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While The Rock's wrestling career was short-lived, he had so many incredible moments that people still talk about them to this day. There's no doubt he was one of the best talkers in the history of WWE. And like many other successful wrestlers, The Rock also had several catchphrases that were super popular. His "If you smell, what The Rock is cooking" line was probably his most famous one, which he used a lot of times in WWE. But how did The Great One come up with this catchphrase? It had a very random origin story behind it.

RELATED: All Of The Rock's Catchphrases In WWE History, Ranked Worst To Best

The Rock First Heard It During His Football Days

the rock smiling
via New York Post

In 1999, The Rock published an autobiography titled "The Rock Says..." where he talked about interesting aspects of his career including his famous wrestling catchphrases. He said that he first heard a different variation of "If you smell what The Rock is cooking" during his football days at the University of Miami.

A few months after joining WWE, he thought about incorporating this catchphrase into his character. He recalled that once he was talking to someone backstage and said, "Yeah... if you smell what I'm cooking" and got a laugh out of them. Then he thought, "Hmmmm... that's a pretty good line."

But The Rock didn't use this catchphrase until the next two years during an interview segment with Gennifer Flowers at WrestleMania 14, where she asked him questions such as what he'd do if he was a leader of America or how he'd handle the homeless situation. When Flowers asked him about the judicial system, The Rock said he'd be both the judge and jury. He also felt like "9 times out of 10, he'd be a hung jury, if you smell what I'm cooking."

In his autobiography, The Rock said that he hadn't planned to use this line here. It just happened naturally, and the reaction he received was pretty great. This was also the first time he used this line on WWE television, and it later evolved into a popular catchphrase when The Rock started using it in the third person.

RELATED: 10 Things Fans Should Know About The Rock's Life Outside WWE

The Rock Has Created Many Famous Catchphrases

Royal Rumble 2001 - The Rock Cropped

While on paper, this catchphrase sounds very simple, The Rock does add a dramatic effect with his tongue when saying it to draw it out, and then, he does this thing where he looks at the camera, raises one of his eyebrows, and finishes the line. He does similar things with his other catchphrases such as pausing for a moment for the crowd to repeat what he said, making some funny hand gestures, or even imitating his opponent at times.

This Catchphrase Has Become A Part Of The Pop-Culture Now

The Rock at Super Bowl LVI

This catchphrase became so popular that it transcended beyond wrestling, and has now become a part of pop culture as well. The Rock has used the catchphrase on multiple occasions outside WWE, such as in the UFC or even at the 2022 Super Bowl. He's even taught Jamie Foxx how to properly deliver the "If you smell what the Foxx is cooking" line.

Some of The Rock's other popular catchphrases were "Know your role and shut your mouth" and "The most Electrifying man in the Sports Entertainment." Interestingly enough, many of his theme songs were also titled after his catchphrases. Needless to say that, while The Rock was not the best in-ring performer in WWE during his time, he surely dominated everyone on the microphone. His unique catchphrases were one of the few things that made him so popular with the fans.