View Full Version : Dwayne Douglas Johnson and Steven James Anderson
Rollermacka
09-02-2010, 12:30 PM
These two men, better know as The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin are two of the most entertaining wrestlers of all time. Lets drop the promos, the nicknames, the overall chrisma of both men and look at them as just wrestlers. How would you rate both of these men just from an in ring preformance standpoint? Both men were talented in the ring but the Rock was a much better in ring preformer that Austin though. He was a very large man and could have easliy been a "Goldberg" like monster, but he worked on being both a technician and was very agile.
Side note, The Other Guys is a hilarious movie
Next Big Thing
09-02-2010, 12:40 PM
Austin before Owen Hart broke his neck was damn good in the ring. Watch the stuff he did as the "Ring Master." Rock's mannerisms in the ring were better and showed a little more flair and charisma, but Austin was probably the better technical wrestler.
The Pope
09-02-2010, 01:10 PM
The Rock was very good in his early years as The Rock not Rocky Maivia. He then started taking it "easy" after he got pushed.
Austin, pre-broken neck, was an awesome wrestler. Miles and miles ahead of Rock.
Even post-broken neck I'd put him above Rock. But I prefer the more realistic style to the flashy, ridiculous shit Rock did. And I'm not just talking about the People's Elbow. He was a ridiculous seller and always had that "overdone"/"unrealistic" feel.
XCaliber
09-02-2010, 01:20 PM
To me The Rock was a way better wrestler then but then again Austin was more of a brawler.
Furious Beardsley
09-02-2010, 01:25 PM
I would say they are both about equal in my book.
Ol Dirty Dastard
09-02-2010, 01:29 PM
After Austin broke his neck he was still a great worker, don't know what you are even talking about.
Jordan
09-02-2010, 01:35 PM
Austin was by far the best worker in WWE when HBK left, Rocky was great in the ring but Austin could work a good match with anybody.
Innovator
09-02-2010, 01:53 PM
Stone Cold's name is Steven Williams, just saying.
But Austin is/was miles better in the ring. He was hired in the WWF in the firstplace to be a workhorse.
McLegend
09-02-2010, 02:07 PM
I actually thought that to, but I think his birth name is really Steve Anderson. Mind you I did my research with Wikipedia, so very well could be wrong.
I guess I would go Austin. It's a really tough call for me though.
Innovator
09-02-2010, 02:10 PM
Maybe, if he changed his name before wrestling. I remember he wanted to go by his name Steve Williams, but Dr. Death was already established.
Yeah, his birth name is Anderson and I believe when he was adopted he took his father's name.
Innovator
09-02-2010, 02:11 PM
I could be wrong, one of the few times in my life. Take a note legend.
Lord-Of-Darkness
09-02-2010, 02:11 PM
Yeah his book states he was born Anderson, but his mother remarried and he took his stepfathers name.
McLegend
09-02-2010, 02:14 PM
BOOM
Innovator
09-02-2010, 02:16 PM
BOOM
I'll give it to you, just cause the Eagles are gonna be horrible this year.
Nicky Fives
09-02-2010, 02:47 PM
Both were great in the ring, but if I think Rock was better in the ring..... Austin had some great matches later in his career (vs. Undertaker, vs. Triple H, etc.) but I don't think that they were at the level of Rock's matches versus HHH, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, etc.
thedamndest
09-02-2010, 03:11 PM
Austin
I actually thought that to, but I think his birth name is really Steve Anderson. Mind you I did my research with Wikipedia, so very well could be wrong.
I guess I would go Austin. It's a really tough call for me though.
Maybe, if he changed his name before wrestling. I remember he wanted to go by his name Steve Williams, but Dr. Death was already established.
Yeah, his birth name is Anderson and I believe when he was adopted he took his father's name.
What Xero said. I think he's quite adamant about the Williams part too because of his real dad being an ass or something according to his book.
Favre4Ever
09-02-2010, 03:27 PM
People who talk about The Rock "taking it easy" after he really got over confuse me, I seem to remember his matches against Jericho in 2001 being some of the best he ever had.
Rollermacka
09-02-2010, 04:17 PM
People who talk about The Rock "taking it easy" after he really got over confuse me, I seem to remember his matches against Jericho in 2001 being some of the best he ever had.
Same here. I remember one of his last feuds was with Lesnar and The Rock looked great in the ring.
Tom Guycott
09-02-2010, 05:01 PM
I choose Austin.
Austin was way better in the ring for a longer period of time. Back in WCW he was pretty decent. If you go back and look at some of his work as a singles jobber, it's kinda obvious who was carrying the match. As the years went on and he sustained more injuries, he still kept up a phenominal workrate all things considered.
The Rock, much like my analysis of The Miz, seemed very green at the beginning of his WWE career. He's gotten better, but with the "everything else" that was thrown out of this comparison, he didn't really HAVE to get better ringwise. Although, I did love his "Layin' The Smack Down" finisher he used before adopting the "Rock Bottom".
As far as everyone slamming the whole "take it easy" thing when certain people get over? Goldberg made a career of a limited moveset. So did Hogan. HHH rarely has a mind-blowing match anymore (as opposed to his QUAD-blowing matches... har har har! Wait, don't throw that tomato!) Why is it a bigger problem for Cena (who CAN wrestle, but he's so over, why does he NEED to?) When you're "the man", you can get by with a lot less, unless it's purely ring work that got you over in the first place. I'm looking at you, Ricky Steamboat. And you, Lance Storm. And you too, Dean Malenko. And also that one champion and former Horseman that never existed.
jskinnyg
09-02-2010, 05:36 PM
Austin, pre-broken neck, was an awesome wrestler. Miles and miles ahead of Rock.
Even post-broken neck I'd put him above Rock. But I prefer the more realistic style to the flashy, ridiculous shit Rock did. And I'm not just talking about the People's Elbow. He was a ridiculous seller and always had that "overdone"/"unrealistic" feel.
Yes, pre-broken neck, Austin was a great techinical wrastler kids...
Schlomey
09-02-2010, 05:38 PM
Who?
Always prefered Rock tbh.
Damian Rey
09-02-2010, 10:24 PM
Austin by a mile.
Even after his neck injury, he was still a better overall wreslter than the Rock. The Rock, to his credit, knew how to implement flash and style to his in ring work to make it entertaining. He knew how to "explode" through clotheslines, hit flashy ddt's, shake out his foot before a stomp, so on and so forth.
Austin owned on the technical side, and while the neck injury could be argued as a plus during the time since it forced him to change his in ring approach and make up of his matches, it's a shame Austin had to cut back so much from what he was really capable of doing.
Anyone seen his match from WCW with Steamboat? It's on his 3 disc set, and it's fucking stellar. Even Austin himself described his work and ring style as a "mechanic".
Damian Rey
09-02-2010, 10:32 PM
I choose Austin.
Austin was way better in the ring for a longer period of time. Back in WCW he was pretty decent. If you go back and look at some of his work as a singles jobber, it's kinda obvious who was carrying the match. As the years went on and he sustained more injuries, he still kept up a phenominal workrate all things considered.
The Rock, much like my analysis of The Miz, seemed very green at the beginning of his WWE career. He's gotten better, but with the "everything else" that was thrown out of this comparison, he didn't really HAVE to get better ringwise. Although, I did love his "Layin' The Smack Down" finisher he used before adopting the "Rock Bottom".
As far as everyone slamming the whole "take it easy" thing when certain people get over? Goldberg made a career of a limited moveset. So did Hogan. HHH rarely has a mind-blowing match anymore (as opposed to his QUAD-blowing matches... har har har! Wait, don't throw that tomato!) Why is it a bigger problem for Cena (who CAN wrestle, but he's so over, why does he NEED to?) When you're "the man", you can get by with a lot less, unless it's purely ring work that got you over in the first place. I'm looking at you, Ricky Steamboat. And you, Lance Storm. And you too, Dean Malenko. And also that one champion and former Horseman that never existed.
An interview posted form Ted DiBiase Sr. earlier makes the most sense in terms of "taking it easy". Dont remember word for word, but it was something like your body is your tool, and when you take care fo your tools they last longer. I think it was Hogan's motto.
When you think about it, look at guys like Kurt Angle, HBK, Austin, Benoit, hell, even Bret back in his day. These are guys who were workhorses but how many injuries were piling up because of the amount of work they were pushing onto their bodies. Then you have guys like Hogan, who didn't start breaking down till his late 40s and early 50s due to age. Hogan's style allowed him to last longer than the majority of top stars could dream of.
Tom Guycott
09-03-2010, 02:08 AM
I think this question is a good barometer on the age of some of the posters in these forums.
You're either old enough to remember a technically sound (and Hollywood Blonde) "Stunning" Steve Austin, or young enough to only know "The Rattlesnake" Steve Austin with two bad wheels post "Owen 3:16".
This influences the answer quite a bit.
Austin by a freaking mile. It really isn't a contest... Austin was a true rassler. Rock was just... an entertainer.
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