Felix Upton on March 3, 2023
The Rock was once thought as “virtual lock” for WrestleMania 39, and then things proceeded without him. Although his name was heavily rumored, the discussions with The Rock never got to Roman Reigns’ own Wise Man. That match is also something that Paul Heyman couldn’t imagine as a possibility, considering everything Dwayne Johnson has on his schedule.
Roman Reigns is set to square off against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 39. This came after the American Nightmare won the 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble match and punched his ticket for the showcase of the immortals. Still, rumors of The Rock were very heavy indeed.
While speaking to Jimmy Traina’s SI Media podcast, Paul Heyman addressed The Rock’s WrestleMania absence this year. Heyman also admitted that he couldn’t imagine that The Rock could have made it to WrestleMania 39 for a match against Roman Reigns, especially considering all of the things on The Great One’s plate.
“I never spoke to Dwayne about this year’s WrestleMania. I always heard his name being thrown around. I couldn’t imagine with his schedule, with his promotional schedule, with the launch of the XFL, with all the projects that he has on his plate, that he would be able to take the time to get back into what we would call ring shape. Aesthetically, does anybody in Hollywood even compare it to him? No. Could he run a marathon? I don’t know. Maybe.”
“I’m sure he has great cardio, but cardio itself and cardio in the ring and being in ring shape are two completely different things. I’ve seen great mixed martial arts fighters who would have no problem doing 15 rounds of sparring or five rounds in an MMA cage, get into a wrestling ring and within two minutes of hitting the ropes, they can catch their breath. It’s just a different rhythm. It’s just a completely different physical toll that it takes. It’s not like riding a bicycle. It’s not something you can just get back into. It requires you to get back into a specific level of conditioning that is exclusive to the sports entertainment world.”
The Rock vs Roman Reigns will always be a match that would draw a ton of attention, no matter where WWE holds it. WrestleMania in SoFi Stadium certainly seemed like a perfect location for that match, but WWE will have to work with The Rock’s schedule if they ever want to make that match happen.
Only time will tell if The Rock ever wrestles again. At 50-years-old, his clock might be ticking faster than it used to. He wasn’t able to get into ring shape for this year’s grandest stage of them all, but that doesn’t rule out the future, because you never know what can happen in pro wrestling. Stay up to date on this story, and all the latest developments in the pro wrestling scene, by keeping up with us at Ringside News.
What do you think about The Rock potentially wrestling for WWE once more? Let us know in the comments section below!
March 3, 2023 9:04 am
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