10 Most Heated WWE Crowd Reactions Ever

1. Monday Night RAW - March 24, 2003

John Cena Crowd Reactions
WWE.com

When The Rock made his entrance for the show-closing Rock Concert, the reaction wasn't nuclear. It was mixed - he played a fantastic heel, but the much of the audience respected him too much to universally hate him. At least, at first.

He sucked up to the crowd initially. "The Rock is so happy. Why? Because The Rock is right here in Sacramento!" It was classic bait and switch. "The absolute best part about being here in Sacramento is about in an hour and a half, when The Rock is gonna leave Sacramento!"

The songs he played during the ensuing Rock Concert were impossible not to like. They all sounded exactly the same, but it didn't matter. The repurposed lyrics were absolutely priceless. Rock was booed out of the building after one such line, drawing a deafening reaction that might be as loud - if not sustained - as anything ever heard at a WWE show. It was the sound of pure fury, distilled. "Sacramento, Sacramento I won't stay - but I'll be sure to come back when the Lakers beat the Kings in May!" Rock sold it like a cackling sh*theel, drawing yet more fury.

The rivalry between the LA Lakers and the Sacramento Kings was massively heated at that point; the previous year saw some of the most questionable and controversial officiating in NBA history, gifting a game to the Lakers when the Kings were in the form of their lives.

It was a rare instance of cheap, local heat resonating with a wider audience, which Jerry Lawler helped on commentary with his almost giddy impressions.

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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!