WWE executive Bruce Prichard recalls Bret "The Hitman" Hart's 1997 desire to try and get the fans to cheer unsuccessful babyface Rocky Maivia.

Joining the Nation of Domination – 1997 After his historic debut at Survivor Series 1996, The Rock – or Rocky Maivia, as he was known in WWE then – failed to make a lasting impression on the ...

By November 1996, The Rock made his WWE debut under the name Rocky Maivia, and he won his first title by February 1997, beating Triple H for the Intercontinental Championship.