Few personas have captured the imagination of fans quite like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. From his early days as a charismatic babyface to his transformation into the most electrifying heel in WWE history, The Rock has showcased a range of personas throughout his illustrious career. Join as we debate why being the Heels suits best for The Rock in WWE.
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00:00The Rock has fully embraced his villainous persona.
00:16Going into Wrestlemania 40, he beat Cody Rhodes to a bloody pulp on Raw and whipped him with
00:22a weight belt as he said he would.
00:24He pinned the American Nightmare at Wrestlemania Night 1, picking up the win for his team,
00:29before Cody beat Roman Reigns for the WWE Championship.
00:33He is also seen cussing out his opponents on live TV, which adds an extra layer of intensity,
00:39making his character something truly remarkable.
00:42The Rock is someone who has been a fan favorite for a lot of his career, but his latest version
00:47as a narcissist heel works well with the current scenario in WWE.
00:53This all started when the audience completely rejected the idea of him replacing Cody Rhodes
00:58for his match against Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania, with a certain portion of the fans outright
01:04booing him.
01:05The Rock said quote, you want to hate me, I'll give you a reason for it, end quote,
01:11and turned heel.
01:13This turned out to be a great decision as the final boss, as he wants to call himself,
01:18decided to elevate two of wrestling's beloved stars, Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins.
01:25This is not the first time The Rock has turned to the dark side due to fan reaction.
01:31After making his WWE debut at Survivor Series 1996 as Rocky Maivia, he did not get the fan
01:38support the WWE anticipated.
01:41This version of The Rock is the weakest one, as he was just a guy who was happy to be there,
01:46it seemed as if he had no charisma.
01:49Even though he was booked in high profile matches and clinched the Intercontinental
01:53Championship, he failed to connect with the audience.
01:57Chants of Die Rocky Die and Rocky Sucks echoed in the arena wherever he went.
02:04The Rock himself revealed that he wasn't authentic during this time, but very soon,
02:09that would change.
02:11In August 1997, Maivia turned heel by joining a villainous group, Nation of Domination,
02:19led by Farouk.
02:21This marked a significant shift in his character as he embraced a more rebellious and aggressive
02:26persona.
02:27He even lashed out at fans saying Rocky is a lot of things, but Sucks isn't one of
02:32them.
02:33This ladies and gentlemen, was the beginning of greatness.
02:37He started showcasing his cocky and arrogant side, which resonated with audiences and helped
02:42him establish himself during the Attitude Era, a time when WWE was pushing the boundaries.
02:49The Rock's ability to command the microphone and deliver promos played a crucial role in
02:53his rise to stardom.
02:55He had a natural gift for cutting promos that captivated audiences and left a lasting impression.
03:02His witty insults, catchphrases and larger than life personality made him a watched superstar
03:08even as a villainous character.
03:14He became so popular that WWE made him the leader of Nation of Domination, kicking Farouk
03:21out.
03:22It was not long after this that he won the WWE Championship at Survivor Series 1998.
03:29He aligned himself with Vince McMahon starting the Corporate Rock character who embodied
03:34corporate greed, arrogance and entitlement.
03:37His ruthless approach in the ring also gave him an edge over his opponents.
03:41Remember his I Quit match with Mankind at Royal Rumble 1999?
03:47The Rock literally smashed Mankind's head with steel chairs multiple times.
03:52It was hard to watch, but it propelled The Rock to the next level of stardom, coming
03:57out as a badass heel.
03:59This was the time when fans realized that The Rock was no joke.
04:04Following this, he started a career defying rivalry with Stone Cold Steve Austin who was
04:10the biggest babyface in the company at the time.
04:14Austin needed a strong antagonist.
04:16McMahon was his biggest rival but he couldn't have matches with the Texas Rattlesnake, so
04:22The Rock was the best option for this.
04:24He was equally charismatic on the mic and had proved himself as a villain.
04:29So a match was set between the two at Wrestlemania 15 and The People's Champ unsuccessfully
04:36his WWE Championship against Austin in the main event of the show of shows.
04:42Little more than two years after turning heel, The Rock was main eventing Wrestlemania and
04:47all this happened because of one small change in his character, turning heel.
04:53However, his heel character just laid the groundwork for his eventual transition to
04:57a face character and after being a villain for around two years, The Rock started his
05:02journey of a beloved fan favorite.
05:05This allowed him to fully embrace The People's support and start calling himself The People's
05:10Champion.
05:11His electrifying promos, entertaining matches and larger than life personality endeared
05:16him to audiences around the world, solidifying his status as one of the biggest stars in
05:23wrestling history.
05:25Steve Austin had to take some time off in 1999 and The Great One filled his shoes as
05:31the top star in WWE.
05:33He became bigger and bigger and bigger, winning numerous WWE Championships and main eventing
05:40Wrestlemania 2000, 2001 and 2002.
05:45The Rock continued to be the face of the company.
05:48He gained significant momentum and began attracting more attention from mainstream audiences making
05:53appearances in music videos, commercials and late night talk shows.
05:58However, this wasn't enough for The Great One as he aspired to become a Hollywood star.
06:05Wrestlers trying to be actors wasn't new in WWE.
06:08Many former WWE stars such as Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant and Roddy Piper had tried
06:15their luck in Hollywood but The Rock's Hollywood career was going to be a whole different thing.
06:21He did The Mummy Returns which was released in 2001 and it received one of the biggest
06:27openings in Hollywood and became a huge hit.
06:30The Rock was rolling on success and it was just getting started.
06:35Now he was still in WWE and at Wrestlemania 18 he had probably the biggest match of his
06:40career against Hollywood Hulk Hogan.
06:43Hogan was a heel at the time but the Toronto crowd decided to cheer for Hogan instead of
06:48The Rock.
06:49It was the first time in years that The Rock was booed but he remained a fan favorite.
06:55This was in 2002 and around this time a breed of new wrestlers like Brock Lesnar, John Cena,
07:02Randy Orton and Batista came to WWE.
07:06It was a perfect time for change so The Rock decided to focus on his Hollywood career.
07:11He was planning to take some time off from WWE after dropping his championship to Lesnar
07:16at Summerslam to shoot for the Scorpion King and the prequel to The Mummy Returns.
07:23The fans knew this and they did not like it.
07:27The Rock had been a cornerstone of WWE programming during the Attitude Era and his departure
07:32was viewed by some fans as him turning his back on the industry and the loyal fanbase
07:38that had supported him throughout his wrestling career.
07:41During his match against Lesnar, the crowd booed The Rock and chanted Rocky Sucks and
07:46You Sold Out.
07:48The People's Champ was visibly pissed after the match.
07:52He grabbed the microphone and said, whether you like it or don't, The Rock still leaves
07:57here as The People's Champion.
07:59As of now, sing along with The Rock is over.
08:03He was hurt and let his frustrations out on the microphone.
08:07For the next few months, there was no Rock in WWE as he was busy making movies.
08:13Then on the January 30, 2003 episode of SmackDown, Vince McMahon revealed that The Rock would
08:21be returning to WWE to face Hulk Hogan at No Way Out 2003.
08:27The Rock had worked with Hogan the previous year at WrestleMania 18 and was booed, so
08:33this was the perfect match to establish him as a villain again.
08:37When he came back, he completely abandoned the fan support and became an arrogant heel.
08:42Prior to their match, The Rock also gave some hilarious promos mocking Hogan.
08:47He absolutely cooked the Hulkster in these segments.
08:54He was taking in the negativity that the fans were showing him and doing it with great pride
08:59too.
09:00At No Way Out, The Rock came out with a different theme song which reflected his Hollywood persona.
09:06It was a remix of his classic entrance theme, incorporating elements that reflected his
09:11status as a crossover star in the entertainment industry.
09:15Accompanied by this theme song, The Rock made his entrance with style and swagger,
09:20commanding the attention of the audience with every step.
09:24He once again defeated Hulk Hogan at the pay per view, and following this, he graced his
09:29presence on Raw, becoming an exclusive star for the red brand.
09:34He then proceeded to cut a vicious promo on the Toronto crowd, who first decided to boo
09:39him at WrestleMania 18.
09:41This is remembered as one of the most iconic moments in WWE history.
09:46You remember that quote,
09:47Hey, yay, hooray, he said Toronto, we live in Toronto, yay, yeah, shut up, end quote.
09:56Yeah, that was it.
09:57The Rock tore into the crowd and launched into a verbal assault on the audience, delivering
10:02insults and taunts with razor sharp precision.
10:06Take all your booze, stick them straight up your maple syrup sucking candy acid.
10:10His delivery was filled with venom and intensity.
10:13If you haven't watched this promo, you need to watch it right now.
10:18It is one of the best promos in WWE history by far.
10:23The reason why he was on Raw was to come face to face with someone he had a long history
10:28with, Stone Cold Steve Austin.
10:32Up until this time, he faced Austin two times at WrestleMania, and both times, the Texas
10:37Rattlesnake came out on top.
10:39The Rock couldn't have it that way this time though.
10:42He wanted to beat Austin at the grandest stage of them all.
10:45But before he could get to Austin, Hurricane got in his way.
10:50Yeah, remember that superhero?
10:52They interacted in some of the most hilarious backstage segments on Raw.
10:56The Great One engaged in his witty banner, exchanging insults with Hurricane, who held
11:01his own in the verbal sparring, showcasing his quick wit and comedic timing.
11:06Surprisingly, they had great chemistry and they did some great comedy work.
11:11This was eventually settled in a match between The Rock and Hurricane, with the Hurricane
11:15actually going over.
11:16Yes, one of the biggest stars in the world lost to Hurricane.
11:21This shows how selfless The Great One is, who prioritizes elevating others for the greater
11:25good of the industry.
11:27However, he lost that match because of Austin's interference, paving the way for their eventual
11:33showdown at WrestleMania 19.
11:37Before their match, The Rock held his first ever Rock concert dissing Austin, again delivering
11:42an entertaining segment.
11:44At WrestleMania 19, The Rock finally defeated Austin in a one-on-one match and retired Stone
11:52Cold from wrestling.
11:53The next night on Raw, he was speared by Goldberg on his debut, setting the stage for their
11:59clash at Backlash 2003.
12:02Leading up to the showdown with the WCW icon, The Rock entertained audiences with his humor
12:08in segments.
12:09He lost his match to Goldberg and this was it for the Hollywood Rock character.
12:14He again decided to focus on his Hollywood career and left WWE.
12:19He did make sporadic returns to the company, but not as a heel, but as a fan favorite and
12:24that makes sense.
12:25Naturally, The Rock is one of the most beloved stars in WWE, making it seemingly unnecessary
12:31for him to play the role of a villain.
12:33He engaged in feuds with CM Punk and John Cena in 2012 and 2013, and in both of them,
12:42he was the fan favorite.
12:43Actually, he didn't turn heel after 2003 until now.
12:49When he came back in on Day 1, 2024 to interrupt Jinder Mahal, fans were excited to see him.
12:55He even teased a match with Roman Reigns and fans cheered.
12:59That was because Cody Rhodes had not won the Royal Rumble at the time, but when Cody
13:04won the Rumble and seemingly gave his spot to The Rock, fans felt betrayed.
13:10You see, The Rock is a beloved star in WWE, but Cody had made a connection with newer
13:15fans in the past few years who wanted to see him finish his story and seeing The Rock step
13:20in Cody's place did not sit well with the fans and they started revolting against the
13:25idea of The Rock vs Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania 40.
13:30Also, the fact that The Rock had joined the board of directors of TKO, the parent company
13:35of WWE, prior to this, did not help his situation as fans felt The Great One was throwing his
13:42weight around.
13:44There was no other choice than for The Rock to turn heel after 11 long years.
13:49The Rock turned to the dark side and you can see the results.
13:53Soon after turning heel, The Rock joined The Bloodline and the faction has undoubtedly
13:57reaped the rewards of The Rock aligning himself with the group.
14:01The Bloodline was already a force to reckon with, but with The Great One joining, it became
14:06one of the most dominant factions, if not the most dominant faction in WWE.
14:12He started referring to Cody's fans as Cody Crybabies and also began insulting the fans
14:17like he used to.
14:19This new character of The Rock comes as a strong antagonist for both Cody Rhodes and
14:23Seth Rollins as both of them have issues with The Final Boss.
14:28And by the way, I have to say, The Final Boss is such a cool name for this character.
14:34It is a rendition of both of his previous heel characters, The Corporate Rock and The
14:39Hollywood Rock.
14:41It fits well.
14:42The build up to Wrestlemania 40 has been fire because The Rock's willingness to go out
14:46of his way to make things personal.
14:49A few weeks ago, he dragged Cody around the arena with blood pouring all over his body.
14:55The next week, him and Roman Reigns whipped Cody and Seth with a weight belt.
15:00With this, Cody and Seth come off as more sympathetic babyfaces.
15:05His involvement in the main event scene benefited everyone and it led to one of the best Wrestlemania
15:10main events of all time.
15:13He pinned Cody Rhodes at the grandest stage of them all.
15:16That tag team match was fun to watch and it even saw Roman accidentally spearing The
15:21Rock.
15:22Some people were even speculating that The Rock would turn on the Tribal Chief on night
15:262 during the WWE Universal Championship match between Roman and Cody.
15:31But that didn't happen and that's the right decision on WWE's part.
15:35However, The Rock was still there on night 2, as many expected.
15:40He was there to help his cousin retain the championship, but ultimately it was Cody who
15:45came out on top and ended Roman's historic title reign.
15:49The Raw after Mania saw Rock confronting the new WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes and
15:55told him that he would be coming for him very soon before going out.
16:00This is the best the WWE can do right now.
16:03Cody's hot, he's a babyface, The Rock is hot, and he's a heel.
16:08Why not book a single feud between them?
16:11The Rock has already shown interest in working with Cody and the fact that he pinned Rhodes
16:15at night 1 puts him in the perfect position to challenge the new champion.
16:20It will help Cody propel himself to even greater heights as well.
16:24However, many fans still expect The Rock to turn on Roman Reigns to become a good guy
16:28again, but who are we to say that?
16:31The Rock is playing the heel character to perfection, so why end it now?
16:36Why not keep this going?
16:38Well the end goal of The Rock coming back to WWE is for him to face Roman Reigns and
16:43this match has to happen at some point.
16:46People expect Reigns to be the bad guy, but what if the dynamic is the Tribal Chief being
16:50positioned as the fan favorite and Rock portraying the hated heel?
16:55Now that Reigns' historic title run has ended, he no longer possesses the power within
17:00the bloodline.
17:01This could lead to a dissension within the group and Rock taking control of the bloodline,
17:06a group that Roman started.
17:09The clash between Rock and Reigns remains the inevitable conclusion and the Tribal Chief
17:14stands to gain the most if WWE successfully navigates his current character journey alongside
17:19The Great One's commitment to his heel persona.
17:23This new character of The Rock also allows for more future storylines in WWE.
17:28The Rock's rival from the past Triple H is running things in WWE, and with The Rock
17:33being a heel on the board of TKO, gives the possibility of a power struggle storyline
17:38in the company.
17:40History has shown that when The Rock adopts a villainous persona, those around him tend
17:44to thrive.
17:46Ask Mick Foley, ask Stone Cold Steve Austin, hell, ask Hurricane, they have all benefited
17:53from a villainous Rock.
17:55It is only a matter of time before current WWE stars get the benefit of him being a heel.
18:01Lastly, WWE is in need of a powerful authority figure, and who's better to play that role
18:08than The Rock?