10 Wrestling Photos Taken Moments Before Disaster

5. A Snarling Rock Means Business

Shane McMahon WWE WrestleMania 39
WWE

The Rock is, at times anyway, a remarkably driven man devoid of empathy and self-awareness. The Rock is going to do what the Rock is going to do. 

He will - allegedly! - turn up several hours later for a movie shoot, wasting everybody's time and some people's money in the process, if he doesn't feel like being there yet. Ahead of WrestleMania 40, he swanned back into WWE. He must have waited for the adaptation before reading the room, because he thought there'd be no problem with this whatsoever. He thought taking the spot of the most universally beloved WWE babyface in years, perhaps even decades, would be copasetic. 

He generally gets what he wants and f*ck what you might think about it - and this ruthless streak manifested in very, very disturbing fashion at the 1999 Royal Rumble. 

This image captures the Rock snarling, ostensibly playing heel as he makes his entrance - but the photo takes on a disturbing quality when you consider what he was steeling himself to do: strike Mick Foley across the back of the head with several gruesome unprotected steel chair shots, more than was agreed-upon.

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!