The Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado remained privy to a very special occasion as WWE icon Dwayne Johnson made his comeback after nearly four years. This was Johnson’s first appearance since October 2019, when he had helped the promotion celebrate the 20th anniversary of SmackDown. However, moments after his return, Johnson came down hard on a former champion.

The 26-year-old tried to insult The Great One and paid a hefty price for the misdemeanor.

Dwayne Johnson shows how it’s done

The September 15th episode of SmackDown was opened by Pat McAfee. But his promo was cut mid-way by Austin Theory, who not only insulted the former color commentator but also disrespected the fans. This allowed McAfee to get back at the former United States Champion by introducing him to The People’s Champion.

As soon as the music hit, the capacity crowd went bananas. Johnson, soaking in the raucous reception, stood there for a while before walking inside the ring.

Once there, he tried teaching the rising stars some manners and gratitude but was met with resistance. Unable to see a way out, Johnson said, “You are an A-hole”, a sly dig at Austin Theory’s character, where he claims to be from A-Town, and even encouraged the fans to chant the same.

Upset with the arena calling him an a**hole, Theory attacked Johnson, only to be neutralized with a spine buster, followed by the most electrifying move in sports entertainment history- The People’s Elbow. This was an apt start to the new era under the new TKO Group led by Endeavor

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One would hope that after the tough love from The Rock, Theory would have learned his lesson. But only future episodes will show us if he has improved or not. That said, it was a pleasant delight to watch the 51-year-old’s return for many fans, which is sure to make the headlines around the globe.

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