WrestleMania 41 is right around the corner, but there’s one name still missing from the lineup—The Rock. While fans wait to see if The Final Boss will step into the spotlight on April 19 or 20 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Eric Bischoff has a theory: WWE is keeping his role a secret on purpose.

On his latest episode of 83 Weeks, the WWE Hall of Famer weighed in on the situation. “There’s a little bit of an investment involved here,” Bischoff said. “I’m wondering if some of the ambiguity surrounding Rock’s involvement might be by design. You keep people guessing, keep people speculating, keep old guys with podcasts talking about it.”

In other words, the silence could be part of the plan. Bischoff believes the mystery alone is creating enough hype to be worth it. “It leaves the door open for something that feels kind of like a surprise. So maybe it’s intentional, maybe it’s not,” he continued.

Of course, there’s always the Hollywood factor. The Rock is booked and busy, and Bischoff didn’t overlook that: “Maybe Rock has got enough plates spinning that it’s too hard for him to fully commit. Keep in mind, he’s in the movie business… There’s a limit to what Rock can do. And he’s going to have to be insured.”

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Even so, Bischoff doesn’t think Dwayne Johnson is playing hard to get. “I don’t think that’s it,” he said, referring to the idea that The Rock might be dragging things out just because he can. Instead, he sees it as a combination of business logistics and smart storytelling.

At this point, The Rock’s presence at WrestleMania 41 could blow the roof off—if it happens. But for now, WWE seems content to let fans sweat it out.

Do you think WWE is intentionally keeping The Rock’s involvement quiet, or is this all just bad timing? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

Steve Carrier is the founder of Ringside News and has been reporting on pro wrestling since 1997. His stories have been featured on TMZ, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and more.

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