Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Was Taken Aback by UFC Legend’s Request That He Straight Up Refused: “I Am Not Selling It”

Dwayne Johnson had many notable on-screen rivalries in his WWE career. His feud with ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin is legendary and made both men superstars. He has also fought against the likes of The Undertaker, Triple H, Kurt Angle, and many others during his time in WWE. One of his early rivalries in the promotion came when he was with the Nation of Domination faction and feuded with MMA fighter-turned-wrestler Ken Shamrock.

Shamrock arrived in WWE from UFC with a big reputation and was one of their popular names. In WWE, he became one of the early stars of the Attitude Era and had an intense feud with The Rock. The two feuded over the Intercontinental Championship in 1998 and had some memorable segments.

One of the most talked about segments from their rivalry occurred on an episode of RAW when The Great One hit Shamrock square in the face with a steel chair during a tag team match. This brutal chair shot is one of the iconic scenes from not only their rivalry but the Attitude Era as well.

Recently in an interview, the former UFC fighter talked about the rough spot and how he himself asked The Rock to hit him in the face.

Shamrock revealed why he asked Dwayne Johnson to hit him in the face with a chair

Ken Shamrock was known worldwide as the ‘World’s Most Dangerous Man’ owing to his success in the UFC. His arrival gave WWE an impetus that further fueled its rise. Initially, he appeared in non-wrestling roles and was the special guest referee for the famous Steve Austin vs Bret Hart submission match at WrestleMania 13. But soon WWE began to feature him as a wrestler and became The Rock’s main rival during his early days.

The two wrestled a few times for the Intercontinental Championship and had a heated feud over it. In one of their infamous in ring interactions during a tag team match on RAW, DJ blasted Shamrock right in the face with a steel chair. The live audience gasped and those watching at home couldn’t believe it. It remains one of the most vicious chair shots in WWE’s history.

Recently, in an interview with VladTV on YouTube, Shamrock revealed the chair shot to the face was his idea. In fact, he had to convince Dwayne Johnson to go through with it.

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He explained, I just told him if we’re going to do the chair shot hit me in the face. I remember he looked at me and I know I get that reaction when I said it right. I’m like, hey just hit me in the face. He’s like, okay, be serious. I said no, hit me in the face. He’s like I’m not hitting your face.

Moreover, Shamrock added, “I said, swing the chair. You’re gonna hit me right in the face. I said when you swing it, I’ll take care of myself. He’s like, are you sure? And I was like, yes, I’m sure, just do it.[…] He goes okay, and I said you better swing it because if you don’t I’m not selling it. He looked at me and goes oh I’ll swing it and he swung it.” 

Surprisingly, the former King of Ring winner said despite what everyone thought, he wasn’t hurt badly. According to Shamrock, the forehead is the thickest part of the head. And he could take a shot straight on it rather than risk taking on the back of his head.

Although Ken Shamrock found a way to get through this brutal chair shot, the whole sequence looked vicious and has the fans talking to this day.

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