Who's place in WWE history is bigger? The Rock or Shawn Michaels?

[pepentorresHHH]

I did this once before with Bret Hart..... Now its time for the showstopper and the great one.....

Shawn Michaels was in the WWE for more than 2 decades, won every single title there is to win, was the wwe champion 3 times, 1 time world heavyweight champion, brought us the ladder match, hell in a cell, the elimination chamber, the iron man match among other... Had match of the year in at least 8 occasions, had a successful comeback after being out of action for 4 years and didnt lose a step. He's had major feuds and matches with marty jannety, razor ramon, diesel, bret hart, triple h, vince mcmahon, stone cold, the undertaker, etc. He is mr wrestlemania and is called the best of all times both from a ring, mic and overall entertainment aspect.

On the other side you have the rock, he was in the on a regular basis from 96 till 01 and he took the wrestling world by storm, had succesful comebacks in 02, 03 and 04 .... And had a 2 year run from 11 till 13 on a part time schedule. This man has won the wwe, wcw titles on multiple occasions, main evented wrestlemania 15,16,17,28,29 had amazing feuds and matches with stone cold, mick foley, triple h, kurt angle, hulk hogan, booker t, cm punk , john cena among others. He is the most famous wrestler turned actor of all times and his skills on the mic re second to none

This isnt about hollywood or who do you like more...,. This is about whos place in the wwe and its legacy is bigger?... Discuss!

 

[Alucard316]

It's an interesting question. If where going by who's place in history is bigger, then I would have to lean towards The Rock. You hear a lot of wrestlers today say that Shawn Michaels is the greatest of all time, but that's mainly because of the matches that he has had. However, I'm sure most fans would still say that The Rock is the bigger superstar. While HBK had a good run while he was the top guy, it didn't really compare to when The Rock was the top guy in 2000. The Rock is my answer.

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

In terms of iconic moments, i.e. who's place in history is bigger, I gotta give the nod to the Heartbreak Kid.

1) Wrestlemania 10 - The Ladder Match. Some of Michaels' finest moments have come when he's been on the losing end of the deal. But in the end, HE was the guy who made this match. He was the one hitting the big spots and taking the big bumps.

2) Wrestlemania 12 - Iron Man match, first of its kind in the WWE against his biggest nemesis, Bret Hart. It was the fairy tale story that still gets told today.

3) Hell in a Cell - The First One. Michaels and the Undertaker (that name'll come back again). These guys kicked this off, and he'll always be known as a part of that.

4) WrestleMania 25 and 26 - Michaels Vs. The Undertaker. Holy shit. I mean, c'mon. HOLY SHIT. These guys put on two AMAZING matches that really cemented the idea of the Streak.

5) The Elimination Chamber - Like Hell in the Cell, Michaels is the guy who christened this match, and made his big comeback to boot in doing so, winning the World Heavyweight Title.

6) WrestleMania 24. Michaels and Flair. Flair's Retirement match in the WWE. "I'm sorry, I love you."

Boom. Mike drop. Case closed.

 

[Owen 3:16 says I just stole your Slammy!!]

I respect both wrestlers for what they done in this buisness, but I give this to the Heartbreak Kid. Shawn had classic matches, classic feuds, and classic moments that people still talks about it to this day. I'm not saying that the Rock didn't had those but HBK has more. Also, Shawn lived and breath for the business, when he had a broken back in 1998, he came back in 2002 and still had incredible matches and feuds. In my opinion, I thought the Rock didn't give it his all when he came back, he wasn't good in his matches (Punk carried him in both matches and his matches with Cena was boring and repetitive), he was given the belt but he showed up every two-three weeks. I think Shawn has a better legacy then the Rock in the WWF/E.

 

[thebowtiekiller]

im gonna have to lean more in favour of shawn michaels they are both two of the biggest stars ever but hbk was involved in things such as founding dx and the screwjob two thing that helped completely change the face of the wwe they have both had great matchs numerous titles and great moments but i think in terms of going down in history i think hbk slightly tips the scales

 

[jrush1978]

non wrestling fans would say The Rock, id think a majority of IWC-ers would go with HBK and for me its Shawn Michaels as well, I'm willing to admit that based on some of the opinions ive read that its closer than my initial thought was (and i admit im a pretty big mark for the Rock) but i think it goes to HBK. He's the Ric Flair of our generation in the sense that so many people say he's the greatest in ring performer ever. Also ive read that at least on one occasion that HBK turned down the WWE Title after his return so its possible he could have had even more accolades.

 

[FlairFan2003]

HBK has had a longer and more prolific career, Rock at his height was a bigger star but his height didnt last very long and he doesnt have much of a track record since except for a handfull of high profile one and done matches vs Cena & CM Punk. HBK's career before his peak was much better than Rock's and his post peak career was much longer and more prolific.

For me it's HBK hands down. This isnt as tough a question as say Flair vs Hogan because both men had very long and successful careers with mulriple peaks, Hogan a bigger non wrestling celebrity and Flair a better in ring entertainer. Rock's career, with some memorable moments and great peaks, hasnt been as prolific as HBK's.

 

[Kodo Sawaki]

In the terms of who was bigger and is bigger today I would give it to Rock. He is more popular one in that turn. He headlined "Attitude Era" and Michaels(even though he was one of the greatest) was at the top of the company when that company almost bancropted so there is no doubt that in terms of popularity Rock wins by far. Michaels was a big deal but Rocky is Rocky and there is a reason why fans love him, go to see his movies and why he is headlining 3 Wrestlemanias in a row...

In terms of wrestling legacy its a tough call but I could give it to Michaels. Except for mathes like Ladder or Iron Man his name really means something when it comes to wrestling terms. There is a reason why when it comes to Danyel Bryan they say "trained by Shawn Michaels"...

So you see, depends what and who you ask. Time will tell the answer but undoubtetly average fans would always tell that its Rocky simple because he was and is "bigger deal" so I would give some advantage to him in this race.

 

[GuessI'mAMark]

I can confidently say that Shawn Michaels' had a greater legacy in terms of matches. With that same confidence I can state that The Rock has had more memorable promos/backstage moments.

Shawn Michaels has won 14 championships within the WWE/F as well as two Royal Rumble (Ignoring the Hall of Fame due to Michael's being fully retired).The Rock has won 17 championships within the WWE/F and one Royal Rumble. So in terms of brass rings, one could say The Rock's WWE history is larger.

Based on the respect received from the locker room, I'll have to go with Shawn Michaels.

 

[RicSpade]

Personally your comparing apples to oranges imo. Think about it like this, HBK had been wrestling since the 80's. Became his own man by breaking from his long time tag partner, and then in the course of about 5 years became the top star in the company, which the only other man in WWF to accomplish this at the time was Bret Hart (if you think about it no other legitimate tag team ever had someone go on to win the wwf title from a tag team except for ones that had HBK or Bret Hart. Than he took what seemed like a strange pairing of Triple H and HBK and made DX which helped usher in the attitude era. After having what was believed a career ending back injury he returned for almost a decade winning multiple titles, and putting on captivating matches til his career end.

Then you have The Rock who was a 3rd Generation Superstar that as a face was floundering horribly to the point they turned him heel, and once he was finally able to speak on the mic as the Rock he became a cult following. His catch phrases became a household thing, and most people couldn't go without saying "If you smell.....", but anyways he helped make the attitude era and bring the WWE to the top along with guys like Austin, and was one of the guys who built up and comers like Brock Lesnar, and than he rode off into the sunset for hollywood only to come back almost a decade later to "give back to the fans" in his words. Who gave 2 matches, which I believe one may have been one of his best, and his last not so much, only to possibly be riding off into the sunset once again due to an injury which puts his acting career in jeoprady.

So in reality you can't say who's bigger because in their times each one had significance. HBK is probably the better in ring performer, The Rock is probably the best talker in the business (even if he has to write it on his wrist). So I would tell u HBK was the biggest just because of how long he was in wrestling, and all he did to help the business.

 

[dtroppe]

There is no doubt the answer is the Rock.

I am a huge HBK fan- even more so than a Rock fan- but come on Rock, Austin, and Hogan are the big biggest names in wrestling history. Until Rock left for Hollywood, he was at the top of the game. A place HBk never really got to. Sure HBK was Champ, but he never was as a big a draw as the Rock. The Rock has been in some of the biggest matches of all time - Rock v Austin/ Rock v Hogan/ Rock v Cena. HBK has been in some of the best matches of all time- but best wrestler does not equal biggest in history.

 

[zhaff2004]

Its a tough one this, however, the way I see is it is like this:

HBK - greater in ring performer

Rock - Greater talker (Probably best of all time)

Now Imagine the WWE without The Rock... WWE loses its only real Hollywood success story. It loses its greatest talker and it loses what was one of the greatest dream matches of all time in Rock/Hogan.

Now do the same with Michaels. You lose a tremendous in ring performer. You could also potentially lose both the Screwjob and DX. You lose some of the greatest matches in living memory.

Which had a greater impact on WWE? The numbers don't lie, The Rock, at any given moment after reaching the main event level out drew HBK. Mania 17, 18, 19, 28 and 29 all headlined by The Rock and were all part of the biggest selling PPV's of all time. The crossover between wrestling and Hollywood, the mainstream attention Rock has brought WWE, the marketing, the ABSENCE of backstage bull shit and the fact that he is 3rd generation, with both father and grandfather in the hall of fame (Whether they deserve to be in it or not is not relevant) Its clear to me at least that Rocky has a place in WWE history that is not easily bettered.

 

[Alucard316]

There is no doubt the answer is the Rock.

I am a huge HBK fan- even more so than a Rock fan- but come on Rock, Austin, and Hogan are the big biggest names in wrestling history. Until Rock left for Hollywood, he was at the top of the game. A place HBk never really got to. Sure HBK was Champ, but he never was as a big a draw as the Rock. The Rock has been in some of the biggest matches of all time - Rock v Austin/ Rock v Hogan/ Rock v Cena. HBK has been in some of the best matches of all time- but best wrestler does not equal biggest in history.

This was my thought on the subject, too. I'm a little confused about the question now. If we are talking about who is the bigger superstar, then it's The Rock. Like you said, Hogan, Austin and Rock with HBK, Bret and others on the level below. While HBK had a lot of memorable moments, he did have a lot of years to do that. Rock had a ton of classic moments in way less of time.

 

[lowandmighty]

They seem inseparable but there is a way to determine which one is the winner in the end.

Both Shawn Michaels and The Rock had careers that overlapped the career of the greatest wrestler ever to walk the earth who I don't even need to name in this post because everyone knows who it is, so lets see how they went against him and how popular their feuds were.

The Rock wrestled him 3 times was pinned clean once by him but defeated him twice, once cleanly and once with blatant disregard for the rules.
The Rock's feud with the greatest wrestler of all time was epic and even though his opponent ended up with a moral victory and gained most of his fans back who had lost their way over the years, the rock still won the match so thats a huge star against the rocks name.
Undoubtedly the biggest scalp of the rocks career and their first match headlined wrestlemania even though it wasn't the final match on the card.

Shawn Michaels turned to the only wrestler he thought was worthy of teaming with in a time when Michaels and Hunter Hearst Helmsley were not on the same page. He said if he could have anyone as a tag team partner he would team with the greatest of all time.
Shawn Michaels turned on the greatest of all time and challenged him to a match, hoping to take the biggest scalp in wrestling and have a hugely popular feud. The match was so anticipated, that it actually pushed both world title matches to the undercard.
Shawn Michaels was defeated.

So in conclusion The Rock will have the bigger place in wwe history as he measured up to and beyond the greatest of greatness, truly earning the title of "the great one".

 

[GameOver]

It's a toss up but for me Shawn Michaels will always get the sympathy vote and his legacy will stay for ever aslong as he doesn't pull a Legend Tarnish swerve like so many others.

Just his consistant match quality puts him above everyone IMO since the main aim is Entertainment and people enjoy the "wrestling" aspect, there was not many on the same level as HBK in that squared circle (i said not many, not there is noone). didn't matter if it was a PPV or a house show he went 100%

But The Rock is bigger then the business as was Hogan and is Cena, HBK was not. so it's a toss up.

I still say HBK has the bigger Legacy in the Sports Entertainment realm.

 

[chris21]

Its the Rock. I respect everything Michaels has done but the Rock had it all. I think some wrestling fans let his latest return cloud there judgement a little. As someone has already point out Austin, Hogan and Rock are the 3 biggest stars in WWE history. When the question of who is the best WWE superstar of all time comes up you read or hear Rock's name more than Shawns. And there's a reason for that. Not taking anything about from Shawn though, he arguably only just behind in the top 5. Definitely top 10.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

If you are looking at the "biggest wrestler" in terms of global recognition, popularity and money drawn - then you are looking at The Rock without question, Shawn never became mainstream and Rock's current position is far bigger than Hogan or Austin ever achieved. Right now the majority of the people on the planet not only know Dwayne Johnson is The Rock, but also that he is a still (maybe) active wrestler.

If you are looking at who has the place as the most influential wrestler, then you are looking at Shawn - Shawn has inspired more wrestlers into the business than probably anyone else and has built a solid in-ring legacy and a good dollop of notoriety to boot.

That being said Joe Public/Casual Fan would probably not even say Shawn Michaels in the first 10 names of wrestlers they have heard of (Hogan, Rock, Austin, Goldberg, Cena, Savage, Brock, Savage, Warrior and Undertaker would all probably be ahead of him)

There is no set history, as they say - it's in the eyes of those writing it so you can easily say both.

If I had to choose then I would say that Shawn perhaps edges it, not on box office or ability, but on the sheer number of "historical moments" he was involved in. The Screwjob, The first ladder/HIAC matches, the "smile losing" and even the Rocker's split. Most of the moments Shawn is remembered for could be considered seminal or watersheds for the business and don't forget that several pushed stars of the last decade started with training from Shawn...particularly D-Bry but also London and Kendrick, Cade who all had tag gold.

Rock shared that spotlight with others... and remember Joe Public doesn't give a rats ass about WWE history...so to fanboys Shawn will always trump Rock. Vince would probably push that Rock is more important as he has brought that desperately wanted (by him) mainstream acclaim.

 

[berlinbrawler]

Apples and oranges.
Both guys played extremely important roles in the history of the WWE. Where the Rock cemented his legacy by gaining the WWE dream ratings, buyrates and outside media attention, Shawn Michaels' presence was absolutely essential to the WWE's very survival in the mid-90s. Without Shawn Michaels the WWE might very well have gone out of business before Stone Cold could hail in the new golden age. Furthermore Michaels brought longevity to the table (overlooking his 4 year sabbatical) and to this day has set the bar in terms of what constitutes great and innovative wrestling, pioneering new matches and seriously enhancing the overall image of the WWE as far as the quality of the actual wrestling product was concerned.

The Rock has made the WWE more money. Plain and simple. HBK is the reason the WWE was still around so the Rock could make that money. No valid argument can be made for either man's legacy being greater than the other's. There can be just opinions. And opinions mean diddlypoop. (And in this fan's diddlypoopy opinion Shawn Michaels has the greatest legacy of them all. )

 

[George Steele's Barber]

When you have two guys with similar accomplishments titlewise you have to look at DVDs to make a call on legacy. I know DVDs focus on other things than matches but matches will be the thing most people focus on in the future. That's where Michaels stands out above The Rock. When you forget about feuds, money, eras, and all the other background fluff that we get caught up in, legacy will come down to match quality of the viewer's enjoyment and I think HBK's abilities do and will stand up over The Rock's over time.

 

[OneTooManyPunts]

I have to go with Shawn Michaels. It's not disrespect to Rock, but I think that Michaels has left not just one legacy, but several that really transcend the WWE.

Michaels truly helped pave the way for the 'smaller guys' in WWE. We enjoy a product that embraces the in ring work and talents of the likes of Dolph Ziggler and Daniel Bryan, because Michaels, especially during his programs with Bret Hart, helped pave the way for the smaller guys to really be taken seriously.

Also, when you look back at his return to the WWE following his back injury, it's a story that is book ended by truly great, iconic moments. The championship win inside the Elimination Chamber, the classic feud with Jericho, and every other program he had that promoted and elevated the talent he worked with, not himself. The story arc with Undertaker and the Streak is quite possibly the greatest feud and long term story that WWE has ever told, and it was made all the more powerful by the in ring work. Michaels final match was almost poetry, and his retirement was the most impacting, surreal moments WWE has ever produced.

Rock had an amazing run, and his feud with Cena made WWE more money than any feud before or since, but that feud didn't elevate anyone other than two individuals that were already the biggest draws in the business today.

I think if anything, Rock leaves a legacy of just how successful a WWE talent can be outside of the ring, however i think Shawn Michaels ultimately means more to the business, because of what he accomplished within the organization, what he gave to all the fans the talent he elevated, and the true poetic story telling that his final feud and retirement was.

 

[fenderjapan]

The Rock was obviously not as great a performer as HBK but he still had more mainstream attention and probably brought more non-fans into the WWE Universe. I would say the Rock's place is more significant because of that.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

I firmly believe Michaels will have a greater place in history. Rock will be remembered as an above average wrestler who was so charismatic that he became a successful actor... or, to put it another way, Dwayne Johnston will be more remembered for what he became than what he initially was. HBK will always be remembered as arguably the best in-ring performer of all time.

Catch phrases and repeatedly giving Foley unprotected head shots with a steel chair will not stand up against throwing Marty through the window, the WMX ladder match, feuding with Bret, dX, feuding with Trips, superkicking Hogan, telling Flair he loved him before 'ending' his career or his masterclasses with the Taker at Mania.

 

[jholcomb22]

Shawn Michaels is the most consistent performer WWE has ever had. If he was healthy, you could etch his name on the match of the year trophy and just wait to see which opponent would join him. He is Mr Wrestlemania, the founder of DX and involved in the most real angle to ever happen in WWE.
The Rock, along with Steve Austin, made sure WWE didn't lose the momentum started by HBK, and actually built upon it. While the Rock was more about entertaining with his mouth than with his wrestling, nobody can deny that he beat the three different faces of the company at the grandest stage of them all. Hogan at 18, Austin at 19, and Cena at 28. That is quite a nice legacy to leave behind and for that, I go with the rock.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Shawn Michaels is the most consistent performer WWE has ever had. If he was healthy, you could etch his name on the match of the year trophy and just wait to see which opponent would join him. He is Mr Wrestlemania, the founder of DX and involved in the most real angle to ever happen in WWE.
The Rock, along with Steve Austin, made sure WWE didn't lose the momentum started by HBK, and actually built upon it. While the Rock was more about entertaining with his mouth than with his wrestling, nobody can deny that he beat the three different faces of the company at the grandest stage of them all. Hogan at 18, Austin at 19, and Cena at 28. That is quite a nice legacy to leave behind and for that, I go with the rock.

I disagree as to the most consistant... as much of his "health" issues were down to substance abuse and attitude. there is little question he needed more than one year off for his back injury, he just chose not to... that is not consistant... If you want that argument as to the most consistantly excellent, then you are looking at either Chris Jericho or Kane without question...

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

Easily The Rock. This isn't even a competition, really.

Shawn Michaels is an excellent wrestler and had a lot of charisma. He even had a ton of great matches. But to say that his legacy in the WWE's greater than The Rock is a borderline joke.

The Rock has brought the WWE back to the forefront of pop culture. He's made more money off movies than Hulk Hogan, and drew much bigger houses than Shawn Michaels.

The best perspective I can give you on this is a recent shoot I watched on Jim Cornette, who talked about the timeline of 1997. He brought up the total gate for the Royal Rumble, which was held in Shawn's hometown. The gate was just over 500,000 dollars. The crowd was at over 60,000, but 20,000 of those tickets were given away. The capacity crowd of the Alamodome is 70,000. Shawn couldn't draw half of that arena as the hometown kid. To prove my point even further, the Wrestlemania with Sycho Sid and Undertaker in the main event drew the same amount of money as the Royal Rumble, and the capacity of Madison Square Garden was above 18,000 and was a sell out. It also didn't have HBK on the show, because he's lost his smile.

What that proves is HBK didn't draw near as much as guys like Hogan, Rock, Austin, and Cena. Doesn't mean Shawn's in-ring work wasn't as good - it means he's not as popular as was once believed. And those numbers are straight out of Jim Cornette's notebook he kept as an agent in the WWE.

The Rock has made BILLIONS in movies, and millions in the wrestling ring. Another note from the Cornette shoot was how natural Rock looked in the ring. Cornette thought he'd been training for a year when he was called up and found out he'd been in formal wrestling school a month before be debuted in wrestling. That goes to show you that Rock isn't just look and personality - he could go in the ring, too.

So Rock's place in history is much better and a lot less tainted than HBK's legacy.