Backstage news on creative plans changing for The Rock has been revealed.
Beginning on January 1st, Rock made a shock appearance on WWE Raw to confront and ultimately stand tall over Jinder Mahal. Making it clear that he would be returning in the near future, The People’s Champion ended his appearance by declaring that he would sit at the head of the table, sending the crowd into a frenzy with the Roman Reigns reference.
Not appearing for another month, Rock’s February return would lead to major backlash as it appeared that the part-time star would be inserting himself into Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania match at the expense of The American Nightmare. Fans would turn up on social media en masse to blast the move and demand that Rhodes gets to finish the story in Philadelphia.
Multiple creative pivots would follow, including the overwhelming support for Rhodes referenced on TV and ultimately confirming that Reigns vs. Rhodes 2 would be happening at WrestleMania 40.
In addition to all this, fans noticed an attitude change in the Hollywood megastar. During an appearance on The Pat McAfee show, The Rock blasted a section of the WWE fanbase and referred to them as “Cody Crybabies.” Leaning into the fan backlash, Rock looked to be turning heel heading into the biggest show of the year, which was solidified when Rock slapped the biggest babyface in the company.
As reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Rock was the one to make the call to turn heel, leading to WWE highlighting the Rhodes’ endorsements online:
Very quickly Johnson changed his pitch and wanted to go heel, and WWE just as quickly put into motion pushing the publicity that had been started in subtle ways, such as Logan Paul endorsing it. It was clearly an angle WWE was going with by the next day. The open of Raw two days later, where the announcers openly talked about Rhodes finishing the story, cameras immediately focused on the Rhodes signs, showing that to be the case.
The Rock Pitched Expected WrestleMania Match
With the events that took place at the press conference and the contents of the WrestleMania trailer that aired on Super Bowl Sunday, the new creative direction appears to be Rock and Reigns teaming up to face off against Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes, most likely on night 1. Also reported in the Newsletter, Rock pitched to be removed from the Reigns match and for the tag match to take place:
There is said to be far more behind the scenes that hasn’t come out but given the timing can’t be talked about now. But Johnson over the weekend said it was best to be out of the Reigns match, put Cody in, which by this point everyone conceded by then. It was Johnson who then pitched the heel turn and he did pitch the idea of the Reigns & Rock vs. Rhodes & Rollins match for night one. So that was his idea if that is how it turns out.