The Rock WWE Takeover: Backstage Politics In Movies, Wrestling & Beyond

WWE, Warner Bros, Universal Pictures, DC

At the start of 2024, Rock ‘The Dwayne’ Johnson pulled off a piece of WWE political scheming that would’ve had Machiavelli himself go: ‘fair-a-play, son, a-fair-a-play’

Johnson had successfully negotiated a position on the board of WWE’s parent company TKO, and loads of shares in it, ownership of The Rock intellectual property, and, according to some, the main event of WrestleMania XL.

In one fell swoop, The Rock had become Head of WWE Creative Paul Levesque’s biggest star, and his boss. Triple H, once thought to have been pro wrestling’s most successful backstage politician, just found himself between a Rock, and another Rock.

But it wasn’t always this way. In fact, it was the total opposite. Unlike other ‘Top Guy’ politicians in wrestling’s past, like Hulk Hogan and Shawn Michaels, The Rock stood out in the WWF because he refused to play the game. 

So what happened? The quick answer is: Hollywood. The longer answer is this article. This is The Rock’s WWE Takeover: Politicking In Movies, Wrestling & Beyond.

CHAPTER 1: THE GOOD ATTITUDE ERA

As soon as Pat Patterson saw a 24 year old Dwayne Johnson wrestle in a tryout match, he instantly recognised a main event star.

As Vince McMahon’s right hand man, Patterson fast-tracked Dwayne to his WWF debut later that year, where he’d introduce the gimmick that would launch him to superstardom… The Blue Chipper Rocky Maivia, complete with tassels. So many blue tassels.

The Rock later said that he was initially apprehensive about the gimmick, but Vince McMahon and Jim Ross convinced him it was a good idea. He would do what he was told, with minimal pushback – which would remain his attitude for the next decade plus.

After a negatively received one-dimensional babyface run, where many felt he was overpushed, he returned from injury in 1997, turned heel and debuted The Rock gimmick. By 1998, he was the most electric man in all of sports entertainment.

Between then and 2002, he won the WWE Championship seven times, had a whole new show named after his catchphrase SmackDown, and main evented WrestleMania three times against Stone Cold Steve Austin.

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