He isn't having any of it.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's return to WWE this year has been a welcome gift for many fans of the successful Hollywood actor. But not all of The Rock's peers are happy about his participation recently.
Some WWE wrestlers have reportedly been disgruntled with the outsize amount of screen time The Rock gets compared to other wrestlers. Shane Helms, best known to WWE fans as The Hurricane, works as a backstage producer for the organization as well as a wrestler. In a recent interview on the Behind the Turnbuckle podcast, Helms was asked about some of the criticisms that The Rock is taking up other wrestlers' time on screen. The Hurricane was honest with his answer.
"The Rock ain’t taking nobody’s spot. The Rock’s spot is solidified. If he wants to show up, that’s his spot. That’s just how it’s gonna be, and people have to recognize that," he stated plainly. "That’s the same in any form of entertainment. You go to a comedy club. If Dave Chappelle shows up, somebody might get bumped. That’s just how it’s gonna be. That’s just how it is."
"When you got the level, stars have gravity. That’s why they’re stars. Nice little metaphor there. And when you got the kinda gravity that The Rock has, that’s gonna bring in these outside eyes and attention that he brings in, man. That’s just part of the game and you gotta learn to accept that," he added.
The Rock's next WWE appearance remains up in the air, as he's suggested he might not return to the ring until Wrestlemania XLI next year. WWE SmackDown airs Fridays on Fox and RAW airs every Monday night.
