During the February 2nd edition of Friday Night SmackDown, Cody Rhodes sparked controversy by surrendering his WrestleMania 40 main event position to The Rock, leading to substantial criticism. Nevertheless, the narrative took an unforeseen turn during the WrestleMania 40 kickoff press conference, injecting a notable amount of drama into the scenario. However, Paul Heyman has now dropped a major bombshell when it comes to The Rock getting back in shape for a match.
Fans are excited about the potential matchup between The Rock and Roman Reigns, but they didn’t want it to impact Cody Rhodes’ storyline. Initially, there were concerns, but fortunately, the situation has improved for WrestleMania 40. Despite the positive turn, fans are advised to manage their expectations.
Paul Heyman Drops A Big Bombshell Regarding The Rock’s In-Ring Return
In a recent interview with Jimmy Traina from Sports Illustrated, Paul Heyman discussed Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s potential return to the ring in WWE. When asked about the timeline for Dwayne Johnson’s decision and how long it would take for him to get in shape, Heyman responded, “Six to ten weeks, just like a boxing match or a mixed martial art, and then once he’s in that shape, he’s good for the rest of the summer.”
Heyman emphasized that, unlike MMA or boxing, the training for a wrestling return doesn’t involve peaking for a specific day but maintaining overall fitness.
Heyman also provided insights into the process of getting in ring shape for Johnson, stating, “Once you get back in ring shape, the muscle memory kicks in; your lungs know how to breathe, your brain knows how to send out the signals, and your body understands how to absorb the punishment that you can take inside of a ring,” Heyman added.
Dwayne Johnson Almost Demolished Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania 40 Plans
As per details from Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Rhodes was initially told he would face Reigns in the fall, with no reference to Dwayne Johnson’s participation until a later point, despite an agreement made on January 3rd.
Meltzer elaborated, stating, “Any interview he did about concluding the story before the Rumble was with the idea that he was definitely in the match, even with the Rock rumors circulating.”
Rhodes was reportedly informed about The Rock’s involvement on the day of the Royal Rumble, despite initial plans for him to win the match. The decision to proceed with a match against Reigns later, even after the Rumble outcome, suggests that the post-match buildup was strategically designed to lay the groundwork for a future encounter, rather than being a spontaneous surprise for fans.
“For those wondering what Rhodes knew about the situation, he was told he was facing Reigns in the fall. He was not informed about Rock getting the match as part of his deal on 1/3, so any interview he did about concluding the story before the Rumble was with the idea that he was definitely in the match, even with the Rock rumors out.”
Dave Meltzer added,
He learned on the day of the Rumble that Rock was facing Reigns, even though he was winning the Rumble. He was also told that they would be going to Reigns against him later, so all the post-match stuff building that match wasn’t there to surprise people as much as to build a later match. However, the fact that it was not going to be Reigns vs. Rhodes was kept secret from almost everyone (obviously, a few knew) because Rock wanted the angle the next Friday to be a surprise.”
Certain individuals within WWE were already aware of these changes before Cody Rhodes, but the details remained confidential until the WrestleMania press conference. Nevertheless, the unfolding of Cody Rhodes’ feud with The Bloodline and how WWE will continue to book it remains to be seen as we approach WrestleMania 40.
