"That's why he does it" - Kurt Angle reveals the real reason why The Rock oversells in matches
The Rock is one of the best promo guys in pro wrestling history, and that sentiment was echoed recently by a WWE Hall of Famer, who added The Great One on his Mount Rushmore of wrestling for promos.
However, beyond his charismatic personality, The Rock was always a very adept in-ring worker, mainly known for his selling. Many fans would argue that The Rock sometimes had the annoying knack of overselling his opponents' moves.
During the latest episode of 'The Kurt Angle Show' on AdFreeShows, Kurt Angle explained why The Rock oversells in his matches. The Olympic gold medalist talked about his No Way Out 2001 match against The Rock on his podcast's episode.
According to Angle, selling was The Rock's biggest asset. Angle also addressed the fan criticism, noting that The Rock oversold because he wanted everyone to truly feel the emotion he was trying to portray.
"Dwayne is awesome. He was such a great athlete. He was always a step ahead, and, you know, his athleticism really came out in the ring, and his biggest asset is selling.
Kurt Angle said The Rock did it the right way as he wanted everyone watching the show to understand the impact of a move. Whether it was the fan sitting at home or the little girl up in the top row, The Rock wanted every viewer to see his face when he sold, and his over-the-top expressions and selling would always do the job.
"You know, a lot of people think he oversells; that's why he does it. He oversells because he wants everybody at home, every fan in the arena, twenty thousand people; he wants that little girl at the top of the rafter to see his selling, his face. So, he makes it visible to everybody, and he oversells. That's the way you're supposed to do it in pro wrestling. A lot of people undersell. Dwayne had it."
Angle said that The Rock was the best seller of the Ankle Lock, and that The Rock's in-ring style was based on effective selling.
"The Rock was the best, and that's because he let everybody see his face. A lot of people think that he oversells, but I think he is right on with it. You know, his style is all about selling. That's what he does best, and that's why he is so effective. Of course, you know, he can cut a promo better than anybody else, but, you know, the selling in the ring is what sells tickets, and he does it well."
Kurt Angle thinks Vince McMahon was also a great seller like The Rock
Kurt Angle also included Vince McMahon's name in the list of performers who understood the art of selling. Angle recalled McMahon telling the Superstars that the real money in pro wrestling lies in the emotions.
"Another guy that had it was Vince McMahon. He had the facials, you know. He just, 'You're fired!' You know, he would do these weird faces and stuff. He got it too because Vince always told us, 'the money is here; this is where you sell tickets, right here.' You know, you've got to show emotions. You've got to show when you're angry or scared or hurt, and those two were the best at it."
Do you agree with Kurt Angle's opinions about The Rock's overselling?
If any quotes are used from this article, please credit 'The Kurt Angle Show' and give a H/T to SK Wrestling