February 25, 2002 Observer Newsletter: Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock set up for WrestleMania
After a very disappointing PPV show, Hulk Hogan put on his best mic performance of his career while going back-and-forth with The Rock to set up the main event at Wrestlemania. What had at first seemed like a huge match on paper for the biggest show of the year, suddenly became a dream match transcending generations as the two went verbally toe-to-toe before an entranced crowd in Chicago.
The handshake, staredown, and heads toward the camera were reminiscent of the famous face-offs in the recent WWF promotional video, most notably last year’s Austin vs. Rock match, which holds the company’s live gate and the all-time overall revenue records for pro wrestling. Then it got a little silly, as after an attack of Rock by Hogan, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, he was put in an ambulance. Supposedly Hogan drove a forklift into the ambulance where Rock was locked in, leaving him with unspecified serious injuries in a scene that seemed right out of an action movie.
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Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.