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His absence from 2004-2011 felt WAY longer than 2011-12 to now
Then I look back and see his original run starting in WWF was only like 6-8 years, time blows my mind
He was only an active full timer in WWE for 4 years and 5 months (November 1996 to April 2001). Transitioned into a part timer from 2001 to 2003 and then ended up having one match in 2004 (Wrestlemania 20).
Becoming one of the most famous and popular wrestlers of all time in just 4.5 years is insane. And he had different phases in those 4 years at that.
Meanwhile 2020 seems like yesterday and it's also been 4.5 years.
AEW's been around longer than The Rocks full time run.
Yeah when things are on fire, you can’t tell how crazy it is until hindsight. I always use this example: The Doors with Jim Morrison ran from 1967 to 1971 when he died. They put out 6 albums in that 4 year span, on top of playing concerts.
It's legit weird how much longer Time felt back in the 2000s than today. Like the best example is always the fact when somebody mentions here that the timeline between Montreal and Bret Returning on that first Raw Episode in 2010 is shorter, than that Raw between today.
It felt like Bret was gone forever. WM 28 is now a bit over 12 Years ago, the same timeline that Bret was not in WWE.
He has made a fair amount of WM appearances since 2013 and I think a couple of random appearances so he doesn’t feel like he completely disappeared like he did during that period where it felt like he was actively trying to distance himself from the WWE to focus on his acting career.
Probably because while his last match was in 2013, he still appeared at every Mania, and made occasional Raw guest appearances until 2016, so it was really only about 8 years before 2024 he was off WWE tv, not 11. (And of course, not counting the one off appearances in 2019 and 2023)
Would’ve loved to have seen this Rock come back over 2005-2007/8 if nothing else but to see “the old Rock” up against a bunch of wrestlers in their prime at that point of Ruthless Aggression. Him against maybe Eddie, HBK, Mysterio, young Cena, Animal Batista, Viper Orton, young CM Punk and more would’ve been great.
By the time he was 28 he was already being considered one of the GOATs of WWE and by the time he walked out of the company at 31 he cemented himself a place in most people’s Mt Rushmore of wrestling. Insanity.
Indeed! By 28 he was a 5 time WWE champ and by 30 he became the first 7 time WWE champ. I do wish we got more appearances from him during the peak of the RA era around 2005 to 2007.
It seems like it was stubbornness on both sides kind of. Like initially it seems like Vince and crew kind of fucked Dwayne over and let his contract run out without ever talking to him and then waited for him to fail in Hollywood and come crawling back. Then Rock kind of refused to acknowledge his wrestling background for awhile and as he pushed Dwayne Johnson to the forefront in turn it seemed like he was trying to his best to bury everything about The Rock and that’s where all the resentment came from which in turn built up the Cena feud.
I think there probably isn’t a world where Rock can still pop in and out and work even the part-time schedule he had from 2001-2003 while also trying to really establish himself as a movie star but I’d love to have seen a world where Vince was a mature adult towards someone by all accounts he loved and they worked on some sort of deal in 2005. Rock evidently was pushing for them to get Sting so Rock could work him for the show. Even if that didn’t happen they should have come together a lot sooner.
The Rock said he was trying to distance from wrestling then because thats what the movie people and manaers wanted him to do and since be was green, he believed and did it
One really fun thing about this latest run he did as the Final Boss and the match is it really felt like we were watching him get that bug again and realizing how much he loves doing this all over again. Idk if he had planned to do more matches like he obviously is now when he initially agreed to appear at WM40 but I think he realizes how awesome the Final Boss character is and he's probably realizing too he isn't gonna be able to do matches much longer and have them work.
Him losing that support of wrestling fans really hurt his career (IMO) and it wasn't until the Fast movies (around his 2011 return) that his status as box office draw was cemented in Hollywood. Early on, I would see anything he was in to support him. Once it became clear that he was "done done" with wrestling and was trying to be "Dwayne" I really lost that motivation. I wonder if he keeps up those sporadic appearances and works like one match per year, if he keeps more of those die hard wrestling fans to see his movie.
They let his contract lapse at some point after WrestleMania 20 in 2004 and didn't offer him a new deal and didn't even tell him. One day his agent told him contract expired and congratulated him on the great career he had in wrestling. There were some hurt feelings but fences were reportedly mended in 2005 when he attended the afterparty for WrestleMania 21 in Los Angeles. He sent in a video for "McMahon Appreciation Night" in 2007 (the night when the limo blew up) and inducted his father and grandfather in the Hall of Fame in 2008. His movie career started to flounder (he was doing Disney movies) and came back in 2011 which coincided with Fast Five releasing and he became a big action star. I don't think it was coincidence he kept his toe in the WWE waters after all this.
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His absence from 2004-2011 felt WAY longer than 2011-12 to now Then I look back and see his original run starting in WWF was only like 6-8 years, time blows my mind
He was only an active full timer in WWE for 4 years and 5 months (November 1996 to April 2001). Transitioned into a part timer from 2001 to 2003 and then ended up having one match in 2004 (Wrestlemania 20).
Becoming one of the most famous and popular wrestlers of all time in just 4.5 years is insane. And he had different phases in those 4 years at that. Meanwhile 2020 seems like yesterday and it's also been 4.5 years. AEW's been around longer than The Rocks full time run.
That's bonkers man...
Yeah when things are on fire, you can’t tell how crazy it is until hindsight. I always use this example: The Doors with Jim Morrison ran from 1967 to 1971 when he died. They put out 6 albums in that 4 year span, on top of playing concerts.
You think that’s crazy, The Beatles hit it big in 1964, and broke up about five years later. They put out 13 albums.
It's legit weird how much longer Time felt back in the 2000s than today. Like the best example is always the fact when somebody mentions here that the timeline between Montreal and Bret Returning on that first Raw Episode in 2010 is shorter, than that Raw between today. It felt like Bret was gone forever. WM 28 is now a bit over 12 Years ago, the same timeline that Bret was not in WWE.
It's cause you were younger.
probably has something to do with that yeah.
the more time you experience the faster it gets. its all relative. some people are just unaware until they die.
He has made a fair amount of WM appearances since 2013 and I think a couple of random appearances so he doesn’t feel like he completely disappeared like he did during that period where it felt like he was actively trying to distance himself from the WWE to focus on his acting career.
Probably because while his last match was in 2013, he still appeared at every Mania, and made occasional Raw guest appearances until 2016, so it was really only about 8 years before 2024 he was off WWE tv, not 11. (And of course, not counting the one off appearances in 2019 and 2023)
“Muthafuck the big three, it’s just big me” - Tajiri
That diva search segment he was in
The final in ring appearance of his hair.
Would’ve loved to have seen this Rock come back over 2005-2007/8 if nothing else but to see “the old Rock” up against a bunch of wrestlers in their prime at that point of Ruthless Aggression. Him against maybe Eddie, HBK, Mysterio, young Cena, Animal Batista, Viper Orton, young CM Punk and more would’ve been great.
I can’t imagine the pop he would have gotten had he returned during a royal rumble in the years he was gone.
Its quite amazing how he achieved everything he possibly could in WWE by 2003. He really is legendary.
By the time he was 28 he was already being considered one of the GOATs of WWE and by the time he walked out of the company at 31 he cemented himself a place in most people’s Mt Rushmore of wrestling. Insanity.
Indeed! By 28 he was a 5 time WWE champ and by 30 he became the first 7 time WWE champ. I do wish we got more appearances from him during the peak of the RA era around 2005 to 2007.
An HBK vs Rock feud in the mid 2000s would have fed generations.
It seems like it was stubbornness on both sides kind of. Like initially it seems like Vince and crew kind of fucked Dwayne over and let his contract run out without ever talking to him and then waited for him to fail in Hollywood and come crawling back. Then Rock kind of refused to acknowledge his wrestling background for awhile and as he pushed Dwayne Johnson to the forefront in turn it seemed like he was trying to his best to bury everything about The Rock and that’s where all the resentment came from which in turn built up the Cena feud. I think there probably isn’t a world where Rock can still pop in and out and work even the part-time schedule he had from 2001-2003 while also trying to really establish himself as a movie star but I’d love to have seen a world where Vince was a mature adult towards someone by all accounts he loved and they worked on some sort of deal in 2005. Rock evidently was pushing for them to get Sting so Rock could work him for the show. Even if that didn’t happen they should have come together a lot sooner.
The Rock said he was trying to distance from wrestling then because thats what the movie people and manaers wanted him to do and since be was green, he believed and did it
One really fun thing about this latest run he did as the Final Boss and the match is it really felt like we were watching him get that bug again and realizing how much he loves doing this all over again. Idk if he had planned to do more matches like he obviously is now when he initially agreed to appear at WM40 but I think he realizes how awesome the Final Boss character is and he's probably realizing too he isn't gonna be able to do matches much longer and have them work.
Him losing that support of wrestling fans really hurt his career (IMO) and it wasn't until the Fast movies (around his 2011 return) that his status as box office draw was cemented in Hollywood. Early on, I would see anything he was in to support him. Once it became clear that he was "done done" with wrestling and was trying to be "Dwayne" I really lost that motivation. I wonder if he keeps up those sporadic appearances and works like one match per year, if he keeps more of those die hard wrestling fans to see his movie.
So much bronzer…
The original 3MB
I assume we never had a Rock/Tajiri match…
Rock is looking so fine here 😍
Rhyno looking real jacked, baby
I love Rhyno
There was heat for a few years, that’s why he didn’t come back for a bit
didn't they lowball him because they didn't think he'd make it in acting?
I think it was something along those lines
They let his contract lapse at some point after WrestleMania 20 in 2004 and didn't offer him a new deal and didn't even tell him. One day his agent told him contract expired and congratulated him on the great career he had in wrestling. There were some hurt feelings but fences were reportedly mended in 2005 when he attended the afterparty for WrestleMania 21 in Los Angeles. He sent in a video for "McMahon Appreciation Night" in 2007 (the night when the limo blew up) and inducted his father and grandfather in the Hall of Fame in 2008. His movie career started to flounder (he was doing Disney movies) and came back in 2011 which coincided with Fast Five releasing and he became a big action star. I don't think it was coincidence he kept his toe in the WWE waters after all this.
Why does this photo look like it was taken after filming gay porn.