Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has gone on to become a major Hollywood star and producer through his Seven Bucks production. Before he starred in “The Scorpion King” and in “The Fast and the Furious” series, Dwayne Johnson was one of the many stars that Vince McMahon took a chance on in the WWE. From his flashy persona to his famous catchphrase,“Taste what the rock is cooking.” He has garnered fans worldwide for his wrestling skills and action movie entertainment.
The Rock’s Debut
Before he became The Rock, he was known as Rocky Maivia and made his WWE debut on November 17, 1986. Initially, he teamed up with Marc Mero, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, and the Stalker in the Survivor Series event. He secured victory for his team by being the sole survivor of the match. His initial wrestling name was to honor his wrestling family dynasty, as his wrestling predecessors included his father, Rocky Johnson, and grandfather, Peter Maivia.
His initial persona didn’t have the pull that his later persona as The Rock would have. However, he went on to become a charismatic, funny, and athletic superstar across genres to make an almost effortless transition into film.
A Stone Cold Rivalry
Another popular and electrifying star, Stone Cold Steve Austin, became one of the most iconic and popular ones in the WWE. The two stars were part of the Attitude Era and showed off against each other in WrestleMania XV, XVII, and XIX, with WrestleMania XVII considered not only their next match but the best in the mega event’s history.
Fans and cameramen alike enjoyed all the trash-talking the two stars did as they were both known for their verbal quips. Another stand-out event involved Stone Cold Steve Austin driving a beer truck into the arena, spraying The Rock and Vince McMahon.
1999’s This Is Your Life
In 1999, The Rock and Mick Foley appeared on an episode of WWE Raw titled “This Is Your Life.” In the episode, The Rock once again showcased his comedic skills on a new level when Mick Foley surprised him with people from his past. The episode included his high school sweetheart, a former teacher and former football coach. The episode went on to become a fan favorite and is, unsurprisingly, considered one of the standup moments in WWE history.
WWE Return in 2011
By 2011, the Rock was a certified Hollywood film star but he never forgot his wrestling roots. He returned to the WWE in February 2011 to announce himself as host of WrestleMania XXVII. In 2012, he and John Cena went on to clash in the”Once in a Lifetime” match at WrestleMania XXVIII. To make the battle more significant, the match, which the Rock won, was in the Rock’s hometown of Miami, Florida The two had a rematch at WrestleMania XXIX in 2013 in which Cena won.
WrestleMania 32 Appearance
The Rock made another return, this time in 2016 at WrestleMania 32. The superstar’s grand entrance didn’t disappoint as he used a flamethrower to ignite his name in flames. He also had an impromptu match against Erick Rowan, in which he defeated him within six seconds. Previous rival John Cena even returned, this time to help The Rock in a match against the rest of the Wyatt family.
