The Rock: “Truly an honor to perform this Sunday at Wrestlemania”

In a post on Instagram, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson said that it will be truly his honor to perform this Sunday at WrestleMania for WWE fans and recounted a story of what happened after he made his debut at WrestleMania 13 back in 1997. “They boo’d me because I wasn’t being real. I was told by the company how to act, how to respond to fans and the worst part of all.. I was told what to say and what not to say,” Johnson said. He added that after his WrestleMania 13 match, he lost the Intercontinental title and was sent home to recover from an injury, something that didn’t matter because he wasn’t drawing any money and the fans didn’t care that he was gone. Johnson said that a week before he was supposed to come back to WWE television, Vince McMahon personally called him and asked him if he wants to be a heel. “I said ‘Great, but I have one request… give me 2 minutes on the microphone on live TV and let me be myself. Be real and authentic. I gotta be me,’” he recounted. McMahon agreed and when he got back he cut a promo that, “was from the heart, real and authentic.” Because of this, Johnson said that he will be…just himself this coming Sunday at WrestleMania and promised to “rock” the place.

Colin Vassallo has been editor of Wrestling-Online since 1996