The Rock’s WrestleMania Saga: How Hollywood and Creative Clashes Derailed WWE’s Plans

The Rock’s much-anticipated return to WWE seemed poised to shake up the wrestling world, but behind the scenes, Hollywood commitments and creative disagreements have repeatedly derailed his storyline plans. From WrestleMania 40 to WrestleMania 42, a series of chaotic events have kept fans and WWE alike guessing.

It all started in January 2024 when The Rock agreed to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. Cody Rhodes was originally booked to win the Royal Rumble, but he was attacked by The Bloodline, setting the stage for The Rock to step in as the hero. However, plans shifted dramatically when CM Punk suffered an injury, forcing WWE to place Cody into Punk’s spot rather than keeping him sidelined for WrestleMania.

Tensions began building when a SmackDown segment featuring The Rock, Cody, and Roman received a lukewarm reception from fans. Reports from the Dirty Sheets Backstage Informer podcast revealed that The Rock himself suggested being replaced by Cody and even pitched a heel turn to allow Cody to have the match instead. This marked the start of a proposed two-year storyline involving Cody and The Rock, culminating in WrestleMania 42.

The initial plan was ambitious: The Rock would pin Cody on Night 1 of WrestleMania 40, Cody would get his win on Night 2, and the rivalry would carry over to WrestleMania 41. The series would end at WrestleMania 42 with The Rock challenging Roman Reigns as the “Final Boss” of WWE. However, The Rock’s packed schedule with Moana reshoots and Fast & Furious commitments quickly complicated the plans.

By the summer of 2024, The Rock informed WWE he wouldn’t have the time to prepare for a 45-minute match, leading WWE to pivot to a triple-threat main event involving The Rock, Cody, and Roman. The idea was teased at Bad Blood, but internal discussions continued to shift.

“It was suggested that Roman Reigns be inserted into the Cody Rhodes vs. Rock match. This then became a way for The Rock not to be pinned by Cody Rhodes.” 

This change came after plans for a triple-threat match started to surface, a move that would have allowed The Rock to avoid a pinfall loss to Cody Rhodes while also keeping Roman Reigns in the mix.

“When The Rock came out at Bad Blood, that was about the time when the triple threat match was on the table. I would say the frontrunner, based on the conversations that I had,” Bhatti revealed.

Things took another turn at the Moana premiere in November, where The Rock met Billi Bhatti’s Austin Bhatti and teased potential future plans by asking, “I hope I see you there.” Around the same time, The Rock informed WWE he was reconsidering his role as the “Final Boss,” suggesting John Cena should be the focus of WrestleMania 41 instead.

“The official reason being given by The Rock to WWE is that he feels that this year’s WrestleMania should mainly be John Cena and that he’s willing to wait to pick up his storyline with Cody Rhodes,” Bhatti shared. “This wasn’t 100 percent decided and it’s still not 100 percent decided,” Billi Bhatti reported.

“The Rock suggested WWE make it more about John Cena and that his storyline could wait, but that isn’t the truth to why we are where we are at,” Bhatti noted.

WWE ultimately decided against The Rock winning the championship at WrestleMania 41, prioritizing the need for a champion who could appear regularly on television throughout 2025. While The Rock was set for a major main event match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 42—possibly for the title—he was informed that he wouldn’t be taking the championship from Cody Rhodes this year. The company wanted to ensure Cody remained a visible champion.

“The Rock was clearly told, as was I, and as were other people I speak to, that WWE could not afford to have the world championship off television for the rest of 2025,” Billi Bhatti reported. “That was clearly conveyed to The Rock. So, while The Rock knew he was guaranteed a main event match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 42—and that match would be for the championship, with The Rock going in as the champion—he was clearly told that he would not be winning the belt from Cody Rhodes at this year’s WrestleMania because they needed a champion regularly appearing on television, and there were still open programs for Cody to pursue, including a summer program with Randy Orton.”

The drama escalated during WWE RAW’s Netflix debut on January 6, 2025. The Rock was tasked with cutting a promo to hype the new era, but he went off-script, delivering an unsanctioned babyface promo with no clear direction.

“Rock said he would go out there and cut a promo and it would be something suitable to open up the show, and he would just go out there and ‘wing it’ and get the crowd into it, He gave no indication that he was going to go out there and thank Roman Reigns or Cody Rhodes.”

The Rock’s backstage behavior after that promo at the RAW’s Netflix debut raised eyebrows. After delivering an unscripted promo, he teased an NXT appearance by saying, “See you in NXT,” during an Instagram Live session. This unplanned move left WWE scrambling to adjust its plans, further complicating the already messy storyline.

 “After The Rock did what he did in the ring, and once they knew they would be airing The Rock going back through the backstage area, there was actually no need at that point any further to edit the segments with Cody because he already f****d up 12 months’ worth of storylines,” Billi Bhatti reported.

The Rock’s involvement in WrestleMania 41 remains uncertain. Reports suggest WWE explored multiple scenarios, including The Rock winning the title at SummerSlam and defending it at the Royal Rumble. However, his unavailability for SummerSlam and beyond forced WWE to abandon those plans. Saudi Arabia reportedly expressed interest in hosting a major event featuring The Rock, but no concrete plans have been confirmed.

Despite the setbacks, The Rock’s star power and influence continue to loom large over WWE. His unpredictability has kept fans and WWE executives on edge, but the constant changes have also created frustration within the company. With WrestleMania 41 on the horizon, the question remains: Can WWE salvage The Rock’s storyline, or is it time to move on?

Timeline of Events: WrestleMania 40 to WrestleMania 42 and The Rock’s Ongoing Challenges

• January 2024
  • The Rock agrees to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40.
  • Cody Rhodes is initially booked to win the Royal Rumble but is attacked by The Bloodline, setting up The Rock as a replacement.
  • CM Punk suffers an injury, leading WWE to shift Cody into Punk’s planned spot at WrestleMania.
• February 2024
  • A SmackDown segment featuring The Rock, Cody, and Roman receives a negative reaction from fans.
  • The Rock suggests Cody replace him in the storyline and pitches a heel turn for himself to allow Cody to face Roman.
• WrestleMania 40 (April 2024)
  • The original plan has The Rock pin Cody on Night 1, Cody winning on Night 2, and their rivalry continuing to WrestleMania 41.
  • The plan evolves into a two-year storyline ending with The Rock facing Roman Reigns as the “Final Boss” at WrestleMania 42.
• Summer 2024
  • The Rock informs WWE that reshoots for Moana and commitments to Fast & Furious will limit his ability to prepare for a lengthy WrestleMania match.
  • WWE pivots to a potential triple-threat main event with The Rock, Cody, and Roman.
• Bad Blood (October 2024)
  • The triple-threat match is teased, with discussions of Roman being inserted to protect The Rock from taking a pinfall loss.
  • The Rock prefers a one-on-one match with Cody.
• November 2024
  • At the Moana premiere, The Rock teases potential WrestleMania plans by saying, “I hope I see you there.”
  • The Rock informs WWE he is reconsidering his role as the “Final Boss,” suggesting that WrestleMania 41 should focus on John Cena.
• Survivor Series (November 2024)
  • WWE decides The Rock won’t win the championship at WrestleMania 41 to ensure a consistent on-screen title presence throughout 2025.
  • The Rock is frustrated with this decision but understands WWE’s reasoning.
• January 6, 2025
  • The Rock appears at WWE RAW’s Netflix debut, delivering an unscripted promo.
  • His off-the-cuff remarks thank Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes, disrupting 12 months of planned storylines.
  • During an Instagram Live session, The Rock teases an NXT appearance by saying, “See you in NXT,” leaving WWE scrambling to adjust.
• January 2025
  • Plans for The Rock to win the title at SummerSlam and defend it at Royal Rumble are scrapped due to scheduling conflicts.
  • Saudi Arabia expresses interest in hosting a major event featuring The Rock, but no official plans are finalized.
• Current Status (Early 2025)
  • WWE continues to explore creative solutions for The Rock’s WrestleMania 41 involvement.
  • Discussions about John Cena taking the spotlight at WrestleMania 41 remain ongoing.
  • Fans and WWE await confirmation on The Rock’s future role leading into WrestleMania 41.

What do you think about The Rock’s impact on WWE’s plans? Should the company keep accommodating his schedule, or is it time to focus on full-time talent? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below!