The Rock Gives Cody Rhodes Until Elimination Chamber to Make a Career-Altering Decision

The February 21, 2025 episode of WWE SmackDown went down at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. This was quite an episode, because The Rock was on hand.

The Rock shocked the world when he announced that he would be on SmackDown this week. This called for a few changes to SmackDown, as it was reportedly a last-minute decision. Naturally, fans were not happy about the idea of him changing the plans as we get closer to WrestleMania 41.

SmackDown started out this week with Nick Aldis informing Cody Rhodes that he was pulled from the main event of the show. Instead, The Final Boss wanted to see him in the ring. The Rock finally took to the ring at the close of the second hour of the show, which also included a strange mash-up of his classic entrance music.

The Rock started out by saying, “let’s get this sh*t on the road,” and then he said that he’s finally come back to New Orleans. He also said that “finally, WrestleMania is coming back to New Orleans.”

After The Rock announced WrestleMania 42’s location, he got down to introducing Cody Rhodes to the ring. The Rock stood in the ring and soaked up all of Cody’s entrance, they hugged and Rock kissed Cody’s cheek. Then they stood together in the ring in front of a very excited New Orleans crowd.

The Rock brought up how much the fans love Cody Rhodes and how he and the American Nightmare have become friends outside the ring. He then mentioned the flowers he gave Cody during RAW’s Netflix debut, but he also had a point to make. The Rock said that Cody is a great champion, and he is on the TKO Board of Directors, and he is “the most powerful” man in WWE. The Rock then said that he wants Cody to be the most powerful champion. He wants Cody to be his champion.

Cody replied to say that he didn’t expect to become friends with The Rock, but he’s “their champion” while referencing the fans. Then The Rock mentioned how he has half a billion Instagram followers. He said that if Cody becomes his champion, then he can open up new doors and make all of his wildest dreams come true, and that includes Brandi and Liberty Rhodes. He just needed Cody to be his champion.

Then The Rock admitted that he’s very lucky, and he has it all. After stopping to threaten to slap the syphilis out of a fan’s mouth for talking back, The Rock said the one thing he wanted was a brother, “and that’s what you can be.”

The Rock mentioned how Cody Rhodes stood up to The Rock when he tried to take his WrestleMania spot last year. He said that’s why Cody is special, and that’s why he should be The Rock’s champion. The Rock told Cody Rhodes to go home and speak to his wife about this, and he will meet him again at Elimination Chamber on March 1 for his answer.

The Rock ended things by saying that he wants Cody’s soul more than anything. That was quite a way to conclude the segment.

We will have to see how this changes the road to WrestleMania. The Rock is certainly a high profile name, and the fact that he still sits on the TKO Board of Directors means he has a lot of weight to throw around.

What’s your take on The Rock’s appearance on WWE SmackDown this week? Let us know what you think in the comments section!