10 Fascinating WWE Backstage Facts About The Rock

10. Wrestling Initially Left Him So Broke He Nearly Quit

It's no secret that the wrestling industry can be a struggle for newcomers. The cost of travel, gear, beers, and more add up quickly, and it's not guaranteed that you'll earn much before making it big. This has led to plenty of hypothetical stars calling it quits before they can get the ball rolling, and The Rock came dangerously close to being one of them.

Dwayne Johnson started out in the industry with very little, especially during his developmental period before his debut as Rocky Maivia in 1996. At one particularly tough time, he turned to J.J. Dillon (an industry veteran who discussed this story on David Penzer's Sitting Ringside) and asked him to make some phone calls to "get me out of here [WWE]."

The Rock claimed he only had about two dollars in his pocket and wasn't sure if he could live like this, thanks to how vulnerable he felt. Thankfully, Dillon talked some sense into him and promised that he had a bright future ahead of him. He even loaned him some cash to keep him afloat, saving one of the biggest stars of his generation in the process.

Just think about that: money nearly became the reason why one of the biggest earning stars of WWE and Hollywood put a stop to his career. Perhaps this is a lesson in perseverance in the face of your dreams.