ROUND ONE: The Rock (1) vs. Ted DiBiase (8)

[Everlong]

The Ultimate Wrestler Tournament
ROUND ONE: The Rock (1) vs. Ted DiBiase (8)

The People's Champion and the Million Dollar Man. Two great talkers, two Hall of Fame level talents. But which one is moving forward in the tournament? Time to find out.



The Most Electrifying Man in ALL of Entertainment was certainly that: electrifying. His over-the-top personality and promos elevated him to levels of popularity that few have achieved. He was beloved as a face, despised as a heel and transcended the industry, becoming one of Hollywood's biggest stars. Simply put, The Rock has always been larger than life in every one of his endeavors, and the WWE was no exception.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

*WWF/E Championship (x8)
*WCW World Championship (x2)
*WWF Intercontinental Championship (x2)
*World Tag Team Championship (x5)
*Royal Rumble Winner (2000)
*Triple Crown Champion
*Highest-rated segment in RAW History ("This Is Your Life, Rock")

NOTABLE MATCH



NOTABLE SEGMENT

PART ONE


PART TWO


PART THREE




Everybody's got a price. Ted DiBiase was the most successful "rich guy" gimmick of all time, even creating his own Million Dollar title belt. Though he never won the WWF's biggest title, his gimmick and his personality left an indelible mark on the WWE as he gave future generations of heels a standard to aspire to.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

*Million Dollar Championship (x2)
*WWF North American Heavyweight Championship (x1)
*WWF World Tag Team Championship (x3)
*King of the Ring (1988)
*Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 2007)
*WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2010)

NOTABLE MATCH



NOTABLE SEGMENT



CAST YOUR VOTES!

[Messiah]

Poor Ted DiBiase.

I am really conflicted right now because The Rock should win but a part of me still wants to vote for the Million Dollar Man. I was disappointed so few people nominated DiBiase because, in my opinion, he along with Roddy Piper are by far the two greatest heels the WWE has ever produced. Just going back and looking at his promos, they are just so dickish. DiBiase makes you hate him like nobody else but Piper could at the time (without resorting to an Anti-American gimmick).



Not to mention DiBiase was a very good wrestler too, something that is overlooked. I won't talk much about The Rock because he will (and should) move onto the next round, but damn it sucks for DiBiase because he is one of my favorites when I go and look back. The biggest thing really separating them for me is the fact The Rock was the more versatile as far as heel/face goes. I found The Rock to be better in other areas too, such as charisma (hard to say mic skills too because, while Rock probably was better, the styles were just so different and DiBiase was incredible), I preferred his in-ring style (I have always loved Rock the performer), and The Rock just always managed to get a reaction out of me.

[Everlong]

Yeah I think The Rock gets a lot of criticism from internet fans but he was remarkably versatile in his ability to get people to love or hate him. His time as a heel in 2003 was fucking fantastic, maybe the best work of his career.

Love DiBiase, but he was up against some tough competition no matter what... Rock, Austin, Michaels or Taker. Good people are going to lose in this first round, and he's one of em.

[ShaneOfan]

I like DiBiase and will echo Messiah in saying he is one of the best heels to ever come out of the WWF/E. He was just so damn good at getting you to hate him. However the Rock love him or hate him is still the Rock. Dude was great on the mic heel or face and could work a crowd better then almost anyone. Plus Rock takes it (or should I say brings it?) it in the ring way better then DiBiase.

[The Legend]

This one is easy for me...

It's Ted DiBiase and it's not even close. For one the longevity and impact he had long term on the business is far greater than what the Rock had. Simply put I'm a fan from the lifer generation, where guys didn't want to leave wrestling and move on to "bigger and better things". The Rock is a better actor than DiBiase, but DiBiase beats him all over the map when it comes to professional wrestler resume. On top of that, DiBiase was a better psychologist in the ring and cut a far better and more meaningful original promo that wasn't just 15 catchphrases strung together. I know I'm probably going to be on the losing side of this fight, but I will fight on regardless. Ted DiBiase was a far more meaningful, better and more impactful pro wrestling persona than the Rock ever was.

[Ace]

The Rock is my favorite of all time. Incredible mic skills, good in-ring. Like Messiah said about Savage in the Savage vs. Cena thread, the Rock has the ability to put on a blockbuster match with anyone ranging from the likes of Big Show to guys like the Hurricane; big or small. To this day he captivates the MILLIONS wherever he is.

Ted Dibiase created a frickin title. That's how awesome he was. Great heel that made the WWE seem that much more prestigious with all the money he was throwing around. Technically he was sold the WWF Championship but that never counted. Ted Dibiase is a legend that knows no price.

Like many of you have said, this tournament is going to eliminate some really good characters/wrestlers but that's the point. For one to move on & in this case the Rock takes it.

This bracket is made of the best wrestlers so we're going to see a good number of awesome talent get outshone by some other really good talent & that's what makes this tournament THE ULTIMATE WRESTLER TOURNAMENT.

[SortaCreative]

It's Ted DiBiase and it's not even close. For one the longevity and impact he had long term on the business is far greater than what the Rock had. Simply put I'm a fan from the lifer generation, where guys didn't want to leave wrestling and move on to "bigger and better things". The Rock is a better actor than DiBiase, but DiBiase beats him all over the map when it comes to professional wrestler resume. On top of that, DiBiase was a better psychologist in the ring and cut a far better and more meaningful original promo that wasn't just 15 catchphrases strung together.

This.

[VaderBomb]

I'll third Legend. DiBiase is king.

[Viazon]

It's unfortunate for DiBiase but I gotta go with the Rock on this one. He touched gold, no matter what he was doing and his success has crossed over massively into Hollywood.

[Hanley!]

I thought I was going to be the controversial one here, by coming in and voting for Dibiase. So it's nice to see that he has already been given some support. The Rock was always going to take this one due to sheer star power and the fact that a lot more of the forum have seen him than Dibiase. And if I was voting for who was the bigger draw and who is the bigger name, then I'd have to give it to the Rock. But Dibiase was a better professional wrestler.

The Rock was never one of my favourites. I'm not one of the people who pours scorn on him for moving on - I think he had every right to do so. I don't really hate him for coming back and stealing the spotlight either. Everyone does that these days. And at least you have to believe that he's bringing a few new fans with him. It's not like Jericho or the Undertaker are doing that.

I just wasn't crazy about him. He had crazy charisma and even put on good matches and promos, but I just wasn't that into his whole shtick. As a kid, I didn't like him much because even though he was a good guy, he was always bullying announcers and things like that. It didn't strike me as a likable quality. This was just him doing the anti-hero thing, as was popular back during the late 90s, but I thought Stone Cold played that part a lot more effectively. Rock just came off as a high school jock.

Looking back now though, I do appreciate the Rock quite a bit. He gave us some great moments and some great matches. He just never did enough to be one of my 20 favourites. His ring work was impressive, but not up there with the best of all time. He oversold moves in a way that made his matches fun to watch, but in a way that prevented him from completely suspending your disbelief and investing in what was happening in the ring.

And on the microphone he was more at ease than anyone, but his promos were mostly shallow and filled with catchphrases. He never moved me, or made me really love him or loathe him. He never managed to really sell me on the fact that he hated anybody. He was great at the one-liners, but not particularly amazing at conveying emotion.

Dibiase was just a wrestler's wrestler though. Maybe it's just an internal bias whereby I appreciate "professional wrestlers" more than "sports entertainers". Dibiase's stuff just seemed to have more weight behind it. And he was very entertaining across the board. He made a huge mark on the business back in the day. He had some highly entertaining matches and his promo work was great - there was a lot of weight to the things he said.

Many have commented on Undertaker having one of the best gimmicks in wrestling history, but I think it's overlooked just how good Dibiase's gimmick was. It's been replicated just as many times as Undertakers and with just as little success. And unlike the Undertaker's supernatural gimmick, I think Dibiase's millionaire gimmick really helped to ground the character. Fans knew exactly what he could and couldn't do. He could buy people off, he could pay servants, he could have championships made for himself. But what he couldn't do was corrupt the truly good at heart. It made him one of the most effective villains in WWE history, and the perfect one for that particular era.

It's disappointing that he didn't get a heavyweight title run in WWE. His work really warranted one.

[AkydefGoldberg]

Rock for me.

Loved the way he went from being booed as a face to transforming into The Rock and even though his catch-phrases are a tad childish - still give me a cheap chuckle. He tended to have good matches that were entertaining without being five star and he involved the crowds in his matches and more so with his promos. Agree with Tim, 2003 Hollywood Rock was fucking awesome and if you need reminding, just check out the Rock Concert in Sacramento.

Shame his 2011-2013 return has slightly soured but still my favorite.

[SortaCreative]

I can't believe Rock is beating Million Dollar Man in a Best PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER Tournament. I love The Rock. I think he's a great entertainer but The Rock is a brand. He is an actor. An amateur musician. He wrestlers here and there at a push. His catch phrases were entertaining but he lacked little substance and the grit that Hunter or Austin managed to have during the same era.

The Million Dollar Man was one of the top heels, a solid wrestler, a man with great ring presence and psychology. He could cut a comedic promo, he could cut a serious promo and he'd make you believe either.

If The Rock walks away with this one then... you may as well just rename this the Attitude Era tournament. I disagree so much with this injustice that I want to vomit blood.

[Everlong]

I can't believe Rock is beating Million Dollar Man in a Best PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER Tournament. I love The Rock. I think he's a great entertainer but The Rock is a brand. He is an actor. An amateur musician. He wrestlers here and there at a push. His catch phrases were entertaining but he lacked little substance and the grit that Hunter or Austin managed to have during the same era.

The Million Dollar Man was one of the top heels, a solid wrestler, a man with great ring presence and psychology. He could cut a comedic promo, he could cut a serious promo and he'd make you believe either.

If The Rock walks away with this one then... you may aswell just rename this the Attitude Era tournament.

Eh, this is an understandable sentiment, but I still voted Rock. At the end of the day I'm basing my votes based on who I enjoyed the most and who I found to be the better overall performer. The Rock just had "it," even though he wasn't around forever, EVERYONE wanted to tune into his matches and promos. I'm not going to say he was one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, but I think he had the kind of package that DiBiase never did. No slight against DiBiase, a legend in his own right.

Now, I'm expecting Rock will probably wind up having the most difficulty getting far in the tourney out of all of our one seeds for most of the reasons that you have named. But I think he's justified in getting past DiBiase.

[SortaCreative]

I can't believe Rock is beating Million Dollar Man in a Best PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER Tournament. I love The Rock. I think he's a great entertainer but The Rock is a brand. He is an actor. An amateur musician. He wrestlers here and there at a push. His catch phrases were entertaining but he lacked little substance and the grit that Hunter or Austin managed to have during the same era.

The Million Dollar Man was one of the top heels, a solid wrestler, a man with great ring presence and psychology. He could cut a comedic promo, he could cut a serious promo and he'd make you believe either.

If The Rock walks away with this one then... you may aswell just rename this the Attitude Era tournament.

Eh, this is an understandable sentiment, but I still voted Rock. At the end of the day I'm basing my votes based on who I enjoyed the most and who I found to be the better overall performer. The Rock just had "it," even though he wasn't around forever, EVERYONE wanted to tune into his matches and promos. I'm not going to say he was one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, but I think he had the kind of package that DiBiase never did. No slight against DiBiase, a legend in his own right.

Now, I'm expecting Rock will probably wind up having the most difficulty getting far in the tourney out of all of our one seeds for most of the reasons that you have named. But I think he's justified in getting past DiBiase.

The Rock had an entirely different skill set than DiBiase, I agree.

He could talk, he could get the crowd involved, he could entertain and despite what it may sound like, I think he could move in the ring too.

DiBiase was almost the opposite. Ring general, work horse, under rated by many (some may argue). But more so a wrestler in my eyes than The Rock.

*wipes away blood*

[Everlong]

^Yeah I mean, I guess it depends on what you value most. For me, if I'm looking at the total package of evaluating these guys, Rock maybe didn't have quite the same in-ring talent (still underrated though I think by a lot of people) but he was in a different stratosphere when it came to the energy he could bring to a match and to a promo, and the way he could handle a crowd.

[Str8Shooter]

I can't believe Rock is beating Million Dollar Man in a Best PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER Tournament. I love The Rock. I think he's a great entertainer but The Rock is a brand. He is an actor. An amateur musician. He wrestlers here and there at a push. His catch phrases were entertaining but he lacked little substance and the grit that Hunter or Austin managed to have during the same era.

The Million Dollar Man was one of the top heels, a solid wrestler, a man with great ring presence and psychology. He could cut a comedic promo, he could cut a serious promo and he'd make you believe either.

If The Rock walks away with this one then... you may as well just rename this the Attitude Era tournament. I disagree so much with this injustice that I want to vomit blood.

This is some serious love for Dibiase right here. If he ever needs another Virgil....

I love me some Dibiase too, he was a great heel, but we never even got to see if he could play a face with any success. Rock was able to do both and get the crowd to either hate him or love him. His heel stuff got crowds to hate him just as much as Dibiase was hated in his day. Nobody chanted "Die Dibiase Die" at him.

Rock was a transcendent star. He's had easily the best post wrestling career of anyone ever. That to me is a testament to his acting ability, star presence, and general ability to get people to care about him, inside the ring or outside. His in-ring ability isn't to the caliber of some of the other nominees, but he knew how to get people into the match, you'd be hard pressed to find a Rock match that wasn't entertaining and kept your eyes glued to the screen.

I'm not a huge fan of Dibiase's in-ring work to be honest. He was kind of slow and tactical in the ring, not bad by any means, technically sound yeah, but his matches never really would wow you and get you out of your seat like a Rock match would at his best. I think Dibiase was helped by the fact they gave him the Million Dollar Man gimmick, he played it really well, but I'm not sure they couldn't have given that gimmick to someone else in the late 80's and they would have had success as well with it.

[DanielsonTHAGOAT]

Rock was really underrated in the ring. His forte in the ring was his selling, there's no question about that. Dude made the Stunner look like he got struck by death

[Everlong]

His in-ring ability isn't to the caliber of some of the other nominees, but he knew how to get people into the match, you'd be hard pressed to find a Rock match that wasn't entertaining and kept your eyes glued to the screen.

Yeah I think that's the biggest thing you can say about The Rock in the ring really. He had some technical talent but he wasn't one of the cream of the crop in that area. But the way he could work the crowd during his matches and just put on a show really glossed over the few technical deficiencies he had. Not a lot of guys are capable of pulling that off.

[Hanley!]

Rock was really underrated in the ring. His forte in the ring was his selling, there's no question about that. Dude made the Stunner look like he got struck by death

More like he got struck by a bouncy castle full of trampolines.

[The Legend]

Rock was really underrated in the ring. His forte in the ring was his selling, there's no question about that. Dude made the Stunner look like he got struck by death

You see I don't consider that to be good in the ring or good at selling. To me it is so phony and almost making fun of how fake it is. It's the same reason I will be voting against Ric Flair in pretty much every round moving forward.