The Rock shook the foundation of WWE when he popped up on RAW Day 1 earlier this year. His presence continued to dominate the build to WrestleMania 40 after he was inserted into the drama between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes.
On Night One of The Show of Shows, he faced Rhodes and Seth Rollins in a tag team match and pinned the former. The Great One came out on the ensuing RAW to remind The American Nightmare that he pinned him before he won the title.
Another return in 2024 is inevitable, and The People's Champ could shock the WWE Universe in any of the next five ways.
The Rock could return to WWE on the eve of SummerSlam
Cody Rhodes and Solo Sikoa will have one last showdown when they face off on the next episode of SmackDown. Anything could happen in the meeting, including attacks, harsh words, or a shock return.
The Rock could return to WWE to shake things up on the eve of SummerSlam. It would get into Rhodes' mind, especially if he endorses Solo as the new Tribal Chief. He'd also probably blast Roman Reigns for losing to The American Nightmare at WrestleMania 40.
Fans never heard a definitive statement from The Final Boss regarding his cousin's big loss. He was too fixated on the Undisputed WWE title since it now belonged to Rhodes.
Rhodes won the title in April and should have a rather lengthy reign after beating The Tribal Chief at 'Mania 40. Wrestlers who end historic streaks should have meaningful runs of their own, so Cody should retain at SummerSlam.
That isn't to say that The Rock can't show up at an upcoming premium live event to cost The American Nightmare the title. It would go along with his Final Boss character and prove that he can do whatever he wants to, even the top star of WWE.
It would make more sense for the two to square off in one-on-one action, but that probably won't happen until the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania 41 at the earliest.
The Rock could make a surprise appearance at SummerSlam
The quickest and most sensible way for The Rock to return to WWE would be with a surprise appearance at SummerSlam. It would pump up the crowd regardless of what he does.
The Rock eats up the cheers of the crowd, so an in-ring promo would remind everyone that he's still around. He could even pop up later during the title match between Solo Sikoa and Cody Rhodes.
The Great One could just come out from behind the curtain or physically interfere in the match. Given his last appearance, this would make sense, and it would be even more shocking if he appeared and Roman Reigns did not.
The Rock could refuse to acknowledge Solo as the new Tribal Chief
When The Rock possibly shows up, it will always be a noteworthy moment. He got the world excited after RAW Day 1 after uttering "head of the table" during his promo.
Every appearance on RAW and SmackDown on the way to WrestleMania bore something fruitful for the main event. He even trotted out to the ring on the RAW after The Showcase of the Immortals to politick for a future shot at the Undisputed Championship.
One big way to shake up The Bloodline drama would be if The Final Boss shows up and refuses to acknowledge Solo as the new Chief. This would then start to build the opposing faction to eventually feud with Sikoa's crew. Standing up to Solo would officially make The Rock a face again.
The Rock could announce his entry in the 2025 Royal Rumble
The Rock got back into a WWE ring for a meaningful match for the first time since his feud with John Cena. He tagged with Roman Reigns on Night One of 'Mania 40. With a "No Disqualification" stipulation, he was able to space out his big spots.
A one-on-one match would be a different beast for The Final Boss. One way to maintain his stamina would be to declare himself for the 2025 Royal Rumble. It would be a surprising announcement and likely mean he'd be winning the match.
That would hurt the rest of the roster, so challenging Rhodes to a title match at the Royal Rumble event, provided Rhodes is still Champion in January, would make sense. The announcement alone would get fans anxious for his return.
The Rock could challenge Cody Rhodes for the title
After his in-ring return for the first time in eight years at WrestleMania 40, The Rock made his final appearance for this run in a segment with Cody Rhodes on the Raw After Mania, where he seemingly teased challenging Rhodes for his title.
Since then, however, The Final Boss has been absent from the company’s programming.
In his absence, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has been filming ‘The Smashing Machine’ from A24 – the same studio that made “The Iron Claw,” with Johnson portraying two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion Mark Kerr.
Hollywood North Buzz reported that The Rock’s shooting dates for the film in Vancouver have officially finished.
Most of the production of the film took place on a Tokyo Dome ring set in Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum while looking back on his several Pride Fighting Championship fights.
‘The Smashing Machine’ film is based on the HBO documentary under the same name that detailed Mark Kerr’s professional career and his rise in MMA in addition to his addiction to painkillers that led to an overdose.
The movie is expected to be released in 2025. No date has been confirmed at the time of this writing.
WrestleTalk will provide further updates on The Rock’s return to WWE TV when they become available.
