Vince Russo is still frustrated over what he believes was his role in creating one of WWE’s biggest stars, and he says that frustration is exactly why he’s never watched a Rock movie.
Speaking on The Coach and Bro Show, Russo looked back at Dwayne Johnson’s early WWE run and argued that he was there from the beginning. He said he helped shape Johnson’s transition into The Rock, wrote many of his early storylines, and even suggested the idea of referring to himself in the third person.
“I’ve never seen a Rock movie. I take it very personal that I actually started with Dwayne Johnson. I was there with Johnson, MSG match, bro. That’s where he started. I was there for the transition over to The Rock, and I put him in a lot of those storylines, and I had the discussion with him to go out there and refer to himself in the third person. I was there.”
Russo then compared his experience to that of former WWE writer Brian Gewirtz, who went on to become one of The Rock’s closest creative partners. He joked that while Gewirtz made millions working alongside Johnson, he never got anything.
“Then I leave and Brian Gewirtz comes along. Bro, seriously, how much money has Brian Gewirtz made off The Rock? Bro, I’ve not made a dime off The Rock. Downtown Bruno, at least he got a car. I got nothing. Here’s the word in Italian: badadi, potatoes. I’ve gotten NOTHING from The Rock. Zero.”
The former WWE writer admitted that those feelings have made it difficult to support Johnson’s Hollywood career, even if he doesn’t consider it jealousy.
“I don’t wanna call it bitterness, but there’s a part of me that doesn’t wanna really support his movie career because Brian Gewirtz, who came in after me, has made millions of dollars off The Rock. The Rock started with Vince Russo’s pen! When Gewirtz came in, he inherited The Rock, Coach. I know Gewirtz a lot longer, but my God, Rock, throw me a freaking bone, for crying out loud. Give me something, my friend.”
Russo said he isn’t jealous of Gewirtz or looking for a job in Hollywood. He simply believes his contribution to The Rock’s rise has never been properly recognized, arguing that Johnson’s career could have looked very different had Russo not been involved during those early years.
“It’s not a jealousy thing. I’m not jealous, bro. I don’t want Brian Gewirtz’s job. But Coach, here’s the reality of the situation. When I was not in creative, he was Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, bro. They booed him out of MSG. If Vince Russo is not part of the equation, bro, there’s a possibility there may have never been a Rock, and nobody would have presented him, and maybe they went on with Johnson until, ‘Thank you for your future endeavors.’ All I’m saying is, bro, that’s worth something! I’m really pissed off, though. Let’s make that clear.”
Whether fans agree with Russo or not, it’s clear the issue still weighs on him years later. In his mind, helping shape The Rock’s character was one of the biggest creative contributions of his career, and he feels it’s something that has never been fully acknowledged.
What do you make of Vince Russo’s comments? Do you think he deserves more credit for The Rock’s rise, or is he overstating his role? Let us know in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
