10 Fascinating WWE Backstage Facts About The Rock
1. He Refused To Ride With The Godfather Because Of His Smoking Habits
Travel is a major part of the wrestling business. You've got to get places, and teleporters have yet to be invented, so cross-country journeys are often the only way.
It's common for wrestlers to travel together when they are part of a stable, which is why Johnson often rode with his Nation of Domination partner Kama, real-name Charles Wright, but best known as The Godfather. However, while the pair did work together a lot, Johnson had to stop riding with Wright thanks to his love of marijuana.
Wright has never been shy about his cannabis usage and claimed on It's My Wrestling Podcast that he would spark up a joint as soon as they got in the car. This eventually caused Johnson, who doesn't smoke, to smell like the stuff constantly.
This might have been alright if Johnson weren't becoming such a star, but his fast-rising image meant he had many media appearances. This led to awkward exchanges with interviewers who mistakenly thought he'd been smoking. This happened enough times for Johnson to have to put a stop to it, refusing to travel with Wright anymore.
The Godfather really did lose one hell of a driving companion. But, he probably didn't mind, so long as he had something to smoke.