JBL recently stepped in as guest host for Something to Wrestle in Bruce Prichard’s absence and shared a chaotic travel story from wrestling’s wilder days on the road. As is often the case with tales from that era, this one involves a plane, a fire, and a WWE Hall of Famer who took matters into his own hands, literally.

“Rocky Johnson jumped out of the plane,” JBL recalled. “Not when it was off the ground, but they were going down the tarmac to get to the runway to take off.”

JBL explained that the plane, which he said belonged to Eddie Graham, then a top NWA official and the promoter behind Championship Wrestling from Florida, was preparing for takeoff when a backstage mishap took an unexpected turn. An unnamed individual, who JBL heavily hinted was Gerald Brisco, allegedly went into the aircraft’s restroom to smoke marijuana. That decision reportedly led to a fire breaking out inside the plane.

The blaze grew quickly, filling the cabin with smoke and sending panic through those onboard. Johnson, father of global superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, sprang into action, though maybe not in the way others would have. Believing the plane might explode, he opened the door while it was still taxiing and leapt out onto the tarmac.

“Now they can’t leave, because they’re leaving Rocky behind,” JBL continued. “So they have to stop and go back and get Rocky. I guess secondary, they put out the fire. You’d think they’d put out the fire first.”

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, Ben Kerin Mar 22, 2025 03:28PM