WWE Star Was Ready To Give Up Their Dream Before The Rock Intervened

The Rock made sure a WWE star didn’t quit.

While she’s currently enjoying a run as the Women’s United States Champion, her road to that championship wasn’t always easy.

Although she found a level of success on the independent circuit and with TNA, Vega repeatedly found her route into WWE blocked. However, that changed when she landed the role of AJ Lee in the movie Fighting With My Family, which was based on the life and career of former WWE star Paige and produced in part by The Rock.

During a new interview with the Lightweights podcast, Vega recalled The Rock contacting her about the role in the movie.

“Dwayne called me literally like three hours afterwards and he’s like, ‘Hey, I got this idea.’ I was like, ‘Okay.’ But again, he just said, ‘You don’t even have to audition for it, I already know you can do it.’

Vega went on to admit that she was on the verge of giving up on ever working with WWE before she received the call.

“Probably like three days before that happened, I had gotten an audition that just didn’t go the way I wanted. I got another no from WWE, so I had texted him and I was like, ‘Okay, I think I’m just done.’

There’s just so many times I got told no, it was like my eighth no at that time and I was just like, ‘I can’t do this anymore.’ Like clearly, they don’t want me, they don’t want anything I have to offer. I’m just not going to be able to be with WWE.

He’s just like, ‘Don’t say no yet, give me a couple days, I’ve been working on something.’ That’s when he called me about the movie. It was just so mind-blowing, I just didn’t say anything for a second, I still kind of processing it.

He’s like, ‘This is usually where people say I’m so happy, thank you so much.’ I started crying cause I just had no idea. It was all this emotion kind of built up. He was like, ‘I trust you completely, I know you can do this, and you’re my Divas champion.’”

The Rock Has Moved Into The Background

The Rock hasn’t appeared on WWE television since instructing John Cena to turn heel at Elimination Chamber. His absence seemed at odds with the story of Cena’s heel turn and Cody Rhodes’ decision to turn him down, but he later claimed he decided to miss WrestleMania because he felt he wasn’t needed.

Although he’s long been expected to wrestle again, there’s no word on when The Great One will make his on-screen return.

Despite his lack of on-screen appearances, The Rock remains a key figure within WWE management after joining the TKO Group Board of Directors in January 2024.

H/t to Fightful