We start with a nice video package with cheesey voice over man calling him one of the greatest entertainers of our generation. They then show clips of all of his famous catchpharse. His charisma surpassed wrestling and took over Holiday.
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The cheesey voice over man tells us about Samoa and helps us understand his herritage by telling us about High Chief Peter Mavia. They do the family tree list with the impressive family of Samoa connections, they then talk about Rocky Johnson and the Rock's child hood. They hav eloads of childhood and teenage photos of Rock. They explain how he took his name Rocky Mavia as a tribute to his father and grandfather.
.WWE Intercontinental Title
Rocky Maivia vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley
RAW February 1997
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The crowd are all over Triple H during his entrance, this is taken from the legendary Thursday RAW Thursday. Tripper scores with a hip toss to start the match and he bows cockily. Triple H grabs a hammerlock but The Rock counters, Hunter gets a leg trip and they go into a wrestlng exchange. The crowd chant "Rocky sucks", Triple H nicely flips out of a head scissors into a death lock and bitch slaps the Rock. Triple H then does his cocky bow yet again. Triple H scores with a shoulder tackle but Rock comes back with a hip toss and a dropkick and Triple H bails to the outside.
.Triple H comes back and unloads before wowing the crowd with a snapmare and chinlock combination, oh that Triple H he's so creative. Rocky scores with a dropkick sending Triple H crashing over the top rope, Rocky misses a closeline and hits the ring post. Triple H takes Rock back into the ring and hits a single arm DDT before dropping a knee on the injured arm and applying an arm bar.
.Rocky fights out but when he tries a back body drop Triple H counters with another single arm DDT, Tripper chops Rock in the corner as we go to an ad break. During the break Triple H hit a swinging neck breaker and when we come back Honky Tonk comes to ringside but it doesn't distract Triple H from hitting a hanging vertical suplex and a knee drop for a near fall. Rocky dodges a closeline but runs straight into a high knee for a near fall. Triple H then slaps on a sleeper hold and Rocky begins to fade, the kids chant "Rocky".
.Rocky whips Hunter off the ropes and applies a sleeper hold but Hunter counters by running the rock into the top turnbuckle. The Rock dodges a closeline and unloads on Triple H and scores with a back body drop. The Rock goes up top and scores with a flying cross body but Triple H floats over for a near fall. Triple H hits the facecrusher and the neck breaker for a nearfall. Tripper can't believe it and unloads on the Rock from a mount. Triple H then nails a very nice Pedigree on the rock but it only gets a near fall and Tripper complains to the referee. Hunter puts the Rock on the top rope and lays in three bitch slaps on the Rock before scoring with the not so super plex and that gets another near fall and Triple H is frustrated.
.Triple H goes for the Pedigree but Rocky collapses at Triple H's feet, Tripper looks cocky but Rock is too limp to lift and Hunter plays to the crowd and then leisurely goes for the superplex but the Rock counters with an inside craddle out of no where to win the match.
.Well that was a fine TV match, with some good near falls but the pace was a little plodding at times. The Rock was very green in this match and had the most generic move set you could ever imagine. (**1/2)
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The cheesey voice over man tells of the story of how the crow turned on Rocky Maivia by chanting "Rocky Sucks" and "Die Rocky Die". Hence the Rock was born and he became cocky over the top super villian character. We then go to the Rock's time in the Nation of Domination and the Rock taking over the Nation.
.WWE Intercontinental Title
Owen Hart vs. The Rock
RAW April 1998
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The crowd start a big "Rocky Sucks" chant getting under his skin. Rock backs Owen into the corner and bitch slaps Owen. Owen dodges a blind charge and gets an arm drag and arm bar, "Let's go Owen" chant, Rock gets a double leg takedown and slaps the back of Owen's head. Owen kips and flips his way out of an Arm Bar and bitch slaps the Rock before getting an arm drag takedown. Karma grabs the foot of Owen and distracts the referee but the referee decides to force the Nation to leave ringside. The Rock is not happy to say the least.
.Owen dodges a closeline and locks the Rock in a sleeper the Rock does a really cartoony sell before scoring with a nice DDT and stomping away at Owen. Rock scores with a shoulder breaker and he goes for the people's elbow and scores with it before rolling into a cover for a two count. The Rock scores with a corner closeline before running into a back elbow. Owen unloads with a pair of closelines and nice swinging neck breaker gets a two count. Owen then scores with a lightening ten punch and the a spinning heel kick gets a near fall. Owen runs straigth into the Rock Bottom but Owen blocks with an elbow and scores with a massive enzenguri. Owen locks The Rock in a sharpshooter but Chyna runs out and kills Owen with a baseball bat for your DQ finish.
.Not much of a match fine while it lasted, like a match on fast forward you can tell Russo was booking. (*1/4)
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The voice over man tells the story of Owen joining DX and the Rock going to war with the Nation.
.King Of The Ring Qualifier
The Rock vs. Triple H
RAW June 1998
.The Rock sneak attacks Triple H and introduces him to the top turnbuckle, the crowd chant "Rocky Sucks" and the Rock unloads with a series of big right hands. Triple H scores with a back elbow for a two count. The Rock gets a hard Irish whip and a closeline for a two count. The Rock tries another hard Irish whip but Tripper counters a back body drop with a swinging neck breaker and he follows it up with the vertical suplex and knee drop for a two count. The Rock dodges a closeline and responds with a DDT, the Rock then gets in Chyna's face before getting a two count.
.The Rock then scores with a vertical suplex for a near fall and he follows up with a scoop slam and its People's Elbow time and he hits it but only for a two count. Triple H fights back wiht a big right hand but the Rock comes back by choking Triple H on the ropes. The Rock works over Triple H in the corner before exciting the crowd with a foot choke. Triple H unloads with a big flurry of Jabs and then he hits the Harley Race high knee, the facebuster and he tells the Rock to suck it before hitting a closeline. They brawl to the outside and the Rock introduces Triple H to the ringsteps.
.While the referee is checking on Triple H the Rock tells Hunter to suck it but he doesn't see Chyna who kicks the Rock in the gut and scores with a DDT. Triple H sneaks in and makes the cover for a near fall. Triple H and the Rock then exchange sleeper holds to the thrill of absolutely no one. The crowd chant "Rocky Sucks". Triple H fights out and Chyna distracts the Rock and the referee but when Triple H goes for the Pedigree it allows the Rock to hit a low blow and a fisherman's suplex for the 1-2-3.
.These two really didn't have good chemistry together another mediocre plodding match, Triple H just has terrible offence for a baby face, not bad just not exciting in the ring. (*3/4)
.We then see clips of Rock losing the King of the Ring tournement to Shamrock and we fast forward to Rock's face turn and the Survivor Series tournement and the Rock running through the Survivor series tournement. Ah Survivor Series 98 a show that sucked in the ring but was full of exciting serves and turns and was undoubtably Vince Russo's high point as a creative force.
.WWE World Title
Mankind vs. The Rock
Survivor Series November 1998
.They lock up and fight to the corner but the Rock misses a wild swing. The Rock unloads with a big right hand and Foley backs off. The Rock gets a kick to the gut and then unloads on Mankind with some big rights, man the Rock throws great punches. Mankind gets a hard Irish whip but Rock explodes with a closeline. The crowd are just dead, they're definitely burned out from all the soap opera that's gone before.
.They brawl to the outside tamely and Mick introduces the Rock to the steal steps. Mick kind of lays on top of the Rock and then throws some right hands. If this match wasn't dull enough Mick rolls the Rock into the ring and applies a chinlock. Vince and the freshly turned Shane McMahon come down to ringside to a round of boos, Shane waves to the crowd in awesome fashion. The Rock fights out of the chinlock and scores with a back suplex. The Rock knocks Foley to the outside. Foley tries a suplex but Rock counters into one of his own. Rock then gets in Vince's face.
.Mick attacks Rock from behind but Rock's ready for him and he hits one of the worst back suplexes into the crowd ever. Rock then botches a trash can shot before the Rock mericfully back body drops Mick over the barracde. We return to the ring and the Rock slaps on a chinlock, man they must be seriously knackered because the Rock applying a chinlock has killed the crowd even more dead. Mick Foley fights out and hits Rock with a chicken sink. Manking the scores with the Cactus closeline and he nails Rock with a chair on the outside before rolling back into the ring to break the count. Mick gets the steel steps and Rock hits them back into Mick's face with a steel chair, Rock then kills Foley with a steel chair shot to the head. That woke the crowd up.
.Back in the ring the Rock gets a near fall. Mick responds with a low blow and the Rock is down. Mick gives the Rock an elbow on the apron, this is the most insanely plodding pace imaginable. Foley then hits the Cactus elbow drop from the apron. Mick then hits Rock with the front of the announce table, Mick then hits a truely horrible leg drop on the announce table this is a total mess. Mick rolls the Rock into the ring and gets a two count before slapping on a chinlock the crowd then chant Rocky and Foley at the same time.
.Slugfest, Rock gets the better of it but Mankind manages to back body drop the rock over the top rope. The crowd chant "This match sucks", the Rock hits a DDT out of nowhere to build some excitement. Rock unloads with right hands but when he charges Foley he's tossed over the top rope by Mick. Mick goes for the Cactus elbow off the second rope but the Rock dodges and Foley crashes through the spanish announce table.
.Back in the Ring the Rock hits a body slam and then its People's Elbow time and he nails it for a very near fall and finally the crowd are excited. Foley dodges a closeline and hits the double arm DDT and its Socko Claw time, the Rock fades and the crowd comes to life with a "Rocky" chant. The referee checks the Rock's hand and of course he recovers and fights up and scores with a Rock Bottom and both men are down. The Rock crawls over and gets a two count. The Rock gives Vince the eye brow and Vince tells the time keeper to "Ring the fucking bell". Vince and Shane then give the Rock the big hug post match.
.That was a horrible horrible match, it picked up towards the end, both guys had worked a couple of short matches early in the night so I can understand them taking it easy but this was just lame. A tired and lazy match that really dragged. (*1/4)
.WWE World Title
Last Man Standing Match
The Rock vs. Mankind
St. Valentine's Day Massacre, February 1999
.Mick turns his back on the Rock and the Rock unloads the crowd start a huge "Rocky sucks" chant, Mick again shows his back and the Rock unloads and the Rock goes straight after the injured leg. The Rock unloads with a big right hand on a hobbling Mankind. While the Rock is jawing with the referee Foley picks up the title belt and waffles the Rock with the World Title. The Rock manages to answer the count at seven.
.Foley slugs Rock through the ropes and they brawl up the ramp. Foley chases Rock and closelines the Rock down hard. Michael Cole is saying some truely horrible lines as Mick introduces the Rock to the set with a Irish whip. Mick brawls backstage but then changes his mind and tries another Irish whip and this time Mick Foley crashes and burns into the lighting structure. Mick throws Rock onto a table and then DDTs him straight through the table. Rock answers the count at nine.
.Mick hits Rock in the gut with some tech equipment. They brawl under the stage and do nothing in particular perhaps feeling the match quality epp the Rock hits a back suplex on Foley. Rock kicks Mick in the leg sending him crumbling down as they head down the ramp. Rock goes for an Irish whip but Foley reverse and the Rock crashes into the steel steps. Mick Foley scores with a body slam and then misses with his version of the People's Elbow. Mick gets hung in the ropes and he tries to do the Harley Race bump and fails miserably crashing to the outside. The Rock hits three vertical suplexes on the outside.
.The Rock gets on the commentary headset and says "it looks like a giant monkey came down took a crap and out came Mankind", Mick charges the Rock and hits the Foley flury while the Rock is sitting at ringside. Mick then lays the Rock upside down on the announce table and hits the Catcus elbow off the apron sending him crashing and burning. Mick rolls Rick back into the ring and throws the steel steps in to boot. Mick charges the Rock with the steel chairs but Foley kicks the chairs back into Mick's face hard.
.Rock then begins to slug the crap out of Mick Foley's leg with a steal chair, everytime Foley struggles to his feet and Rock nails him with the chair. Rock swings wildly and misses the chair rebounds off the top rope into Rock's face, Foley then hits the Cactus closeline to the outside. Mick goes for the piledriver but the Rock blocks so Foley opts for the swinging neck breaker instead. Mick and Rock continue to brawl around ringside and Mick takes Rock onto the announce table but Rock back body drops Foley and his leg hits the time keepers table on the way down. Cole is just terrible shouting "NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!". The Rock then throws the steel steps from the ring to the outside right ontop of Mick Foley.
.The Rock then body slams Mick and it's Coperate Elbow time and the referee begins the count. The Rock tells the referee to count faster or he'll put a foot in Earl Hebner's arse. He then tells the crowd that he is the most electrifying man in sports Entertainment. The Rock does the Smackdown hotel but Mick counters by locking on the Mandible Claw during the second reverse, Hebner took a bump over the top rope in the process, and theirs no Earl Hebner to count the unconscious Rock out. Mick gets Hebner and counts for the referee but Rock answer the count at eight. The Rock then hits a low blow and follows up with a nice DDT.
.Mankind dodges a wild chair shot from the Rock and Mick Foley hits a double arm DDT onto the chair, the referee begins the count but the Rock answers the count at eight. Mick gets Mr. Socko ready and its time for the Socko claw, Rock counters with a Rock Bottom and both men are down. Both men answer the count at eight and they both get steel chairs and kill each other with chair shots, The Rock does an incredible sell and the match ends in a draw.
.The match start pretty horribly but once they found their way to ringside it really picked up and kept getting better and better, the finish made booking sense but the live crowd were not happy, not one bit. The Rock was really superb in this match, his singing and commentary were great touches. Next to the I Quit remains one of Rock's most memorable matches, especially of his heel era. (***3/4)
.WWE World Title
Ladder Match
The Rock vs. Mankind
RAW February 1999
.Foley slugs the Rock off the ring apron to start the match and they brawl around ringside. The Rock then Irish whips Mick knee first over the steel steps. The Rock throws a steel chair into the ring. The Rock kicks the crap out of Mick Foley's leg and then gives Foley a knee smash onto a steel chair, three of them. The Rock gets the ladder but Foley nails the ladder with a chair and sends it crashing into the Rock. Foley scores with a scoop slam and he scores with his version of the People's elbow.
.Foley sets up the ladder and begins to climb but Rock retrieves the chair and smashes into his knee and the ladder falls ontop of Mick. The Rock hits a chop block before placing Foley's leg in the ladder and nailing it repeatedly with the chair. Rock climbs the ladder but Foley catches him and tosses the Rock throat first onto the top rope. Foley jabs Rock in the gut with a steel chair and then clobbers the Rock with a steel chair.
.Foley climbs the ladder but Rock nails him with a chair and he bumps into the ropes and ends up with his arm stuck in the ropes. Rather than escaping Rock decides to hits some stomps. Foley and Rock brawl over the barracade and into the stand, the cameramen completely lose them. Foley lays Rock a steel guard rail and hits a running elbow drop. Foley tries another elbow drop but Rock rolls out the way and Mick crashes and burns yet again. Rock closelines over the barracade and back to ringside.
.Rock takes Foley up onto the ramp and hits a vertical suplex on the ramp. The Rock gives Foley a knee smash on the ramp, a fan throws a sock at the Rock so he throws it back. Rock then chokes Mick with a electrical cable. Foley counters an Irish whip and sends the Rock crashing into the steel steps. Mick then throws the Steel steps on the Rock. Rock low blows Foley on the table and hits a Rock Bottom through the announce table in a really nice spot.
.The Rock sets up the ladder in the ring in completely the wrong place, Foley recovers and low blows the Rock off the ladder and then scores with a double arm DDT. Foley gets Mr. Socko but Rock shoves the ladder into Mandkind and hits a nice DDT. Both men climb the ladder and the Rock unloads but Foley counters with the Mandible claw ontop of the ladder and the Rock fades. Big Show runs out and hits a brilliant version off the Showstoppa off the ladder and Rock climbs the ladder to win the gold.
.That was a lot better than I remember. A very good ladder match, especially considering this was given away on free tv. The Ladder hardly figured but that made sense as neither of these two workers were suited to a bump fest. Good wild brawl. (***1/4)
.WWE World Title
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock
Wrestlemania XV
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The Rock gets in Austins face and Austin unloads but the Rock back body drops him over the top rope and then introduces Austin to the announce table. The Rock chokes Austin with Steve's own shirt. They role back into the ring and Austin unloads with right hands and then tosses the Rock over the top and it obligatory late 90s brawl through the crowd time. Austin slugs Rock over a series of barracades as they make their way back to ringside, Austin then tosses Rock over the barracade on the other side and thy brawl through the crowd some more until Rocky closelines Austin back to ringside.
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Rock walks Austin up the ramp and attemts an Irish whip but Austin reverse and Rock bounces off a steel rail and into big closeline. Austin goes for a pile driver but the Rock counters with a back body drop and Austin's knee smashes against the Wrestlemania set. Austin then throws Rock face first into the roaming camera and they then hit one of the worst closelines in human history. Austin Irish whips the Rock hard into the big swinging Wrestle mania logo. Austin walks the Rock back down the rope and goes for a suplex but Rock counters and suplexes Austin down hard on the ramp and blows snot on Austin.
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The Rock intoduces Austin to the steel steps and then spits water all over Austin's head, Austin responds by dropping the Rock throat first over the barracade. Austin then lays Rock on the announce table and scores with two Austin elbows through the table before returning the favour by spitting water all over the Rock. Rock trips Austin and works over his knee against the ringpost. Austin responds by tossing the Rock into the steel steps before returning to the ring.
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Back in the ring The Rock hits the the Rock Bottom out of absolutely no where for a very near fall. Rock gets a chair, Austin steals it and swings wildy at the Rock but Rocky pulls Hebner in front and the referee is dead. The Rock hits a swinging neck breaker and then works over Austin's knee with the steel chair. Rock then kills Austin with a monster chair shot to the face. Tim White runs into the ring and counts an extremely near fall.
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The Rock forgets that its Wrestlemania and slaps on a chinlock Austin fights out but runs straight into a closeline and the Rock gets in the crowds face before reapplying a chinlock to suck the life out of the arena. This goes on and on, until Austin powers out and destroys Rock in a slugfest, Austin dodges a closeline but runs straight into a samoan drop for a near fall. The Rock is pissed off with the referee and he gives Tim White a Rock Bottom! Austin scores with the Stone Cold Stunner but there's no referee Earl Hebner runs down and counts a near fall.
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Austin gets a steel chair but Vince McMahon distracts Austin so Rock can get a low blow. Vince kills the referee. They kick the crap out of Austin as the crowd chant "HBK", Foley comes out destroys Vince. Austin gets a roll up for a two count and Foley counts a near fall. Austin gets the Lou Thez press but runs straight into the Rock Bottom, Rock goes for the Corperate elbow and misses, Austin goes for the Stunner but Rock counters into the Rock bottom which Austin blocks and finally scores with the Stunner for the 1-2-3. Vince's facial reactions at ringside were absolutely priceless.
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Great satisfying Attitude Era main event, with massive crowd heat. Had all the hallmarks of Russo Era WWE, ref bumps, run ins, brawls through the crowd but the drama played out brilliantly to send the fans home very happy. The brawl through the crowd and the extended chinlocks I could have lived with out but a great Mania main even regardless. (****)
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Overall Thoughts: This DVD has some good matches, well two in particularly and it charts the rise of the Rock well, but it's really let down by taking a storyline only approach, there is no documentary, no footage of the Rock talking us through his early years telling us funny stories no imput from anyone other than the cheesey voice over man. Seeing as the match quality isn't particularly strong its hard to recommend disk one, although it's certainly worth a watch its not must see, and this isn't any kind of definitive coverage of the Rock. (6.5/10)
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