The Rock Details ‘Baptism By Fire’ At Age 24 At WWE Survivor Series

The Rock has discussed his first outing in WWE and why it was a baptism by fire for him. 

The Rock debuted in WWE in 1996 at Survivor Series, which was held at the long-lasting Madison Square Garden in Latest York. In his interview with Mark Kerr for “Sports Illustrated,” he shared feeling nervous ahead of his first match, facing the pressure of performing in front of a passionate audience.

“But I’ll always remember, man, similar to you backstage, nervous in front of twenty-two,000, especially — similar to in Brazil — similar to for me in Latest York City, Madison Square Garden. If it doesn’t go well, that is your debut. In case you don’t win that tournament, okay, well, possibly you are going to make something of yourself, possibly you will not. If I do not perform for that Latest York City crowd, it’s hardcore, they get a way that you simply’re done,” said The Rock.

He also recalled the words Vince McMahon told him before the match, after learning he was going to win. The Rock thanked the opposite wrestlers — a few of them legends of professional wrestling — for helping him reach his first steps within the business.

“So luckily that night, I give quite a lot of credit to my fellow wrestlers who were like, ‘Hey kid, it is a big opportunity for you,’ because — by the best way — Vince told me, got here to me earlier that afternoon, and he goes, ‘Do you already know what the finish of the match is?’ I’m going, ‘No.’ He goes, ‘You are going over.’ ‘The entire thing?’ He goes, ‘The entire thing. You are either going to sink or swim, and that is going to be baptism by fire.'”

Within the Survivor Series match, The Rock — often known as Rocky Maivia — teamed with Jake Roberts, Marc Mero, and Barry Windham against the team of Triple H, Goldust, Jerry Lawler, and Crush. The Rock got off to a robust start in his profession, emerging as the only real survivor.

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