DWAYNE 'THE ROCK' JOHNSON has suffered one of the ''most painful'' injuries you can get, according to his fellow WWE Superstar Mick Foley.

The actor-and-wrestler had to undergo emergency surgery on Monday (22.04.13) to repair torn abdomen and abductor muscles sustained during his 'WrestleMania 29' match against John Cena earlier this month.

Mick suffered the same injury during his career and he insists you can't even imagine how much it hurts.

He exclusively told BANG Showbiz: ''The Rock has had surgery for a torn abdominal muscle, my heart really goes out to him because that was the most painful thing I ever felt in my life. I tore mine as well.

''I thought I had a fractured pelvis or something I felt so ashamed when I left the hospital and they told me I had a torn muscle but I didn't realise how bad that could hurt.''

Dwayne had to miss the Los Angeles premiere of his latest film 'Pain & Gain' to go into hospital and his director Michael Bay suggested it was time for him to ''grow up and stop wrestling 300 pound men''.

But Foley has urged the 40-year-old action star to carry on in the ring if he wants to and is physically able to do so, because he can create ''dream matches'' in World Wrestling Entertainment that can't happen in other sports.

The Hall of Fame grappler - who fought Dwayne on several occasions and was in a tag team with him called the Rock 'N' Sock Connection - said: ''Look, in WWE you can take the stars of the past and as long as they stay in great shape like The Rock they can take on the stars of the present and create those dream matches in a way that you can really have in other sports or other forms of entertainment.''

Mick is currently in the UK touring his 'Tales from Wrestling Past' comedy show in which he speaks about his in-ring career and his new career as a writer as well as many other topical subjects.

The 47-year-old star has 16 dates remaining and tickets are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.co.uk and www.livenation.co.uk

Mick Foley's 'Tales from Wrestling Past' tour dates:

April 2013:

Friday 26, Middlesbrough Town Hall

Saturday 27, Newcastle Mill Volvo Tyne

Sunday 28, Manchester Dancehouse

Monday 29, Sheffield Memorial Hall

May 2013:

Wednesday 01, York Barbican

Thursday 02, Leeds City Varieties

Friday 03, Birmingham Town Hall

Saturday 04, Telford Oakengates Theatre

Sunday 05, Derby Live

Monday 06, Warwick Arts Centre

Wednesday 08, Bath Komedia

Thursday 09, Reading Town Hall

Friday 10, Leicester Square Theatre

Saturday 11, Leicester Square Theatre

Sunday 12, Southend Palace

For further information visit:

www.realmickfoley.com