The Rock, one of the biggest names in professional wrestling, is pushing for a match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. This surprising turn of events reportedly came about due to The Rock’s lobbying efforts and the support of top executives in TKO Group Holdings. Initially, the plan was for Reigns to face Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania, but it seems that The Rock’s influence has caused a change in direction.
Although the match has not been officially announced, there were some hints during Friday night’s episode of Raw. Rhodes cut a promo stating his intention to take the undisputed WWE Universal Championship from Reigns, but not at WrestleMania. This prompted The Rock to make an appearance, shaking hands with Rhodes and having a stare-down with Reigns to close the show.
According to insider Mike Johnson, it is expected that the match between Reigns and The Rock will be made official during a WrestleMania press conference in Las Vegas on Thursday. The Rock’s involvement in securing this match has raised some speculation. One source believes that he did it to “save WrestleMania” since two of WWE’s biggest stars, CM Punk and Brock Lesnar, won’t be available for the event. Others suggest that The Rock’s motivation stems from financial incentives tied to his position on the TKO board of directors, which include returning to the ring in 2024.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer sheds some light on the original plan for WrestleMania 40. Reigns was supposed to face Rhodes, which explains Rhodes’ recent Royal Rumble win and subsequent confrontation with Reigns. However, Punk’s injury played a significant role in WWE changing course. Originally, it was going to be Reigns vs. Rhodes and Punk vs. Seth Rollins at WrestleMania. Additionally, Meltzer suggests that WWE wanted to shift the focus away from former chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, who recently stepped down from his role after facing sexual assault allegations.
As for Rhodes, it appears that he will now face Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40. This would be a rematch from WrestleMania 38, which marked Rhodes’ return to the company. While a victory for Rhodes would be a significant moment in his career, it wouldn’t fully satisfy his goal of winning the title currently held by Reigns.
The anticipation for WrestleMania 40 is building, with the potential match between The Rock and Roman Reigns adding an exciting twist to the event. Fans will have to wait for the official announcement at the upcoming press conference in Las Vegas to see if this dream match becomes a reality. In the meantime, wrestling enthusiasts can tune in to Ring Rust Radio for all the latest updates and discussions on the hottest wrestling topics.