10 Things We Learned Attending WWE WrestleMania 40 Live

As a 36-year-old child of the New Generation and Attitude Eras, I have a complicated history with Dwayne Johnson.

I was always more of a 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin guy. Though he and Johnson were both unfathomably huge as my hobby became a lifelong addiction at the turn of the century, Austin's harder edge spoke to me more than fellow franchise player's sharp tongue, slick outfits, and flashiness. I liked The Rock, but I loved Austin, and it wasn't until long after Johnson had transitioned from wrestler to actor that I fully appreciated Dwayne's mastery.

My appreciation of 'The People's Champ' only grew with time. And like Austin, I never got to see him live. Growing up in Aberdeen, Scotland made doing so nigh-on impossible in my early teens.

So for me, WrestleMania 40 was a long time coming. And Dwayne did not underwhelm.

The Rock is a giant. A titan of this industry. My colleagues and I were sat near the top of Lincoln Financial Field, but still felt his presence. He is "aura" personified. His sheer force of personality projected to every single seat in that gargantuan building during an all-timer of a ring entrance and an in-ring performance demonstrating that while Johnson, at 51, likely had a hard night physically, his performance instincts remain sublime.

The 'Final Boss' is one of the finest phases of Rock's career. Seeing him live is a transcendent, fandom-changing experience that I will carry with me forever. As soon as his next match is announced, I'll be pricing a trip.

- AM