WWE legend Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson spoke with Mark Kerr for Sports Illustrated about various topics, including his debut with the company at Survivor Series 1996 as Rocky Maivia.
Rock said, “But I’ll never forget, man, just like you backstage, nervous in front of 22,000, especially — just like in Brazil — just like for me in New York City, Madison Square Garden. If it doesn’t go well, that’s your debut.”
He continued, “If you don’t win that tournament, okay, well, maybe you’re going to make something of yourself, maybe you won’t. If I don’t perform for that New York City crowd, it’s hardcore, they get a sense that you’re done. So luckily that night, I give a lot of credit to my fellow wrestlers who were like, ‘Hey kid, this is a big opportunity for you,’ because — by the way — Vince told me, came to me earlier that afternoon, and he goes, ‘Do you know what the finish of the match is?’ I go, ‘No.’”
Rock added, “He goes, ‘You’re going over.’ ‘The whole thing?’ He goes, ‘The whole thing. You’re either going to sink or swim, and this is going to be baptism by fire.’”
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