Following his appearance on the February 2nd episode of Friday Night SmackDown, The Rock made a much-anticipated comeback to WWE programming, making it clear that he would be a regular on WWE television in the lead-up to WrestleMania 40.
Engaged in an escalating feud with Cody Rhodes, it became evident that The Great One would have a significant impact on WWE storylines. While he is in line for a big match at WrestleMania 40, it’s more than likely fans won’t get to see The Rock after WrestleMania 40.
Cody Rhodes will still get to face Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 40, but he still has to contend with The Rock before that on Night One of WrestleMania 40, as he and Seth Rollins team up to square off against The Great One and The Tribal Chief.
The Rock Won’t Be Staying Long After WrestleMania 40
Fans have been enjoying The Final Boss’ current run in the company as he single-handedly made WWE cool again. However, all good things must come to an end eventually.
According to ESPN’s Mike Coppinger and Marc Raimondi, The Rock’s extended stint with WWE, his first since 2013, will conclude after WrestleMania 40. Following WWE’s flagship event, The Rock is anticipated to immediately transition into filming his next movie project.
The Rock Bottom Moment That Made Cody Rhodes Leave in 2016 WWE After His Humiliating Run as Stardust
The upcoming film is a biopic centered around mixed martial arts icon Mark Kerr, titled The Smashing Machine. Coppinger and Raimondi highlighted that The Great One’s return to wrestling has served as preparation for his role, as he has been focusing on getting leaner to authentically portray an MMA fighter.
Brian Gewirtz, The Rock’s long-time business partner, emphasized that The Rock has been dedicated to intense training, dieting, and workout routines in preparation for the role, suggesting that his involvement in WWE was strategically aligned with his cinematic aspirations.
“I know he is training and dieting and working out like a maniac, and I think this was strategic by design.”
In the meantime, fans are looking forward to The Rock making his first in-ring appearance in many years, as he will be teaming up with Roman Reigns to take on Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40.
Could The Rock vs Roman Reigns Still Happen?
WWE, despite not being classified as a competitive combat sport, places significant physical demands on their Superstars. Therefore, rigorous training for wrestlers at all levels of experience is mandatory. Even seasoned veterans like The Rock must undergo thorough preparation before each match to ensure they are physically and mentally prepared for the challenges ahead.
In a previous interview with Jimmy Traina from Sports Illustrated, WWE’s newest Hall of Fame inductee Paul Heyman discussed The Rock’s conditioning for a potential match with Roman Reigns.
Initially upon his return, The Rock aimed to challenge Roman Reigns for the “Head of the Table” title, deviating from fans’ expectations of Cody Rhodes concluding his storyline. However, a sudden heel-turn led to Johnson teaming up with his cousin instead.
Paul Heyman expressed optimism about the potential for a dream match between The Rock and Reigns without the heel-turn, stating,
“Could Dwayne Johnson have returned and put together a classic, memorable 15-minute match with Roman Reigns for this year’s WrestleMania without undergoing training? I believe he could.”
Despite Heyman’s confidence, The Rock and Roman Reigns are currently focused on their upcoming match against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40. Therefore, fans might just have to wait until WrestleMania 41 for the match to take place.
