Rocky Johnson Had A Big Influence On This Former WWE Star

Longtime WWE performer and producer Sylvain Grenier is opening up about his experience training with Rocky Johnson and his son, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, during the 1990s and the impact it had on the early days of his career.

Grenier, who went on to become a four-time WWE Tag Team Champion with La Résistance, spoke about his time training with the Johnsons, including how they became a pseudo-family for him.

"[Rocky Johnson] gave me tips, he gave me shoes, clothes," Grenier recently told the "Culture State" podcast. "At the time ['The Rock'] was sponsored by Nike and we had the same shoe size, so my first pair of boots was from The Rock."

Grenier said he used to join the Johnsons every week to watch The Rock on television.

"Every Thursday after practice, I used to go to Rocky's house and we'd watch The Rock on 'SmackDown' and we'd cook," Grenier recalled. "I was really fortunate. I didn't blossom like The Rock, but who can?"

The Rock's superstardom remains one-of-a-kind in the realm of professional wrestling, using his WWF career to pivot into becoming one of the highest-grossing movie stars of all time. Grenier said "Young Rock," Johnson's autobiographical NBC sitcom about growing up in the Samoan wrestling dynasty, is now getting close to the point where he was getting to know the family. 

Grenier called the show's depictions of The Rock's early years "phenomenal," but admitted Johnson may have gone "a little soft" on the depiction of his father, who "was really over the top." 

"But, he had a big heart and he was generous," Grenier added. "Rocky was an entertainer before it was entertainment."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Culture State" with an h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.