JJ Dillon On Early Interactions With The Rock

Legendary manager and former WWE front office executive JJ Dillon was a guest on the latest episode of David Penzer's Sitting Ringside podcast. 

He spoke about his early interactions with The Rock and how he had been a part of the process of hiring him along with Mark Henry.

"I was a part of the decision process that ended up hiring [The Rock] and Mark Henry. I remember one night I think we were at The Garden, The Rock pulled me aside and said, 'I know I can speak openly and honest with you, can you make some phone calls to get me out of here [WWE]. From all my time in college and in Florida and my time in the business, I always had money in my pocket. [Right now] I don't have two dollars in my pocket, I feel vulnerable.'

"In this particular moment you can't begin to imagine what is laying in front of you regarding your success and financial rewards, because you don't have two dollars in your pocket. Because it hasn't yet happened yet, you can't let this moment change you. I told him, 'this is the lowest of lows you'll experience.' I said, 'give me five minutes. put this [thought process] on hold.' Five minutes later I come back, and I tell him to open up his hand. I put $200, $300, $500, whatever it was in his hand and told him to wrap his hand around it. 'Now put that hand in your pocket, how does that feel to have money again?' This moment right there changed his whole mental outlook and helped him."