Kemo
02-23-2020, 04:48 PM
Before becoming the People’s Champion, the Rock was given the gimmick of Rocky Maivia which wasn’t received very well by the fans and it wasn’t very long before people started turning on his character.
However, the Great One managed to turn the situation around and he went on to invent a character that is still remembered as one of the greatest gimmicks of the wrestling history.
During his recent interview with Oprah, The former Champion revealed that WrestleMania 13 was the starting point of this change and he recalled how his appearance at the show was the turning point of his career:
“It was a turning point in my career and it allowed me to grow. By the time I got to Chicago, 16,000 people were chanting ‘Rocky sucks.’ I remember laying there in the ring and the referee said to me ‘Don’t listen to them.’ It was crippling for me.”
Later in the interview, The Rock explained how after this, the WWE management realized that his gimmick was not working and they gave him permission to just be himself:
“At that time, the powers that be thought that this wasn’t going to work, and for whatever reason, people aren’t liking you. At that moment, it was very defining, because I asked them if I could just be myself and just go out there, speak to the crowd, and just be myself – authentic… At that time Vince [McMahon] said ‘You got it.'”
The former World Champion recalled how after getting the permission he grabbed the mic the next night on Raw. The promo he then cut was the start of his transformation and it was the beginning of his run as The Rock.
Apart from this, The Rock also talked about his tough childhood, his start in Hollywood and if he knew that he would become such an overnight sensation.
However, the Great One managed to turn the situation around and he went on to invent a character that is still remembered as one of the greatest gimmicks of the wrestling history.
During his recent interview with Oprah, The former Champion revealed that WrestleMania 13 was the starting point of this change and he recalled how his appearance at the show was the turning point of his career:
“It was a turning point in my career and it allowed me to grow. By the time I got to Chicago, 16,000 people were chanting ‘Rocky sucks.’ I remember laying there in the ring and the referee said to me ‘Don’t listen to them.’ It was crippling for me.”
Later in the interview, The Rock explained how after this, the WWE management realized that his gimmick was not working and they gave him permission to just be himself:
“At that time, the powers that be thought that this wasn’t going to work, and for whatever reason, people aren’t liking you. At that moment, it was very defining, because I asked them if I could just be myself and just go out there, speak to the crowd, and just be myself – authentic… At that time Vince [McMahon] said ‘You got it.'”
The former World Champion recalled how after getting the permission he grabbed the mic the next night on Raw. The promo he then cut was the start of his transformation and it was the beginning of his run as The Rock.
Apart from this, The Rock also talked about his tough childhood, his start in Hollywood and if he knew that he would become such an overnight sensation.