‘OMG’: Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson stuns 100 million Americans with Super Bowl hype speech

Hollywood icon Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stole the show before kick-off at Super Bowl LVI with an electrifying gee-up.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at the Super Bowl.

Hollywood superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stole the show before kick-off at Super Bowl LVI with an electrifying pre-game speech at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Rams will face the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday AEDT to determine who will be crowned Super Bowl champions in 2022.

And who better to hype up the crowd than The Rock himself?

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Donning a burgundy attire that showed off his impressive physique, Johnson made a cameo appearance following the American national anthem, moments before kick-off.

The spectators roared with delight when the former WWE star appeared on the venue’s big screens.

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Entertainer Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at Super Bowl LVI. Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

“Finally, the Super Bowl has come back to Los Angeles,” Johnson roared from centre field, prompting a loud cheer from the spectators.

“It is time, time for a team to unleash a soul-crushing, unrelenting defence, a head-spinning onslaught of an offence, and take care of unfinished business right here, right now.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the champions of the NFC, your Los Angeles Rams.

“It is time, time for a team that has risen from the ashes to become one of the most feared, dominant, absolutely electrifying teams in the NFL. Time to give their city their first Super Bowl win in franchise history.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the champions of the AFC, your Cincinnati Bengals.

“It is time. It is time for all of us here and millions around the world to bear witness to these incredible players, who will leave every ounce of sweat, guts and pride and legacy on this hallowed field, because that is what champions do.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honour to say finally, it is time for the Super Bowl.”

Give me a live, on-field hype speech from The Rock before every single prime time game

— Devin Fry (@FryTheSportsGuy) February 13, 2022

honestly I was more interested in the Rock’s cameo than I am in either of these teams #SuperBowl

— Jami Ganz (@jamiganz) February 13, 2022

OMG @TheRock just gave me CHILLS! All respect to my President Dwayne Johnson. #SuperBowl

— TETRIS (@itstetrisbish) February 13, 2022

The Rock is still THE most electrifying man in sports entertainment!

Also Jesus Christ, pray for the arm holes in that shirt 😂 #SuperBowl

— Andrew LaSane (@laptop_lasane) February 13, 2022

Imagine trying to mentally prepare for the biggest game of your life starting in just moments and The Rock is just SCREAMING five feet away from you

— Sully Engels (@sullyengels) February 13, 2022

I want the Rock to introduce my wedding party #SuperBowl

— Ben Peck (@TheBenPeck) February 13, 2022

A star-studded Rams team will seek to deny the giant-killing Bengals a miracle ending as an NFL season full of plot twists reaches its climax.

Around 100 million Americans are expected to tune in for the biggest annual event on the US sporting calendar.

The perfectly-scripted season finale will see a duel between two talented quarterbacks playing in the Super Bowl for the first time, with Rams veteran Matthew Stafford pitted against the rising Bengals star Joe Burrow.

A Bengals victory would complete one of the most striking turnarounds in NFL history.

Last season, the team finished with four wins and 11 defeats, only slightly better than their 2019 campaign, which ended in a dismal 2-14 record.

But under head coach Zac Taylor, and buoyed by the arrival of No. 1 draft pick Burrow in 2020, the Bengals are a team transformed.

The Rams will be playing in front of a packed crowd of 70,000, while the traditional halftime music concert will feature the likes of Eminem, Mary J.Blige and hip-hop icons Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar.

The capacity crowd also contrasts with last season’s Super Bowl in Tampa, where attendance was limited to around 25,000 fans due to Covid-19.

While the Omicron variant surge is in retreat in Los Angeles, authorities require all attendees Sunday to provide proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test, with masking mandatory.

– with AFP