Customer Reviews

The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Throughout The Rock's incredible sports-entertainment career, fans and foes alike knew enough to know their role, shut their mouth, or risk a beatdown from the Brahma Bull. While he's gone from WWE rings to the big screen, his impact on professional wrestling will never be forgotten. The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment highlights the meteoric rise of The Great One, the first man to hold the WWE Championship seven times. This package is packed with 3 discs filled with 19 amazing matches.

Disc 1

Samoan Royalty

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. Rocky Maivia
RAW (13/02/97)

Rock the Ruler

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Owen Hart vs. The Rock
RAW (06/04/98)

Nation vs. DX

King of the Ring Quarterfinal Match
Triple H vs. The Rock
RAW (22/06/98)

Rock's Big Chance

WWE Championship Match (Final Round)
Mankind vs. The Rock
Survivor Series (15/11/98)

Rivalry with Mankind

Last Man Standing Match for the WWE Championship
Mankind vs. The Rock
St. Valentine's Day Massacre (14/02/99)

So it continues...

Ladder Match for the WWE Championship
Mankind vs. The Rock
RAW (15/02/99)

Two of the Most Charismatic Superstars Ever

WWE Championship Match
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock
WrestleMania XV (28/03/99)

Disc 2

People's Champion

Steel Cage Match
The Rock vs. Triple H
RAW (05/07/99)

Rock `n Sock Connection

WWE Tag Team Championship
The Rock / Mankind vs. Undertaker / Big Show
RAW (30/08/99)

The Verbal SmackDown!

No Holds Barred Match
The Rock vs. Kane
SmackDown! (30/12/99)

McMahon - Helmsley Regime vs. The Rock

WWE Championship Match
Triple H vs. The Rock
Backlash (30/04/00)

The Following Night...

Steel Cage Match for the WWE Championship
The Rock vs. Shane McMahon
RAW (01/05/00)

The Great One vs. The Olympic Medalist

WWE Championship Match
Kurt Angle vs. The Rock
No Way Out (25/02/01)

The New Title

WCW Championship Match
Booker T vs. The Rock
SummerSlam (19/08/01)

The Undisputed Champion

WWE Undisputed Championship Match
Chris Jericho vs. The Rock
Royal Rumble (20/01/02)

Disc 3

Icon vs. Icon

The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan
WrestleMania X8 (17/03/02)

Triple Threat

Triple Threat Match for the WWE Undisputed Championship
Kurt Angle vs. Undertaker vs. The Rock
Vengeance (21/07/02)

Just Bring It

The Rock vs. Eddie Guerrero
RAW (22/07/02)

Third Time's A Charm?

Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock
WrestleMania XIX (30/03/03)

Transcending Sports Entertainment

The Rock: The Most Electrifying in Sports Entertainment

Extras

Promos
# Heat July 11, 1999 - "Billy's Prayer to God"
# RAW August 9, 1999 - "The Big Slow"
# RAW September 6, 1999 - "My Name is Kane"
# RAW November 15, 1999 - "Doughnuts"
# SmackDown! August 10, 2000 - "Hermie"
# RAW December 4, 2000 - "Armageddon Opponents"
# RAW August 13, 2001 - "Thomas Jefferson Sucka"
# RAW September 10, 2001 - "The People's Strudel"
# SmackDown! September 20, 2001 - "Great Balls of Fire"
# SmackDown! January 3, 2002 - "Copacabana"
# SmackDown! January 17, 2002 - "Camera Man"
# SmackDown! January 24, 2002 - "The Charleston"
# No Way Out February 17, 2002 - "NWO"
# SmackDown! July 11, 2002 - "Busta Rhymes"
# RAW March 10, 2003 - "The Superhero"
# RAW June 21, 2004 - "Miami Dolphins"
# The One-Liners

Every wrestling fan out there should know the impact that The Rock made on the business. The Rock was the first ever 3rd generation superstar and the first superstar to ever win the WWE championship 7 times. The Rock could possibably be the most charasmatic & entertaining superstar of all time.

As far as for the DVD set goes, you will hear nothing from The Rock whatsoever. The narration is done by someone else but not by The Rock. You will also get nothing from other superstars either. The same as Tombstone: History of the Undertaker. The narrator goes through and discuss The Rock's Samoan heritage, his rise to fame and popularity, WWE title reigns, the connection with the fans and the hatred from the fans, and also feuds with Mankind, Triple H, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and others.

DISC 1
RAW 2.13.97
Intercontinental Title
Vs. Hunter Hearst Hemsley - The match told a pretty good inring story. It went at a good pace and the ending worked in very well. 4/5

RAW 4.6.98
Intercontinental Title
Vs. Owen Hart - This match started out pretty good. It was getting better as it progressed but the disqualification by Chyna is what killed it. 3.75/5

RAW 6.22.98
King of the Ring Quarter-Finals Match
Vs. Triple H - Much better match then the previous match between these two. It was more of a physical match. Both men looked pretty good. A very good match up. 4.5/5

Survivor Series 11.15.98
WWE Title
Vs. Mankind - A very good match between these two here. Much better then their Rock Bottom encounter. Foley & Rock took some hard slams and hard shots on the outside. Foley even crashes through the announce table at one point in the match. A very good title match. 4.5/5

St. Valentine's Day Massacre 2.14.99
Last Man Standing Match/WWE Title
Vs. Mankind - Not a bloody and violent match as their I Quit match was but still a very physical contest. A lot of hard shots taken in this one. 4.75/5

RAW 2.15.99
Ladder Match/WWE Title
Vs. Mankind - These two just left off from where they were the night before. The only addition was the ladder. And to include a Rock Bottom through a table. And also a chokeslam from Big Show to Mankind from the top of the ladder. Another good bout from these two. 4.5/5

Wrestlemania XV
WWE Title
Vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin - A very good first Wrestlemania encounter from these two. They added the no dq rule to the match which did add more to it. Pretty good match. Some good brawling on the outside and a good table spot. 4.75/5

DISC 2
RAW 7.5.99
Steel Cage Match
Vs. Triple H - Not a bloody cage bout but I felt this was an outstanding match. A very solid match up. 5/5

RAW 8.30.99
WWE Tag Team Titles
w/ Mankind Vs. Undertaker & Big Show - I wasn't really all too fond of this tag bout. Taker's role in this match seemed like he didn't care. And he would actually leave the match half way in. Leaving Big Show by himself. Then it became a 2 on 1 match. Not the best tag match in my view but watchable. 3.5/5

Smackdown 12.30.99
No Holds Barred
Vs. Kane - Not a lot of spots here. Except for a table spot and Kane being thrown off the stage. Still a good match to watch. 3.75/5

Backlash 4.30.00
WWE Title
Vs. Triple H - Another good battle from these two. But it did get a little annoying with Vince at ringside and Shane as the special referee. It had a very impactive double rock bottom through the announce table to HHH and Shane. Special appearence from Stone Cold in this one. 4.75/5

RAW 5.1.00
Steel Cage Match/WWE Title
Vs. Shane McMahon - I didn't really like this match at all. It was entertaining but all of the interfernce from the McMahons & Triple H was too cheesy for a steel cage match. But still a match to watch. 3.5/5

No Way Out 2.25.01
WWE Title
Vs. Kurt Angle - I feel that their No Mercy match is way better but this match is still good and very worth seeing. Very intense also. A very good battle for the title. 4.75/5

Summerslam 8.19.01
WCW Heavyweight Title
Vs. Booker T - This match was very high energetic. Phenomenal action in the ring and on the outside. Some good near falls and a great title match. Very good main event from Summerslam. 4.75/5

Royal Rumble 1.20.02
Undisputed Title
Vs. Chris Jericho - I felt that this match was on the same level as their Vengeance bout. But didn't feel better then their match from No Mercy. A solid match with a good table spot. 4.5/5

DISC 3
Wrestlemania X8
Vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan - An outstanding match and great to see the crowd go crazy during this match. The match was back and forth all the way. One of the greatest matches in Wrestlemania history. Rock kicks out of the Hogan leg drop and comes back to give Hogan two Rock Bottoms and then a People's Elbow to beat Hogan in Hogan's second Wrestlemania lost. 5/5

Vengeance 7.21.02
Undisputed Title
Vs. Undertaker Vs. Kurt Angle - This was a tremendous triple threat bout. You nearly saw everything in this match. Awesome contest and a great showing from all three men. 5/5

RAW 7.22.02
Vs. Eddie Guerrero. - I enjoyed this match. Very entertaining and very good to watch. 4/5

Wrestlemania XIX
Vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin - The match started very intense and fierce. It had some good brawling and hard shots on the outside. There were some very nice counters too. Rock works on Austin's leg briefly but not that whole much. The Rock hit some very hard impact Rock Bottoms to Austin in this one. Rock and Austin puts on a very good showing here. 4.5/5

The Extra's are very good. They consist of many of The Rock's promos and one liners. I recommend this set. The matches that were picked out were very good and they all delivered for the majority. Again, this is a set that I recommend picking up someday.

I know, that was a pretty bad title. This 3 disc set includes great, memboral matches and very entertaining promos, but the rock dosen't have a documentary on here. Other than that, this is a set worth checking out. Thanks for reading!

DISC 1
Raw 2/13/97-Intercontinental Championship
Rocky Mavia vs. Triple H
Pretty good for a raw match. Had some nice pace and good wrestling and a pretty well played out finish. Match Rating:3.5/5

Raw 4/6/98-Intercontinental Championship
The Rock vs. Owen Hart
Not a very good match, just average and nothing really stood out. Match Rating:3/5

Raw 6/22/98-King of the Ring Quaterfinal
The Rock vs. Triple H
This match overshadowed their raw '97 bout. This was more physical and intense and told a better story than the other match. Match Rating:4.25/5

Survivor Series 11/15/98-WWE Championship (Final Round)
The Rock vs. Mankind
This was the finals in the tournament for the vancan title belt. This was a very good matchup here. It was very physical, including mankind taking a sick fall on the announce table. Some nice brawling and hard shots on the outside. The ending was like the ss '97 championship ending, which turned the rock hell. Besides that, this was a very good match and one of their best encounters. Match Rating:4.5/5

St. Valentines Day Massacre 2/14/99-Last Man Standing Match for the WWE Championship
The Rock vs. Mankind
I would have choose the i quit match over this, but this match is still pretty brutal. The rock worked on mankind's knee a majority of the match. Hard, physical shots took by both men in this and some nice weapon use. Match Rating:4.5/5

Raw 2/15/99-Ladder Match for the WWE Championship
The Rock vs. Mankind
Mankind had to defend his title the night after the brutal last man standing. Not a great ladder match, but had it's moments and stone cold did commentary and gave the rock a stunner after the match. Not the best rock/mankind match, but it is still worth a look. Match Rating:4/5

Wrestlemania XV 3/28/09-WWE Championship
The Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin
This was their first wm match against each other and this one was my least favorite. Had some nice brawling on the outside, but this just wasn't as good as their two other wm matches. Match Rating:4/5

DISC 2

Raw 7/5/99-Steel Cage Match
The Rock vs. Triple H
A really good steel cage match. Not really a bloodfest, but had some brutal moments and some exciting spots. Match Rating:4.75/5

Raw 8/30/99-WWE Tag Team Championship
Rock and Sock Connection vs. Undertaker and Big Show
Nothing really special, just an average tag team match, that is only remembered for the rock and mankind winning the tag team titles. Match Rating:3.25/5

Smackdown 12/30/99-No Holds Barred
The Rock vs. Kane
Nothing special here. The match was pretty short and really only had a couple of good spots including kane going off the stage. Match Rating:3.25/5

Backlash 4/30/00-WWE Championship
Triple H vs. The Rock
This is my favorite match that these two have faced in and it was very crazy and wild. Some nice spots in this one. Some interference from shane and vince, which led to a double rock bottom through the announce table by the rock onto hhh and shane. In the end, stone cold made an appearance and took the mcmahons and hhh out with a steel chair, which led to a people's elbow and hebner returning and counting the three. Very exciting encounter. Match Rating:5/5

Raw 5/1/00-Steel Cage Match for the WWE Championship
The Rock vs. Shane McMahon
This was a fun, entertaining match here and the rock pulled it out after all the interference. This is an average cage match. Match Rating:3.5/5

No Way Out 2/25/01-WWE Championship
The Rock vs. Kurt Angle
I liked this match. Pretty good battle with some nice spots and interference from show. In the end the rock won the title. Good lead to wrestlemania. Match Rating:4.5/5

Summerslam 8/19/01-WCW Championship
The Rock vs. Booker T
This was during the invasion angle and pitted the most entertaining superstar from the wwe, the rock and the most entertaining star from wcw, booker t. This match was pretty good and really intense. Phenominal job by these two and the rock won the wcw title. Match Rating:4.5/5

Royal Rumble 1/20/02-WWE Undisputed Championship
The Rock vs. Chris Jericho
This match is pretty solid, but dosen't compare to their no mercy or vengeance encounters. Some nice paced action and some interference in this match and also a cool rock bottom on jericho through the announce table. Good, but dosen't belong on this set. Match Rating:4.5/5

Disc 3

Wrestlemania X8 3/17/02-Icon vs. Icon
The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan
This was history in the making. The match had so much hype and the crowd was so electric. Very physical matchup and some pretty hard shot took by both men with hogan's huge belt. Niether man would give up. The rock won in the end, after kicking out of a hogan legdrop and then giving hogan two rock bottoms and then the people's elbow. Nice aftermatch to a phenominal, historic match. Match Rating:5/5

Vengeance 7/21/02-Triple Threat Match for the WWE Undisputed Championship
The Rock vs. Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle
This is my all time favorite triple threat match. This match was filled with false finishes and physical, intense wrestling. Outstanding triple threat. Match Rating:5/5

Raw 7/22/09
The Rock vs. Eddie Guerrero
Pretty good match. Some nice wrestling in this one. Match Rating:3.75/5

Wrestlemania XIX 3/30/03
The Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin
This was their 3rd and final wm match. Very intense and physical. Both men pulled off some nice counters and rock acted like a punk heel in this one, which was kind of funny. The rock proved that the 3rd time was the charm after a 3rd rock bottom to pin austin and win. Great bout. Match Rating:4.5/5

Overall this is a pretty good set, even thought the rock has nothing to do with it. Lots of great matches on here to have. This set also includes 16 very funny promos by the rock. I recommend this three disc set to your collection.

Okay I am a rock Fan i admit he is/was the most electrifying man wwe has seen in a while. Here is my issue it is apparent that WWE was lookin to suck the juice from the fact he was at the hall of fame and put out a dvd. This dvd was below wwe standards I mean dam no commentary at all. you got commentary for dam near all the other dvds and none for this one. I am sure not everyone has a bitter taste in their mouth because rock left. Then as someone else said match selection was subpar as was promo selection. If this was a 4 disc dvd with one dedicated to promos and the rest had interviews or commentary from other wrestler it could have got the good old 5 star. Umm wwe See the undertaker dvd, stone cold, even triple h dvds and remeber how it used to be.

Absolutely nothing on this DVD set. The glaring omission of commentary from The Rock himself diminishes the quality of the final product with the narration provided being subpar at best.

In terms of match selection, the matches were for the most part good selections. Some of my personal favorites did not make the DVD, and even arguably his best matches were left out. The promos included as extras were also very hit or miss. Some of his best were included, but at the same time some of my personal favorites were also left out.

On the whole, I would recommend this to any WWE fan, but be aware this is not the best release the company has made this year.

The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment

Overall this is a pretty good buy for any wrestling fan, it includes most of the Rocks most famous and most exciting matches (The Kurt Angle matches are a must). I gave this 3 stars because of all the WWF logo cover ups, I mean seriously why on earth the World Wildlife Foundation thinks it's necessary for the WWE to blur everything out is beyond me, at times it's ridiculous..I mean covering up the logo on the belt? Arghhhh...they really should be some sort of warning, because it could ruin alot of peoples viewing.

OK.

First of all, I was the biggest Rock fan imaginable. To me he brought everything that the WWE needed during the Monday night wars and the Attitude era. He managed to bridge athleticism and entertainment in subtle ways, and helped to elevate some of the most memorable names: Owen Hart, HHH, Steve Austin, Booker T, etc.

So...if I'm such a fan, how could I dare give this anything lower than a 5?

I'll tell you why. It's because this DVD set, being 3 DVDs, is severely disappointing. It's almost like WWE did the bare minimum they could rather than really showcase this man and his many years in the company. Geez, where do I begin...

1: The man's promos are scarce. Where are his various promos and exchanges with Farooq, like when Rock gave him the portrait? Where's the Nation of Domination's parody of DX? Where's the faux funeral for Stone Cold? Where's the "die die die" promo? Where's the promo he cut on Paul Wight (Big Show) when he first debuted? "Know Your Role Michael Cole"? The Rock's interaction with the first Diva Search contestants? The Thanksgiving where we learned about the Rock's love of pie (and the fact that Michael Cole never had any)? The infamous Trish kiss? His interaction with Taijiri (sick freak)? The Stephanie McMahon birthday jingle? Rock/Austin singing together? Rock's promo on Brock Lesnar? "Sing along with the Rock"? The legendary Rock concert of 2003 "...when the Lakers beat the Kings in May~!" None of these are here, and it really pisses me off.

2: The matches are the bare basics. Where's the Undisputed Championship match with him, Austin and Jericho? Where's his single matches with Taker? Why only two matches with Austin (but yet 4 matches with HHH)? Where's his match with Ric Flair? Chris Benoit (need I even ask...)? What about Rock, Austin and the Hardyz vs. DX? The Brahma Bullrope matches (ok, they might have been some crap, but I still wanted to see them!!)? Rock vs. Lesnar? Why didn't they show the WHOLE "I Quit" match with Mankind, including the controversial ending?? Ugh, I could go on and on.

3: None of the matches show Rock losing, even though he lost some of his greatest matches.

4: Way too much blurring of the "F" in the old WWF. I mean, it's not like they're profiting off of the logo anymore, is it really necessary to have so much blurring? I mean all the blur spots really do detract from what you see.

5: Why was this not released on Blu-ray in remastered HD quality like Wrestlemania 24?

6: Not published in widescreen. Come on Vince, give me a break. We're in 2008; get with the times please.

7: The whole DVD is organized as though it were trying to tell someone 50 years from now what "The Rock" was about. I don't agree with that approach - 1, because it wasn't done very well with all of the stuff missing that I mentioned above, and 2, this should cater to fans or former fans. That means it should be as thorough as it can be, not barebones.


Bottom line - there's a lot missing, and as a result, I can't justify giving this any more than 3 stars.

Regardless of how you feel about Dwayne Johnson & his relationship (or lack thereof) with the WWE today & his movie career, nobody can deny that The Rock was without one of the top superstars in WWE's past & has not only made an impact in wrestling (in the ring or on the microphone) & outside of it...to the point where the word "smackdown" is now in the dictionary. This DVD set is a look back at his most of his career through matches & takes the format of Undertaker's in which you don't hear from a narrator instead of The Rock (unlike the other match anthologies released recently).

vs. WWE Intercontinental Champion Hunter Hearst Helmsley - The Rock's first title win here against Hunter & what would turn out to be the foreshadowing of one of the biggest feuds in the WWF Attitude Era & The Rock's career.
["RAW" Feb. '97]

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match vs. Owen Hart - Nothing memorable past just a nice solid match between these two.
["RAW" Apr. '98]

King of the Ring Quarterfinal Match vs. Triple H - A rare match in their rivarly that only went around 10 mins. but was a good back & forth match in that time.
["RAW" June '98]

WWE Championship Match (Final Round) vs. Mankind - Jim Ross described it best during the match when saying "The Rock turned it up!" because this was one of the times you saw The Rock get real aggressive in the ring against Mankind along with taking it outside the ring including various moments such as both men using chairs including Rock repeating slamming the chair onto the steel steps which were on top of Mankind & fighting on the announce tables. In the end, The Rock becomes the Corporate Champion using a finish that was complete "deja vu."
[Survivor Series '98]

Last Man Standing Match vs. WWE Champion Mankind - Mankind came into the match with bad knees based off an attack by Rock earlier in the night. They brawled on the floor for most of the match using various weapons including TV monitors, steel steps, and a table which Mankind DDT'd Rock through. Of course this match had it's entertaining moments such as Rock doing commentary & singing "SmackDown Hotel!" while Mankind tried to execute "Mr. Elbow." The ending was a little bit of a jip but the quality is here.
[St. Valentine's Day Massacre '99]

Ladder Match vs. WWE Champion Mankind - This match picked up where the previous one left off with both men going hardcore on each other in & out of the ring using the ladder & chairs with Rock targeting Mankind's hurt leg. This wasn't a "spotfest" type of ladder match but another good encounter in their series.
["RAW" Feb. '99]

WWE Championship/No DQ Match vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin - The first of their WrestleMania trilogy of matches that started off with a bang on the floor & through the crowd for the first half of the match before delivering the type of performance that made their rivarly a classic with Mankind making an important cameo.
[WrestleMania XV]

Steel Cage Match vs. Triple H - Just like their earlier King Of The Ring match, it was a short match but real good for what it was.
["RAW" July '99]

w/Mankind vs. World Tag Team Champions Undertaker & Big Show - The birth of the Rock & Sock Connection here as they went on to win the Tag Team titles but besides that, this was nothing special.
["RAW" Aug. '99]

No Holds Barred Match vs. Kane - This match just went over 5 mins. & nothing really noteworthy here.
["SmackDown!" Dec. '99]

vs. WWE Champion Triple H - Rock & Triple H put on a solid encounter (like they usually do) with the addition of Shane as the referee, Vince getting a couple of shots in here & there along with cameos appearences from Stephanie, Linda, Patterson & Brisco, and Stone Cold Steve Austin...this was a wild encounter from start to finish.
[Backlash '00]

WWE Championship/Steel Cage Match vs. Shane McMahon - Eventhough Shane got a few shots in at times, this was mostly dominated by The Rock with Vince, Triple H, and referees Patterson & Brisco trying to help Shane...including using a stick to poke Rock like a shark through the cage.
["RAW" May '00]

vs. WWE Champion Kurt Angle - Kurt came off as ruthless here & even had to have his language censored at one point & delivered one of the Rock's greatest "straight wrestling" matches that went back & forth between both men that didn't depend on brawling outside the ring, or tons of interference. And for those wondering, yes...the ending where Earl Hebner screwed up is still in here.
[No Way Out '01]
(Also available on The Rock: Just Bring It)

vs. WCW Champion Booker T - The people's champion of the WWF meets the guy alot of people concidered the people's champion of WCW...who both just happened to have the same finishing move in the Rock Bottom/Book End. These two had a fast paced match that had some entertaining moments including one where the APA come out & get revenge on Shane McMahon by giving him one of the stiffest lariats I've seen from Bradshaw. This gave the fans what they wanted as The Rock returned & became the WCW Champion.
[SummerSlam '01]

vs. Undisputed WWE Champion Chris Jericho - It wasn't their best encounter (I think that was the No Mercy one months earlier) but a very enjoyable back & forth match between the two.
[Royal Rumble '02]

vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan - In my opinion, this was the last classic Hulk Hogan match I've seen. Hogan brought his A game as did The Rock & the crowd was so heavily into each & every move they made...it made the match seem even better. Words can't do this match justice.
[WrestleMania X8]
(Also available on Hulk Hogan's Anthology)

vs. WWE Undisputed Champion Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle - This was one of those triple threat matches that allows everyone to look strong & showcase their dominance at one point or another. When you mix in The Rock, Kurt Angle, and Undertaker...you will never lose there. One of the best triple threats I've seen. Look out for the opening sequence where Angle wanted Rock & Undertaker to show him some attention...and he damn sure got it along with each man stealing each other's finishers at various times.
[Vengeance '02]
(Also available on "The History Of The WWE Championship")

vs. Eddie Guerrero - Unfortunally they didn't show the pre-match promo where Guerrero was talking about burning his kids poster of The Rock earlier in the night but unlike the Guerrero match on Austin's DVD, this was a very good short encounter between the two wrestlers but look out for the one part Guerrero reversed the Rock Bottom in a way you never saw before...and haven't seen since.
["RAW" July '02]

vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin - Out of all the numerous PPV matches they've had against each other...this one was the most entertaining as The Rock was just at his best as a heel in regards to being ruthless (targeting Austin's leg & all the Rock Bottoms) & just asking like an ass (wearing Austin's vest & stealing his finisher). Since this would end up being Austin's last match, this was a classic match to end his career on.
[WrestleMania XIX]

Also the beginning of this DVD, you also get a brief background on his families wrestling history (if you want a more detailed history, check out either the 2008 Hall Of Fame on the WrestleMania XIV or the Most Powerful Families In Wrestling DVD set). DVD extras include highlights of his past one-liners & punchlines along with 16 of his past promos...some of which were on his past DVD releases as well but the difference here being that some are shown in full (like "Thomas Jefferson Sucka!") unlike how they were presented on the other DVD's like "Just Bring It!" and all the commentary is removed from there so you don't hear Jerry Lawler or any of the other commentators during the promos.

The negatives is that with Rock moving on from the WWE that this may be the last DVD set we ever get of him so some matches could have been left off in favor of better performances that were left off like the
Kane & Rock N' Sock match (their Buried Alive match would have been a better selection). Also I don't understand why Triple H didn't have a Rock match on his recent DVD set while this one has 4 of them when the two ones from RAW could have been left off in favor of one of their better performances like their back to back Fully Loaded matches (2 out 3 falls/strap match), the forgotten cage match from the UK only Rebellion PPV, or if there was enough room on the disc...the Ironman match from Judgment Day 2000. But in the end, regardless if you have any other Rock DVD's, this is one collection that I recommend to pick up that will leave you more satified than the movie "Doom" ever will (it's alright Dwayne, everyone acts in at least one crappy movie in their career.)

The People's Champ, The Great One or any other catchphrase could describe him well, but the best is simply The Rock. For a few years he was on top of the wrestling world and had millions and millions of fans hanging on his ever word on the mic and move in the ring. This is a complilation of his best matches and promos from the beginning of his career to one of his last great matches and all in between. There's a narration before each match that highlights a few key points in Rock's career, which is nice but comments from the Rock would've been better.

-2/13/97, Thursday Night Raw, Intercontinental Championship Match, vs. HHH (Champion): Not a bad one here for a TV match, there's good back and forth action, with HHH kinda taking Rocky lightly at times. A bit of a stunning finish with Rock getting an inside cradle on HHH to win the I.C. title. 7/10.

-4/6/98, Raw, Intercontinental Championship Match, vs. Owen Hart: Two great, young athletes face/off in whats not a bad but not a standout match. They pull off some good moves but its really only worth one view. After DX comes down and Chyna hits Owen with a bat, the ref calls for the DQ and despite losing by DQ, Rock ends up retaining. 5/10.

-6/22/98, Raw, King of the Ring Quarterfinal Match, vs. Triple H: Its better than the previous match on this set. There's some great counter wrestling, the intensity is turned up as the match goes on, with the action spilling to the outside at a couple of points. Rock hits a low blow and a fisherman's suplex to pick up the win. 8/10. The post match brawl between the Nation and DX was pretty cool too.

-11/15/98, Survivor Series, WWE Championship Tournament Finals, vs. Mankind: These two have always had great matches and this sparked a fantastic rivalry. Vince and Shane came down to ringside early on and the action went from the ring, to the outside where chair shots were traded and Mankind was smashed with chair while under the steel steps. Mankind did miss an elbow drop from the second rope and went through the spanish announce table. Rock hits a Rock Bottom and locks on the sharpshooter and Vince calls for the bell to be rung, just like last year's Survivor Series and the Rock becomes the champ. 9/10. Nice promo by Vince afterwards.

-2/14/99, St. Valentine's Day Massacre, Last Man Standing Match for the WWE Championship, vs. Mankind (Champion): Earlier Rock attacked Mankind and worked on his legs throwing a wooden pallet on them. This was another very good match where the action was intense, spilling into the entrance way early on. There are some brutal spots, including a DDT through a table by Mankind. I did like Rock taking a break to do commentary as only he can, but it came back to bite him as Mankind came back nailing an elbow from the ring apron. From here they traded move for move and the crowd was on its feet. The finish was great as both men hit each other with chairs at the same time and couldn't answer the 10 count so its a draw and Mankind retains. 9/10.

-2/15/99, Raw, Ladder Match for the WWE Championship, vs. Mankind (Champion): Stone Cold Steve Austin joined the announce team and boy did he provide some funny comments during this match. Both were feeling the effects of the previous match but this was still a great match that started on the outside. Rock worked on Mankind's knee, even slamming it into a steel chair a few times, then slammed the knee with a chair while the knee was sandwiched in a ladder. From here the action goes to the outside and Rock eats an elbow while on the guardrail. The best part is a Rock Bottom Mankind got sending him through the announce table. Big Show ends up coming down and chokeslams Mankind off the ladder and Rock grabs the belt to become the new champion. 10/10. Loved the past match face/off between Austin and Rock.

-3/28/99, Wrestlemania XV, WWE Championship Match, vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin: The first of their triology of Wrestlemania matches and while good and even great at times its likely the least of them in my opinion. It is very good though, as both men go to the outside, with Rock choking out Austin with his own shirt and back in the ring he kicks him around before Rock gets sent to the outside and we're into the crowd and up the entrance way before we see the ring again. Both men use the steel chair a couple of times, then Vince makes his way down and him and Rock stomp Austin before Mankind as the ref comes down and punches out Vince. Austin reverses a Rock Bottom, hits the Stunner and makes the cover to win the WWE title. 9/10.

-7/5/99, Raw, Steel Cage Match, vs. Triple H: Very good TV cage match here that was hard hitting and very brutal with both just wearing down the other and using the cage wall to inflict more damage. Nice arm drag from Rock, throwing Triple H from the top rope. Triple H actually wins but with the ref down they fight on the outside and Triple H gets sent into the cage wall. Both men go back into the ring and fight up to the top of the cage, where Rock gets nailed with a chair and is out on the cage top, Triple H is down after slipping and landing groin first on the rope. Rock ends up dropping down moments before Triple H did to win the match. 9/10.

-8/30/99, Raw, WWE Tag Team Championship Match, w/Mankind vs. The Undertaker & The Big Show (Champions): Mankind and Rock try double teaming Show but soon Show wears down Mankind choking him out and stomping him down. Taker doesn't really do a whole lot besides nailing Mankind a few times on the outside, then Paul Bearer comes down and he and Taker go to the back leaving Show by himself. Rock nails a nasty chair shot on Show then they hit a double People's Elbow and Rock makes the cover to win the tag titles. 6/10.

-12/30/99, Smackdown, No Holds Barred Match, vs. Kane: Short one here, though both get some good moves in and kane dominates the first couple of minutes, they battle up the ramp then Rock sends Kane off the stage through a table. After Kane runs into Tori, Rock hits the Rock Bottom on a chair to win the match. 7/10.

-4/30/00, Backlash, WWE Championship Match, vs. Triple H (Champion), Special Guest Referee, Shane McMahon: We have a good match here that had Rock battling back against all the odds against him especially Shane as the ref. Triple H does actually dominate a lot of this match with Rock getting in some good but short offense. Loved the double Rock Bottom that Rock hit on Triple H and Shane through the announce table. Rock goes to attack Vince but gets a lowblow then a pedigree, but when Patterson and Briscoe come down in ref shirts the Rock still kicks out, then Austin's music hits and he nails everyone in sight with a chair including the McMahons. Rock hits the People's Elbow and Earl Hebner makes the count and the Rock wins the title. 10/10.

-5/1/00, Raw, Steel Cage Match for the WWE Championship Match, vs. Shane McMahon: Like the previous match this was about Rock fighting back despite the odds greatly favoring his opponent as Pat Patterson was the ref. Shane got a few moves in but only when he was helped from the outside. Rock slams Shane into the cage a few times but Rock gets lowblowed by Patterson when he tries to get to Shane at the top of the cage. Patterson gets rock bottomed and Rock drags Shane back into the ring and nails the People's Elbow but gets the door slammed into his face. Triple H comes into the ring and even with a separted shoulder he beats up the Rock. After Earl Hebner comes down and prevents Shane from winning, Rock climbs over the top and hits the floor to retain his title. 9/10.

-2/25/01, No Way Out, WWE Championship Match, vs. Kurt Angle (Champion): Great contest here, both work so well together, Angle is pretty aggressive in this match stomping down on Rock and hitting good snap suplexes, while Rock does counter some of his offense well. Big Show comes down while the ref is down and lays waste to both men. There is plenty of good wrestling moves despite all of the interference and brawling, Angle locks on the ankle lock, Rock gets out of it and later slams Angle headfirst into the exposed turnbuckle then hits two rock bottoms and makes the cover to win the title. 9/10.

-8/19/01, Summerslam, WCW Championship Match, vs. Booker T (Champion): These two had quite the rivalry from the moment Booker T debuted in WWE and this match has a good big match feel to it. There was plenty of back and forth action and also some interference by Shane McMahon, but he gets a Rock Bottom for his troubles. The crowd is also on fire throughout the whole match, Booker does the Spin-a-Roonie but Rock hits a Rock Bottom for the win to become the WCW Champion. 8/10.

-1/20/02, Royal Rumble, Undisputed Championship Match, vs. Chris Jericho (Champion): Great title match here, Jericho was out to prove he deserved to be the champion and Rock wanted one more run with the title. The tide kept shifting between the two men and Jericho did hold his own against "The People's Champ". There were a couple of ref bumps including Rock giving the Rock Bottom to former WCW ref Nick Patrick, then hits the People's elbow but there's no ref to make the count. Jericho hit a low blow, slams Rock's head into the exposed turnbuckle then rolls him up using the ropes to win the match and retain the title. 9/10.

-3/17/02, Wrestlemania X8, Icon vs. Icon, vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan: Should've been the main event as both guys had the crowd in the palm of their hand. The crowd reaction did make this match seem a whole lot better than it honestly was, not that it was terrible or even average but its not an all time classic in my opinion. Hogan gets such a huge reaction that The Rock has to heel on the crowd, no matter what the announcers said it was not a mixed response. After hulking up and hitting the leg drop for 2, Hogan misses a second leg drop, Rock hits his third Rock Bottom and the People's Elbow for the win. 9/10, a couple of extra points for the crowd's constant energy.

-7/21/02, Vengeance, Triple Threat Match for the WWE Undisputed Championship, vs. The Undertaker (Champion) vs. Kurt Angle: Probably one of the top 10 greatest title matches I've ever seen. All three get some great moves and spots in, the momentum changes constantly and its one of the rare matches where you have no clue whose going to win. Rock ends up hitting a Rock Bottom on Angle and makes the cover for the 3 count with Taker being just a little too late to break up the pinfall. Rock wins the title. 11/10.

-7/22/02, Raw, vs. Eddie Guerrero: Good but short one here, both pull off some good moves and Eddie works Rock over and there's a cool spot where Eddie counters the Rock Bottom in a very unique way. After Eddie misses the Frog Splash, Rock hits the spinebuster and the People's Elbow on Eddie and makes the cover to win the match. 8/10.

-3/30/03, Wrestlemania XIX, vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin: The second best of their triolgy and pretty emotional as this was Austin's last match. Plenty of brawling in and out of the ring, Rock was in full heel mode even doning Austin's vest at one point. Both men had a great showing and after 3 Rock Bottoms the Rock finally beat Austin at Wrestlemania. 10/10.

Extras include: Classic Rock promos and his great one-liners. Such fun memories.

Overall its not a bad collection of matches, nice to see some of the rare TV and PPV matches. Good to have in your wrestling library.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was the most electrifying man in sports entertainment (and these days claims "ALL of entertainment") and you can watch many of his best matches and most memorable interviews and one-liners in this three-disc set that was released in 2008. With his recent return to the WWE, this is a great time for a refresher course in the history of The Rock.

This is one of those WWE sets where story is told in between matches instead of altogether in one documentary that you can sit and watch at once. What I find difficult about this is that people don't always have time to sit and watch this set for NINE hours in order to see the entire story. I much prefer the sets where you can watch the story all at once and then work on the matches over time. Plus there is an impartial narrator piecing the story together with soundbites from The Rock and NO interviews with the man himself talking about his past and how it felt at the time besides being the character.

The Rock wasn't always The Rock though, he started out as Rocky, paying tribute to his family lineage in wrestling from his grandfather, Rocky Maivia and his father, Rocky Johnson. He started out as a good guy, but didn't really have a concrete identity and fans turned on his one-dimensional nature. Within months people began to hate him and that's where The Rock was truly born. He took on the mic, spoke in third person, and started inventing catch phrases. He joined a stable, the Nation of Domination where he took over and kicked the leader out and insisted people call him "ruler". He became popular and eventually got out of the Nation of Domination. People began to love him and even after his heel turn becoming the Corporate Champion, people couldn't resist cheering for The Rock.

There was an epic extended feud with Mankind (with SEVERAL matches included in this set), icon vs icon against Stone Cold Steve Austin, feuds with Triple H on and off, one of my favorite storylines -- the Rock `N Sock connection, the infamous moment of facing Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania, and tons of other rivalries, but what is undeniable is The Rock's connection to the fans. He arches an eyebrow and they go nuts. He sticks his nose in the air and the arena goes silent so he can announce the name of the city he has FINALLY come back to. We can't get enough of what The Rock is cookin' and any silence over a few seconds prompts chanting of the Great One's name. He has tons of nicknames -- The Rock, The Great One, The People's Champion, The most Electrifiying Man in all of (Sports) Entertainment.

Few WWE Superstars have been able to exercise his level of complete captivation over his audience. His commitment and creativity and addictive one-liners are the reason he was able to become so popular and then bridge over into the film industry. He has been in several movies, some bad, some good enough, and one horrible film with him wearing a fairy costume that I still haven't been able to wipe completely from my memory. Sure, some fans were upset feeling like he deserted the WWE, but I haven't seen anyone who isn't thrilled to have him back to host this year's WrestleMania, complete with digs against the current most popular WWE Superstar, John Cena.

Matches in this set include:

Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs Rocky Maivia - WWE Intercontinental Championship Match - RAW 1997
Owen Hart vs The Rock - WWE Intercontinental Championship Match - RAW 1998
Triple H vs The Rock - King of the Ring Quarterfinal Match - RAW 1998
Mankind vs The Rock - WWE Championship Match Final Round - Survivor Series 1998
Mankind vs The Rock - Last Man Standing Match for WWE Championship - St. Valentine's Day Massacre 1999
Mankind vs The Rock - Ladder Match for WWE Championship - RAW 1999
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock - WWE Championship Match - Wrestlemania XV 1999
The Rock vs Triple H - Steel Cage Match - RAW 1999
The Rock & Mankind vs Undertaker & Big Show - WWE Tag Team Championship Match - RAW 1999
The Rock vs Kane - No Holds Barred Match - Smackdown 1999
Triple H vs The Rock - WWE Championship Match - Backlash 2000
The Rock vs Shane McMahon - Steel Cage Match for WWE Championship - RAW 2000
Kurt Angle vs The Rock - WWE Championship Match - No Way Out 2001
Booker T vs The Rock - WWE Championship Match - Summerslam 2001
Chris Jericho vs The Rock - WWE Undisputed Championship Match - Royal Rumble 2002
The Rock vs Hollywood Hulk Hogan - Wrestlemania X8 2002
Kurt Angle vs Undertaker vs The Rock - Triple Threat Match for WWE Undisputed Championship - Vengeance 2002
The Rock vs Eddie Guerrero - RAW 2002
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock - Wrestlemania XIX 2003

As time goes on, the matches get better and better, especially those with Mankind, Triple H, and Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Hogan match is epic and was an instant classic when it occurred as the most iconic wrestler ever met the most electrifying wrestler ever and both men gave each other respect afterward in a cool way. The give and take and back and forth is one of the most entertaining matches I've seen.

Extras:

16 of The Rock's best interview segments are featured here including "Billy's prayer to God", "The Big Slow", "My Name is Kane", "Doughnuts", "Hermie", "Thomas Jefferson Sucka", "The People's Strudel", "Great Balls of Fire", "Copacabana", "The Charleston", "The Superhero", "Miami Dolphins", and more! The segment of one-liners is nine minutes long (and can be previewed on Youtube since I shared it on the Haunted Flower Facebook page recently). Both comedy segments are amazingly entertaining and more fun than most of his matches if I'm being perfectly honest.