Some of you may question the validity these questions, but they have to be asked.
Recent events demand so.
You can argue that he's been in the title hunt before, and was briefly in a more recent angle, but that doesn't overwhelm the matches and semi-feuds he's had since his return. Not to mention his mini-feuds with Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, and Mankind. Let's start with his gimmick change. The Rock, in his own way, is a bad ass. One of the innovators, Stone Dumb Steve Austin, is set to return soon.