Shawn Michaels addressed long-standing rumors of a backstage rift with The Rock during an appearance on the 7 PM Show in Brooklyn, hosted by Carmelo Anthony and Kazeem Famuyide. The WWE Hall of Famer firmly pushed back against claims that he and Triple H treated The Rock poorly during his early days in the company.
While Michaels openly acknowledged his own arrogance earlier in his career, he noted that speculation about him having major issues with multiple superstars has often been exaggerated over the years. Interestingly, HBK also revealed his admiration for The Great One, naming a potential match with The Rock as one of his dream bouts.
Shawn Michaels Predicted The Rock’s Rise To Megastardom
Shawn Michaels reflected on one of the biggest what-if matches of his career, revealing that a showdown with The Rock was something fans, and even he himself, always wanted to see.
Speaking about the dream matchup, Michaels said, “That’s one I think everybody would have liked to have seen. By the time I came back, he was well off into his Hollywood career and stuff like that. Even when it comes to me, I’d pick him”.
Michaels also shared that he recognized The Rock’s star power long before his global rise, recalling a defining moment that stood out to him. “I remember seeing him on Saturday Night Live the first time and just thinking to myself, ‘Holy cow, this guy’s gonna be a huge star.’ What he’s done has been pretty damn impressive”.
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While the match never materialized, Michaels’ comments highlight both his admiration for ‘The Brahma Bull’ and the immense impact The Rock has had on the industry and beyond.
Shawn Michaels Denies All The Rumors Regarding Having Real-Life Tensions With The Rock
Shawn Michaels also addressed long-standing rumors about alleged backstage tension with The Rock, pushing back on the narrative that he and Triple H mistreated him during his early days.
Michaels said, “There is a big kerfluffle in the wrestling business about me and Hunter doing stuff to him and being mean”.
He went on to clarify that those claims stem largely from outdated perceptions, adding, “Things that, when he was younger, were said a lot. Later on, and to this day, we get along, and we talk about stuff”.
HBK also reflected on the challenges The Rock faced early in his WWE career. When he debuted in 1996 as Rocky Maivia, fans initially rejected his clean-cut babyface persona, even chanting “Rocky Sucks” during his matches.
Explaining the reaction, Michaels noted, “When he first came in, he was just Rocky Maivia’s [Rocky Johnson’s] son. He was one of the first legacies and people at that time were rebelling against that kind of stuff,” highlighting how difficult it was for The Rock to win over the audience in the beginning.
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The WWE NXT creative leader also noted that, like any locker room, there was a degree of teasing and hazing during that period. However, that phase ultimately became part of The Rock’s growth.
After stepping away to reassess his approach, the real-life Dwayne Johnson returned with a sharper edge and a more intense persona, one that would ultimately define his character and launch him into superstardom.
