Rock and Austin ebbed and flowed. If you really have to go and get deep into metrics it shows one was not vastly superior to the other so from an eye level I see them as equal.
At what point did The Rock surpass Steve Austin?
- Thread starter Dave24
- Start date
ig88
Bounty Hunter
Im using then only as two greats from diff times not comparing them as direct ball players.
Bonds is austin. In a juiced era. More games. More coversge. More merchandise opps. made more money. More people prolly seen him .
But whos gonna be remembered FOREVER and whos gonna end up in the list of all other great ball players. People will mention dimaggionmays mantle etc etc before bonds just like bruno flair will always be above austin.
Tho i shoulda used someone with a short but hot career like austins so No offense to barry here.
No it wasn't. That happened 3 years after Austin past his prime and he was burnt out in 2002.
@ Bruno above Austin. You over 50 breh?
ig88
Bounty Hunter
No it wasn't. That happened 3 years after Austin past his prime and he was burnt out in 2002.
No but We are talking about wrestling history. Something you obviously dont know much about making an asanine comment like that.
So austins 5 year run means more to the history of pro wrestling than bruno sammartinos 20 year reign? We care about flairs run and put him in Top 5 but not bruno? Lmao. Ok
Im from ny. Bruno sammartino is a legend to old heads. Hulk hogan is the legend to my gen. Austin is in rocks shadow like it or not while both bruno and hulk were clear number ones despite the stiff competition.
You talking about the "history of pro wrestling" I'm just talking about who's objectivly better quality-wise, but even historically Austin's shorter run is probably more important than Bruno's.
Bruno was on top during the regional era in the 70's, in part due to NY Italian's supporting one of their own. The longevity is no doubt impressive & I'm not denying Bruno's a legend. His time on top helped pave the way for WWF going national, but Austin was actually over nationally, is a way bigger name in wrestling overall, and was a huge part of turning things around for WWF when they were getting whooped by WCW.
Also from a strictly quality perspective, Austin was a better talker, had a cooler character, was involved in way more hype storylines with
moments happening damn near weekly in 97-99. The TV presentation of wrestling was way more tame and toned down when Bruno was on top, so I rank most of the 80s-90s GOATs over him by default because they were involved in more interesting TV.fukk Hulkkk Hoegan btw. Corny racist fakkit pandering to middle America's patriotism, prayers & vitamins sensibilities.
Austin, Rock, Flair, Dusty, Savage & Piper were all just as charismatic as Hoegan was, while having much cooler characters with actual edge to them.
No one else I named is recorded on tape calling black people n!ggers either for what it's worth.
You talking about the "history of pro wrestling" I'm just talking about who's objectivly better quality-wise, but even historically Austin's shorter run is probably more important than Bruno's.
Bruno was on top during the regional era in the 70's, in part due to NY Italian's supporting one of their own. The longevity is no doubt impressive & I'm not denying Bruno's a legend. His time on top helped pave the way for WWF going national, but Austin was actually over nationally, is a way bigger name in wrestling overall, and was a huge part of turning things around for WWF when they were getting whooped by WCW.
Also from a strictly quality perspective, Austin was a better talker, had a cooler character, was involved in way more hype storylines with
fukk Hulkkk Hoegan btw. Corny racist fakkit pandering to middle America's patriotism, prayers & vitamins sensibilities.
Austin, Rock, Flair, Dusty, Savage & Piper were all just as charismatic as Hoegan was, while having much cooler characters with actual edge to them.
No one else I named is recorded on tape calling black people n!ggers either for what it's worth.
Lol I'm aware of this, and Piper's half blackface. I hope it gets more traction after Scarface called it out & Reich Fleihr is forced to address it.
Note the wording in my last post though, no one else I named is on tape proudly calling themselves a racist & calling black people n!ggers.
Homeboy Runny-Ray
From Around The Way
rock was already out-popping Austin in '99 before Austin got hurt.
the WWF just never officially gave rocky the torch. and instead, they continued to treat him as #2 whenever Austin was active, and even kept him jobbing to Austin until WMXIX, which really doesn't count.
the WWF just never officially gave rocky the torch. and instead, they continued to treat him as #2 whenever Austin was active, and even kept him jobbing to Austin until WMXIX, which really doesn't count.
Here Comes the Pain
Superstar
Once wwf smackdown was released it was clear as day the rock was gonna be running thangs from then on.
Can you link video of Rock out-popping Austin in 99? I've heard them get equally loud pops by that point as 1A & 1B top guys, but never heard him outright get bigger pops than Austin on the same show back then.
I preferred Rock over Austin from day one. Vince always clearly positioned Austin over Rock and tried his damndest to get HHH more over than him, but Rock was just that dude. 
I think he clearly lapped Austin in '99. Maybe they blew it with the Rikishi angle but Austin wasnt more popular than Rock once he returned from injury. Rock felt like the top guy from '99 through '02 and was still clearly the bigger deal in '03 during his brief -- but legendary -- heel run after he returned from filming 'Scorpion King.' Hell, he was more popular with the WM crowd in '03 vs Steve.
I was in elementary when both guys were on top but almost the entire grade level repped for Rock. He was seen as cool and his jokes, regardless of how corny some thought they were, made kids laugh. He had the edge, the wit, the catchphrases, the Stacey Adams, the jewelry, and the Versace button ups.
Austin to me was more so popular amongst the adult working class that saw him as the man they wished they could be, in that he was the rebellious renegade giving the a$$hole boss the middle finger -- and chugging beer while doing it.
I think he clearly lapped Austin in '99. Maybe they blew it with the Rikishi angle but Austin wasnt more popular than Rock once he returned from injury. Rock felt like the top guy from '99 through '02 and was still clearly the bigger deal in '03 during his brief -- but legendary -- heel run after he returned from filming 'Scorpion King.' Hell, he was more popular with the WM crowd in '03 vs Steve.I was in elementary when both guys were on top but almost the entire grade level repped for Rock. He was seen as cool and his jokes, regardless of how corny some thought they were, made kids laugh. He had the edge, the wit, the catchphrases, the Stacey Adams, the jewelry, and the Versace button ups.
Austin to me was more so popular amongst the adult working class that saw him as the man they wished they could be, in that he was the rebellious renegade giving the a$$hole boss the middle finger -- and chugging beer while doing it.
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Busby
Real name no gimmicks..
When it comes to the wrestling world.
Rock didn’t surpass Austin and Austin didn’t surpass Rock.
They were both equally the most popular wrestlers in the wrestling business mainstream wise. They were literally 1A and 1B. You couldn’t be wrong with either..
Now if we talking AFTER wrestling then yeah..it’s The Rock obviously.
But let’s not say Austin is washed either. He has a podcast, his tough man “Smoking Skull Challange” show, and he can just chill at home and collect them royality checks from the WWE. Pretty good life if you ask me
Rock didn’t surpass Austin and Austin didn’t surpass Rock.
They were both equally the most popular wrestlers in the wrestling business mainstream wise. They were literally 1A and 1B. You couldn’t be wrong with either..
Now if we talking AFTER wrestling then yeah..it’s The Rock obviously.
But let’s not say Austin is washed either. He has a podcast, his tough man “Smoking Skull Challange” show, and he can just chill at home and collect them royality checks from the WWE. Pretty good life if you ask me
reserved_one
#Ambivertgang
If not for The Rock starting off with that bland ass babyface Rocky Mavia gimmick, he would had surpassed Austin alot sooner. But i get it. Rocky had to turn heel before the fans can see his genius.
But I will say after Austin took off from injuries in the summer of 1999 is when The Rock really took his spot and Austin never got it back.
Austin might had been #2 but it was by a thin margin and there was a huge gap between him and the other top guys beneath him.
Mankind was #3 imo
But I will say after Austin took off from injuries in the summer of 1999 is when The Rock really took his spot and Austin never got it back.
Austin might had been #2 but it was by a thin margin and there was a huge gap between him and the other top guys beneath him.
Mankind was #3 imo
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The Prince of All Saiyans
Formerly Jisoo Stan & @Twitter
Pat Patterson 
