10 Fascinating Facts About Famous Wrestling Promos

2. The Rock Launched His Huge Fame With An Ad-lib

CM Punk Eddie Kingston
WWE Network

Steve Austin was joined by The Rock as the other most successful star of WWE's most successful ever period. The Rock also used the more improvisational philosophy to develop his character.

Roman Reigns is the biggest star in wrestling and demanded control over a new character in order to reach that position. Cody Rhodes just cut the best promo on WWE TV this year, and it was so obviously his own. There's a pattern here. But there are several writers, so f*ck you.

In a very entertaining promo battle presented when Steve Austin was fine-tuning the megastar version of the Stone Cold act during late '97, Austin shrugged at the demand to defend his Intercontinental Title against the Rock. "I already done whooped his ass once," Austin reasoned. God, vintage Austin was so good. He couldn't work too often because he was still recovering from the broken neck he had suffered at SummerSlam, but he was so great that he didn't draw the ire of fans for standing off from a fight. His deadpan delivery was simply too funny. He asked if Vince was going to fire him.

This was also the genesis of vintage Rock; in an improvised moment, he grabbed the mic.

"The Rock thinks you should fire him," he ad-libbed, developing a megastar promo style in the process.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!