Best Rock Hollywood Return Match?

[Rolent Tex]

I'd list them all, but I can't remember all of his older ones. What is the Rock's best match after a return from Hollywood? Rock/Cena I? Rock/Punk? Rock & Sock/Evolution? An older one?

Personally, I've always had a soft spot for the Rock & Sock vs Evolution match. Rock returns to help Foley kick some Evolution ass and they put Orton and Batista over on their road to main eventdom. That and I loved the backstage segment where Rock picks on Hurricane and Rosey.

Your picks?

[Feyrhausen]

Rock vs. Hurricane will always be my sentimental favorite, but Rock vs. Austin at Mania 19 has to be the best.

[RIHT]

It's ironic how Hollywood Rock's character in 2003 was exaggerated to make him into a pompous celebrity who is "healthy", has a bunch of staged and unnatural lines, panders to the crowd for cheap entertainment, and did most of his stuff in talking segments or via satellite, then he returns in 2011 essentially as the character he portrayed.

[Magic knows Black Lives Matter]

Yeah, Austin/Rock at Mania 19 was brilliant.

[repomark]

Has to be austin v rock at wm19 for me. Although i do have an inexplicable soft spot for rock v goldberg at Backlash 03 and for cena v rock at wm28.

The matches against punk, whilst not awful, were a big let down for me as i expected too much going in.

[Injustice45]

Steve Austin vs. The Rock at WrestleMania XIX is my favorite. In fact, I played that exact match on WrestleMania XIX for the Gamecube today.

[Deleted]

Austin at Mania 19, followed by Evolution at 20. Outside of those two, nothing particularly worth remembering from a match quality standpoint.

[machoking88]

If 2002 counts, and I think there's a strong case that it should, then take your pick. I was just thinking the other day how that was probably The Rock at his absolute best. Matches vs. Eddie, Benoit, Flair, Angle, the final showdown with HHH on RAW, and of course, Lesnar at SummerSlam 2002. What a shame these have become forgotten classics over time. It's also interesting to note that this time period set the stage for the crowd to be divided against the top babyface, which was conviently forgotten during the John Cena feud.

[isink]

Only thing I remember about Punk match was the Rock gasping and weezing after the first 5 min. He had the same reaction the kid with Asthma has when running the mile in 6th grade gym class.