Despite being one of the biggest stars in wrestling history, The Rock has never been a controversial name behind the scenes as he has mostly gotten along with the majority of his peers. He was as popular in the WWE locker room as he was with the fans, becoming one of the most respected figures backstage. To this day, he still maintains a great relationship with so many of his old peers despite having outgrown the industry to an extent. With The Rock reaching new heights of popularity, some fans thought that he may attempt to distance himself from professional wrestling.

Based on his social media interactions with other Superstars, as well as his past interviews, it's safe to say that The Rock still has some strong friendships in the WWE. But he has also made some enemies along the way, which is only normal when you are a a star as big as The Rock. Compared to the likes of Hulk Hogan and Steve Austin, The Rock barely has any enemies in the industry and you certainly won't find many Superstars bad mouthing him.

None of his rivalries are very intense as The Rock mostly avoided backstage trouble whenever possible. In the wrestling industry, especially during the Attitude Era, it was only bound to have heat between fellow Superstars. With today's list, we look at 8 people who are close to The Rock and 8 who are his enemies.

16 Close: Brock Lesnar

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Brock Lesnar doesn't have too many friends in the wrestling industry despite having been a member of the WWE roster for many years. He also happens to isolate himself from most people as Lesnar has quite the reputation when it comes to being surrounded by people. And yet he got along really well with The Rock during their time together in the WWE. While some stars were refusing to put Lesnar over early on, The Rock didn't mind losing the WWE Undisputed Title to him at the 2002 SummerSlam.

That event may have brought them closer since they worked together for many months as they built up the bout. And when both stars left the wrestling industry to pursue various ventures, they kept in touch throughout the years. As they got older, it seems like the respect between them has only grown, as they are always full of praise for each other. They make an unlikely friendship given what we know about both men. And despite their different personalities, The Rock and Lesnar still find ways to remain on good terms, even when the former is working on his Hollywood projects while the latter prepares for UFC fights.

15 Enemy: Randy Orton

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The Rock and Randy Orton got to work together in the ring for some weeks in 2004 to build up to the tag team match at WrestleMania XX. And it seems like they didn't have the best of times together although they did put their differences aside for the sake of the storyline. They never clashed or even came close to it, but there was reportedly always tension between them, which is why Orton criticized The Rock a number of times in past interviews. Orton also once referred to him as a snitch for complaining to management about his comments to the media.

The Rock has never replied to any of Orton's shots, and kept their secret tension behind the scenes.

It was reported that Orton had angered Vince McMahon for calling out one of his biggest stars, going as far as to tell him to quit it. Orton wisely dropped his attacks towards The Rock since he realized that management would always side against him. And considering The Rock is away from wrestling, their old beef has probably vanished by now since it's been many years since they last shared a locker room together.

14 Close: Hulk Hogan

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You wouldn't think that The Rock and Hulk Hogan would be close since there tends to be tension between the top stars, even if they happen to represent different eras. Such was the case when Hogan returned to the WWE in 2002 and was supposed to face Steve Austin in a dream match at WrestleMania. But with both men refusing to lose, plans had to be changed as The Rock substituted for Austin. Hogan was apparently fine with losing the contest against The Rock, as he had grown fond of him.

Since their on-screen rivalry, they have maintained a good relationship even as they grew apart throughout the years. They may not be hanging out often, and they probably rarely, if ever, run into each other these days. But they always claim to have a positive friendship and the utmost respect towards one another. Even when the Hogan scandal leaked to the public, The Rock never changed his opinion about his good friend although he certainly wasn't fond of the controversial comments. Their history together means that both Superstars will likely always continued to be on good terms for the rest of their lives.

13 Enemy: Shawn Michaels

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Fans always wonder as to why Shawn Michaels and The Rock never squared off in the ring. It is one of the top dream matches that will sadly never happen despite having previously been in the company's plans. During The Rock's early career, he had some problems with many members of The Kliq, who supposedly mistreated him and tried to jeopardize his career. Michaels' antics have been well-documented by this point, as he had several clashes with The Rock which led to a never-ending beef between them.

Just as The Rock was rising to the top in the WWE, Michaels was quoted as saying that The Rock was nothing special.

And considering his harsh comments, as well as past behavior, The Rock decided to never work with Michaels in the ring. He was offered the opportunity to make the dream match come true, including a supposed bout planned for WrestleMania, but The Rock never changed his mind. And while they have mostly kept their feud behind the scenes, it has been confirmed by both sides in recent interviews. Even as they got older, it appears that The Rock never forgave Michaels for his past actions towards him and other members of the roster.

12 Close: Chris Jericho

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If you happen to follow Chris Jericho's podcast, then you would know that he has mentioned a number of times that he is good friends with The Rock. Seeing how different from each other they appear to be, some may think that the two stars may only enjoy a professional relationship at best. But during their time together in the WWE, they spent plenty of time while on the road - and even travelling together from time to time. Their journeys have been completely different although both have remained figures in the wrestling industry.

The two have gotten along well since Jericho's debut in WWE in which he interrupted The Rock. And while both men had closer friends in the industry, they did have a solid friendship that stood the backstage politics during the Attitude Era. In a past interview, The Rock listed Jericho as one of his closest friend in the WWE - an exclusive list to say the least. Their busy schedules keep them far apart these days, but they do keep in touch through texting, which indicates that their friendship was beyond the ring and will likely continue to be solid as a result.

11 Enemy: Ahmed Johnson

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Out of all the entries, this may be the most unbelievable one as most fans may have a hard time believing it. But according to Ahmed Johnson, he nearly came to blows with The Rock backstage and the reason will certainly blow your mind. According to Johnson, he overheard Triple H and Shawn Michaels making racist jokes around The Rock, and the latter would claim that he wasn't black since his mother had a relationship with a white person. It does appear to be too ridiculous of a story to believe, but Johnson has persisted that it is the truth.

When he stepped up to The Rock, Johnson was ready to teach him a lesson but ended up changing his mind. Most fans have dismissed Johnson's side of the story, claiming that he is likely just making things up. Considering that The Rock will likely never address these allegations for an obvious reason, it will all come down to whether fans choose to believe Johnson's tale, and based on his reputation, as well as how popular The Rock tends to be among wrestling fans, we can't see too many buying into Johnson's account of what went down.

10 Close: Steve Austin

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It's only right for the Attitude Era's two biggest stars to be close friends in real life. With WWE losing the Monday Night War ratings against WCW, it was Stone Cold Steve Austin who turned things around by reaching unprecedented heights at the top of the industry. And soon afterwards, another star was born in The Rock as they enjoyed a lengthy and iconic rivalry for many years. Despite having been booked as enemies for so long in the WWE, they enjoyed a great friendship in real life.

Although they were always competing for the top spot in the company, as did other Superstars, there were never any real issues between them.

Their friendship only made it easier for the WWE to conduct business, especially since Vince McMahon had gotten used to having controversy between his top stars. To this day, Austin and The Rock are still on great terms as evident by their interactions together. Over the years, both men have have nothing but praise to say towards one another. It is very possible that their friendship behind the scenes may have played a part in bringing the best out of each other whenever the WWE cameras were rolling.

9 Enemy: Hornswoggle

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Just when you thought The Rock's wrestling industry relationships couldn't get more strange, here is one that will catch you off guard. When The Rock returned to the WWE a few years ago, he had been away for a while and it was only normal that an adjustment period was needed. Not only did he have to adapt to the WWE's new product, but he also had to get acquainted with all the newer members of the roster. And when The Rock crossed paths with Hornswoggle backstage, he confused him for a Make-A-Wish kid - which angered Hornswoggle to say the least.

Since then, he has been very critical of The Rock during his interviews by claiming that he is an arrogant jerk. The Rock has never told his side of the story and it's unlikely that he ever will. If he didn't know Hornswoggle back when he was still relevant, we doubt that he would recognize him these days. One could say that this beef is one sided since it's Hornswoggle who has had bitter feelings towards The Rock ever since their very first encounter - and it is probably too late for them to make up.

8 Close: John Cena

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In past years, John Cena would have landed on the other side of this list as he had engaged in a real rivalry against The Rock. When the latter returned to the WWE to face John Cena in a Once In A Lifetime Match, there were some issues brewing between them, as their on-screen rivalry transitioned into real life heat. Cena had been very critical of The Rock's part time schedule, claiming that he sold out by leaving the WWE for Hollywood. The Rock also had some harsh words for Cena, which only worsened their relationship.

As they got to know each other more, they realized that their antics had been childish and decided to begin a new chapter.

Since then, they have become friends with mutual respect - and while they may not be hanging out or even keeping in touch very often - their relationship has finally taking a turn for the better. And considering their star level as well as importance to the WWE, then it's fair to say that the company is likely more excited than anyone else about two of their biggest stars ever getting along - after having had a fiery conflict for some time.

7 Enemy: Kevin Nash

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As a member of The Kliq, Kevin Nash was always going to have some issues with The Rock. And while the latter never held a grudge against the former as he did towards other members, The Rock made sure to show Nash who was boss during their brief feud in 2002. As they exchanged words on television, The Rock improvised by referring to Nash as "Big Daddy B****". And while the audience may have loved The Rock having a go at members of nWo, Nash wasn't a fan of The Rock disrespecting him - believing that it severely hurt his WWE stint.

Rumors also suggested that The Rock was keen to show out at the time since nWo members had plenty to say about him and other members of the roster when WCW was on top. And considering The Rock's Hollywood success, it's safe to say that he has moved on from his old beef with Nash but the same cannot be said about him, as Nash continues to call out The Rock in shoot interviews. And like many members of The Kliq, he always appears to downplay The Rock's legacy while simultaneously praising Triple H.

6 Close: Curt Hawkins

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As The Rock prepared for his WWE return in 2011, he needed to get back into ring shape by getting rid of some of the inevitable dust. And as his busy schedule limited his time, The Rock had dedicated specific sessions for his WWE workouts. The company picked Curt Hawkins to be used as The Rock's punching bag, and while his job was only to help him get comfortable again, they ended up getting really along. Hawkins has always spoken highly of The Rock's character by praising his personality and behavior towards fellow wrestlers.

And earlier this year, fans were surprised to see The Rock tweet Curt Hawkins regarding his losing streak, which shows that they have kept in touch since their training days. Hawks did well to assist The Rock in his return to the ring, serving as a bump taker for the most part. Despite their association over the years, that hasn't convinced the WWE to push Hawkins as his role on the roster has been similar to what he served during his workout sessions with The Rock. But he still has a job with the company, and was previously handpicked to work with The Rock, so he is certainly viewed with the utmost respect.

5 Enemy: Dolph Ziggler

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The Rock's return to the WWE was greatly received by fans who had wanted him back for many years. And while the majority of WWE Superstars were excited to have him around, there were some who who felt that The Rock was taking opportunities away from full-time performers. Among them was Dolph Ziggler who was still considered a future top star at the time, as he launched an attack towards The Rock in a number of interviews. Ziggler also called him out with a subliminal message, adding that The Rock's figure action toy show only be played for four times per year.

Zigger was clearly not a fan of The Rock headlining WrestleMania among other shows, while sporadically wrestling throughout the years.

His opinionated persona may have landed him in some trouble backstage, as we know that even Randy Orton faced some consequences upon criticizing The Rock. But it seems like The Rock may not have any bitter feelings towards Ziggler, as he may understand his position. In a previous interview, The Rock once praised Ziggler's in-ring talent without throwing any shots at him - so it may be another one sided beef.

4 Close: Mark Henry

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Early in his career, The Rock found himself at a tough road as he didn't make too many friends backstage. And with all the ongoing backstage politics, he chose not to get involved as much as possible although that was nearly impossible. But one close friend that The Rock has made along the way is Mark Henry. And while they did start together, it took Henry some time to find a unique identity as opposed to The Rock - who rose to the top in a matter of short years. Their journeys have been separated for over a decade now, but there is mutual admiration and respect between them.

The Rock played an instrumental part in Henry's early years, helping him get comfortable in the WWE. Even when The Rock became the highest paid actor in Hollywood, he didn't suddenly become too good for his friends. Many of his close associates, including Henry, have always spoken about The Rock's inspirational personality. Years since leaving the industry, The Rock maintains a few close relationships, and Mark Henry seems to always be on The Rock's good side. They have shared history inside the ring, as well as a close friendship backstage.

3 Enemy: Road Dogg

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These days, the WWE locker rooms tends to be peaceful as most of the talents get along very well with each other. But it was a completely different environment, especially during the Attitude Era. As The Rock quickly rose to the top, some fellow Superstars grew jealous since he passed them on the card position. He blossomed into becoming as popular as any wrestler to ever work for the WWE, transcending the industry through his success in Hollywood. With The Rock having beef with the main members of D-Generation X in Triple H and Shawn Michaels, he also didn't get along with the remaining members either.

Road Dogg was very critical of The Rock for supposedly acting too arrogant in the locker room. And while matters never escalated beyond some light words, it could have clearly become a major problem for the WWE. But once The Rock left the WWE for some time, that calmed down many past rivalries that are probably well forgotten by most involved wrestlers involved. In many shoot interviews, Road Dogg has confirmed the alleged rivalry between The Rock and himself, as well as many other members of DX.

2 Close: Mick Foley

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Two of the biggest stars of the Attitude Era joined forces to form an unlikely partnership that would extend beyond the ring. While The Rock and Mick Foley always had brilliant chemistry within the ring, they also got along just as fine in the back. With both stars being similar in some ways, as both happen to be very controversial compared to their peers, it is no wonder that they grew so fond of each other. They both played a crucial role in each other's careers, elevating to the top of the mountain. Since then, they have reunited a number of times including a tag match at WrestleMania XX.

While they may not be appearing on screen together like they used to, they still have a good relationship to this day.

As time goes by, some friendships become more difficult to maintain but that hasn't been a problem for The Rock and Foley, who always seem to be on great terms. What started as a storyline ended up leading to a unique friendship that was truly admired by the WWE fans, and remains appreciated as of today.

1 Enemy: Triple H

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In the early 2000s, there was some tension forming behind the scenes between Triple H and The Rock. The former wanted to be the face of the company after Stone Cold Steve Austin, but those plans were clearly derailed when The Rock's popularity skyrocketed. And despite being one of the biggest stars in wrestling history, Triple H always found himself behind Steve Austin and The Rock - never leading the company at the forefront. There were rumors about Triple H being jealous about The Rock's success, as well as always being the center of attention in WWE.

When Triple H was running the show in 2003 and The Rock had become a part-time performer, the former started to play backstage politics to have Vince McMahon side with him. And what some fans don't know is that some light tension existed between the WWE and The Rock for several years, as he went away from the company a number of years without making an appearance. Triple H was the one who supposedly convinced McMahon to not bring back The Rock during those years, as he would likely return once his Hollywood career flopped - but we all know how that went.