Did WWE see The Rock as their biggest star 00-02?

Publish date: 2024-05-04

In 2000 he was the top face! Why? Because Austin was out injured! When he took on Hogan! It just sounded better, the build up was just better, with the catch phrases and the 2 names! The Rock vs Hollywood Hulk Hogan.. Both very charismatic wrestlers, IMO The Rock can put on a better match than Austin and isn't everyone glad we saw this match?? I think it was just VKM listening to the fans!!


Maybe the match quality would be better true, but I still say, and always will, that Austin vs. Hogan would've drawn a lot more buys than Hogan vs. Rock.

The Rock, was he a constant back up plan? Or just seen as a bigger star? I'd have to say with Austin gone much of 2000, he was seen as a bigger star even when Austin came back, and also seen that way in the coming year, but to me that wasn't the fault of Austin, he was still drawing buyt in my opinion, some of his time after his return in 2000 was not handelled overly great. I personally think the whole storyline, of Rikishi running him came off like, "Oh, we still haven't picked out who did it, let's just say Rikishi did!", and even when Rikishi explained why, I just didn't buy it. By this point, the Rock's momentum was going to be hard for Austin to top in any way. Once the whole "Hit and Run" storyline somewhat subsided, and the Austin/HHH feud was more built on the fact they just didn't like each other, Austins started hitting stride again. I'll agree with Duff's assessment that the drawing power and star power was dead even going into WM X7, and of course it drew HUGE business.

But here's another example of creative screwing up a bit. Look, I know a lot of people were entertained when Austin was a heel, singing to Vince and all that stuff. And it was quite amusing, I won't lie. But I think if many fans wanted to choose between singin heel Austin, or badass I will beat the living defecates out you Austin, I think the latter would be better suited. PPV's started going down to there lowest in quite some time, and despite the later success in terms of business, in the Invasion PPV, the whole thing was losing steam fast, so...enter Rock.

In late '01, the Rock was the big babyface leading the way, even though he was still as over as he always was, it didn't dramatically increase interest, but yet I guess he was seen as somewhat of a saving grace in an awful storyline. IMO, the happenings of 2001, did a lot to hurt Austin as a PPV draw, and I guess for some odd reason, the WWF saw The Rock as the guy to always go too. Like when Austin walked out in '02, who got a call...The Rock.

Now all this may seem like, The Rock was percieved as a backup plan constantly, but I see it as him being seen by the upper-brass as the guy who would never let them down, when things seemed bleek. Take your pick I say.

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