Pat McAfee: The Rock Helped Me With My Promo On WWE SmackDown

On the June 24 episode of WWE SmackDown, Pat McAfee challenged Happy Corbin to a match at WWE SummerSlam. During his promo, he referenced the “millions and millions” of WWE fans, which was a clear reference to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who often used the same catchphrase. As it turns out, “The Great One” gave McAfee the green light to say it on national TV.

During the June 27 edition of The Pat McAfee Show, McAfee thanked The Rock for letting him use his classic line and made it clear that he got permission to do so. He also explained that he was going to use it during his feud with Theory, but he got cut off before he was able to do so.

“Shoutout to The Rock, by the way,” said McAfee. “Thanks, man. People are wondering, in the wrestling world, when you say somebody else’s catchphrase, it’s kind of a thing. Give them credit. Also don’t wanna go too in the weeds here, but did get permission beforehand from Dwayne Johnson to be able to say it. If you do recall, in my last program, Austin Theory, when I was allowed to speak into the mic, I was in the middle of doing it, and then I got interrupted. That was around the time when I originally got the okay to say it, and that was in Miami, I think, that night actually. So it would have went bananas.

“So I apologized for not, it seems like l kinda ripped your thing and didn’t give you credit. They were starting the music, so it was kind of a whole situation. I did not know they were hitting music. But I’m the only person I think in the history of the company, maybe in the modern era, where literally I’m kinda told some things but not all things. Like, ‘Hey you only need to know what you need to know.’ ‘So I’m getting a chance to speak tonight is what I need to know?’ ‘Yeah, you’re speaking.’ ‘Okay perfect.'”

The SmackDown broadcaster then described how he reached out to The Rock to get his permission for using the line, and the megastar wound up helping him with the promo. McAfee also noted that Johnson seemed pleased with how it turned out.

“Then I’ll send like a [message], ‘Okay, I’m thinking, hey is there any way I could potentially drop a…,’ and he actually responded and said, ‘Hey give me some context on how you’re gonna do this. Give me some context so we can really get this thing going.’ So he gave me an entire like, ‘Hey here we go here we go.’ So I’m very, very, very grateful and thankful for The Rock and I appreciate the hell out of him on the back side of it saying, ‘Hey, pretty good usage if it.’ So I’m very, very thankful for The Rock.”

McAfee also noted that getting The Rock’s blessing, and working with him on a promo, was “huge” because the legend is renowned for his skills on the microphone. He then emphasized his gratitude and stated that he appreciates The Rock.

“I’m very thankful,” said McAfee. “I appreciate the hell out of you, man. I appreciate the opportunity to do it and then I finally got the opportunity to do so for saying, salu, I am very very thankful. Aloha, big Uce.