10 Times WWE Wrestlers Escaped Booking Hell
8. The Rock
In retrospect, Rocky Maivia is easy to mock.
He debuted looking like an over-oiled stripper who’d survived a string of baby boy gender reveals. His dead eyes and fixed smile furthered this comparison. That said, he made history as WWE’s first third-generation superstar (his ring name in honour of his father and grandfather) and was the sole survivor in his debut elimination match (Survivor Series 1996). He also captured the Intercontinental Championship just three months into his tenure.
The fans’ reaction to the character makes the backlash faced by Roman Reigns look tempered, as he was regularly welcomed to boos, jeers, and “Die, Rocky, Die” chants. Dwayne Johnson played the role to the best of his abilities but much of the hatred was predetermined. Johnson was cast in the mould of a “New Generation” babyface, after WCW had already changed the face of Western professional wrestling and WWE was moving towards the Attitude Era.
When Johnson took time away due to injury, he returned as The Rock, a member of The Nation of Domination. The former hatred fuelled a star heel turn. Once given a microphone and freedom, The Rock took the industry, and all of pop culture, by storm.