Roxanne Perez just revealed something most WWE stars can only dream of—The Rock watched her match at NXT New Year’s Evil and gave her direct praise backstage.
During her recent appearance on Sports Illustrated’s YouTube channel, Perez was asked if she ever got the chance to meet The Rock. She didn’t just meet him—she got validation from the Final Boss himself during one of WWE’s biggest NXT specials of the year.
“Yeah, I did actually meet him. So, he did a show with NXT a few months ago. And obviously he’s very busy, but I did see him in passing and I said hello, and he said hello. It was after my match, and he was like, ‘I watched your match. That was really good.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, wow.’ Like, I don’t think he would just throw around compliments like that. So I was like, ‘Oh, wow. I didn’t know you watched it. Thank you so much.’ And he kept walking.”
Perez added what the moment meant to her, knowing just how rare it is to get a compliment from someone like The Rock.
“But yeah, I mean, The Rock even sees that I’m goated. So, I mean, I think—it’s pretty.”
The Rock made headlines at NXT New Year’s Evil on January 7, 2025, when he returned in a surprise backstage segment alongside NXT GM Ava—his real-life daughter—and NXT Champion Ethan Page. In true Rock fashion, he playfully warned Page, saying: “I’ve heard a lot about you—and not all good.” He then turned to Ava and called her the real boss of the show, telling Page: “On this show, she’s the Final Boss.”
Before heading to the ring, The Rock asked Ava what he should say to the crowd. “I don’t know what the f** I’m going to say out there,”* he admitted. Ava, calm and confident, simply replied: “You’ll feel it when you get out there.”
That appearance had social media exploding—but what fans didn’t see was The Rock backstage, watching NXT talent like Roxanne Perez and showing respect where it was earned.
For Perez, the interaction wasn’t just a compliment—it was a moment of recognition from one of the most iconic names in wrestling history.
Does The Rock’s praise for Roxanne Perez confirm her as WWE’s next breakout star? And what other NXT talent do you think is on his radar? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
