The Rock not expected for WrestleMania 40

[Chris]

In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer provided the latest update on Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's status for WrestleMania 40.

This September, Johnson told The Pat McAfee Show that him facing Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39 was "locked" in at one point. The match didn't end up happening, but Johnson teased that he could potentially work WrestleMania 40 next April.

Sports Illustrated reported earlier this week that "the decision about WrestleMania will not be The Rock’s to make, nor is the main event even a topic of substance. There are currently no plans for this to happen."

Meltzer confirmed that, after Johnson turned down WrestleMania 39, no one is going with the idea that he'll do WrestleMania 40.

"If he wants the spot I can’t believe WWE would turn him down but after Johnson turned it down last year, nobody is going with the idea he’s going to do it this year," Meltzer wrote.

Regarding the stories that WWE won’t do Rock vs. Reigns at Mania if Rock wants to do it, what we were told is this. If he wants the spot I can’t believe WWE would turn him down but after Johnson turned it down last year, nobody is going with the idea he’s going to do it this year. The match is not scheduled, unlike at this time last year when the match was considered a good shot. The belief is that Johnson will have plenty of work once the strikes are over [and] he’ll have plenty to do. What we were told is that Rock is not going to come back and win the title. I’d never anticipate that would be an issue as if the match was to happen, I always figured Reigns to win and Rock then retiring in the ring.

Aside from a six-second squash of Erick Rowan at WrestleMania 32, Johnson hasn't wrestled since facing John Cena in the main event of WrestleMania 29 in 2013.

Johnson made a surprise appearance on SmackDown alongside McAfee in September. He took part in a segment with Austin Theory and also had a brief interaction with Cena.

Reigns' next Undisputed WWE Universal Championship defense will be against LA Knight at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, November 4.

In addition to building up the Knight match, a brief face-to-face confrontation between Reigns and Cody Rhodes took place on SmackDown last week.



WrestleMania 40 is being held at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7, 2024.

Update on The Rock’s status for WWE WrestleMania 40

Dave Meltzer provides the latest on The Rock’s status for WrestleMania.

www.f4wonline.com

 

[Deadd2009]

If The Rock doesn't come back this year, then it's time to pull the trigger on either Cody or someone else to take the belt off Reigns. I'm all for long ass title runs when they make sense, but this isn't the 80s anymore and Roman has beaten essentially everyone there is to beat. It's getting close to Hogan territory now.

 

[Cwalker]

Said it before that if it wasn’t happening this year, it’s not happening at all.

 

[Sabretooth]

Yeah WM 40 is the last chance for the match imo. Obviously I have a personal stake in this since I’m going to Mania this year

 

[Daddy Dom]

 

[Dale]

I'm actually past caring about it now, i'm all aboard the Cody/Roman hype train.

 

[Lethal]

I'm fucking over it right now. The story has nearly jumped the shark into boring territory and it seems the match just isn't going to happen. We never got Sting v Taker, we never got Austin v Hogan, so we may never get Rock v Roman, and I couldn't care less.

Move the needle to where everyone wants it to go - Cody. Freshen the title scene, remove this undisputed shite, and bring fun back to the shows.

 

[Hoss]

I never really wanted to see it in the first place

 

[Butters]

I never really wanted to see it in the first place

I'm in this boat. I just feel like it's a no win situation. IF The Rock comes back and beats Roman then we have The Rock as the only person who can beat him and isn't even a full time person and now has the title. If he loses then how much longer do we go with this?

I was over Roman as champ last year at Mania

 

[Sabretooth]

I'm in this boat. I just feel like it's a no win situation. IF The Rock comes back and beats Roman then we have The Rock as the only person who can beat him and isn't even a full time person and now has the title. If he loses then how much longer do we go with this?

I was over Roman as champ last year at Mania

I feel like the match won’t be for the title. It’ll just be for who’s Tribal Chief

 

[Butters]

I feel like the match won’t be for the title. It’ll just be for who’s Tribal Chief

Still, even then. No matter who wins neither will be around much. I just don't see the payoff being worth it now