SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 17 Min. +
A full year had lapsed since the demise of World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The triumphant WWE gradually incorporated the WCW on-screen personnel it wanted, including the original New World Order (NWO): “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall. For WrestleMania 18 at Toronto’s SkyDome, on March 17, 2002, the WWE’s ‘Icon vs. Icon’ match pitted The Rock vs. the legendary Hogan. Amidst all the back-and-forth trash talking with The Rock, Hogan and his cronies were depicted as ultra-nefarious baddies out to put the WWE’s most charismatic star down permanently.
Yet, as for the climatic showdown itself, even Hogan was humbled that SkyDome fans were loudly cheering his first WrestleMania in nine years. The Rock’s own reaction proves stunning, particularly after Hogan is greeted with a post-match beatdown by superior numbers – a dubious WCW tradition.
The commentators are Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler, with Carlos Cabrera and Hugo Savinovich as the WWE’s Spanish language announcers.
REVIEW:
Suffice to say, this clash is much better than expected. Evidently inspired by SkyDome (after 1990’s WrestleMania VI), the 48-year old Hogan cranks up his performance quality enough to share the same ring as The Rock. While both adversaries are wildly cheered, what’s perplexing is whose side is the majority of SkyDome fans on. Then again, does it really matter? Packing this ego-driven showcase with flexing, finisher stealing, and egging on the crowd’s reaction, it’s an instance where the not-quite-wrestling is far more about sparking pure nostalgic emotion than any technical know-how. Even so, Rock vs. Hogan is remarkably generous with its People’s Elbows and Running Leg Drops bringing the audience to their feet. Above all, The Rock’s professionalism hiding an aging Hogan’s limited mobility is admirable. The fact that their match doesn’t resort to cheap interference ploys, just for drama’s sake, says plenty.
In the best possible way, however, the aftermath (improvised or not) surpasses their crowd-popping in-ring work. Despite an eternity spent on the traditional ‘Hulk-A-Mania’ pose-down, fans ultimately score the finale they didn’t realize they wanted. Not to mention, this showdown’s genuine magic easily overshadows the all-too-predictable Chris Jericho/Triple H Unified World Championship title match. Courtesy of the mutual admiration society established between these two wrestling legends, the turbulent pro wrestling universe for the moment, finally rights itself.
ROSCOE’S ODD MOON RATING: 8½ Stars
IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE
