Rock Vs Hogan WM X8.
As someone who doesn't judge a match in just "bell to bell" isolation and grants immense importance to the star power of the participants and the overall build up to the match, this match surely was pro-wrestling / sports entertainment perfection to me. Right from the moment the two had their incredible first segment together on RAW to the moment the camera cut with The Rock with his head down having a proud and somewhat embarrassed look on his face after Hogan raised his hand, it was just an incredible phase of sports entertainment and the most perfect illustration of what got me into pro wrestling in the first place, larger than life characters engaging in engrossing storylines culminating in high voltage compelling match-ups.
Just the enormity of the match itself with two of the most popular wrestlers of the previous 20 years colliding, Hogan's return to a venue he made history in 12 years before, a raucous crowd.. the split reactions, the great commentary.. in short.. just the type of atmosphere which is impossible to duplicate. What's even more commendable and astonishing is the fact that both the competitors wrestled half the match as the face and the other half as the heel. Just goes on to show the immense expertise and know-how the two legends possessed with regards to manipulating their work in accordance to the crowd reactions. That's exactly the parameter I value the most while judging people's in-ring prowess. Doing all those incredible acrobatic moves is ok.. but nothing elevates the match more than some good ol' wrestling psychology, selling a story to the crowd and getting them to react vociferously to the smallest of moves.. something which Rock-Hogan displayed so effortlessly in that match.
