'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In the modern day, WWE is adept at booking monster heels. The formula is simple: take a well-built performer with a reasonable amount of charisma and have them convincingly defeat a number of credible opponents. It's a recipe as old as time itself and one that will remain effective until the coming of the apocalypse.
Creating top babyfaces, however, let alone one such as The Rock who can move the needle at the box office despite putting over a number of up-and-comers, is a far more difficult proposition. This is why the Fast and Furious star's in-ring career is actually underappreciated even though he has legions of fans around the world.
With that being said, here are 5 up-and-coming WWE Superstars that The Rock put over.
#5 Chris Jericho
On August 09, 1999, Chris Jericho made one of the best debuts in WWE history, going toe-to-toe with The Rock, one of professional wrestling's greatest ever promos, on the microphone. However, the months that followed weren't too kind for the former WCW man who found himself in a long-term feud with Chyna for the Intercontinental Championship.
While the Ninth Wonder of the World was a big star at the time, the booking of the program didn't do Jericho any favors, firmly establishing him as a mid-card heel. In fact, Y2J didn't really start to connect with the audience until he and Chris Benoit joined forces to win the World Tag Team Championships from "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Triple H.
After Benoit suffered a neck injury, Jericho emerged as a significant figure in the Invasion storyline, initially siding with Vince McMahon and WWE. However, he slowly began to turn heel and exhibit signs of resentment towards fellow Team WWE member and then-WCW Champion The Rock.
They squared off in a match for the Big Gold Belt at No Mercy 2001 which Jericho won after hitting the former University of Miami Hurricane with a full nelson facebuster on a steel chair. This victory was a huge notch in the Winnipeg native's belt and helped him shed any traces of the "Vanilla Midget" stigma that he may have stayed with him from his WCW days.
#4 Kurt Angle
In 2000, WWE was at its zenith, and professional wrestling was an integral part of the popular culture. Even though "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was absent for most of the year, a fresh cast of characters ensured that the momentum generated by his monumental run wasn't squandered.
The top babyface at the time was The Rock, who was not only doing some of the best work of his professional wrestling career but was also beginning to branch out into the mainstream by hosting Saturday Night Live for the first time.
Meanwhile, Kurt Angle was in the middle of one of the greatest rookie years in the history of professional wrestling. Although it came as no surprise that he took to the ring like a duck to water, the seemingly-introverted Olympic Gold Medalist also displayed a natural flair for comedy which ensured that he was bound for stardom.
Just 11 months after his televised debut, Angle defeated The Rock at No Mercy 2000 to win his maiden WWE Championship. While it wasn't exactly as clean as a whistle, a title win against the biggest star in the business established the Wrestling Machine as the main event attraction and was one of the most pivotal moments in a Hall of Fame career.
#3 Mick Foley
The Attitude Era was defined by Superstars who revolutionized the presentation of characters in professional wrestling, completely redefining the traditional babyface-heel dynamic. However, no one connected with the fans more than Mick Foley, the traditional underdog whose story has been told from time immemorial.
After WrestleMania 14, Foley, in his Dude Love avatar, joined forces with the villainous Mr McMahon, emerging as the first challenger for "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. After a number of unsuccessful attempts at capturing professional wrestling's most prestigious prize, the Long Island native managed to reach the finals of the WWE Championship tournament at Survivor Series 1998.
The only thing standing between Foley and his boyhood dream was The Rock, a blue-chip prospect who had the world at his feet and was the Hardcore Legend's antithesis in many ways.
Unfortunately, the master of the Mandible Claw was betrayed by Mr McMahon, who called for the bell as soon as The Brahma Bull placed Foley in a Sharpshooter. The Chairman of the Board had found his Corporate Champion and was more than happy to jettison Saint Mick.
However, the obstinate Foley was unyielding in his pursuit of the crown, finally defeating The Rock on the December 29, 1998, episode of Raw to win the WWE Championship. This was not only one of the most iconic moments in professional wrestling history but also a turning point in the Monday Night Wars.
#2 Brock Lesnar
Not many 25-year-olds find immediate success in WWE, let alone tear through a roster filled with some of the company's greatest stars. However, a cursory glance at his career reveals that professional wrestling convention has seldom applied to Brock Lesnar — a behemoth blessed with all of the gifts that make those who promote the Sport of Kings giddy.
Vince McMahon is no different; he has never balked at presenting the former UFC Heavyweight Champion as an unstoppable force. Even though several hardcore fans decry McMahon's booking of Lesnar, WWE's head honcho has been emphatically vindicated by the University of Minnesota product's returns at the box office.
While the Beast Incarnate is unquestionably one of the biggest stars professional wrestling has produced since the turn of the century, he might never have become a bonafide main event player if it weren't for his victory over The Rock at Summerslam 2002.
When he first burst onto the scene, Lesnar was seen as a breath of fresh air in a company struggling to recapture the heights of the Attitude Era, but it was his first WWE Championship win against The Rock and subsequent rivalries with Kurt Angle and The Undertaker that established him as an unbeatable force.
#1 Triple H
After WrestleMania 14, Shawn Michaels was forced into a temporary retirement as a result of a back injury, allowing Triple H to take over as the leader of D-Generation X.
After the inclusion of Sean Waltman and The New Age Outlaws, the group's numerous catchphrases and effective comedy skits ensured that their popularity skyrocketed, effectively turning them babyface.
During this time, Triple H began feuding with The Rock who had taken over from Faarooq as leader of the Nation of Domination, a faction loosely based on the Nation of Islam and the Black Panther Party.
This rivalry included a number of memorable segments and concluded with a ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship at Summerslam 1998 which The Game won.
Send us news tips at [email protected]
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
