The Rock is grateful that he still receives the same reaction from the fans all these years later.
On January 1st, The Rock made a shock return to WWE on the Day 1 special episode of Raw. The Great One interrupted and stood tall over Jinder Mahal on the show, with Mahal being first advertised as the returning WWE Champion.
Taking to social media to upload a clip of his entrance that featured a thunderous ovation from the San Diego crowd and an ecstatic call from Michael Cole, the Hollywood star expressed his gratitude and stated that this was just the beginning:
It all hits differently. The theme, the crowd, the connection, the reaction, the electricity, the chills – the mana. Helluva way to bring in 2024. Grateful, blessed & inspired to forever be, the People’s Champ. @wwe. We’re just getting started
One reaction to Rock’s return that went viral on social media was that of ring announcer Samantha Irvin, who literally leapt out of her chair when she heard the entrance music. The former World Champion would also acknowledge Irvin’s reaction and how much he loved it:
Love this.
She’s dope. @SamanthaTheBomb@WWEhttps://t.co/MXG1jjNZfW— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) January 2, 2024
The Rock also later thanked fans for helping his return segment smash a WWE record on social media.
The Rock Seemingly Preparing For Major Mania Match
While the fans are always excited to see The Great One live and in person, there was another reason why the unannounced appearance took place. Following a People’s Elbow to Mahal, The Rock stated that he would be heading out into San Diego later that night and stated that he should sit at the head of the table, referencing Roman Reigns. As the segment came to a close, The Tribal Chief seemed amused by what just happened, simply posting a laughing emoji on his own social media account.