Rock 25: The Legacy

This week marks 25 years since Dwayne The Rock Johnson first debuted on WWF/E TV screens. At the time I'm sure folks saw potential he wasn't nicknamed the "Blue Chipper" for nothing, but no one could have predicted the massive star he has become within the world of wrestling and in Hollywood. 

Inside the ring he may not have been the most technical wrestler, but damnit he was exciting to watch. He's ability to sell a move is top 5 along with Curt Henning, Ric Flair, Scott Hall and Shawn Michaels in my opinion. He made simple moves like the People's Elbow and Rock Bottom something fans anticipated every night. His little nuances like the People's Eyebrow and the way he turned his head at times drew people in.

He found his footing when he joined The Nation of Domination, and really took off when he became not only the leader of the Nation of Domination, but the ruler of the Nation of Domination. From there his career skyrocketed as one of the franchise players during the attitude and ruthless agression era's. Engaging in classic matches with Stone Cold, Triple H, Mankind, Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar.

The Brahma Bull, The Great One, The People's Champ. Thee Most Electrifying man in sports entertainment. All of these nicknames ring true for The Rock. Just go back and watch old clips of his promos or during his various returns to the E, and you will see how he has the audience in the palm of his hands.

As a kid watching wrestling during the height of the attitude era. The Rock was just  maybe a notch below Samuel L. Jackson on the cool motherfucker scale. He had swagger, his clothes matched his persona. His quotable catchphrases my goodness there are too many to count. It doesn't matter, Know Your Role, Lay The Smackdown, Jabroni If You Smell??, Finally!!.... Boots 2 Asses and I'm sure there are many more I'm forgetting.

The only superstar to have a show named after his catchphrase of course we're talking about Smackdown. He had a Pay-per-view named after his finishing move, 1998's Rock Bottom PPV. It's a little more common now but back in the early 2000s no superstar had a song named after them or their catchphrase. What song you may ask? Wyclef Jean's It Doesn't matter.

Then a really 3 minute role in 2001's Mummy Returns as The Scorpion King, convinced Hollywood executives he was a star. Soon he was starring in 2002's The Scorpion King and 2003's The Rundown. Within a couple years he was off to Hollywood permanently, coming across a few misses before hitting his stride after helping rejuvenate the Fast and Furious franchise with Fast Five.

He blazed the trail for Hollywood to look at fellow wrestlers like John Cena, Batista, The Miz, and even Sasha Banks who I think is the next star to appear in more Hollywood films. He is now a bona-fide Hollywood star, power player and entrepreneur. His Teramana tequila is top of the line in my opinion. His energy drink Zoa is my preference. While I'm on the cheaper side and can't convince myself to buy his Project Rock gear from Under Armour I respect the hustle. Even his semiautobiographical TV show "Young Rock" I enjoyed more than I thought.

When we look at the landscape of wrestling, I believe fans truly did not understand or appreciate the legend and legendary moments we were witnessing anytime he appeared during the late 90s/early 2000s. The Rock has a undeniable legacy within the world of wrestling and Hollywood, and I'm not sure there will ever be another star as big as he has become. 

If you smell what The Rock is Cookin.