The WWE has witnessed a wave of second-generation wrestlers who have risen to prominence! In a recent interview, a recognized WWE Hall of Famer shared insights into Dwayne Johnson’s initial challenges in the wrestling profession. Additionally, he expressed his discontent with certain alliances of The Rock within the WWE.
In 1996, The Rock made his debut in the WWE under the name Rocky Maivia. He started off as a fan favorite but later transformed into a villainous character that would go on to define his legacy. Mark Henry, a WWE Hall of Famer, recently shared some interesting insights about The Rock’s early career and expressed his frustration with certain living arrangements.
Henry discussed The Rock’s humble beginnings and the challenges he faced while living in an apartment in Connecticut. Many second-generation wrestlers have achieved great success in the WWE, and their family connections often gave them a unique advantage in the competitive wrestling industry. This topic was brought up during Henry’s guest appearance on the Kurt Angle Show, also known as the Busted Open podcast.
During a recent interview, Henry was questioned about his experience of sharing his time with Dwayne Johnson, also known as The Rock, in their early days in Connecticut. The two professional wrestlers were part of the WWE developmental program and went through a challenging journey together.
Henry fondly reminisced, “When he [The Rock] first arrived, he was facing financial difficulties. He didn’t have much with him, just a few bags that held all his belongings. At that time, I happened to have a two-bedroom apartment.”
Despite both of them facing financial constraints, Henry graciously offered The Rock a place to stay in his humble abode, which had an additional bedroom.
However, there was one particular thing that really annoyed Henry about him. He mentioned, “Second-generation wrestlers have a distinct advantage over everyone else because they understand storytelling and psychology. And even though they may not know how to hit the ropes themselves, they have witnessed it being done countless times.” Despite their inexperience in practical application, their extensive observation of techniques makes the learning and execution process much simpler.
He also mentioned that while they were working together, Dwayne Johnson displayed exceptional skills. Henry found it frustrating yet impressive how quickly Johnson grasped and executed wrestling moves with minimal practice. In an interview, Henry expressed his amazement, saying, “They would do three to five minutes of stuff, and I would be standing there thinking, ‘Look at this, he already knows.'” Despite the challenges of rehearsing with Johnson, Henry acknowledged his extraordinary abilities.
The Rock’s incredible display of athleticism, showcasing impressive leapfrogs and smooth drop-downs, revealed his natural talent despite initial struggles with technique. It left Henry in complete amazement.
Reflecting on the experience, Henry shared, “I came close to breaking my ribs when I tried to do the drop-downs on my first day.” Henry went on to recall several instances where he nearly injured himself attempting similar moves. He also acknowledged, “It took me quite some time to learn, while Dwayne already had it down, man.”
In doing so, he highlighted the contrast between his own learning curve and The Rock’s effortless mastery of the skills.
