New Japan Reacts After The Rock Wears NJPW Shirt in Cryptic Video

The Rock might’ve just cracked more than a Rubik’s Cube—he may have cracked open the door to WWE and NJPW working together again.

After Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson casually posted an Instagram video of himself trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube, fans noticed something way more interesting than his puzzle-solving skills. He was wearing a New Japan Pro-Wrestling t-shirt. And now NJPW has officially acknowledged it.

The official Instagram account of New Japan Pro-Wrestling shared a screen grab from The Rock’s video, zoomed in on the shirt, and added a caption that lit up the internet: “IFFFF YAAAAA SMELLLLL WHAT THE LION IS COOKING.”

That one line—with a direct nod to The Rock’s iconic catchphrase—sent fans spiraling. WWE and NJPW have had working agreements in the past, but nothing that ever involved one of the biggest names in wrestling history. Now, with The Rock serving in a powerful behind-the-scenes role at WWE and WrestleMania 41 just days away, speculation is swirling.

The caption in The Rock’s original post didn’t exactly kill the rumors either. “Slightly intellectually intimidated, but keeping faith alive,” he wrote. It sounds like a casual post, but nothing is ever just casual when you’re Dwayne Johnson and your every move is dissected by millions of fans.

The timing also raises eyebrows. WWE has been teasing international expansion under the TKO banner, and The Rock appearing in NJPW gear days before the biggest wrestling weekend of the year could be a subtle play—or a massive hint.

So was The Rock just pulling a deep-cut fashion flex, or is something bigger cooking between WWE and New Japan?