Karl Anderson is looking back at one of his old comments about The Rock—and if he could do it over again, he’d change it.
Speaking on Inside the Ring, Anderson admitted he regrets calling WWE wrestlers “marks” for crowding around The Rock backstage whenever he showed up at television tapings, saying he was only trying to get a reaction when he made the remark years ago.
“Yeah, he came one time and I said something one time. I was just trying to f*** around.”
Anderson recalled one particular visit where The Rock walked into Gorilla Position and suddenly became the center of attention. Wrestlers immediately lined up to talk to him, ask for photos and spend a few moments with one of the biggest stars on the planet. That wasn’t something Anderson was used to seeing.
“One time he came backstage and everybody was… I mean, we’re there, we work for WWE, and all the boys were running up to him in Gorilla, asking for pictures. We didn’t come up that way.”
At the time, Anderson thought the whole scene was strange: “I was thinking, ‘Oh, these f***** bunch of marks.'” Later, he even repeated the story on a podcast, hoping to stir people up a little. Mission accomplished. Looking back now, though, Anderson says he wishes he had kept that one to himself.
“I even said it on a podcast one time, just trying to… again, acting… trying to get people worked up. And they did. Jeez. Of course I wish I didn’t say it, right?”
He also made it clear his comments were never meant as a shot at The Rock. If anything, Anderson says he completely understands why so many wrestlers wanted a moment with him.
“I get it. It’s The Rock. He’s the biggest superstar in the whole entire world.”
To explain what surprised him, Anderson compared it to John Cena, saying Cena often arrived at WWE arenas early because it was one of the few places where he could relax without being mobbed by fans.
“John Cena would come to the arena early on purpose because that was a safe spot. He would be there chilling. He was able to be there and be himself and not be bothered. The Rock’s always been really cool with us. I mean, the biggest superstar in the world.”
What started as Anderson trying to get a laugh years ago ended up following him much longer than he expected. Now, he’s happy to admit he’d take that comment back—even if he still remembers just how surreal it was watching an entire locker room rush to greet The Rock.
Do you think Karl Anderson was being unfair, or is it understandable that WWE wrestlers wanted a photo with The Rock? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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