3 Times Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson saved the day for Vince McMahon
Dwayne Johnson, also known as The Rock, was seen as a top talent in WWE for an extended period. He became a major star during the 1990s, helping propel WWE to unprecedented heights in the world of professional wrestling. It was a mutually beneficial relationship that had a lasting impact in terms of success for both Johnson and the global juggernaut.
Some argue that The Rock played a role in the success of Vince McMahon, the former WWE Chairman. The People's Champ was once the industry's most beloved superstar. However, success can take on various forms.
Netflix's docuseries Mr. McMahon showed that the 79-year-old has experienced many challenges in his career. It also highlighted how often the superstars he developed have come to his rescue. Here are three instances where Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson helped Vince McMahon in difficult situations.
#3 The Rock was a key player in the infamous Attitude Era
The '90s is what many consider the peak of professional wrestling. With two major entities going head-to-head in a TV ratings battle week in and week out, it is hard not to agree with the notion.
Vince McMahon's WWE was one of those entities, but for the longest time, the battle swayed in favor of his opponent, WCW. However, all that changed when the legendary promoter decided to embrace the edgier side of pro wrestling as he introduced fans to the Attitude Era.
That said, a fancy new name and an edgier product were just two of the contributing factors to the success that followed for WWE. Another piece was undoubtedly the incredible characters from that era. One of which, as mentioned earlier, was The Rock.
The Great One, The People's Champ, The Brahma Bull, regardless of how you knew him, his popularity was undeniable, and he certainly played a part in making the global juggernaut what it is today.
#2 Dwayne Johnson saved Vince McMahon some blushes when he purchased the XFL
Dwyane Johnson has become quite the businessman following a very successful spell in WWE and an equally successful stint in Hollywood. From production companies to tequila, Johnson has dipped his toes in plenty of industries, and as recently as 2020, he ventured into American football.
Johnson, along with a group of investors, acquired the XFL from McMahon for a substantial sum of $15 million. The league had declared bankruptcy due to the sudden halt in operations caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. Rocky's timely intervention prevented a major blow to McMahon's reputation and finances.
#1 Johnson's decision to join TKO helped increase share prices
Business-wise, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is thriving, and recently, he became a part-owner of the very company he used to work for. Getting himself a seat on the TKO Group's Board of Directors, Johnson is officially an owner of WWE. Now, this may seem like a move that benefits The Final Boss alone, but in reality, it also greatly helped Vince McMahon.
On January 23, 2024, Dwayne Johnson joined TKO Group. Three days later, Vince McMahon announced his decision to leave both WWE and its parent company. A while later, McMahon sold his final shares. This netted him a cool $776 million, but it might have been less, if it weren't for Johnson. After all, his arrival at TKO saw shares surge nearly 10 percent.