The Rock isn’t backing away from the emotional tribute he shared following PAC’s death. After a report claimed people inside WWE were surprised by him praising AEW and Tony Khan, Johnson responded directly and explained exactly why he said what he did.
The story started after Dave Meltzer reported that several people within WWE were caught off guard by the wording of Rock’s tribute. According to Meltzer, it wasn’t the fact that Rock honored PAC that surprised anyone—it was his decision to call AEW a “phenomenal wrestling company” and refer to Tony Khan as a friend while serving on TKO’s Board of Directors.
Now, Rock has addressed the report himself. Commenting on an Instagram post from ClutchWrestling, Johnson said people were missing the bigger picture because, to him, PAC’s passing had nothing to do with company rivalries.
“You’re right brother, and humanity matters to me.”
Rock said he’s been around the wrestling business his entire life, and when someone in the industry passes away, he doesn’t think about which company they worked for.
“I was born into this business and I’ve seen it all, but when one of our own passes away, I don’t care nor do I see ‘our competition’, I care about the wrestlers and how it affects them.”
He added that he’s experienced those kinds of losses himself, which is why his focus was on the people grieving rather than the promotion they worked for. The Rock then added a message that summed up his entire mindset
“I’ve been there. To me, humanity matters most.”
Rock’s response also puts an end to any speculation that he might walk back his original comments. If anything, he doubled down, making it clear that, in his eyes, honoring a fellow wrestler will always matter more than company lines or boardroom politics.
What do you think of The Rock’s response? Do you like seeing wrestling’s biggest names put rivalries aside in moments like this? Let us know in the comments below.
