Rocky Johnson Recalls The Rock and Shawn Michaels Getting Into It Backstage
No one knows Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson better than his father, WWE Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson.
A longtime dream match that never occurred in the squared circle was a bout between Shawn Michaels and The Rock. Rumors have why the match never happened ranged from Michaels' attitude to the timing never working out to The Rock never getting along with The Heartbreak Kid.
Speaking to Hannibal TV, Rocky Johnson shed a little light on why Michaels never went one-on-one with the The Great One.
"Shawn threw the (sweet chin music) and I guess he kicked him a little too hard. So, Dwayne went back in the dressing room and said, 'Hey man, you hit me a little too hard. Calm down.' But then, (Michaels) got smart with him, said, 'If you can't take it then you shouldn't be in this business.'
"Next thing you know, he's on the floor and Dwayne is on top of him."
Johnson did preface that story by saying that he wasn't there, it's just what he heard.
The most famous incident of Michaels hitting Rock with the sweet chin music took place on Aug. 26, 1999 during the very first SmackDown! It may also be the only time Michaels hit Rock with the kick, given that their paths never crossed from 1996-98 when Michaels was WWF champion and Rock has a rookie.
Michaels retired in early 1998, just as Rocky Maivia was transforming into The Rock. By the time Michaels returned full-time in 2002, Rock was in-and-out of the company due to his burgeoning film career.
