Dwayne Johnson took millions around the world by surprise as he made a return to SmackDown after nearly four years. This was Johnson’s first WWE appearance after he had helped the promotion celebrate the 20th anniversary of SmackDown in October 2019. While the majority of the roster was excited and also benefited from The Great One’s presence, the same cannot be said for Austin Theory.
Minutes after the 51-year-old appeared inside the squared circle, Theory lost a few hundred dollars. Wondering how? Read on.
Dwayne Johnson leaves Austin Theory in an embarrassing situation
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The September 15 episode of the blue brand was opened by former color commentator Pat McAfee. However, his promo was cut short by Theory. Once inside the ring, the former United States Champion started berating McAfee and the fans while calling it his show.
This led to the NFL punter calling out The People’s Champion. As soon as the titantron displayed the iconic logo, and the arena blared “If you smell…”, the roof over the Ball Arena was almost blown away. For minutes, the crowd cheered as The Great One soaked in the raucous reception. Then, he entered the ring and tried to educate the 26-year-old about treating the crowd right.
When the budding wrestler didn’t listen, they exchanged words and eventually traded blows. The icon made light work of Theory, as he first hit him with a Spine Buster and followed it with the ‘most electrifying move in the history of sports entertainment’- The People’s Elbow. But that wasn’t it.
Johnson apparently took one of Theory’s Yeezy sneakers and threw it into the crowd. The picture of the moment has since become viral. Apart from the beatdown, he was left with just one shoe as he lay in the middle of the ring. While the exact amount and model of his shoes are not known, a pair of Adidas Yeezy sneakers typically costs between $200 to $600, this is the loss he incurred.
The Rock threw Austin Theory's Yeezys into the crowd 😂 pic.twitter.com/XTQsz9ScRZ
— WrestlingWorldCC (@WrestlingWCC) September 16, 2023
But there’s more that the $800 million rich wrestler-turned-actor did.
Dwayne Johnson exudes class backstage
Expect Dwayne Johnson to make your day. He has done it over and over again in the past and he did it again. After teaching Austin Theory some manners, Johnson won hearts backstage.
Read More: Several Dwayne Johnson Fans Missed The Rock’s Earth-Shattering WWE Return on TV, Here’s Why
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Well, while their kayfabe demanded they lay the smackdown on each other, it was a completely different story backstage. After throwing his shoe away, Johnson reportedly gifted a new pair of Yeezy to Theory. The report was stated by BWE via a tweet.
Theory gets new Yeezys from Dwayne 😂
— Boozer 666 (@BoozerRasslin) September 17, 2023
Having been the face of the Attitude Era, Johnson moved to Hollywood at the beginning of the new millennium. But the response from the crowd after his recent comeback shows his popularity hasn’t dipped a bit.
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The WWE Universe could be up for something more special as The Rock has recently professed his desire to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40, scheduled to emanate from the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 6 and 7.
Watch This Story: 50 Years of The Rock: Dwayne Johnson’s Greatest Achievements in WWE