Details on WWE Talent Reactions To The Rock’s Pat McAfee Interview and Comment to Busted Open’s Dave LaGreca

The Rock has been making headlines following Wrestlemania, getting interviewed by Pat McAfee and later replying to criticism from Busted Open Radio’s Dave LaGreca. Fightful Select has details on the reactions of WWE talent to things the Rock has said this week and the backlash it has received online.

Several talents said Rock was not at TV, on TV or at Wrestlemania and didn’t do any promotion for the event (not even on social media). Another talent said he didn’t bother tweeting about Wrestlemania but was quick to go on a podcast and talk about slow ticket sales and things he had issues with on the show.

Rock said in the interview with Pat McAfee that his Elimination Chamber appearance earlier this year was to help ticket sales. Another talent backed that up, as he was considered a “big boost” for sales backstage. Before that, creative sources indicated they were told to work on the premise that Rock would not appear at the show. Many thought that would change after the events of Elimination Chamber, but were still told not to feature him heavily in promos.

One “longtime” talent said the roster enjoys having The Rock around, but added that a comment from a top talent last year that the card is “at the mercy of Dwayne” pulls him in both directions. One person believed Rock didn’t want to interfere with Wrestlemania plans like last year but possibly didn’t understand how much the story needed him. Another talent described it as an “overcorrection” after Rock was inserted into plans last year.

People on social media have speculated about issues between Rock and Triple H, but several talents said that if that were the case, the roster hasn’t heard about it. There have always been issues of a respectful, but at times “contentious” rivalry between the two.

Overall, the talent wasn’t really frustrated with the Rock’s absence nor his podcast comments, but were instead confused. One talent said: “We all found it kind of weird that he didn’t promote the show at all.”

Another talent referenced Rock telling LaGreca that everything is a work, including interviews. They asked: “What does that mean? Is he working every time he stops by and talks to us backstage, too? Was that McAfee interview a work even though he specified he wasn’t in character?“