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The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan (Rogers Centre, Toronto)
WrestleMania 18 saw one of the most anticipated matches in WWE history, as this “Icon vs. Icon” bout took place on March 17, 2002, at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario. Hulk Hogan, immersed in his heel “Hollywood” persona, would take on The Rock, who was at the height of his stardom and fame in WWE.
Heading into this matchup, The Rock was one of the biggest draws in WWE, while Hogan was nearing the end of his career, making his first WrestleMania appearance in 9 years.
The nostalgia of having these two icons face for the first and only time in a singles matchup was not lost on fans, and the storyline lead-up to the event was insane, only adding to the anticipation. “The Hulkster” and “The Brahma Bull” clashed in what may not be seen as the most technical bout, but what is arguably the most electric, goosebump-inducing matchup in WrestleMania history.
One of the things that made this match iconic was the way both performers responded to the crowd.
Despite Hogan being the heel, the crowd overwhelmingly cheered for him over The Rock, causing both superstars to pivot mid-match: Hogan began executing some of his signature babyface moves, while The Rock subtly responded at times as a heel. The match resulted in The Rock winning cleanly, picking up one of the greatest victories of his career and solidifying him as the new face of the industry.
