When Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson spent some time with former WWE commentator Pat McAfee on his namesake show – making some news about a potential match at WrestleMania 40 against Roman Reigns – at the University of Colorado, a hop, skip, and a jump away from SmackDown‘s venue in Denver, more than a few fans – and one of Sean Ross Sapp's sources – noted that maybe, just maybe the two men would make their way back to the WWE Universe in order to talk some smack, get a massive pop, and maybe, just maybe mix it up with a Superstar or two to the cheers of millions of fans around the world.
Hitting the ring first to a ruckus reception, McAfee addressed a WWE audience for the first time since WrestleMania 39, letting them know just how much SmackDown means to him, as it is truly “the people's show.”
“You know I was just up the road in the Rockies for College Gameday covering Deon Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes,” McAfee told the 14,000 fans in attendance “And when I looked online to keep up with the greatest wrestling show to ever grace television, WWE Smackdown, I saw that it was an hour away in this gorgeous city, and there was zero percent chance I wasn’t gonna take the ride down here to feel the greatest universe on earth, the WWE Universe. The greatest crowds of all the crowds, and it is my honor to say welcome to Friday Night SmackDown!”
Unfortunately for McAfee, he wasn't allowed to say much more on the subject, as Austin Theory marched down to the ring – wearing basically the same outfit – to talk some smack on the 4-3 professional wrestler.
“This isn’t SmackDown, this is Austin Theory Live,” Austin Theory declared. “And look what the cat dragged in. I’m trying to think. A lot of the people that live here, a lot of oxygen doesn’t get to their brains because we’re so high up, you know, kind of like you. Hey, they gotta boo me, I’m 26 years old, I’m everywhere. You at 26? Well you just had a mugshot. But me? I’m on a mug. I’m on a tee shirt, I’m on a backpack, there’s nothing that I can’t do. Hey shut your mouths. I ain’t out here because of them, I’m out here because of you. Me and you got unfinished business. I don’t know who you think you are, because you got a private jet, you got a little desk you sit behind and talk about College Football all day. Well guess what? I got something real special for you. You see, I’m gonna drop you right here in a couple seconds, and you know what’s gonna happen? Listen up: You are gonna go back to your show, sitting there, injured, not able to do a d*mn thing, just like Aaron Rogers.”
After going back and forth, McAfee realized the two parties had reached a bit of an impasse and decided to pull a “Rock Bottom” out of his back pocket to really chop the 26-year-old down to size: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson proved that Austin Theory just ain't it.
Marching down to the ring, Austin Theory tried to act cool, but, as is so often the case, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was having none of it, seeing right through the least authentic member of the WWE Universe.
“Shut your b*tch-a** up! You clearly don’t know how all this works. Finally, The Rock has come back to Denver,” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson said as the crowd went wild, leading Theory to try to interrupt and invoke the name of Steve Austin, though Rock was having none of it. “You see, it actually does matter what the Rock says. And it actually does matter, more importantly than what the Rock says, what the people say. You bring up Stone Cold Steve Austin, that’s the Rock’s boy, but if he were here right now, 12:17 this, this is what he would say: If you want to see me beat this Jabroni’s a**, give me a h*ll yeah. So you see, the roof just blew off the place because we are live, and as the Rock said, this is the Rock in SmackDown and it’s a Rock show, and it matter what they say. So you see how loud they just got? So you wanna talk trash about Stone Cold, talk trash about Pat, talk trash about the people? Well the Rock says this: You’re Austin Theory, right?”
After leading a rousing chant of “you are an a**hole,” Johnson delivered one final shot at Theory before letting his actions do the talking.
“But right now, the Rock and the people, we’re having fun, baby! Here’s a lesson for you: The Rock doesn’t know who you are, but he knows what you are and clearly- tell you this, let the Rock tell you this: Your name is Austin Theory, the Rock has a theory of his own. And here’s the thing: you come out here on the Rock show, the people’s show, SmackDown, you let down the people, they’re the reasons why it makes it all happen, the Rock says this, here’s the Rock’s theory: In about three seconds, the Rock is gonna whoop your candy a** all over Denver.”
A few People's Elbows later, the incredible segment was done; Theory was down, the crowd went wild, and both The Rock and McAfee looked like absolute Superstars as a result. Is Johnson back for good? Only time will tell, but tonight, he looked like the biggest star in the world.