The Rock is finally heading back home, as world-famous actor and wrestling superstar Dwayne Johnson has confirmed he will appear on the Fox premiere ofWWE SmackDown!. Set to premiere on the network on Oct. 4, the live program will mark the first time in six years Johnson has been seen on the wrestling organization’sSmackdownshow, though he has appeared onWWE Rawand various pay-per-views. Here’s what Johnson had to say about coming toSmackdownin a tweet posted to his official Twitter account.
“FINALLY…I come back home to my WWE universe. This FRIDAY NIGHT, I’ll return for our debut of SMACKDOWN! LIVE on FOX TV. There’s no greater title than [the people’s champ]. And there’s no place like home. Tequila on me after the show.”
WWE has been teasing a show packed with stars, featuring some familiar faces from the past in addition to some of today’s biggest superstars in the company. With one of the biggest wrestling stars of all time on board with the confirmed appearance ofThe Rock’s confirmed appearance, there’s no telling which other major names from the past we might also see. One of Johnson’s greatest opponents, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, will also be present to moderate a contract signing between Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman. Brock Lesnar will also be competing in a rare televised match forSmackdown, squaring off with current WWE Champion Kofi Kingston. Also confirmed for the show are Becky Lynch, The Undertaker, Roman Reigns, and Charlotte Flair.
WWE Smackdownfirst debuted in 1999 on UPN, quickly branding itself as an alternate program to complementMonday Night Raw. The name of the show literally comes from one of Johnson’s catch phrases, as the wrestler would often tell opponents he was going to “lay the smackdown” on their “candy asses.” Johnson would play a very important role inSmackdown’s early development, constantly referring to the program as “his” show on WWE television. In subsequent years, the show would move to The CW, followed by runs on Syfy and USA Network. Last year, it was then announced WWE had worked out a deal with Fox to moveSmackdownto the network and air it live every Friday night.
Following his run as a full-time wrestler in WWE, Johnson has moved on to tremendous success in Hollywood. He has since become one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood whose movies are huge money-earners across the world. Recently starring in theFast and Furiousspin-offHobbs and Shaw, Johnson will also appear in the sequelJumanji: The Next Levelwhen it premieres in theaters this winter. Still, as busy as the actor remains in Hollywood, he still finds the time to make occasional appearances in WWE, especially for important occasions such as the launch ofSmackdownlive on Fox.
Johnson might be one of the biggest names there’s ever been in Hollywood, but for longtime wrestling fans, he’ll always be The Rock. Fans of the actor and wrestler might want to check out his appearance onWWE Smackdownthis week. The show airs live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California starting at 7 p.m. ET on Fox. Johnson’s confirmation of hisSmackdownappearance comes to us fromThe Rock on Twitter.
