WWE created modern-day Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock moment at Payback, legend says
Hulk Hogan's WrestleMania 18 showdown with The Rock is widely viewed as one of the greatest moments in WWE history. According to Trish Stratus, her recent battle with Becky Lynch at Payback was like a female version of the blockbuster bout between Hogan and The Rock.
A lot of fans consider Lynch and Stratus to be the greatest female wrestlers of their generations. On September 2, The Man defeated her Hall of Fame opponent at Payback after Zoey Stark unsuccessfully tried to help her mentor.
On GAW TV, Stratus compared her rivalry with Lynch to Lebron James vs. Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali vs. Mike Tyson. She also referenced Hogan and The Rock's iconic match:
"When are you gonna have Lebron and Jordan?" Stratus said. "When are you gonna have Ali-Tyson? It was kinda that, right? So that's like fantasy match-up stuff that people talk about. We were like, 'Oh, this is so cool. We have this opportunity.' There was definitely Rock-Hogan. There was that, but I can't recall where there was ever like a generational face-off like that for the women." [15:17 – 15:37]
Lynch defeated Stratus in a 20-minute Steel Cage match to kick off the WWE Payback premium live event. The physical encounter featured several key moments, including a spot where Lynch suplexed Stratus from the top of the cage.
How Trish Stratus felt about working with Becky Lynch in WWE
As part of the six-month storyline, Trish Stratus' villainous character wanted Becky Lynch to thank her for paving the way for today's generation of wrestlers.
In reality, Stratus said she enjoyed going head-to-head with Lynch in a dream match:
"We just knew it was a special opportunity to deliver something very unique, a unique dynamic, and we didn't want to lose that. We wanted to realize that that is what the focus is, to bring something really very special to the fans, and we worked really well together, and I really enjoyed kicking her a**!" [15:37 – 15:52]
In the same interview, WWE legend Victoria revealed what Lynch said to her in a direct message on social media after the match.
Do you think Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus provided fans with a modern-day Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock moment? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit GAW TV and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.