As Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson prepares for a slew of upcoming SmackDown appearances, some big rumors are traveling around the internet about his plans with the company after WrestleMania 40. The chatter has me excited about the future of WWE, but I can't help but feel a little worried as well. Regardless, the plans aren't entirely surprising, assuming these rumors are true.
The latest on The Rock comes from Wrestling Observer Newsletter, and the reports speak to the immense hype surrounding upcoming WWE events, particularly WrestleMania 40 (which will be streaming with a Peacock subscription). Based on these rumors, it's safe to say that The Rock's current WWE jaunt may not be concluding with his upcoming main event match.
Rumors Allege The Rock Plans To Remain Active In WWE After WrestleMania 40
While I'm sure plenty of fans have fallen back on assumptions that Dwayne Johnson will be returning to filming movies and other upcoming Hollywood projects following this arc, the latest report (via RingsideNews) suggests that he will indeed stick around during the aftermath. Essentially, now that Cody Rhodes picked Roman Reigns as his WrestleMania 40 opponent, it will allow The Rock more opportunities for appearances, thus allowing more time to plan for his eventual blowout match against Reigns.
Why I'm Excited About The Rock Potentially Staying In WWE
Even though this is still just in rumor territory, the possibilities of what could happen are exciting enough to get optimistic. If The Rock is available for overseas PPVs, or even the rumored SummerSlam in Cleveland, Ohio, that should definitely help further bolster WWE's ticket sales, and it's not like the company was struggling before this.
But it's not like I'm making any of that dough. And so additionally, I think Johnson spending more build-up time in the WWE will allow for more creativity in the storytelling, as opposed to the limited scope a one-and-done match would allow for.
The Rock Staying In WWE Makes Me Worried For Cody Rhodes
Overall, I'd say I'm excited to see more of The Rock in the WWE, though his presence has me very worried about Cody Rhodes. It was rumored The Rock originally petitioned for his main event match with Roman Reigns ahead of the Royal Rumble and only backed off after seeing the fan response after the announcement. I would imagine he's still very much invested in seeing his original dream match against Reigns happen, and I'm sure WWE is, as well.
With that in mind, does The Rock's continued presence in WWE put a shadow over a prospective win by Cody Rhodes? Will his title run be dictated by feuds he's established over the past year and a half, or will it be more about setting up a potential title match between Reigns and Rock at WrestleMania 41? Hell, I'm speculating all this, assuming Cody wins at WrestleMania 40, and there's a possibility that doesn't happen.
On the flip side, if there is some greater plan that creates a story that revolves around Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, and The Rock, who am I to say no to that? The WWE has been on a roll the past year with its storytelling, even after losing CM Punk to an arm injury and almost losing Seth Rollins with his issues. If The Rock is still in the mix following WrestleMania 40, it may not be a bad thing after all.
We can only wait and see, and tune into SmackDown on Fox on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. ET to see what The Rock says. I have a feeling these next few weeks still have some surprises we aren't expecting, so I know I'll be watching so I don't miss a second.
