This footage from The Rock's first ever pro wrestling match is pure gold!

The year's 1996, and at a USWA (United States Wrestling Association) event in Memphis, Tennessee, some kid called Flex Kavana is about to make his professional debut...

The catchphrases still needed a bit of honing but the sunglasses-indoors were evidence of a star quality that just can't be taught.  And lets be honest, Flex Kavana is an outstanding name!

The man himself posted a short clip on Instagram yesterday.

 

BIG DEBUT... crazy to share this with y'all.. so surreal to see this classic footage from of my VERY FIRST wrestling match in Memphis, for the #USWA (United States Wrestling Association). I just drove my truck up from Miami to Memphis, had no bank account to my name (just carried cash) and luckily found a very nice elderly couple living in a house on Union Avenue who was willing to rent out a room to me. I'll always remember it was Union Ave because every day I would drive by the world famous #SunRecords where the likes of Elvis, Jerry Lee and Johnny Cash had recorded early in their careers. In a weird way driving by that studio everyday kinda kept me motivated to stay grinding. I was 23yrs old, making $40 bucks per match and NO CLUE of the long journey that lay ahead of me. But I was then, as I am today, extremely grateful for the opportunity and always willing to put in the work. Y'all keep working hard at your goals and creating opportunities for yourselves, always be humble and never, and I repeat NEVER wear sunglasses inside a TV studio like I did here. What in theeeee f*ck!?? 😂 #NaughtyByNature #ViolentByDecision #Huh? #ClearlyImStillLearningHowToCutAPromo #USWA #Channel5Studios #LiveEverySaturdayMorning #FlexKavana #HumbleAndHungry #TheHardestWorkerInTheRoom #LetsGoToWaffleHouse

A video posted by therock (@therock) on Nov 15, 2015 at 6:36am PST

 ...but this extended version on YouTube is worth checking out as well.

Lovely stuff.