Joe Coffey Opens Up About Training The Rock Ahead of WrestleMania XL: ‘Couldn’t Have Been Nicer’

Joe Coffey has some warm memories from his time inside the gym with one of professional wrestling’s biggest names. The former WWE NXT star and Gallus Boys on Top member recently sat down for an interview in which he reflected on the experience of helping The Rock prepare for his high-profile tag team match at WrestleMania XL.

Coffey described The Rock as someone who “couldn’t have been nicer” during their training sessions together — a glowing assessment from a man who has been around the sport long enough to know the difference between a star who makes time for people and one who doesn’t. By all accounts, The Rock fell firmly into the former category.

It’s a fascinating footnote to one of the most talked-about WrestleMania builds in recent memory. The Rock’s return to WWE in early 2024 sent shockwaves through the industry, and the effort that went into getting him ring-ready was clearly a collaborative one — with talent like Coffey playing a behind-the-scenes role that rarely gets much attention.

For Coffey, it represents a career highlight of a different kind. He may not have been featured on the WrestleMania XL card himself, but contributing to the preparation of a match that drew massive mainstream interest is no small thing. It also speaks to the level of trust WWE placed in him as a performer and training partner.

Coffey’s candid reflections offer a rare glimpse into the preparation side of a spectacle that fans only ever see from the outside.