Before he made his mark in Hollywood, Dwayne Johnson was a prominent figure in the world of wrestling. Initially rising to fame as a WWE star, he transitioned seamlessly into the film industry and became one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood. He has been quite open about the highs and lows of his journey to stardom, which includes a shift from football to convincing his father to let him pursue a career in wrestling.
He eventually made his debut in 1996 with the guidance of some influential figures in his life, which included his father, Rocky Johnson, and the WWE legend, Pat Patterson. And during a recent conversation with Joe Rogan, the Baywatch star recalled that Patterson criticized his punches after his first-ever WWE match.
Dwayne Johnson Recalled Pat Patterson’s Critical Remark
Dwayne Johnson has earlier shared how Pat Patterson was the one who suggested his name to Vince McMahon while he was training. During his recent interview on The Joe Rogan Experience, he recalled the late WWE star’s verdict on his first-ever match.
He had his first-ever match against The Brooklyn Brawler, which he won. The actor shared that as he came backstage, everyone, including Vince McMahon, started congratulating him and told him that he did a great job.
“I see Vince McMahon, he says, ‘You did a good job, but be prepared, I’m gonna give you a little bit more tomorrow,'” he recalled. However, when it came to the former WWE Intercontinental Champion, Pat Patterson, he had some critical notes on Johnson’s punching technique.
“I see Pat Patterson smoking a cigarette. ‘Come here for a second.’ And he goes, ‘Your punches, they f*cking suck,'” he shared. Patterson then told him that among many things that he needs to learn to make it big in this business, he would significantly need to learn to throw a great punch.
Dwayne Johnson Believed He Blew His Chance to Impress Pat Patterson
Talking to Joe Rogan, Dwayne Johnson shared that after three months of training, his father called Pat Patterson, who was known as Vince McMahon’s right-hand man at the time. The actor shared that he told him that he was training to get into the “wrestling business.”
The Jumanji star convinced Patterson to review his training. He agreed and came to see him train and asked him to work as a heel. Johnson did as he was advised, however, when he asked for his remarks, the former WWE Champion told him to keep working.
“Did I just f*ck?” Johnson recalled questioning himself, believing that he blew off his chance to impress such an influential figure in the business. However, Patterson had other plans for him, as he went home and called McMahon, telling him, “You got to see this f*cking kid.” And the rest is history, as Dwayne Johnson went on to become The Rock and later emerged as one of the biggest names in the film industry.
