Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Dwayne Johnson
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Dwayne Johnson made an impact.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is an American actor, professional wrestler, and businessman. He gained prominence in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) during the Attitude Era before transitioning to a successful acting career. His films have grossed billions worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing and highest-paid actors. Beyond entertainment, Johnson is a co-owner of the United Football League, a board member of TKO Group Holdings (parent company of UFC and WWE), and co-founder of Seven Bucks Productions.
1983: Father and Tony Atlas Win WWE Tag Team Championship
In 1983, Dwayne Johnson's father and Tony Atlas became the first black tag team champions in WWE history.
1995: Signing with the Calgary Stampeders
In 1995, Dwayne Johnson was signed by the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) but was cut two months into the season.
November 4, 1996: WWF Debut as Rocky Maivia
On November 4, 1996, Dwayne Johnson made his WWF debut on Monday Night Raw as Rocky Maivia as a member of Marc Mero's entourage.
1996: Start of Professional Wrestling Career
In 1996, Dwayne Johnson began his professional wrestling career after securing tryout matches with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). He also wrestled in the USWA and won the USWA Tag Team Championship twice before signing with the WWF.
1996: Signing with the WWF
In 1996, Dwayne Johnson's father helped him secure a contract with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), marking the beginning of his professional wrestling career.
February 13, 1997: Intercontinental Championship Win
On February 13, 1997, Rocky Maivia won the Intercontinental Championship from Hunter Hearst Helmsley on Monday Night Raw.
1997: Feud with Austin and Shamrock
At the end of 1997, The Rock was involved in a feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin and Ken Shamrock.
January 19, 1998: Retained Intercontinental Championship
On January 19, 1998, at the Royal Rumble, The Rock defeated Ken Shamrock by disqualification to retain the Intercontinental Championship.
1998: Feud with Triple H and D-Generation X
In 1998, The Rock and the Nation of Domination feuded with Triple H and D-Generation X (DX), culminating in matches at King of the Ring and SummerSlam where he lost the Intercontinental Championship to Triple H.
1998: Turning Heel and Joining the Nation of Domination
In August 1998, Rocky Maivia turned heel by lashing out at fans and joining the Nation of Domination, referring to himself as "The Rock".
1998: Increased Fan Support and Babyface Turn
In the latter half of 1998, The Rock saw a big uptick in fan support, consolidating his famous persona and turning babyface. He feuded with Nation members Mark Henry and D'Lo Brown.
January 4, 1999: Mankind Defeats The Rock for WWF Championship
On January 4, 1999, during an episode of Raw Is War, Mankind defeated The Rock for the WWF Championship after Stone Cold Steve Austin interfered.
April 29, 1999: WWF Airs the Pilot Episode of SmackDown!
On April 29, 1999, WWF aired the pilot episode of SmackDown!, a term derived from one of The Rock's catchphrases. In the episode, The Rock continued his feud with The Corporate Ministry.
1999: The Rock Appears on That '70s Show
In 1999, Johnson appeared on That '70s Show as his father Rocky Johnson.
January 23, 2000: The Rock Enters Royal Rumble
On January 23, 2000, at the Royal Rumble, The Rock was one of the final two remaining with Big Show. The Rock's feet accidentally hit the floor during a reversal attempt, though those watching the event on television did not see that, leading to controversy over the winner.
October 22, 2000: The Rock Loses WWF Championship to Kurt Angle
On October 22, 2000, at No Mercy, The Rock lost the WWF Championship to Kurt Angle.
2000: Publication of The Rock Says...
In 2000, Dwayne Johnson published his autobiography, "The Rock Says...", co-written with Joe Layden, which became a New York Times Best Seller.
2000: The Rock's Appearances in Music and TV
In 2000, The Rock appeared on Wyclef Jean's "It Doesn't Matter", on Star Trek: Voyager, and hosted Saturday Night Live (SNL) for the first time.
2000: Consolidating Famous Persona
The Rock's persona consolidated and lasted until 2000.
February 25, 2001: The Rock Wins WWF Championship
On February 25, 2001, at No Way Out, The Rock pinned Kurt Angle to win the WWF Championship for a sixth time.
November 1, 2001: The Rock and Chris Jericho lose the WWF Tag Team Championship
On November 1, 2001, on SmackDown!, The Rock and Chris Jericho lost the WWF Tag Team Championship to Booker T and Test.
2001: First Film Role in The Mummy Returns
In 2001, Dwayne Johnson's first film role was in "The Mummy Returns".
2001: The Rock Appears at Xbox Unveiling and in The Mummy Returns
In 2001, The Rock made a surprise appearance at the official Xbox unveiling and debuted in The Mummy Returns as The Scorpion King.
January 20, 2002: The Rock Unsuccessfully Challenges Chris Jericho at Royal Rumble
On January 20, 2002, at the Royal Rumble, The Rock unsuccessfully challenged Chris Jericho for the Undisputed WWF Championship.
March 25, 2002: The Rock Drafted to SmackDown!
On March 25, 2002, during the WWF's "draft lottery" on Raw, The Rock was the number one overall pick and was drafted to the SmackDown! brand before taking a sabbatical from wrestling.
2002: The Rock Stars in The Scorpion King
In 2002, The Rock played his first leading role in The Scorpion King and received a record-breaking salary.
January 30, 2003: The Rock Returns and Turns Heel
On January 30, 2003, The Rock returned on SmackDown! to set up another match with Hulk Hogan. Due to negative fan reaction, The Rock turned heel for the first time since 1999 and adopted a new persona called Hollywood Rock.
March 14, 2004: The Rock'n'Sock Connection Loses at WrestleMania XX
On March 14, 2004, at WrestleMania XX, The Rock and Mick Foley lost to Ric Flair, Randy Orton, and Batista in a handicap match, marking Johnson's final wrestling match until November 2011.
2004: Leaving WWE
In 2004, Dwayne Johnson left the WWE to focus on his acting career.
2006: Founding of the Dwayne Johnson Rock Foundation
In 2006, Dwayne Johnson founded the Dwayne Johnson Rock Foundation, a charity working with at-risk and terminally ill children.
March 12, 2007: The Rock Appears on WWE
On March 12, 2007, the Rock appeared on a WWE show after nearly three years, via a pre-taped promo shown during Raw.
2007: Donation to the University of Miami
In 2007, Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia donated $1 million to the University of Miami to support the renovation of its football facilities, which were renamed in his honor.
2007: Starred in The Game Plan
In 2007, Dwayne Johnson starred in the family film "The Game Plan".
2008: Starred in Get Smart
In 2008, Dwayne Johnson starred in the action comedy film "Get Smart".
October 2, 2009: The Rock Appears During Decade of SmackDown
On October 2, 2009, The Rock's appearance was through a pre-taped promo during the Decade of SmackDown.
2009: Starred in Race to Witch Mountain
In 2009, Dwayne Johnson starred in the family film "Race to Witch Mountain".
2010: Starred in Tooth Fairy
In 2010, Dwayne Johnson starred in the family film "Tooth Fairy".
February 14, 2011: The Rock Announced as Host of WrestleMania XXVII
On February 14, 2011, The Rock was announced as the host of WrestleMania XXVII on April 3, 2011, appearing live on Raw for the first time in almost seven years. During a lengthy promo, he addressed the fans and started a feud with John Cena.
April 3, 2011: The Rock Hosts WrestleMania XXVII
On April 3, 2011, The Rock hosted WrestleMania XXVII. He had numerous appearances via satellite and appeared live on the Raw before WrestleMania XXVII to confront Cena. After he and Cena exchanged insults, The Miz and Alex Riley appeared and attacked The Rock; he fended off Miz and Riley, only for Cena to blindside him with an Attitude Adjustment.
2011: Return to WWE
In 2011, Dwayne Johnson returned to WWE as a part-time performer.
2011: Starred in Fast Five
In 2011, Dwayne Johnson's role as Luke Hobbs in "Fast Five" helped the Fast & Furious franchise become one of the highest-grossing in film.
March 12, 2012: The Rock Hosts "Rock Concert" Segment
On the March 12, 2012, episode of Raw SuperShow, The Rock hosted his first "Rock Concert" segment since 2004, mocking Cena in his songs.
2012: Starred in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
In 2012, Dwayne Johnson starred in the action film "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island".
January 7, 2013: The Rock Confronts CM Punk
On January 7, 2013, The Rock returned to Raw to confront CM Punk, who was his Royal Rumble opponent at that time.
2013: Part-time Performer in WWE
From 2011 to 2013, Dwayne Johnson worked as a part-time performer in WWE.
2013: Hosting The Hero
In 2013, Dwayne Johnson hosted and produced the TNT reality competition series "The Hero".
2013: Starred in G.I. Joe: Retaliation
In 2013, Dwayne Johnson starred in the action film "G.I. Joe: Retaliation".
2013: Hulk Hogan Discusses WrestleMania X8 Match
In an interview in 2013, Hulk Hogan stated that he and The Rock changed the style of their WrestleMania X8 match on the fly based on the crowd's response.
April 2014: The Rock Appears at WrestleMania XXX
In April 2014, The Rock made an appearance in the opening segment of WrestleMania XXX alongside Stone Cold Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan.
September 2014: Original Casting as Black Adam
In September 2014, Dwayne Johnson was originally cast as the antagonist Black Adam in a film centered around Shazam, but his role was reworked into two separate films.
2014: Hosting Wake Up Call
In 2014, Dwayne Johnson hosted another TNT reality series, "Wake Up Call".
2014: Starred in Hercules
In 2014, Dwayne Johnson starred in the action film "Hercules".
January 25, 2015: The Rock Helps Roman Reigns at Royal Rumble
On January 25, 2015, at the Royal Rumble event, The Rock assisted his relative Roman Reigns in fending off Big Show and Kane, after Reigns eliminated them, ultimately endorsing Reigns' victory.
March 29, 2015: The Rock Confronts Triple H and Stephanie McMahon at WrestleMania 31
On March 29, 2015, The Rock appeared at WrestleMania 31 alongside Ronda Rousey and got into an in-ring altercation with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. The Rock and Rousey prevailed after The Rock attacked Triple H and Rousey overpowered McMahon.
2015: Donation to Abandoned Dog's Surgery
In 2015, Dwayne Johnson donated $1,500 to the GoFundMe for an abandoned dog's lifesaving surgery after actress Michelle Trachtenberg tagged him in a tweet.
2015: Produced and Starred in Ballers
In 2015, Dwayne Johnson produced and starred in the HBO comedy-drama series "Ballers".
2015: Starred in San Andreas
In 2015, Dwayne Johnson starred in the action film "San Andreas".
January 25, 2016: The Rock in Segment on Raw
On January 25, 2016, The Rock was in a segment on Raw, conversing with The Miz, Big Show, Lana, and Rusev before he and The Usos got into an altercation with The New Day.
March 2016: Partnership with Under Armour and Release of Project Rock
In March 2016, Dwayne Johnson partnered with Under Armour to release "Project Rock", starting with a gym bag that sold out in days.
April 3, 2016: The Rock Sets WrestleMania Record
On April 3, 2016, at WrestleMania 32, The Rock announced a WWE attendance record, had an impromptu match with Erick Rowan, and set a record for the fastest WrestleMania win, later being aided by John Cena.
2016: Starred in Central Intelligence and voiced Maui in Moana
In 2016, Dwayne Johnson starred in "Central Intelligence" and voiced Maui in the Disney animated film "Moana".
2016: YouTube Channel Launch
In 2016, Dwayne Johnson started his YouTube channel with the video "The YouTube Factory", featuring Lilly Singh and other internet stars.
January 2017: Announcement of Black Adam Film Development
In January 2017, a film centered around Teth-Adam/Black Adam, part of the DC Extended Universe, was announced to be in development, with Dwayne Johnson involved.
February 20, 2017: Untelevised Raw Appearance for "Fighting with My Family"
On February 20, 2017, The Rock made an untelevised appearance on Raw to promote and film a scene for his movie "Fighting with My Family".
2017: Donation to Hurricane Harvey Relief Efforts
In 2017, Dwayne Johnson donated $25,000 to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.
2017: Starred in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Baywatch
In 2017, Dwayne Johnson starred in "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" and "Baywatch".
2018: Donation of a Gym to Military Base in Oahu
In 2018, Dwayne Johnson donated a gym to a military base in Oahu, Hawaii.
2018: Starred in Skyscraper and Rampage
In 2018, Dwayne Johnson starred in "Skyscraper" and "Rampage".
2018: Retrospective Review of SummerSlam Match
In 2018, Sean Coyle writing for ESPN.com noted in a retrospective review of the event that following his victory over Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania X8, The Rock "started to see a dip in fan support" and "that dip turned into a plunge" by the time The Rock had his match with Lesnar at SummerSlam because fans knew he was leaving WWE to pursue an acting career.
August 3, 2019: The Rock Announces Retirement from Wrestling
On August 3, 2019, The Rock officially announced his retirement from professional wrestling.
September 30, 2019: The Rock Announces SmackDown Appearance
On September 30, 2019, after weeks of speculation, The Rock announced that he would appear on SmackDown's 20th Anniversary on October 4, 2019.
October 4, 2019: The Rock Appears on SmackDown Anniversary
On October 4, 2019, The Rock appeared on SmackDown's 20th Anniversary, cutting a promo with Becky Lynch and attacking King Corbin.
2019: Announcement of Athleticon Bodybuilding Show
In 2019, Dwayne Johnson announced he would launch a competitive bodybuilding show, "Athleticon", with Dany Garcia.
2019: Appearance in Fighting with My Family
In 2019, Dwayne Johnson produced and appeared as himself in "Fighting with My Family", a comedy drama about Saraya Bevis and her family.
2019: Starred in Jumanji: The Next Level
In 2019, Dwayne Johnson starred in "Jumanji: The Next Level".
2019: Hosting The Titan Games
In 2019, Dwayne Johnson started hosting the NBC competition series "The Titan Games".
March 2020: Teremana Tequila Launch
In March 2020, Dwayne Johnson launched Teremana Tequila, which sold 600,000 nine-litre cases in its first year and is valued at approximately $3.5 billion.
August 2020: Acquisition of the XFL
In August 2020, Dwayne Johnson, along with partners and investors, purchased the XFL for $15 million and announced plans for its relaunch.
October 2020: Disruption of Athleticon Debut
In October 2020, plans for the debut of "Athleticon" in Atlanta, Georgia were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020: The King Production Halt
In 2020, production for "The King", in which Johnson was set to co-produce and star, was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021: Starred in Jungle Cruise and Red Notice
In 2021, Dwayne Johnson starred in "Jungle Cruise" and "Red Notice".
2021: Starred in Young Rock
In 2021, Dwayne Johnson starred in the autobiographical sitcom "Young Rock".
2021: Featured on Tech N9ne's song Face Off
In 2021, Dwayne Johnson was featured on the song "Face Off" from the rapper Tech N9ne's album Asin9ne.
2021: Young Rock Series Airing
In 2021, Dwayne Johnson's biographical comedy-drama series "Young Rock" began airing on NBC.
2022: Starred in Black Adam
In 2022, Dwayne Johnson joined the DC Extended Universe by playing the title role in "Black Adam".
2022: Delayed Relaunch of the XFL
In 2022, the relaunch of the XFL was delayed by a year.
September 15, 2023: The Rock Returns to SmackDown
On September 15, 2023, The Rock made a surprise return to SmackDown, in a segment with Pat McAfee and Austin Theory, who The Rock took out within the segment. This marked his first televised appearance in WWE since October 4, 2019.
2023: Donation to SAG-AFTRA Foundation and Creation of People's Fund of Maui
In 2023, Dwayne Johnson made a seven-figure donation to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation during the strike and created the People's Fund of Maui with Oprah Winfrey in response to the Hawaii wildfires.
2023: Return to WWE
In 2023, Dwayne Johnson returned to WWE once again on a part-time basis.
December 31, 2023: Announcement of the United Football League (UFL)
On December 31, 2023, it was announced that the merged XFL and United States Football League would be called the United Football League (UFL).
January 1, 2024: The Rock Appears on Raw: Day 1
On January 1, 2024, The Rock made a surprise appearance on the Day 1 edition of Raw, confronting and brawling with Jinder Mahal and referencing Roman Reigns.
January 23, 2024: Joins TKO Group Holdings board of directors
On January 23, 2024, Dwayne Johnson joined the TKO Group Holdings board of directors and obtained full ownership over his trademarked name "The Rock".
March 30, 2024: UFL Launch
On March 30, 2024, the United Football League (UFL) is scheduled to start with 8 teams. Johnson owns 50% of the UFL together under XFL Properties LLC.
2024: Voiced Maui in Moana 2
In 2024, Dwayne Johnson voiced Maui in the Disney animated film "Moana 2".
2024: The Rock joins The Bloodline
In 2024, The Rock joined Reigns' faction The Bloodline, debuting a new "Final Boss" persona and challenging Rhodes and Rollins at WrestleMania Night 1.
January 6, 2025: The Rock Returns on Raw premiere on Netflix
On January 6, 2025, The Rock returned on the Raw premiere on Netflix, thanking Cody Rhodes and embracing Roman Reigns.
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