The Undertaker shares surprising first impression of The Rock
WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker's first meeting with The Rock wasn't exactly a vote of confidence, but their paths would take some legendary turns.
Before electrifying audiences as The People's Champ, Dwayne Johnson started as Rocky Maivia at the 1996 Survivor Series. His character was a squeaky clean babyface, and fans weren't buying it, and his career seemed to be doomed before the wild Attitude Era arrived.
The 51-year-old WWE star's former gimmick was flushed and replaced by the electrifying persona of The Rock, which happens to be one of the greatest wrestling reinventions ever. Even The Deadman, who initially doubted him, had to admit that The Brahma Bull was just getting started and was a force to be reckoned with.
Speaking on his Six Feet Under podcast, The Undertaker recalled his first impression of Dwayne Johnson, revealing early doubts about the future superstar's potential.
"I remember when (he was) coming out in the Garden (MSG) he had the funny colored thing on and whole...I was like this kid ain't gonna make it, he's got to change...no, he's dead in the water."
The 58-year-old WWE legend added:
"He's the American dream...he wanted to play football that fell through. There are a lot of times when something like that happens people cave and they never rebound and he was just always...even when I thought he s**ked, he was always motivated. And he wasn't like having a pity party, he was picking people's brains and he was around the guys that knew what the hell was going on." [0:13 - 1:25]
Check out the full video below:
The Rock officially joined The Bloodline on WWE SmackDown
The latest episode of Friday Night SmackDown at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, was a sold-out arena. This was due to the massive return of Roman Reigns and The Brahma Bull since the controversial WrestleMania XL Kickoff Press Event.
The Tribal Chief, Paul Heyman, Solo Sikoa, and Jimmy Uso entered the ring to welcome the newest Bloodline member after nearly one-and-a-half years. Reigns introduced The Rock as a part of the most dominant faction in WWE history.
The 51-year-old legend also cranked things up a notch as he came out with an attire resembling his Attitude Era persona. Dwayne Johnson went full heel as he ended his promo with the iconic "If you smell what The Bloodline is cooking" line.
The Brahma Bull also raised his finger in unison with the Anoa'i family members, solidifying their alliance and sending a clear message to state they are in control.
What did you think of The Undertaker's first impression about The Rock? Sound off in the comments section below.
If you use the quotes from the first half of this article, please credit Six Feet Under with Mark Calaway and add an H/T to Sportskeeda for the transcript.