The Rock or Steve Austin

[RJJ]

"By now, the return of the WWE Attitude Era is a distant thought. Ever since Linda McMahon decided to run for Senate, Vince has made the WWE more "family" friendly.

Catering to the kids instead of loyal WWE Fans. Basically giving their competition room to expand.

Many disagree. They say PG is better. That we didn't need the blood, weapons, foul language, and car wreck matches to be entertained.

Looking at RAW's drop in ratings, millions seem to disagree with that. It can be said a thousand times, but that's the type of wrestling that hooked us all in the beginning.

Now look at WWE. A slowly declining machine. No attempt at change. Same wrestlers holding the top titles every year. One thing we've learned from all of this is PG is here to stay.

Oh, how we long for the old days. When The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin were the faces of the WWE. When the Attitude Era was in full effect. Now that almost all of those wrestlers have departed WWE, or are injured and on their way to retirement.

The Attitude Era left us many questions, the biggest and perhaps most discussed is who was its biggest star? Though Triple H is a close third, the two most popular candidates would be The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Who is better?
The Rock
56.9%Stone Cold Steve Austin
43.1%Total votes: 582

Austin's win over HBK at Wrestlmania XIV officially began the Attitude Era. The Austin Era, some would call it. Austin had numerous feuds with Undertaker, Kane, Triple H, Bret Hart, and even the boss himself, Mr. McMahon.

Only one guy was equally popular to Austin during the Attitude Era. The Great One, The Rock. His start as a "forced" face turned many fans against him. This led to him cutting promos on fans on a weekly basis. Even referring to himself in the third person.

The Rock was so popular that every attempt to make him a true heel was ruined by the support of his growing fan base. It was only a matter of time before these two crossed paths. Headlining three Wrestlemanias together and countless PPV main events.

Austin would get the better of The Rock in most matches. Even using Vince McMahon as an asset in their epic Wrestlemania 17 showdown. Though the last time they faced off, it was the Great One that walked out with his hand raised high,

Perhaps the greatest professional wrestling feud of all time is indeed over, I ask the question again, who was the better?

Some automatically assume since Austin ushered in the Attitude Era, and held the WWF Title longer than the Rock he is better. Others would say The Rock had more World Title reigns, and that he was overall the better wrestler, so he is better.

My opinion is that The Rock was indeed better than Steve Austin. Austin was indeed a star, but when it came to popularity, Johnson clearly was more "over" with the fans. His pops are unmatched. Arguably the best mic worker in professional wrestling history.

Stone Cold Steve Austin is last decade's John Cena. He almost never lost. When he did it had to be because of interference by Vince. Held the title for long periods of time when he wasn't injured.

Cena is trashed because he "never" puts over younger superstars. If memory serves me right, Austin refused to be involved in any storyline involving him losing a match. To ANYBODY.

When Brock Lesnar was rising up the WWE ranks, management wanted to have him defeat Austin at Summerslam.

Basically to cement Brock as a legitimate superstar. But Austin walked out. So The Rock, Undertaker, and Kurt Angle all put over Lesnar, but Austin is too good to help younger talent?

When it comes to in-ring ability, Johnson once again is clearly better than Austin. Johnson tended to add moves to his arsenal, while Austin was more of a brawler with some explosive maneuvers.

What is your opinion, Bleachers?"



http://bleacherreport.com/articles/496152-attitude-who-was-better-the-rock-or-austin


So guys, Who you think was better? Rock or Austin? Why?

 

[slimmshady]

To be honest it is a really tough question. You could argue for days if not months and still get nowhere. Though austin may have walked out on putting young talent over, you could argue that the rock commited the biggest sin in sports entertainment history. He walked out on the fans. He decided to hang up his boots for good and never look back at "the people" that made him what he is today. Yes the rock wins without a shadow of a doubt as the greatest wrestler to ever walk the wwe, however in terms of the real "people's champ", the scales are tipped in favour of the texas rattlesnake. I'm not saying that austin has been an angel towards the fans, as you mentioned not only did he refuse to put over young talent, he walked out on the fans, especially on those that were live at monday night raw when he decided not to show up to the arena. When you ask who is the best? Then you need to be more specific because both austin and rock are the best, but that doesn't mean they are without flaws.

 

[DMac84]

Good thread.

I got into wrestling in 1998 when I was 13. I grew up with these guys every week.

I cannot give you an un-biased answer as much as I try. I never liked Austin because everyone else did. He was Anti-Establishemnt, Anti-McMahon and that was cool and all, but everyone jumped on the bandwagon. Austin was a great character and good wrestler, and I am so thankful that he was around during the Attitude era, but in my opinion he was not better than The Rock.

The Rock was better because he was way more dimensional of a character than Austin. Everyone loved Austin, always backed him, no question. But not The Rock. People chanted for The Rock just like Cena today... some love him, some hate him, some love to hate him. The Rock also had a better character because he was a great heel, as well as a great face. Austin, you could agree that he was neither heel or face, but he was always a face to the fans (Except when they tried to turn him heel with the invasion thing) but that really doesn't count.

I love The Rock, and would give anything for him to return to WWE full time. Even if that means he only wrestlers a few more times and thats it... I want him there for the Mic. Purely the best talker in the WWE, regardless of what other polls say.

So I say The Rock over Austin. Either way, they would not have been as successful without each other to feed off of. I dont run business, and dont pretend that I know how... but if I had some money, and ran the WWE, I would have thrown everything I had at both The Rock and Austin to stick around, even if it was in a non-wrestling capacity.

 

[wrestlemaniaxxx]

Rock mic skills were superb. Both were funny and entertaining. Both extremely talented and way over with the fans, heel or face - didn't matter.

But I will have to say Stone Cold. His feud against the Heart Foundation and the Undertaker in his first years are priceless. He made an impact since day one, contrary to The Rock.

 

[Brahma Bull]

lol, i made this thread a bit ago and im interested to see how voting this time turns out. the first thread i saw on it had the rock win. when i made mine, scsa won. then i made who was the best of all time with 12 other wrestlers and the rock came in second after hbk. through all that i have seen that fans look back at both of these guys as icons. at the very top of the game. i voted for the rock because i was always more entertained by him, and i thought he was better at promos and was a more entertaining wrestler. he also put more guys over and didnt walk out 3 times. while its true he left the wwe for hollywood, he did so once his contract was up. are people not allowed to leave at that time? at the same time, scsa had the biggest fued of all time (scsa vs mcmahon). and did bring arguably the most money to the wwe. i still believe the rock to be better, but this thread could really go either way.

 

[Rammsteinerteen]

Steve Austin I think is better. Sure The Rock had more moves. And they are both tied on mic and charisma work. But The Rock never fought Bret Hart in a 5 star submission match before.

 

[KnowBuddy]

Steve Austin I think is better. Sure The Rock had more moves. And they are both tied on mic and charisma work. But The Rock never fought Bret Hart in a 5 star submission match before.

no way, austin had way more moves than the rock. the rock was entertaining, but that wasnt austin's agenda. he was out to whoop ass!

backstage, including mic skills, austin is beyond the rock.

 

[mikevenom00]

Totally can't choose, both ultimate wrestlers of there era rocks mic skills are unquestionalbly greatest of all time especially when he was playin guitar singin hahaha (best shit eva), but austin 316 speel at king of ring sold it for me after that stone cold was unstoppable...... long live the kings of wrestling........... AUSTIN.....ROCK........

 

[DxArmy]

I think that the Rock is better. Like you said his pops are unmatched in my svr 2007 i remember that the only man who made the crowd louder than it already is was the rock when I made him WWE Champion, I mean like sure its a video game and its pre programmed but obviously the WWE thinks he was better two. and one more thing Triple HHH was not the 3rd biggest star in the attitude Era it was either HBK or the Undertaker, HHH was like a mid card for the early part of it, he was basically HBK's lackey

 

[ilapierre]

Other than Hulk Hogan, no one has impacted the wrestling world like Stone Cold Steve Austin. The guy paid his dues for years before he hit it big in WWE. He saved WWE and
he put on excellent matches. I don't care what anyone says about the Rock, i love everything The Rock ever did, but Stone Cold Steve Austin was the best thing that ever happened to wrestling. He'll never be duplicated. I don't know what some people are saying here about The Rock getting the biggest pops ever. I've never seen pops like the ones Steve Austin and the NWO got. The Rock had the crowd laughing, booing, and popping off like mad..but nothing like what Stone Cold could do. The Rock was around for about 5 years. Austin was around for over a decade. Austin put on 5 star matches. The Rock didn't. Steve Austin transformed wrestling, The Rock didn't. Pro wrestling is scripted, it doesn't matter how many titles The Rock won or how many big guys like Hogan that he beat. He didn't 'in reality' do what Steve Austin did for the business.

Steve Austin gets my vote.

 

[takerfan24]

the rock did turn his back on ''the people'' and he could have been the best of the best but no, he wants to make a movie with Will Ferrel!

I say austin cause i have a hundred reasons for him but heres 1... he gave the fans wut the hell they wanted if it was the finger or kiking mcmahons ass or even a beer truck!!

 

[Dwayne_Jason]

Rock was around for five years and became the biggest thing in Wrestling since Austin. I'll wait 'till you digest that.

Austin was there for a decade. Rock did what Austin did in half the time.

Rock had better mic skills, more catchphrases, more electricity, more persona, shit load better charisma, more respect fort he business and in my opinion more star power than Austin.

Oh and he never participated in five star matches you say?

Rock vs Hulk Hogan
Rock vs Mic Foley
Rock vs Steve Austin x3
Rock vs Jericho
Rock vs Triple HHH Iron Man Match


Five years, five, five-star matches. Need I say more?

PS: Not shitting on Austin here's what he did in 10 years to the best of my knowledge

Austin vs Bret Hart
Austin vs Taker
Austin vs Rock x3
Austin vs Vinny
Austin vs Triple HHH
Austin vs Jake the Snake

Austin had been around for 10 years and he had 6 great feuds. Mad respect to him, but Rock had an amazing feud almost every year he was in the business.

 

[RJJ]

Other than Hulk Hogan, no one has impacted the wrestling world like Stone Cold Steve Austin. The guy paid his dues for years before he hit it big in WWE. He saved WWE and
he put on excellent matches. I don't care what anyone says about the Rock, i love everything The Rock ever did, but Stone Cold Steve Austin was the best thing that ever happened to wrestling. He'll never be duplicated. I don't know what some people are saying here about The Rock getting the biggest pops ever. I've never seen pops like the ones Steve Austin and the NWO got. The Rock had the crowd laughing, booing, and popping off like mad..but nothing like what Stone Cold could do. The Rock was around for about 5 years. Austin was around for over a decade. Austin put on 5 star matches. The Rock didn't. Steve Austin transformed wrestling, The Rock didn't. Pro wrestling is scripted, it doesn't matter how many titles The Rock won or how many big guys like Hogan that he beat. He didn't 'in reality' do what Steve Austin did for the business.

Steve Austin gets my vote.

LOL you mean rock vs hogan I wasn't a 5 star match??how about rock vs angle vs taker? rock austin wmX7??wmXIX?wm 15? come on, That's bullshit. Rock did put 5 star matches. His matches with HHH in 2000 were amazing. He also had some great matches with foley. Plus, no one had the people in his hands the way rock did. HOF 2008 is a very good example, you hear some boos when he walked in, once he grabbed the mic the fans were cheering like crazy. Hands down, the most electricfying man in sports entertainment.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

I'd say there were about equal on wrestling ability and stamina cue stone cold's WM match with Bret and the rock's ironman match with HHH, both testaments to their ability, not to mention how even the three wrestlemania matches were when facing each other. I would score them equal on charisma but the rock higher on his mic work, best ever for me.

But you see I voted rock not even thinking about that. I voted the rock because stone cold was the cena or the hogan of the attitude era, that doesn't mean that it was easy by any means but for stone cold it was EASIER to break through with the gimmick and storyline that he had than it was for the rock to come through. Stone cold had to come out and deliver some stunners to WWE management and people would understandably go bananas. The Rock was a young champ but he really had to work with his gimmick and where he was, we all know the response he got fro his first year or so in the business and he carried on and got himself into a stable.

The Rock was so good in his stable that he outshone the others members to the point where he became the leader from the inside!! That is the equivalent of road dogg becomeing so good that he pushed HHH out of DX and took control, it was far harder to do what rocky did, he had to be intelligent about the way he came accross wrestling and on the mic. And while austin was involved in the storyline of the millenium, the rock was out there forging a path to the top when eventually he made a break through and people saw just how good he was.

I always say you can tell how good a wrestler is if they were heel when they left and they returned as a face because people acknowledge cheer not because you were good. Hence rock's return against evolution. Also noted are HHH in 2002, Undertaker in 2000, edge royal rumble 2010 etc.. but nobody gets a bigger reaction than the rock a guy who wrestled for a total of SEVEN YEARS! nobody made an impact like the rock in that time.

To me the rock was a very good wrestler (notice I didn't say great, he isn't that good) and for me the best mic technicially there will ever be and resultantly I bundle him thebest package ever and for me the rock is THE BEST WRESTER OF ALL TIME. So while stone cold is great, rock is the best, nobody can contest

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

the rock did turn his back on ''the people'' and he could have been the best of the best but no, he wants to make a movie with Will Ferrel!

I say austin cause i have a hundred reasons for him but heres 1... he gave the fans wut the hell they wanted if it was the finger or kiking mcmahons ass or even a beer truck!!

The rock doesn't owe us fans a thing. The same people who boed him when he first appeared in 1996 and the same ones who boed him in 2003 calling him a sell out, are the ones who say "come back rocky, save us"!!! Rock didn't turn his back on the people, they turned their back on him.

We don't deserve him. I wouldn't blame the rock for never returning again if he didn't. I just appreciate every single moment of time the rock gave to us, they were the best ones. And you don't mention the fact that rock left for a legitimate reason like to make a film. What about when stone cold just decided not to come in one day and wasn't around for months because he didn't like the direction he was going in, that isn't what heroes do no matter how tough things get.

The Rock is a once in a lifetime performer, austin is a once in an era kindof guy.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

Rock mic skills were superb. Both were funny and entertaining. Both extremely talented and way over with the fans, heel or face - didn't matter.

But I will have to say Stone Cold. His feud against the Heart Foundation and the Undertaker in his first years are priceless. He made an impact since day one, contrary to The Rock.

No that isn't true, stone cold took a good while to make an impact anywhere, he was tied down until he found a gimmick that suited him and wasn't able to use it properly until about six years into his career.

The rock started wrestling in 1996 long after stone cold and was feuding with stone cold who was top man in 1999, half the time it took stone cold to make the very same impact.

 

[RJJ]

The rock doesn't owe us fans a thing. The same people who boed him when he first appeared in 1996 and the same ones who boed him in 2003 calling him a sell out, are the ones who say "come back rocky, save us"!!! Rock didn't turn his back on the people, they turned their back on him.
We don't deserve him. I wouldn't blame the rock for never returning again if he didn't. I just appreciate every single moment of time the rock gave to us, they were the best ones. And you don't mention the fact that rock left for a legitimate reason like to make a film. What about when stone cold just decided not to come in one day and wasn't around for months because he didn't like the direction he was going in, that isn't what heroes do no matter how tough things get.

The Rock is a once in a lifetime performer, austin is a once in an era kindof guy.

I agree with you on that part. When rock started to take over(being the face of the company), they simply turned thier back on him. WM X8 and Summerslam 2002 are good examples. He tried to be nice by giving time to wwe fans, but it appeared they didn't deserve it. Now we all have to take responsability of a mistake some stupid fans commited. Now they want rock to come back and save the WWE from all this crap(Cena, shamus, batista, whatever..).

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

Yeah its about time an Austin/Rock thread was made. Its been two months since the last one.

I chose Austin because I feel he is the better of the two.I'll give you my reasons

Firstly contrary to a lot of people might think,Austin was a better wrestler than the Rock. People say Austin had five moves. I believe I saw him doing a different move in every match of his. Austin used to sell moves better. Rocky oversold. Austin had a better grasp of psychology. His method was beating the guy down so that the other guy can't counter his Stunner. His matches had a better flow to them. Rocky was a good wrestler but a bit flashy.Sometimes he would hit a big move at the beginning of his match and go for a headlock 12 minutes into the match. Not a sign of good psychology.

Finally if you look hard you'll just see that Austin over the years has had better matches than Rocky. Rocky's best match was arguably against Austin at WM 17. But that is not Austin's best match. Austin's matches with Bret at WM 13 and HHH at No Way Out 2001 are better than his match with Rock.If you take a close look at his career you will find Austin has rarely had a bad match.

On the mic Rocky is perhaps a bit better but its really too close to call.Rocky was more funnier but I think Austin was better at serious promos. I think you should check up their sit down interview before the WM 17 match.Austin was undoubtedly better in that interview.But I think Rocky is still better on the mic because of his funny promos.So here I'll give the advantage to Rock.

So on the mic I think Rocky is just a shade better than Steve. But when it comes to in ring work I think Austin is much better.

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

No that isn't true, stone cold took a good while to make an impact anywhere, he was tied down until he found a gimmick that suited him and wasn't able to use it properly until about six years into his career.

Are you high? Austin did not become the rattlesnake until mid 1996.When he did he made an immediate impact and entered into a feud with Bret Hart.

So he did not take time to start using his gimmick properly.

 

[RJJ]

Yeah its about time an Austin/Rock thread was made. Its been two months since the last one.

I chose Austin because I feel he is the better of the two.I'll give you my reasons

Firstly contrary to a lot of people might think,Austin was a better wrestler than the Rock. People say Austin had five moves. I believe I saw him doing a different move in every match of his. Austin used to sell moves better. Rocky oversold. Austin had a better grasp of psychology. His method was beating the guy down so that the other guy can't counter his Stunner. His matches had a better flow to them. Rocky was a good wrestler but a bit flashy.Sometimes he would hit a big move at the beginning of his match and go for a headlock 12 minutes into the match. Not a sign of good psychology.

Finally if you look hard you'll just see that Austin over the years has had better matches than Rocky. Rocky's best match was arguably against Austin at WM 17. But that is not Austin's best match. Austin's matches with Bret at WM 13 and HHH at No Way Out 2001 are better than his match with Rock.If you take a close look at his career you will find Austin has rarely had a bad match.

On the mic Rocky is perhaps a bit better but its really too close to call.Rocky was more funnier but I think Austin was better at serious promos. I think you should check up their sit down interview before the WM 17 match.Austin was undoubtedly better in that interview.But I think Rocky is still better on the mic because of his funny promos.So here I'll give the advantage to Rock.

So on the mic I think Rocky is just a shade better than Steve. But when it comes to in ring work I think Austin is much better.

"Firstly contrary to a lot of people might think,Austin was a better wrestler than the Rock. People say Austin had five moves. I believe I saw him doing a different move in every match of his"

First of all, i don't believe that austin was the better wrestler. Matter of fact he was more of a brawler. In his early years(rocky mavia) rock was a very good wrestler, he used to do some highflying moves. When he became the rock he was forced to change his moveset in order to match his character. You don't expect from a guy saying"layeth the smackdown on your candyass" to do a crossbody.

"Sometimes he would hit a big move at the beginning of his match and go for a headlock 12 minutes into the match"

LOL That's BS! I never saw rock doing a headlock as face. He may used to do a standing headlock at the begining of the match, but that something every wrestler does in the begining of the match.

"Finally if you look hard you'll just see that Austin over the years has had better matches than Rocky. Rocky's best match was arguably against Austin at WM 17. But that is not Austin's best match. Austin's matches with Bret at WM 13 and HHH at No Way Out 2001 are better than his match with Rock.If you take a close look at his career you will find Austin has rarely had a bad match."

Matter of fact, rock's best match was against hogan at WM X8(Austin never had a match that big IMO). Rock-Angle-Taker match is considered as the greatest triple threat of all time. And speaking of rock-austin WM X7, i thought i heared austin himself mentioned it as the best match of his career alongside his match with bret.


And i don't believe that austin and rock are close in terms of mic skills...

 

[S.J. Maximus]

if they both wrestled for 10 years, this thread wouldnt even exist. The Rock had the potential to be the single greatest wrestler in the history of the business, but he didnt respect it enough to stay so he just went into doing terrible movies. It is that reason and that reason alone that makes us wonder if the rock was better than stone cold.

Austin was a talented wrestler before his neck injury, but after his neck injury (which IMO was the climax of his popularity) he had almost no moves besides the stunner and the Lou Thesz press. He was way over with the crowd and got the long reigns and the memorable feuds, he was pushed to be the face of the company

The Rock however, wasn't pushed as the face until austin got hurt, meaning that his huge pops and his immense popularity was the product of his hardwork and skill. His mic skills are only parallel to those of Ric Flair and Chris Jericho, and in the ring he had a plethra of moves and he sold amazingly well (he's considered the best to ever sell the stunner). Overall the Rock was almost flawless as an entertainer.

They seem like equals but few remember that the Rock was in wwe for half the time, there shouldnt be an argument of whos better but there is cause the Rock left so early and young. i guarantee you if he was still in the business now like Triple H, thered be no question of who the greatest wrestler ever was