Legendary WWE Referee Who Officiated One of the Biggest WrestleMania Encounters, Thanks Dwayne Johnson for “Great Memories in and Outside the Ring”

From starting out as Rocky Maivia in the WWE to becoming one of Hollywood’s leading action stars, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Jonhson has surely come a long way. The internet is filled with stories about his friendly demeanor and helpful nature. Recently, ‘The Brahma Bull’ turned 51, giving his followers one more opportunity to thank him and wish him a healthy life. Among those thousands were several A-listers, who helped the burly Hollywood actor ring in his 51st birthday.

A legendary WWE referee, who played a vital role in one of the greatest WrestleMania encounters, took to social media to thank the pro-wrestling legend for his interactions in and outside the squared circle.

The referee who officiated WrestleMania 18 Hogan-Rock encounter thanks his ‘Brotha’ Dwayne Johnson

Mike Chioda was the WWE’s longest-serving referee before his release in 2020. During his three-decade tenure, Chioda has been part of several great matches, but none bigger than the WrestleMania 18 clash between ‘Hollywood’ Hulk Hogan and The Rock.

The former WWE employee enjoys a cordial relationship with Dwayne Johnson and referred to him as his “Brotha” while wishing him a happy birthday. Apart from the wishes, Chioda thanked the 51-year-old, stating, “Thank you for all the great memories in and outside the ring.”

Over the years, the former WWE referee has showered lavish praise on the Hogan-Rock encounter at SkyDome in Toronto. Earlier this year, he said since the aforementioned match, no encounter has been able to overshadow it. Interestingly enough, the match wasn’t the main event at WrestleMania 18. While Triple H and Chris Jericho headlined the marquee event, Dwayne Johnson and Hulk Hogan stole the show. The 16-minute encounter was thoroughly enjoyed by the spectators, who managed to surprise the participants with their reactions.

The crowd booed babyface Rock and cheered for heel Hogan, prompting an impromptu gig by the two superstars. In the end, The Rock picked up the victory as Hogan turned face after severing his ties with the nWo following their skirmish. While the spectators remained privy to a heartfelt moment, Chioda was the closest to the action. Meanwhile, there was no dearth of action for Dwayne Johnson on his birthday. In fact, his stunt made the day for several of his followers.

‘Birthday boy’ Dwayne Johnson takes a hilarious swipe at himself as LeBron James and others go lol

Just days after his birthday, Dwayne Johnson shared a video of himself enjoying his 51st. However, it wasn’t the wrestling legend alone who had a good laugh. The slo-mo video showed the ‘birthday boy’ trying to rest on a hammock when the swing chair flipped, causing Johnson to take a tumble. Ironically, he didn’t spill the can of energy drink he held during the fall. The People’s Champ’s tumbling act made many laugh out loud, including basketball icon LeBron James.

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Johnson further proved that he could go a long way to make people laugh, even if it comes at his own expense.

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