Don't you hate when people call The Rock a "sell out" for leaving the WWE in 2004?

A lot of users here have misunderstood (and still do) my opinions about Dwayne Johnson. Let me see if I can clear up some of the confusion.

During the Attitude Era my three favorite wrestlers were Sting, Stone Cold, and The Rock (changed from week to week depending on which I found more entertaining). Those three kept me tuned in every week in spite of how bad the rest of the shows may have been (even when WCW was swirling down the toilet). Didn't matter who they were working with, they were always very entertaining and fun to watch. WCW ended and that meant no more Sting (even though Vince teased that he would sign him). So I focused on Stone Cold and Rock; I loved watching those two try to out-do each other every week. It brought back memories of the early 80's and seeing Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes at the tops of their game trying to out-do each other every week in WCW. The rest of the show could "suck" but Flair and Rhodes always made it worth the wait to see them. So it was with Austin and Rock. Then Austin went down with accumulated injuries and had to retire from the ring. Damn. That left just The Rock. If anybody deserved the top spot in the largest promotion in the world, it was Dwayne Johnson. Charisma by the truckload, creative as anybody has ever been, and endlessly entertaining. I still watched the WWE mostly just to see The Rock. The rest of the show could "suck" but The Rock would come out and make you forget that. The Rock was the Man.

Dwayne Johnson got the chance to do a couple of movies. Cool! Lots of pro wrestlers have gotten that chance. But maybe this time Johnson had the charisma, acting talent, and universal appeal to make it where those before him failed. Turns out some powerful people in Hollywood believed he did. Johnson "retired", said his goodbyes to the WWE fans, and we all wished him the best of luck. One of our own was going to Hollywood to be a big star! We were all pulling for him.

He got to Hollywood, had some success, and let it go to his head. Wrestling was no longer "cool" to Johnson and he didn't want to have anything to do with it or the fans. He even stopped using "The Rock" and just referred to himself by his given name (as did the movie credits). He did what he could to separate himself from the WWE and WWE fans. WWE fans felt rightfully "used"; we made him a star then he forgot where he came from. Maybe it's just a coincidence, maybe some bad choices for roles, but "Dwayne Johnson" wasn't as successful as "The Rock" in Hollywood. Pretty soon Dwayne was heading down the Disney TV movie dead-end. So he started calling himself "The Rock" again and stopped ignoring WWE fans. His movies started doing better at the box office. Now he's "The Rock" again, former WWE Champ, etc etc everywhere he goes. He doesn't try to separate that anymore. He's "The Rock", former WWE Champ, current Hollywood actor. Which he should have been all along.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines "sellout" as: to betray one's cause or associates especially for personal gain. Dwayne Johnson did that when he "traded up" wrestling fans for movie fans. Hogan never did that. Stone Cold never did that. Jesse Ventura never did that. Roddy Piper never did that. Neither has any other pro wrestler who's ever done movies or changed careers. Bruno Sammartino is very bitter about the direction pro wrestling has taken, hates Vince McMahon and the shows he produces, but never, not even one time, has Bruno ever forgotten about the wrestling fans to made him a star. They've all freely acknowledged and thanked the wrestling fans who made them stars, and never renounced them or the business that gave them the chance to be stars. For a short while, yes, Dwayne Johnson was the very definition of a "sellout". He renounced all ties to the WWE and it's fans, even dropping his famous stage name (The Rock), to distance and separate himself from the very thing and the very people who made him a star TO get the chance to go to Hollywood. He did indeed "trade up", replacing us (wrestling fans) with movie fans.

He has since apologized for that (without compromising the "coolness" of The Rock); in my book he's forgiven and the "sellout" stigma no longer applies. You don't see ME referring to Dwayne Johnson as a "sellout".

We can debate Johnson's real motives for returning to the WWE last year forever, but "no passion for the wrestling business"...no. If he had no passion he would never have become a big star. "Growing up in the business" doesn't guarantee passion; I've seen quite a few second-generation wrestlers who were only in the business because they had famous last names and figured that was all they needed. I've never questioned Johnson's passion; he obviously has it or he would never have progressed above the "Rocky Sucks!" mid-card level.

I don't like that he's called a sell-out for leaving the WWE. That seems to bother a lot of wrestling fans, which I don't really understand. I mean, he changed careers, and really, there's nothing wrong with that at all. Non-famous people change careers all the time, nothing wrong with The Rock doing that, even it is more high-profile. Plus, anyone who says that they wouldn't want to be one of the biggest action movie stars in the world is either lying or crazy. The man is living a dream of millions.

None of that bothers me in the slightest. If The Rock was ready to move on from the WWE and go do something else, that's completely his right, and if he wants to return to the WWE and the WWE wants him back (which they always will), great, I'd love to see him again. What DOES bother me however, is the way he acted when he was away from the WWE.

Professional wrestling and the WWE weren't "cool" after he left to the mainstream, and The Rock did everything he could to distance himself from the WWE, it's fans and the whole "Rock" image. While I understand the marketing strategy of that from a business sense, it still bothered me. After all, it was the WWE fans that made Dwayne Johnson "The Rock" and by extension a blockbuster movie star. Suddenly him abandoning being "The Rock" and completely ignoring the wrestling world that made him (and by default, it's fans)? Ya, that ticked me off.

I don't think that makes him a sell-out, but it was annoying (and strangely enough, it's also something that big Rock fans fail to mention). I like The Rock a LOT, and I like having him back and involved in the WWE again, but at the same time I haven't forgotten that.

BQ: John Cena. I'm predicting that Cena will defeat The Rock at Wrestlemania and while I think The Rock will indeed stick around in a limited capacity beyond his match with Cena, I don't think he'll be around much at first. That leaves Cena (presuming he wins, of course) coming off the biggest win of his career with scorching hot momentum and no one to feud with. He had an AMAZING rivalry with Punk over the WWE Championship last summer that never really had a "who's better" definitive conclusion, so I'd like to see that wrap up (I think Punk will beat Jericho). They're the top two stars in the WWE right now, and Cena moving on from The Rock to compete for the top title in the organization seems like the next logical step for him and Punk (If Cena wins against The Rock, he'll be the number one contender in the company in everyone's mind).

It's there opinion, It's not a fact that The Rock is the best! other people have differen't opinions. I do agree that people shouldn't tell The Rock what to do. If they had a dream to be a movie star, they wouldn't blow it. They would go for it, even I would do that. But I know that The Rock has done it all in the WWE, he is a legend, from 1996 (the day he debut) he was really awesome, He has WWE in his blood, he loves the WWE, And he earned my respect. Love him or hate him you have got to respect him.

BQ: Possibly Dolph Ziggler.

There's not many who wouldn't do what Rock did. More money, less work, and he's basically doing the same thing....not to mention he's at less risk for injury.

Rock isn't a sell out in my book. He's just a person who wanted to move on to bigger and brighter things. You're not really a fan of his if you call him a sell out. He could say to hell WWE and never appear there again. He keeps making appearences though.

BQ:Dolph Ziggler(I just don't think him and Swagger are a good team).

Yes I am tired the rock left for another success and as you said he could do what he wants with his life I am tired of people complaining but they are typical Cena fans who are a walking 42 year old virgin.

The Rock moved on from wrestling and I have no problem with that.He did what was best for himself.

Yet I don't like to hear him sit there and say he will be there for his fans and show up once in awhile.Thats like a politican.Spin it anyway you want.He won't be around after WM for at least awhile.He gets plenty of work in Hollywood and while they may not all be great movies.I don't know of many actors getting the work he does.He uses WWE for publicity and thats it.

Cena

the rock otherwise known as b-real /vin diesal i love this caramel man but he is a sell out wresling is acting so he still doin the sam job he lives in the same town as me and i often see him at the kebab point coz hes turkish/mexican/indian w.e you wana call them fellas n.e ways i think he did realy good in the fast and furious flms and he deserves more tacos!!!!

Cena will definitely beat the rock in wm 28..

I agree. I mean the man has done a lot for the company to achieve good status in the late 90s. He has been with injuries, spectacular matches and injuries, and really made a name for himself in the WWE. The Rock leaves WWE to go partake another career. What is the problem? That doesn't mean that he is only famous because he started from the WWE. You can't change his mind because he found a golden opportunity he could have to make his life career more illuminating. The Rock still has the love for WWE, but he was never a sell-out because he got to accomplish everything before he left the company, so people should stop complaining.

BQ: He could possibly feud with The Miz or with Alberto Del Rio again because I would like both of them to reappear to the title picture.