Dwayne Johnson returned in the RAW: Day-1 event on January 1, where he used ‘The People’s Elbow’ move. Johnson began his wrestling career in 1996 and later debuted in WWE, then WWF, as Rocky Maivia, which he later changed to The Rock.
The WWE superstar hails from the Anoa’i wrestling family, where most of Dwayne’s relatives are connected to the wrestling industry in one way or another. A few years back, the ‘Brahma Bull’ explained the origin story of his in-ring name, which later became an iconic identity for himself and his legacy.
Dwayne Johnson pens emotional message after owning his ring name
Dwayne Johnson’s ring name, “The Rock” holds a very special place in his heart. This name gave him the global recognition that he has today. Recently, ‘The Great One’ joined the Board of Directors of the TKO Group, and according to rumors his famous nickname will finally be owned by him as he has the rights to his nickname and nobody can use that due to his new deal with the company.
After officially joining the company’s board, The Rock shared the good news on his Instagram. Where he wrote, “Cheers to this unprecedented and historic deal – granted full ownership of “The Rock” trademark. The Rock is a wild S.O.B. and at times, a complete lunatic who’s given me everything- including the greatest gift of all…Becoming The Rock allowed me to be myself. Authentic, real, grateful, and crazy. To fully own it all, is truly unprecedented & historic and means everything to me and my family. All the blood, sweat & earned respect.”
The owner of Seven Bucks Productions later issued an official statement, expressing his commitment to helping the company expand worldwide. He mentioned that he would strive to represent the interests of both the athletes and performers within the company, putting his best efforts into making the aspirational wrestlers’ dreams come true. Additionally, he pledged to deliver ample entertainment for audiences around the world.
The origin story of “The Rock” name
Dwayne Johnson’s name in WWE in the initial stage was Rocky Maivia, but then he sustained an injury and had to go on hiatus for some time. Upon his return, his wrestling persona turned heel, and he began referring to himself as “The Rock” from a third-person perspective.
Owen Hart vs Rocky Maivia, 1997. @TheRock pic.twitter.com/vy6TfYTitV
— 90s WWE (@90sWWE) June 6, 2021
During an interview with WIRED, Dwayne shared the story behind his name. He explained how the name comes from his father Rocky Johnson and how Rocky Maivia was pitched to him by WWE founder Vince McMahon at the start of his career.
“I used to throw around 300-pound men for a living and get my a– kicked. And then my original wrestling name was Rocky Maivia, which was a combination of my dad’s first name and my grandfather’s last name because both of them were pro wrestlers, So my name became Rocky Maivia, and when it was first pitched to me from Vince McMahon, he said, ‘I got your name, and I want it to be Rocky Maivia. What do you think?’ I say I hate it.”
“And eventually, when I became a bad guy, it got truncated down to The Rock. A guy who was my father figure, Pat Patterson… He said, ‘What if we called you The Rock?’ I said I loved it. And he goes, ‘Ok, you’re The Rock.'”
The Rock will likely appear in WrestleMania 40 in April. He once said in an interview that he likes it when people call him by his ring name. According to the him, this name is the legacy that he built with his own hand and any avid WWE fan will recognize that name as he is a wrestler first then a Hollywood star.
What do you think about Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s in-ring name origin? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
