Unraveling the Origin Tale of Hollywood Rock in WWE

The Rock Concert, a beloved WWE segment from the early 2000s, made a long-awaited comeback on this week’s WWE SmackDown, marking its return after nearly a decade. WWE went all out for the revival, even bringing back The Rock’s iconic Hollywood theme music, perfectly aligning with his heel persona from his earlier years.

The roots of The Rock Concert trace back to 2002 when The Rock was at a crossroads in his career, balancing wrestling with his acting pursuits. His loss of the WWE Championship to Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam that year left fans disheartened, feeling like their beloved star was drifting away from the squared circle. tempting to address their grievances, The Rock found himself drowned out by the crowd’s discontent. However, a year later, he made a striking return with a fresh persona – adorned in a buzzcut, sunglasses, black leather vest, and pants, and accompanied by a new entrance theme, dubbing himself ‘Hollywood Rock.’

This marked The Rock’s first foray into villainy in WWE since the Attitude Era, capturing the attention and imagination of fans once again. It was during this time that the multi-time champion reignited his storied rivalry with Stone Cold Steve Austin, culminating in their epic encounter at WrestleMania 19. His heel turn also sparked a memorable feud with Hulk Hogan, with both icons electrifying WWE audiences with their undeniable charisma.

However, The Rock’s recent concert on the blue brand stirred controversy backstage, as stars were outraged by the segment’s extended duration.

By 2004, The People’s Champion had officially parted ways with WWE as his contract expired, allowing him to focus entirely on his Hollywood career. Despite his departure, he continued to make sporadic appearances in the wrestling world, keeping the connection with his fans alive through occasional returns to the squared circle over the years.