Examining the Rock's Legacy in the WWE Universe

To say that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has been busy as of late would be an understatement the proportion of his massive legs, which he can regular be seen flexing on social media.

The A-list movie star has been busy on set, shooting the major motion picture Baywatch, hosting the MTV Movie Awards with Kevin Hart, with whom he will co-star in Central Intelligence this summer, and appearing at WrestleMania 32.

Bigger and more prestigious than all of his Hollywood accomplishments, though, is the revelation Time magazine has included him in its TIME 100, a look at the most influential people in the world. Joining the likes of President Barack Obama, Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio, multi-time Grammy award winner Adele and countless others from the worlds of politics, film, music and leadership, Johnson has established himself as a titan in mainstream media.

He has come a long way since taking to the squared circle at the 1996 Survivor Series, a nervous kid with the enormity of his heritage and family legacy weighing heavily on him. He has developed into one of the most recognizable faces in the world, a bona fide Superstar in the grandest sense of the world.

There will always be those who attribute his success to the sports-entertainment industry and the time he spent under the bright lights of World Wrestling Entertainment. Others will argue his determination to be the best he can be would have eventually earned him everything he has achieved to this point.

Whatever said of the proverbial aisle you fall on, there is no denying the pop culture phenomenon, international action star and most electrifying man in sport and entertainment has carved himself one of the greatest legacies in WWE history.

The People's Champion

Credit: WWE.com

For many, the nicknames WWE places upon its Superstars are little more than marketing tools, designed to spark merchandise sales or help get them over. For The Rock, the title of People's Champion defined him. What started as an arrogant one-liner developed into a role he took seriously, that helped him achieve the incredible popularity that would spark one of the greatest main event runs in wrestling history.

There is a reason, 16 years after the peak of The Rock's popularity, that he still enters giant stadiums every WrestleMania and receives a thundering ovation, even if he still leans heavily on the same catchphrases that worked for him nearly two decades ago. It is because of the connection he has forged with fans over that period. The electricity he brings to every show on which he appears generates amazing energy and excitement.

It is a trait few have and one the third-generation professional wrestler has perfected.

More than his in-ring contributions, more than the epic encounters and hilarious one-liners, it is the connection with the audience and The Rock's real status as The People's Champion that will define him way past the day he stops entertaining.

Attitude Era Icon

Credit: WWE.com

The Rock may have been an infant in the industry when the foundation of the Attitude Era was being laid late in 1996, but he rose to prominence during that magical period of time, delivering matches, moments and promos that helped define it.

His arrogance reached through the television screen and slapped audiences in the face. He was unabashedly confident, and rightfully so. He was young, good-looking and a superb athlete. Days spent on the gridiron at the University of Miami helped him prepare for the high-impact nature of the industry in which he starred.

With masterful one-liners and promos that left audiences howling with laughter and then chanting along, Rock grabbed hold of the attention of the audience and never let it go. Always evolving, always looking for the next great catchphrase to throw on the back of a t-shirt, very rarely did he ever grow stale.

If he did, he made up for it in short order with the latest evolution of his performance.

Whether he was bleeding all over the ring in an intensely personal war with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin or generating the largest audience in Monday Night Raw history with Mankind during This Is Your Life, he was as entertaining, memorable and vital to the success of the Attitude Era as any other star from that period in time.

Wrestling's Greatest Ambassador

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There came a time when there was nothing left for The Rock to accomplish in professional wrestling. He had done everything he ever set out to do when an avenue opened up. Hollywood came calling, and he answered, stepping through the door and becoming a major motion picture star.

It chaffed a large number of his fans, and understandably so. After all, he was their hero, and then he was gone. Just like that.

One such fan, the Superstar who stepped in and carried the WWE mantle after The Rock's exit, was John Cena. The franchise star of the company in Rock's wake called him out, questioning his love for the industry when he jumped at the first opportunity to move onto making The Tooth Fairy and other similar gems.

The backlash was understandable at the time but, in retrospect, is missing the point.

No major, mainstream celebrity has ever shone as bright a light on the sports-entertainment industry as Johnson does every time he sets foot back inside a Vince McMahon-owned ring. He is, without a shadow of doubt, one of the biggest and brightest stars on the planet—a household name as much for his contributions to the Fast and Furious franchise as his epic encounter with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania X8.

His return to the squared circle in 2012 for a heated match against Cena, breaking numerous records, as WWE revealed in a press release (h/t WrestleZone.com).

Every time he stars in a blockbuster, hosts a reality show, makes an appearance on a talk show or heads over to 30 Rockefeller Plaza to play with the cast of Saturday Night Live, the wrestling industry that launched him to meteoric heights benefits. He is one of its own, a bona fide pop culture icon who was given an incredible opportunity to achieve greatness in the industry that earned his father and grandfather great recognition. And he seemingly relishes opportunities to give back to it.

He does not have to. He is so incredibly busy with filming, appearances and promoting, but he does it anyway. He does it to remind fans, his people, that he has not and never will forget about them. Sure, it took a little while to come back, but he did as a self-made man who did not need McMahon's influence in Hollywood to help him reach the heights that he scaled.

Both The Rock and the industry he conquered are better off for it.

He's Not Finished

Credit: WWE.com

If Rock's appearances over the last five years have taught us anything, it is that his legacy is not complete. His days as a performer for WWE are not over. WrestleMania 32 saw a return to the sports-entertainment spectacular and an impromptu team-up with John Cena to fend off The Wyatt Family. It was a moment, among many, that helped prove the importance of the event.

While his schedule has not allowed him the opportunity to return to action, his star power alone is enough to help cement the credibility of any WWE event he opts to appear on—even if it comes as a surprise, as was the case on Raw back in January.

The Rock, despite his face being all over television, print and film, still has plenty to give to professional wrestling. As long as he is willing to come back, the people will be right there waiting for him, their arms wide open, greeting their champion with a warm embrace and raucous chants of "ROCKY!"