The Rock Explains Why He Never Tried UFC: “I Don’t Like Getting Hit in the Face”
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has finally explained why he never made the jump from WWE to UFC or MMA. The answer came during a recent episode of the New Heights podcast, hosted by NFL stars Travis and Jason Kelce.
During the conversation, the brothers asked Johnson if he ever thought about trying MMA while he was still early in his wrestling career.
Johnson said the idea did cross his mind, especially in the late 1990s. At that time, he was still working his way up in WWE and not making much money yet. He explained that UFC looked tempting back then because fighters could earn serious cash.
Johnson said MMA training can play tricks on your confidence. He described how fighters start to feel unstoppable once they are deep into training camp. “You start thinking, ‘I could really do this,’” he explained. But that feeling did not last long.
Reality quickly set in. Johnson admitted that MMA fighters were on a completely different level when it came to real combat. “Those guys would take my jaw and knock it into another area code,” he said. He then summed it up with a simple reason that made fans laugh: “I don’t like to get hit in the face.”
He also called MMA “a whole different beast,” making it clear that the sport demands a type of punishment he never wanted to take. While wrestling is physical, Johnson said MMA is far more brutal and unforgiving.
Looking back, Johnson seems happy with how things turned out. WWE later became massive, his wrestling career exploded, and that success opened the door to Hollywood. Today, he is one of the biggest movie stars in the world and still closely tied to WWE through business and creative roles.
Johnson made the smart choice. He understood his limits and played to his strengths. Wrestling and acting gave him long-term success without risking serious damage to his health. What do you think? Do you wish The Rock had tried UFC, or do you think he chose the right path? Share your thoughts in the comments.
