Internal Reaction to The Rock’s Segment with Cody Rhodes on 2/21 SmackDown Revealed

The February 21 episode of SmackDown saw The Rock step into the ring with Cody Rhodes, but instead of a clear message, fans were left trying to figure out what just happened.

Throughout the segment, The Rock jumped between acting like a villain and a hero, leaving many unsure of his true intentions. At one point, he even offered Cody and his family everything they ever wanted—if Cody agreed to become The Rock’s champion. Rhodes, calling himself “the people’s champion,” looked stunned for much of the exchange.

Then came the line that threw everyone for a loop—The Rock demanded Cody’s soul and told him he had until Elimination Chamber to think about it.

Inside WWE, the reaction was just as mixed as it was on social media. According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, one person backstage mocked The Rock’s constant character shifts, comparing it to Paul Wight’s legendary reputation for turning between face and heel repeatedly.

“You should have watched that segment and known exactly what’s going on, and as one person there told me, ‘In one segment he turned more than The Big Show did in his entire career.’ Which is an exaggeration, but I think he turned three or four times.”

Another WWE source told Meltzer that The Rock’s promo actually hurt Cody Rhodes’ credibility, saying they felt it “really diminished” the Undisputed WWE Champion rather than building him up.

The Rock’s return to SmackDown was reportedly a last-minute decision, coming together just days before the episode aired, catching many in the company by surprise. After the show, The Rock hinted that this storyline with Cody Rhodes wouldn’t lead to a match, leaving even more questions about where this is all going.