Do you smell it?
Dwayne The Rock Johnson. A household name today. WWE's first 3rd generation Superstar. The Rock, as he's most popularly known, was practically bred for the world of pro wrestling. Born into the legendary Anoa'i wrestling family. His mother, Ata Maivia, is the daughter of "The High Chief" Peter Maivia and his dad is Soulman Rocky Johnson. After playing for the Miami Hurricanes and Calgary Stampeders, Dwayne debuted for Jerry Lawler's USWA as Flex Kavanna for a brief period before signing to the WWF in 1996. Debuting as Rocky Maivia at JR and Mr. McMahon's behest, he was a clean cut blue chipper and debuted at the 1996 Survivor Series. Initially debuting to positive crowd response, his simplistic babyface character in the age of the edgy NWO would eventually lead to chants of Die, Rocky, Die. So it was decided to turn him heel.
That decision created the personality every household knows today. The Rock. The Great One. A narcissistic athlete that refers to himself in a 3rd person and thinks very little of anyone around him. The Rock flourished on the mic with his antics and incredible personality. Good or bad, people couldn't help but laugh at him calling Kevin Kelly an ugly hermaphrodite or impersonating God talking down to Billy Gunn. Bob? But my names Billy. It doesn't matter what your name is!. The Rock was a true revolutionary on the mic as being good on the stick was no longer was about methodical thinking and psychology. It became about personality and creativity. His catchphrases are all well remembered as well. He'll make you "Know Your Role And Shut Your Mouth". With one of those phrases being the name of WWE's second top show. Officially laying the Smackdown onto WWE programing and even the English Dictionary.
In the ring he just a great as his moniker The Great One implies. He, along with Stone Cold Steve Austin, were the first to star in a trilogy of Wrestlemania matches. His feuds with Triple H and Mick Foley are some of the most highly regarded of the Attitude Era. It was him that put over the likes of Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar over as top stars of WWE. And of course his feud with none other than John Cena proved to be the biggest drawing match in Wrestlemania history. Their headlining of WM 28 and 29 helped break attendance and PPV sales records despite The Rock not wrestling in nearly a decade. The Rock has truly layed the Smackdown in the history of pro wrestling. Facing and defeating the likes of Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin and John Cena at the "Grandaddy of them All". The Rock is a cornerstone of pro wrestling.
Did You Know?
- The Rock has a very mixed lineage. Born in California, raised in Miami and Calgary and of course being from the Anoa'i family of wrestlers, the man is a Samoan-African-American-Canadian.
- Despite how he's billed, The Rock and his grandfather aren't related to the Anoa'i family by blood. Peter Maivia was blood brother to Amituanai Anoa'i. Father of the Wild Samoans. Joined by blood oath rather than family relation. Meaning the likes of Rikishi, Yokozuna, The Usos, Roman Reigns, Tamina, Umaga, Rosey and beyond, aren't cousins to The Rock in the literal sense. But it's quite a sign of how powerful said blood oath was and still is.
- The Wrestling Observer Newsletter named The Rock Most Charismatic and Biggest Box Office Draw numerous times. What's impressive is that he also won those awards in 2011 and 2012. Only wrestling once in those two years.