The "mark out level" when Rock showed up on SD XX last year?

[The Naitch]

People are going nuts for Rock as if he wasn't seen on WWE TV for 7 years, but he did show up on that Smackdown anniversary show last year

I know it was...

a) Smackdown
b) a taped satellite promo
c) I recall someone botched the thread title (spoiler tags) ruining it for alot people on here

...so it doesn't have the same effect as a live RAW broadcast, but my main objective here is to know what was the general reaction when he showed up on Smackdown last year

[Juan]

Well if I remember correctly, everyone pretty much knew the Rock was gonna do the pre-taped segment. So although it was cool, it didn't have nearly the same impact that his promo on Monday did.

[The Naitch]

this reminds me of when Rock was brought back prematurely as an emergency when Austin walked out on the company back in 2002. Rock ended up staying longer and I think he was rewarded the Undisputed title because of this (I'm not too sure)

when things aren't looking up, I think Vince can really count on Dwayne to help out when the chips are down

[CSL]

If you mean in terms of the pop, you wouldn't really know for sure with the dubbed Smackdown crowds.

[CSL]

this reminds me of when Rock was brought back prematurely as an emergency when Austin walked out on the company back in 2002. Rock ended up staying longer and I think he was rewarded the Undisputed title because of this (I'm not too sure)

when things aren't looking up, I think Vince can really count on Dwayne to help out when the chips are down

Not sure how accurate my memory of it is but I'm pretty sure you mean when Rock showed up to cut the 'Get the F out!' promo after Austin walked, talking about loyalty and so on. During a one off appearance around May after he'd fucked off himself to make a film after jobbing to Goldberg and before returning around King of the Ring for a month or 2. He got a great pop and it was typically good stuff from Rock but I remember being kind of like 'what?'

[The Naitch]

the Get the F Out promo was in the spring of 2002 (Austin didn't want to job to Lesnar on RAW) Yeah, Rock returned around KOTR 02 (remember the funny segment he did with Goldust and Booker T?) Then he won the Undisputed Title in a 3-Way vs. The Undertaker and Kurt Angle at Vengeance. Then of course he fucked off for Hollywood after dropping the title to Brock at SummerSlam. I remember, when SummerSlam went off the air, the crowd booed Rock out of the building, and he legitimately got all pissed at the Long Island crowd, saying that he's done and you won't see him for a while because he's going to Hollywood.

Then he brought that heat with him when he came back to face Hulk Hogan at No Way Out 2003. Rock faced Austin at WM19, and then DID THE JOB to Goldberg in 2003. He made a few one night appearances as a babyface (Divas Contest, saved Mick Foley from La Resistance, and became Eugene's buddy) and then he had his last official match at WM20.

I remember people were calling Rock a hypocrite because of what he said about Austin only for him to go leave to do movies.

[CSL]

That's what I mean. My 16-17 year old self didn't really understand how he could talk about loyalty, 'the WWE family' etc when he himself was only there for that one night after Austin walked because he had a bit of free time in between shooting days on one of his films.

[The Naitch]

You forget that

Rock > Austin

Rock is bigger than WWE. Austin is not bigger than WWE. This means Rock can do whatever the hell he wants because at the end of the day, Vince needs Rock more than Rock needs Vince :y:

[CSL]

No. I was just naive and didn't realize that Rock could do what he want, he didn't owe anybody in wrestling anything and given the same chance, 95% of the roster, fuck 95% of the people on Earth with the slightest clue about the situation would have done the same thing.[

Vince needs The Rock like he needs any other big time film star, only difference is this one used to be a wrestler so people have fond memories (rightly so) and the crowd can sing along with his catchphrases.

[Emperor Smeat]

I think a reason why he was able to do the taped promo involved either the WWE sending a crew to where the Rock was or Smackdown ended up being near where the Rock was located so it was easy to get the Rock to do something special.

The Rock was also at a Hall of Fame show for his father and grandfather and pops in once in a while with taped promos but hadn't been in a ring since 2004 which made Monday even more special as a moment.

[jerichoholicninja]

Duane Johnson was on Smackdown. The Rock showed up on Raw. That's the difference.

[Chavo Classic]

Duane Johnson was on Smackdown. The Rock showed up on Raw. That's the difference.

Boom! :y: