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Despite being one of WWE's top stars in 1999, The Rock was booked in a non-title match against Billy Gunn at that year's SummerSlam event. In 2020, WWE creative team member Bruce Prichard gave a behind-the-scenes insight into how The Great One really felt about the storyline.
The angle began at Fully Loaded 1999, where Triple H beat The Rock thanks to Gunn's help. A month later, The Game headlined SummerSlam against Mankind and Steve Austin. Meanwhile, The Rock faced Gunn in a Kiss My A** match.
On his Something to Wrestle With podcast, Prichard revealed that the Hollywood star disliked his booking that summer:
"Rock hated it. No other way to explain it. I mean, Rock hated it. He saw it as not a demotion but, 'Okay, I'm the guy that has to get this guy over?' and not like, 'I'm over, put me on top. Instead, I'm put in the role of trying to get this guy over?' And I don't know that Rock really had the confidence in Billy. This was a time where we were looking to get a singles run out of Billy and see what the hell he had." [2:08 – 3:02]
The eight-time WWE Champion defeated Gunn in the penultimate match of the night at SummerSlam 1999. Mankind defeated Austin and Triple H in the main event to capture the WWE Championship.
Did The Rock purposely bury Billy Gunn?
Two months before SummerSlam 1999, Billy Gunn kick-started his run as a singles competitor by winning the King of the Ring tournament. The Rock famously mocked Gunn's accomplishment during a promo on Sunday Night Heat, stating that his rival still "absolutely s*cks."
Bruce Prichard denied suggestions that the WWE legend attempted to "bury" the current AEW star:
"No, it was really, 'Okay, here's your opportunity. Come out of it and go out and deliver.' But the audience wasn't ready for him, and I don't know that Billy was ready for the push at that time." [5:09 – 5:24]
Almost 24 years later, Gunn still wrestles at the age of 59. He teamed up with The Acclaimed in a losing effort against The House of Black at AEW Double or Nothing on Sunday.
Do you think Billy Gunn was ready for a singles run in 1999? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit Something to Wrestle With and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.
