putting on classics every week against underused guys.
And he put AJ Styles, CM Punk, Daniel Bryan AND Kevin Owens clean.
Dude also dragged Khali to a three star match.
He really will be listed in the upper ranks when people get over their irrational hatred of him for holding back the next big star.
Dynamite Kid completely change the business , his matches with tiger mask we're ground breaking.
Hogan is way more popular than either HHH or taker
TheMagician
Member
In terms of being an overall pro wrestler I'd say Austin was the best overall.
He had the great matches, great promos, great look, great music, great finisher and just general great action segments.
I always thought Austin's matches had a more 'raw' feeling than Rocks, which were more cartoon like in execution, similar to Hogan and Cena but with a bit more pace.
He had the great matches, great promos, great look, great music, great finisher and just general great action segments.
I always thought Austin's matches had a more 'raw' feeling than Rocks, which were more cartoon like in execution, similar to Hogan and Cena but with a bit more pace.
autumnleaf
Member
If that's the criteria then Bruno Sammartino would like a word with you.
Host Samurai
Member
Cena has not ever reached mainstream popularity as the likes of Hogan, SCSA & The Rock. He's gonna be remembered as a rapper that was once organically over but was than shoved down our throats for 10 years.
JasonUresti
Member
Being slightly lesser than Dynamite still makes him better than nearly every other person to ever compete in pro wrestling from a inside the ring perspective.
His moveset was lifted wholesale from Dynamite though. He put the pieces together somewhat differently, but all the pieces and sequences were created and perfected by Dynamite.
Dynamite did his best stuff in Japan and outside the WwF sphere. That and him being a pretty awful person who most people hated on a personal level leads to him being overlooked.
Killing_Joke
Member
Austin > Hogan > Rock >>>>>>>> Cena.
Anything differently would be factually wrong. But Hogan could technically beat out Austin if you include nWo. Dude was shitting out $$.
Anything differently would be factually wrong. But Hogan could technically beat out Austin if you include nWo. Dude was shitting out $$.
There's a case for Hogan as he was the first to really break through and set the mold. But history and his recent scandals haven't been kind to him.
I'd argue The Rock is at the top of the list now as he's broken through even what Hogan did and is probably the only wrestler to actually become a star in his own right, not just as "That guy that wrestles and acts".
But if we're looking at just wrestling? Stone Cold. Without question. He's the best wrestler of the bunch, the best talker of the bunch(sit down Jabronis), and was just overall the best of the bunch. Part of that is that he didn't actually have that many years at the top and that always leaves you wanting more, but it also means we didn't have him as THE GUY for 10 years to get stale, he's not doing the half assed returns, and his podcast is fucking great and shows you how great the guy is.
So yea.... Stone Cold > The Rock > Hogan> Cena.
But from a personal perspective I'd switch Hogan and Cena.
I'd argue The Rock is at the top of the list now as he's broken through even what Hogan did and is probably the only wrestler to actually become a star in his own right, not just as "That guy that wrestles and acts".
But if we're looking at just wrestling? Stone Cold. Without question. He's the best wrestler of the bunch, the best talker of the bunch(sit down Jabronis), and was just overall the best of the bunch. Part of that is that he didn't actually have that many years at the top and that always leaves you wanting more, but it also means we didn't have him as THE GUY for 10 years to get stale, he's not doing the half assed returns, and his podcast is fucking great and shows you how great the guy is.
So yea.... Stone Cold > The Rock > Hogan> Cena.
But from a personal perspective I'd switch Hogan and Cena.
billbloodshed
Member
Nobody did more good, and bad, for the wrestling industry than Hulk Hogan
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
it's unrelated to the OP but today I learned that John Cena had his 40th (FOURTY-ITH) birthday yesterday. (4/23)
Holy crap, I thought he would be in his early to mid 30's or something ..
Holy crap, I thought he would be in his early to mid 30's or something ..
Austin was nice on the mic, but better than the Rock?!? No
Violence Jack
Member
Austin was the reason I switched over from WCW when I got tired of Goldberg. He was ground breaking at the time.
Rock was great, but he's below Austin. Still a damn shame we never got Rock vs HBK.
Cena doesn't get nearly the pop that Austin or Rock did, but his willingness to put over newer talent is something we didn't see much of back in the earlier times of wrestling too much.
I hadn't liked Hogan since I was a kid. I will say that his matches at WM 18 and 19 were enjoyable. However, I always found his character corny and he's a racist shitbag.
Rock was great, but he's below Austin. Still a damn shame we never got Rock vs HBK.
Cena doesn't get nearly the pop that Austin or Rock did, but his willingness to put over newer talent is something we didn't see much of back in the earlier times of wrestling too much.
I hadn't liked Hogan since I was a kid. I will say that his matches at WM 18 and 19 were enjoyable. However, I always found his character corny and he's a racist shitbag.
It depends on which era of Vince McMahon is booking the match.
Attitude Era Vince McMahon would book Austin to win the match because that era Vince was constantly worried about WCW beating him up, so Vince would be forced to book Austin to win since he is probably the most over of the 4 guys in this matchup. If any other era of Vince McMahon is booking this match, then Cena is going over because Cena is the probably the ultimate Vince McMahon dream superstar.
Attitude Era Vince McMahon would book Austin to win the match because that era Vince was constantly worried about WCW beating him up, so Vince would be forced to book Austin to win since he is probably the most over of the 4 guys in this matchup. If any other era of Vince McMahon is booking this match, then Cena is going over because Cena is the probably the ultimate Vince McMahon dream superstar.
Peak Rock you have an argument. But The Rock basically became a meme after a while and his return stuff is just him doing his greatest hits. He's lost a lot of his luster.
immortald3ath
Member
The Rock. Austin was huge but Rock surpassed him in late 99 early 00. Ppl are still using his catchphrases after all these years.
As for technical wrestling, Bret Hart>>>All of them.
As for technical wrestling, Bret Hart>>>All of them.
- Status