WWE SmackDown Debut Wrestlers: Where Are They Now?
3. The Rock
The Rock became The People’s Champion in 1999, and finally started emerging as WWE’s next franchise player. He, alongside Steve Austin, defined the Attitude Era for everyone who tuned in, and it’s hard to imagine WWE making it through the Monday Night Wars without them.
Rocky was still technically a heel on SmackDown’s first show, but he was well on his way to becoming the biggest star in the business. He’d won the fans over with his sharp wit and electric charisma, and became WWE’s chief protagonist through Austin’s injury absence. Rocky made his first foray into acting with The Mummy Returns in 2001, The Scorpion King the following year, and eventually returned with his highly successful (but all too brief) Hollywood Rock gimmick in 2003.
It soon became apparent that The Rock had outgrown professional wrestling, however. His Hollywood star was growing, and by 2004, Rocky was out of wrestling all together. He has since become the highest paid actor on the planet, one of the world’s most prominent celebrities, and the biggest crossover star in professional wrestling history.
The Rock hasn’t forgotten his roots and still sticks his head through WWE’s door every now and then, but he’s set for a busy 2017. With a number of major blockbusters including Baywatch, Jumanji, and The Fate of the Furious in the works, The Rock looks set to retain his status as Hollywood’s biggest star, and has even floated the idea of running for US President in 2020.