Things can change quickly, especially in a decade. Ten years ago, Dwayne Johnson has the most hated face in the second most popular professional wrestling organization. By the way, a face is pro-wrestling slang for ‘good guy’ character. He changed into a crude heel or ‘bad guy’ and now a decade later, he’s the talk of the Walt Disney Company. The newest Disney film, ‘The Game Plan’, stars ‘The Rock.’ In promoting the movie, the Disney synergy machine has decided to have a ‘Rock Block’, putting Johnson on two popular shows, ‘Hannah Montana’ and ‘Cory in the House’. Let’s look back on the career of ‘The Most Electrifying Athlete in Sports Entertainment’.

Dwayne has plenty of roots in the pro-wrestling industry. His grandfather (Mother’s father), Peter Maivia, was a wrestler and promoter. His father, Rocky Johnson, was a wrestler, who held the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championships with Tony Atlas. The significance of this was that Rocky Johnson & Tony Atlas were the first all African American tag team to hold the belts. Two of Dwayne’s uncles also held the WWF Tag Belts, Afa and Sika Anoai (The Wild Samoans). Dwayne’s cousins have also entered the family business with some success. Matthew Anoai (AKA Rosey) won half of the WWE (The WWF changed its name to WWE in 2002.) Tag Belts. Edward Fatu (AKA Umaga) was recently the WWE Intercontinental Champion. Solofa Fatu (AKA Rikishi) was both a Tag Team Champion and Intercontinental Champion. His most successful family member was the late Rodney Anoai (AKA Yokozuna), who not only held a share of the WWF Tag Team belts, but also the company’s top honor, WWF Champion. Enough of the fake wrestling lesson, back to Dwayne.

Dwayne first gain some notoriety being a standout football player in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Dwayne would walk on the University of Miami football team. For those of you not familiar with college football, especially in the 1980’s, the University of Miami Hurricanes dominated the 1980’s, winning 3 national (1983, 1987, 1989) and consistently finishing in the top 10. While at Miami, Johnson played on the 1991 National Championship team. However, during that season an injury sidelined Dwayne. He was replaced by future National Football League All-Pro, Warren Sapp.

After seeing that a career in football was probably not going to happen, Dwayne went into the family business. Dwayne was quickly rushed up in the wrestling industry, due to his athletic talents and charisma. He took on the character, Rocky Maivia (a mixture of his father’s and grandfather’s names). At this time in history, Vincent McMahon’s World Wrestling Federation had fallen on hard times. Time Warner’s World Championship Wrestling, which came with the company’s purchase of Turner Broadcasting, had taken the lead in pro-wrestling. McMahon and Vinny Russo (the WWF’s head writer at the time) were looking for something to change the tide. They felt Dwayne was their answer. Dwayne was turned into a ‘good boy’ like character. McMahon & Russo decided to put the Intercontinental belt on Johnson, having defeat future wrestling legend, Triple H. However, something went terribly wrong. The tastes of wrestling fans changed. Fans were tired of the ‘good boy’ image. However, Johnson lack of display of wrestling skills and charisma did not play into this. OK, I lied. The lack of display of wrestling skills and charisma really angered fans. The fans booed Rocky Maivia at every turn. He lost the title in the United States to the late Owen Hart, who was playing an Anti-American character, to thunderous applauses. Dwayne was taken off television to work on his wrestling and mic skills. WWF management decided to bring back Rocky as a heel.

This Youtube video shows the change.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/v/PhlXFY8vXDI

Rocky Maivia was no more…Dwayne Johnson was now The Rock. The Rock showed ability in the ring as a performer. However, Dwayne’s mic abilities made him world famous. The Rock would go on silly rants, which excited crowds. In his rants, the Rock would call his opponents, “rudy poo, candy a**,” and telling them that he would take them to the corner of ‘Know Your Roll Boulevard’ and “Jabroni Drive’ to the ‘Smackdown Hotel.’ He also threatened people that he would shove things where the sun doesn’t shine. (Very Disney like) The Rock often belittled his opponents as the videos below show.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/v/gm4CTv0Kz48
Dwayne was such a great public speaker that the Republican Party gave him a primetime slot at their 2000 National Convention. The Rock antics did not keep him a heel for long. Seeing the writing on the wall, Vince McMahon, who was back on top of the wrestling world with the top wrestling promotion, changed the Rock back to a face in 1999, but changed little else. The Rock would go on to win the WWF Intercontinental belt again, the WWF Tag Team belts, and the top belt, the WWF Championship.

In 2001, Universal was going to film the sequel to the film, “The Mummy.” The director saw something in Dwayne and offered him a small role as “The Scorpion King” in the film, “The Mummy Returns.” Universal Execs saw much potential in the character and the actor, greenlighting a prequel, entitled, “The Scorpion King” starting Dwayne Johnson. The prequel film was a box office success, allowing Dwayne to have a movie career. Many pro wrestlers attempted to have a movie career before the Rock, like Hulk Hogan and Rowdy Roddy Pipper with some, but mostly little success. (Andre the Giant had success in the movies in films like “The Princess Bride.”)

It’s funny that Disney Channel is pushing a professional wrestler, who made a career, calling others, “monkey a**”. (Let’s not forget Dwayne was playing a character.) In one of the promos, people were excited that Rock was in the White House. In the real world, I’m sure more people would be more interested in the guy, whose finger is on the button, than a pro wrestler.

Anyways, the Rock has come a long way. In the past 10 years, he turned from a hated face to a beloved heel. Dwayne has made a mark on the film world. Now, the Rock has turned his sights from the WWE title to Disney.

In the words of the Rock, “Finally…the Rock has come to Disney Channel. If you smell…what the Rock is cooking.”