WWE has been the biggest name in the world of professional wrestling for decades, and throughout this period, many top stars from the entertainment industry have also made appearances in the company. Even though late-singing sensation Elvis Presley was never seen in the Stamford-based promotion, his presence was felt in the organization.
In one of the biggest risks the biggest wrestling promotion in the world took, WWE once decided to copy Elvis for a storyline. At that time, a large portion of the industry was worried about how the decision would turn out to be, but in the end, the move paid off incredibly well, as the character attained a lot of success.
It was none other than legendary in-ring performer Dwayne Johnson, whose Hollywood Rock character was inspired by Elvis Presley’s persona. That phase of The Rock’s professional wrestling run is considered to be one of the best phases of his career. The way Johnson used to carry himself with that guitar, and used to perform Rock Concert, he ended up making that character his own.
Despite being a heel at that time, he used to get a lot of praise for his work, and such extent of popularity during that run shows how great The Brahma Bull worked. All in all, this proves how the move to have him use that persona in a storyline was a great decision for Dwayne’s professional career in WWE.
The Rock’s love for Elvis Presley might have forced WWE to do so
While Johnson’s run when he used to play a guitar was loved a lot by the audience, there might be a major reason why the company decided to go ahead with this plan. In fact, it could be The Rock’s love for Elvis Presley that might have forced WWE to use the singer’s persona in The Brahma Bull’s on-screen character.
Dwayne has often been vocal about his love for The King of Rock and Roll and has even performed Elvis’ song “Are You Lonesome Tonight” in one of his movies. It happened in his 2007 movie, The Game Plan, in which his character takes out his guitar to perform Presley’s popular song. Even though the movie didn’t do that well in terms of earnings, the guitar performance showed Hollywood Rock’s love for the late-music world sensation.
As The People’s Champion showcased his love for Elvis Presley even in a movie, there’s a possibility that the guitar work he did in WWE might have been his own idea. If that’s the case, it’s safe to say that The Rock’s recommendation did wonders for his character, as that particular run of his pro wrestling tenure is one of the most memorable parts of his legendary career in the organization.
Elvis Presley was very close to competing in WWE
Dwayne Johnson’s Hollywood Rock concert idea was likely inspired by Elvis Presley, but even the music sensation was very close to competing in WWE. The King of Rock and Roll never performed in the pro wrestling industry, but he was on the verge of making his in-ring debut before his unfortunate death on August 16, 1977.
As revealed by WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler on ‘Stories with Briscoe and Bradshaw‘, he almost had a match with Presley. Jerry shared that this idea started with a joke about how such an encounter would be a really cool thing, and it ended up reaching Elvis Presley and his father.
What was surprising was that the entertainment industry icon was more than excited about this idea, and he was keen to make it a reality. But, before the idea could have turned into an actual bout, the singer died at the young age of 42. Despite his unexpected death, Elvis is a still well-recognized name, and it shows the legacy he has left among fans.