In an unexpected turn of events that amused social media users, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson experienced a momentary case of mistaken identity during an interview with former UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus du Plessis.
The awkward interaction was captured on video, showing The Rock initially unaware he was speaking with the South African UFC star.
The interview began with du Plessis introducing Jognson enthusiastically: “Dwayne, The Rock Johnson, The Man, The Myth, The Legend. So amazing to meet you and to be able to do this with you.”
As du Plessis continued explaining his background in the UFC, Johnson suddenly had a moment of realization. “Hold on a second. Holy sh**,” Johnson exclaimed. “I didn’t know it was you. I thought for a second, wait, is that the champ?”
The surprise was evident on Johnson’s face as he processed the identity of his interviewer in real-time. “No one told me,” Johnson admitted, seemingly embarrassed by the mix-up. “I was like, God damn, he looks just like the guy. And then it’s like, sh**. No, this is it.”
The Rock tried to play it cool once he realized his blunder, pulling out the most generic praises imaginable.
Johnson quickly attempted to recover, pivoting to praise for du Plessis. “Oh, brother. Hey, it’s great to see you and talk with you, man. You’ve done such a tremendous job, man. All of your fights.”
The clip has since gone viral, with fans finding humor in seeing the typically composed Johnson caught off guard. Johnson recently joined the board of directors for TKO Group, the parent company of both WWE and UFC.
In that same announcement, it was revealed that Johnson had secured full ownership of his trademarked name “The Rock,” a significant business achievement connecting to his wrestling legacy through his father, WWE Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson, and grandfather, Peter Maivia.
Du Plessis captured the UFC Middleweight Championship earlier this year, but ended up losing it to Khamzat Chimaev recently.
