The Miz has reflected on his memorable impersonation of Dwayne ‘The Rock‘ Johnson during the build to WrestleMania 27, admitting he initially believed the segment would completely fail.
Speaking on Games With Names, The Miz recalled approaching Vince McMahon with concerns before the segment aired on WWE Raw in 2011.
“This isn’t going to work. No one’s going to believe I’m The Rock,” Miz said he told McMahon. “I don’t look like The Rock.”
Despite Miz’s doubts, McMahon remained confident the audience would buy into the moment. The segment saw Rock’s entrance music hit following a post-match attack on John Cena, leading fans to believe “The People’s Champion” was about to appear. Instead, Miz emerged wearing a bald cap and one of Rock’s trademark shirts. Miz said the live crowd reaction stunned him, especially after McMahon deliberately timed his entrance to maximise anticipation.
“As I’m walking out, there’s another eruption bigger than the one before,” Miz recalled. “I’m like, ‘How is this working?’”
The cheers quickly turned into boos once fans realised it was Miz, something he later viewed as confirmation that the segment had succeeded. He proceeded to continue the attack on Cena, even delivering a Rock Bottom in tribute to Johnson.
The Miz Recalls Receiving A Voicemail From The Rock Following His Impersonation
The Miz also revealed that he later received a voicemail from The Rock personally praising the performance.
“That’s how you do it. That’s how you step up to the plate and hit a home run,” Miz recalled Rock telling him.
The segment became one of the more memorable moments leading into WrestleMania 27, where Miz successfully retained the WWE Championship against Cena in the main event with assistance from The Rock.
