Big Meets Bigger: 3 giants The Rock brought down to size

Before Dwayne Johnson was saving Chicago from a supersized silverback gorilla, genetically enhanced grey wolf, and gargantuan American crocodile, he was battling giants of a different sort inside the squared circle as "The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment."

The Rock's gift of gab is what he's most revered for as a professional wrestler, but when it came to lacing up his boots and putting on a memorable performance using his in-ring gifts, there were few better. He was incapable of having a poor match, as he knew how to adapt stylistically to his opponents.

Some of his more famous bouts came against those much bigger than him, which was no easy feat. "The Great One" stood 6-foot-5 and weighed roughly 260 pounds, so to be the larger man meant being an absolute juggernaut of a human being.

Here are just a few of the Titans The Rock slayed during his run on top with World Wrestling Entertainment:

Big Show (Royal Rumble 2000)

Andre the Giant had the nickname of being "the Eighth Wonder of the World," and historically left much more of an imprint than someone like Big Show, who is just as massive in stature as Andre was. Even upon debuting in World Championship Wrestling in 1995, Big Show - known as The Giant at the time - was billed as "The Son of Andre," despite there being no biological relation.

It's a no-contest between the two when comparing their workmanship between the ropes. Andre was slow and methodical, while Big Show had the agility of someone half his size. Now competing into his late forties, we've seen the former multiple-time World Champion come off the top rope and take massive, ring-destroying bumps, going above and beyond what any man that huge should be trying.

During his on-again, off-again rivalry with The Rock, Big Show was carrying more weight on his frame than he does now, hovering around 475 pounds. When they were the final two participants in the 2000 Royal Rumble match, it appeared to be a foregone conclusion that Big Show - who had eliminated four participants after entering No. 26 - would toss his adversary over the top rope like a rag doll to punch his ticket to the main event of WrestleMania.

The Rock, however, had other plans, using Big Show's momentum against him during the final moments to send him crashing down to the mat below. To avoid eliminating himself in the process, The Rock held firmly onto the top rope, and while it looked like both of his feet touched the ground, he was ultimately declared the victor.

The Undertaker (No Way Out 2002)

The Rock and "The Deadman" were staples of WWE's fabled "Attitude Era," along with Triple H and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Odd as it may be, the two never truly had a spectacular program together. They had their fair share of matches, yes, but none stand the test of time like the classic Rock-Austin WrestleMania bouts, for example.

Fast forward to 2002, and 'Taker finds himself ditching the gothic attire in favor of a gimmick more befitting of Mark Calloway: "The American Badass." He rides down the entrance ramp on a Harley Davidson Motorcycle, with a red bandana draped around his forehead, and his long black locks now gone.

Respect was the name of the game, and if anyone didn't give it to 'Taker, there was going to be consequences. The Rock had poked fun at his shocking elimination at the hands of "Tough Enough" winner Maven at the previous month's Royal Rumble match. Undertaker responded with ruthless attacks, leading to a grudge match at "No Way Out."

"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair intervened, smacking Undertaker upside the head with a steel pipe right as he was about to drop The Rock on his skull with a Tombstone Piledriver. Stumbling around the ring, Undertaker walked right into a thunderous Rock Bottom, sealing his fate.

This marked the only time The Rock pinned Undertaker's shoulders to the mat in singles competition.

Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania X-8)

"The Immortal" Hulkster isn't a giant in the literal sense. He didn't tower over The Rock like the aforementioned superstars, nor did he have a considerable advantage in the power department.

Hogan has long been recognized as having a larger-than-life persona, though, from the way he'd flex his 24-inch pythons down to his trademark tearing of his shirt. It never mattered if he was a traditional babyface donning red and yellow, or the despised villain wearing black and white, because he was a master at drawing in an audience no matter what role he had.

Their colossal one-on-one match at WrestleMania 18 at the SkyDome in 2002 was the equivalent of Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali throwing punches, or Barry Bonds and Babe Ruth trading dingers. It was a dream match featuring the past and present of the industry, and more than 68,000 fans in Toronto were hooked from the opening bell onward.

The crowd was squarely behind Hogan, with the nostalgia of watching an all-time 'Mania performer returning to an event he helped put on the map bringing them back to a time where taking vitamins and saying prayers was in. Any offense The Rock laid in on the legend resulted in resounding boos.

The unofficial passing of the torch was complete following a Rock Bottom and People's Elbow, with The Rock later winning back the fans' affection by saving Hogan from an assault courtesy of the New World Order. We'd see these two icons battle it out again, albeit under much different circumstances, less than a year later at No Way Out, with The Rock prevailing there as well.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)