The Rock Set To Make History At WrestleMania 40

April 6, 2024 at 3:14 PM
WWE News
2 min read
6,983 views
3,125 likes
The Rock Set To Make History At WrestleMania 40

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is poised to achieve a monumental feat at WrestleMania 40, joining The Undertaker in an elite club. The People's Champion will be part of the main event on Night One, headlining WrestleMania in a fourth different decade.



The Rock will team up with Roman Reigns to take on the formidable duo of Cody Rhodes and another Roman Reigns, the World Heavyweight Champion. The outcome of this epic clash will determine the stipulations for the Undisputed Universal Championship match on Night Two.



A victory for Rhodes and his partner will banish The Bloodline from ringside during Rhodes' championship challenge. However, if The Rock and Reigns emerge victorious, the championship match will be contested under the enigmatic "Bloodline Rules."



This WrestleMania encounter marks a significant milestone for The Rock. Following Night One, he will become only the second wrestler in history, alongside The Undertaker, to headline WrestleMania in four distinct decades. The Rock's previous WrestleMania main events include WrestleMania 15 in the 1990s, WrestleManias 16 and 17 in the 2000s, and WrestleManias 28 and 29 in the 2010s.



WrestleMania 40 will also see The Rock return for his first full match since WrestleMania 29 in 2013, where he defeated John Cena. While he did make a brief appearance at WrestleMania 32 in 2016, his match against Erick Rowan was a mere six seconds.



Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

Advertisement

Tags

The Rock WWE
Published on April 6, 2024 at 3:14 PM

Related News & Articles

The Rock Rattles PG Era: Wrestlers Get Edgier After Dwayne Johnson's Mic Drop WWE News
views

The Rock Rattles PG Era: Wrestlers Get Edgier After Dwayne Johnson's Mic Drop

The Rock's recent stint on WWE has caused a shift in on-screen language policies, particularly for top wrestlers.## Dave Meltzer, wrestling journalist, reports in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the previously enforced PG-rated language restrictions seem to be loosening up. This change appears to be at least partly due to The Rock's freedom to speak his mind. ## Meltzer notes, "Rock says what he wants when he wants," and this leniency seems to be extending to other top stars. Examples include Paul Heyman's (bleeped-out) profanity during his Hall of Fame speech and Cody Rhodes and C.M. Punk using language that wouldn't have been tolerated just a few months ago.## Interestingly, this coincides with a reported decline in viewership among older demographics and a rise in younger viewers. This suggests a potential return to the "Attitude Era" style of programming, known for its edgier content, might be a strategic move to capture a younger audience.## However, WWE seems to be taking a cautious approach. While there's a push for edgier content, there's also a concern about alienating sponsors with excessive profanity. It appears they're aiming for a balance.## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

Report: There Is No Planned Date For The Rock To Return For A Match WWE News
views

Report: There Is No Planned Date For The Rock To Return For A Match

The Rock's WWE departure is confirmed, following his "go away for a little while" comment on the Raw after WrestleMania. He did assure fans he'd return, specifically for a showdown with Cody Rhodes.## Earlier reports suggested a potential WrestleMania 41 clash (in 2025) between The Rock and Rhodes. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter now sheds more light on The Rock's plans.## Meltzer indicates this is a long-term absence, with no confirmed return date for a match, though WrestleMania next year is a possibility. The Rock initially envisioned a match with Roman Reigns, but due to recent events, a singles match with Rhodes is considered the bigger draw.## Current plans suggest The Rock might work a match later in 2024, but it's not guaranteed. His ideal scenario is a main event clash with Rhodes at next year's WrestleMania, and The Rock often gets what he wants. This could translate to a one-year title reign for Rhodes, though not a certainty as of yet.## Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's busy film schedule likely factors into his WWE hiatus. He has two movies in post-production and a third slated for 2025 release. These include the action-comedy "Red One" (with Chris Evans) in November 2024, "Moana 2" (reprising his role as Maui) also in November 2024, and a live-action "Moana" movie in 2025. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

Huge Update On A Possible Cody Rhodes vs. The Rock Match WWE News
views

Huge Update On A Possible Cody Rhodes vs. The Rock Match

The echoes of WrestleMania 40 have barely faded, but a new storm is brewing on the horizon of WWE. On the latest episode of Monday Night Raw, The Rock made a shocking return, not to celebrate Cody Rhodes' victory as the new Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, but to challenge him. ## Many believe that The Rock vs. Cody Rhodes is on the horizon somewhere along the line. However, there is no certainty on when it will happen. Per the latest from Dave Meltzer, the planned singles match between The Rock and Cody Rhodes will take place at 'next year's WrestleMania'. Their history goes back to Rhodes' independent wrestling days, where The Rock, already a megastar, crossed paths with a young and hungry Rhodes. The Rock, ever the showman, dismissed Rhodes, a moment that fueled the latter's determination. ## Fast forward to the present, and Rhodes, the underdog who clawed his way to the top, stands on the pinnacle. The Rock, a legend with a Hollywood career, clearly hasn't forgotten their past. His backhanded congratulations and subtle jabs, all delivered with his signature charisma, were a declaration of war. ## The Rock claims to have "made Rhodes bleed" and promises to "whoop him like a dog." This isn't just about competition; it's about personal redemption. The Rock wants to prove that despite his Hollywood hiatus, he's still The Great One, and Rhodes is just another stepping stone. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

Top 5 WWE Raw Moments (4/8): The Rock And Cody Rhodes Face-To-Face, John Cena Returns, Jey Uso Earns Title Shot Raw
views

Top 5 WWE Raw Moments (4/8): The Rock And Cody Rhodes Face-To-Face, John Cena Returns, Jey Uso Earns Title Shot

The night after WrestleMania XL delivered a jam-packed show, filled with championship celebrations, surprise returns, brutal brawls, and a shocking main event twist. While it might not have reached the epic heights of WrestleMania itself, Raw provided a solid foundation for the upcoming storylines and left fans with plenty to discuss. ## Here are the top 5 moments from the night: ## 1. A New Era Dawns with Cody Rhodes (and The Rock Appears): ## The show kicked off with a heartwarming celebration for the new Undisputed WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes. Triple H introduced Rhodes, who received an ovation from the Philadelphia crowd. A touching video package chronicled Rhodes' journey to the top, culminating in his emotional victory over Roman Reigns.## However, the celebration took a surprising turn with the arrival of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The crowd's initial excitement quickly turned to boos as The Rock acknowledged Rhodes' victory but then challenged him for the title, hinting at a future showdown between the two legends. While the segment went on for nearly 45 minutes, it effectively planted the seeds for a potential blockbuster match and added intrigue to Rhodes' reign. ## 2. John Cena Makes a Surprise Return: ## One of the biggest pops of the night came when John Cena's music hit during a six-man tag team match. R-Truth, in a hilarious moment, claimed Cena as his invisible partner to even the odds against Judgment Day. The surprise return of the legendary Cena added a layer of excitement to the match and his signature moves alongside Truth and Miz resulted in a feel-good victory for the makeshift trio. This unexpected appearance not only added star power to the show but also left fans wondering if a more permanent return for Cena might be in the cards. ## 3. NXT Makes its Presence Felt: ## The night showcased the future of WWE with call-ups from NXT. Ilja Dragunov, the new NXT Champion, opened the show with an impressive victory over Shinsuke Nakamura. This dominant performance served as a strong introduction to the hard-hitting European wrestler. Additionally, Roxanne Perez, the newly crowned NXT Women's Champion, defeated Indi Hartwell. These victories not only established the dominance of NXT champions but also hinted at a potential future crossover and integration with the main roster. ## 4. Sami Zayn's Intercontinental Title Win and its Aftermath: ## Sami Zayn's emotional victory over Gunther to win the Intercontinental Championship was a feel-good moment for the underdog. His heartfelt speech acknowledging his supporters and even thanking Kevin Owens resonated with the audience. However, the celebration was short-lived as Imperium's Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser confronted Zayn. The tension escalated with the arrival of Chad Gable, setting the stage for a potential tag team partnership between Zayn and Gable. Later, Zayn announced a title defense against Gable next week on Raw in Montreal, adding another layer of intrigue to the burgeoning Intercontinental Championship storyline.## 5. CM Punk's Shocking Interference in the No. 1 Contender's Match: ## The main event of the night, a Fatal Four-Way match to determine the number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship, delivered a chaotic and entertaining encounter. Drew McIntyre, Ricochet, Bronson Reed, and Jey Uso battled it out, showcasing their athleticism and signature moves. The closing moments saw Jey Uso emerge victorious, setting him up for a title shot against Damian Priest. However, the biggest story came after the match.## As McIntyre appeared poised to challenge Punk for his actions at WrestleMania, Punk shockingly emerged from under the ring and tripped McIntyre, allowing Jey Uso to secure the win. This devious act by Punk left fans with a major cliffhanger and hinted at a potentially brutal rivalry between him and McIntyre in the coming weeks. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

The Rock: 'Triple H Has Done A Tremendous Job As Our Chief Creative Officer' WWE News
views

The Rock: 'Triple H Has Done A Tremendous Job As Our Chief Creative Officer'

This WrestleMania is historic for being the first held after the wrestling company merged with Endeavor, owner of rival MMA promotion UFC. The combined entity, TKO Group Holdings, now takes the reins. This marks a shift, as the McMahon family is no longer in control. ## This year's WrestleMania ushers in a new era with Triple H at the helm of creative. The WWE Universe applauds his strategic genius for crafting an impressive match card for both nights of the Grandest Stage of them All. ## At the WWE WrestleMania 40 Post-Show Press Conference, The Rock praised Triple H's influence over the company and stated that he has done a tremendous job as the chief creative officer. ## "I think the Triple H has done a tremendous job as our chief creative officer I think that's his title he has earned. He has a few and earned every single one of them, I like ushering in new things and new times and new eras and it feels like and our world here and professional wrestling. It is a new era that we're ushering in. ## I talked to Paul Lovak Triple H earlier as we were kicking off and kicking off the show tonight and without giving any detail on what we talked about, like it was a special night for him. This was the beginning of something and marking the beginning of something new for him under his creative. And I think from a company standpoint, this is an exciting time for the company for WWE. It's an exciting time for TKO. You felt the convergence towards the end of the year when the acquisition happened. ## You felt the convergence in the first quarter of the year, as I was fortunate enough to come back, and as we kind of traverse our way through what the storylines could look like. And so it's an exciting time, and I think we capped off day one of WrestleMania this Wrestlemania that we have stated was going to be the biggest of all time, which is really saying a lot obviously considering given the givens and how many great WrestleMania there has been in the past so I thought that we collectively as a company and as a team put out a really good show tonight. And the best part about putting on a great show tonight is you get to do it all over again tomorrow." ## If you use these quotes, please credit the original source and link back to Sacnilk with an h/t for the transcription. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

The Rock Reveals Extensive Training Regimen For Epic Main Event Return WWE News
views

The Rock Reveals Extensive Training Regimen For Epic Main Event Return

Reigns and The Rock teamed up to beat Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in a wild main event at WrestleMania 40. There was a lot of bad blood between everyone involved, and things got heated early on. Both teams gave fans a preview of their upcoming one-on-one matches at WrestleMania 41.## The fight wasn't just in the ring. The Rock even threatened a ref to stop a possible count-out. Rollins fought hard despite a hurt knee, and Rhodes had a good strategy, but they still lost. It looked like Rhodes had it won after a big move on Reigns, but The Rock pulled the ref out of the ring just in time.## The ending was crazy with moves going back and forth. The Rock tried to hit Rhodes with his finishing move, but Rhodes stopped him. Reigns tried to spear Rhodes, but accidentally hit The Rock instead. Rhodes took advantage by putting The Rock through a table with another wrestler's move, and Reigns speared Rollins through the barricade at the same time.## In the end, The Rock hit Rhodes with two big moves to win the match. Because of this win, the main event of WrestleMania 41 will be a Bloodline Rules match, which means it will be extra bloody and violent. This adds even more hype to the already big championship match between Reigns and Rhodes.## During WrestleMania XL Saturday Press Conference, The Rock was asked about how he's feeling right now coming off of that main event. ## "I feel great. body feels great. I just had the time in my life. And I put in a lot of work. We had a hell of a training camp, which lasted probably about 10 to 12 weeks and I wanted to make sure that I was as prepared as I possibly could be. These guys who I've wrestled with tonight, I know they're the best in the world and on the planet and I wanted to make sure that I came in game ready and ring ready as best I can. As you guys know. ## It's impossible to simulate what happens in the ring. You can run your training camps. I had a ring set up and flown to Hawaii where we were at where I spend a lot of my time with my family where we live a ring in California too as well. There was a ring in Georgia to make sure that around every corner and everywhere that I went the first quarter of this year there was a ring flew in a lot of wrestlers who were really amazing and willing to work their asses off to just make sure that I was prepared. So we went out there I enjoyed every second of that. and I've been a lucky guy over the years to have participated in some pretty cool things that have been very gratifying. There's nothing like performing at WrestleMania in front of 1000s of 1000s of people. And there's nothing like performing with your fellow pro wrestlers. "## If you use these quotes, please credit the original source and link back to Sacnilk with an h/t for the transcription. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

Ari Emanuel's Involvement Key To The Rock's WWE Return WWE News
views

Ari Emanuel's Involvement Key To The Rock's WWE Return

The Rock shed light on the motivations behind his return to WWE at the WrestleMania 40 press conference.## While initial plans for a Rock vs. Roman Reigns clash fell through, Ari Emanuel's acquisition of WWE proved to be a turning point. Discussions regarding a WrestleMania 39 return in Los Angeles didn't materialize, leading The Rock to prioritize a substantial role upon his return.## "Yes, there was. When Ari Emanuel called and said, 'I'm going to buy the company.' 'Okay, what does that strategy look like.' We discussed that. There was talks almost two years ago about me returning to WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles. We thought everything was going to dovetail nicely into that, great story. That didn't shake out in the way we had anticipated, and that's okay. I had said back then to the people we were negotiating with, 'Maybe it's time to put the pencils down and we'll revisit when it feels right.' Between putting the pencils down a year and a half, two years ago, regarding WrestleMania 39, the actuality of the selling of the company, that became impetus to look holistically at doing WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia. ## A lot of things had to come together. The agreement, the deal, I'm not worried about that, especially when the negotiations are between myself, Ari Emanuel, and Nick Khan. I wasn't concerned about the agreement. My number one priority was, can I comeback and have real value this time around and not coming back for hot shots or one night. It's fun, it's fun for the fans, but I wanted something a lot more substantial, but something we could really build upon. These past two or three months, we've been laying ground work nicely and not only building for WrestleMania this weekend, but I think beyond that and the future," he said. ## He expressed satisfaction with the groundwork laid over the past few months, hinting at a future beyond WrestleMania. ## The Rock's return coincided with the WWE's sale to Endeavor, spearheaded by Emanuel. This deal seemingly paved the way for The Rock's full-time return, kicking off in January with his addition to the TKO Board of Directors. ## Transcript Via Fightful ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

CM Punk Praises The Rock's WrestleMania 40 Performance WWE News
views

CM Punk Praises The Rock's WrestleMania 40 Performance

CM Punk offered his thoughts on The Rock's return match at WrestleMania 40 during the ESPN post-show.## The Rock teamed with Roman Reigns to defeat Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes in the night one main event. This marked The Rock's first advertised match in eleven years.## Having faced The Rock himself twice in 2013, Punk acknowledged the scrutiny surrounding The Rock's return: "Everyone wanted to know what he was going to look like, how his wind was going to be."## However, Punk was impressed: "I thought he looked great... I thought he did well tonight. I thought he looked really good. He won the match, what really can I say?"## Punk's praise highlights The Rock's successful return to the ring after a lengthy absence. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

The Rock Leaves Door Open For More WWE Matches After WrestleMania 40 Win WWE News
views

The Rock Leaves Door Open For More WWE Matches After WrestleMania 40 Win

The Rock's WWE future remains up in the air after his triumphant return at WrestleMania 40. Partnering with Roman Reigns, The Rock defeated Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in the night one main event. ## The Rock detailed his rigorous training regimen for the match, setting up rings in Hawaii, California, and Georgia to ensure constant preparation. When questioned about potential future matches, The Rock remained coy:## "There might be," he said. "I can't elaborate more on that, but there might be. We'll see."## This ambiguity follows a potential storyline tease during the match. After an inadvertent spear from Reigns, tension simmered between The Rock and The Tribal Chief.## Meanwhile, Triple H confirmed WrestleMania 40 shattered box office records. He emphasized a new era for WWE: "This is a launching point, this is the start. This is the beginning."## The Rock's comments, coupled with Triple H's emphasis on a new era, leave fans speculating about future Rock appearances and potential showdowns within the company.## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

The Rock Set To Make History At WrestleMania 40 WWE News
views

The Rock Set To Make History At WrestleMania 40

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is poised to achieve a monumental feat at WrestleMania 40, joining The Undertaker in an elite club. The People's Champion will be part of the main event on Night One, headlining WrestleMania in a fourth different decade. ## The Rock will team up with Roman Reigns to take on the formidable duo of Cody Rhodes and another Roman Reigns, the World Heavyweight Champion. The outcome of this epic clash will determine the stipulations for the Undisputed Universal Championship match on Night Two.## A victory for Rhodes and his partner will banish The Bloodline from ringside during Rhodes' championship challenge. However, if The Rock and Reigns emerge victorious, the championship match will be contested under the enigmatic "Bloodline Rules."## This WrestleMania encounter marks a significant milestone for The Rock. Following Night One, he will become only the second wrestler in history, alongside The Undertaker, to headline WrestleMania in four distinct decades. The Rock's previous WrestleMania main events include WrestleMania 15 in the 1990s, WrestleManias 16 and 17 in the 2000s, and WrestleManias 28 and 29 in the 2010s.## WrestleMania 40 will also see The Rock return for his first full match since WrestleMania 29 in 2013, where he defeated John Cena. While he did make a brief appearance at WrestleMania 32 in 2016, his match against Erick Rowan was a mere six seconds.## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

Gallus Chosen To Work With The Rock For His Match At WrestleMania 40 WWE News
views

Gallus Chosen To Work With The Rock For His Match At WrestleMania 40

The Rock's highly anticipated return to the ring at WrestleMania 40 has wrestling fans buzzing. Scheduled for the main event of Saturday night's show, The Rock will team up with Roman Reigns to take on Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. This marks The Rock's first full match since WrestleMania 29 (2013), with the exception of his brief appearance at WrestleMania 32 (2016).## As The Rock prepares to step back into the squared circle, details about his training regime have emerged. Interestingly, NXT stars Joe Coffey, Mark Coffey, and Wolfgang (collectively known as Gallus) have been revealed as The Rock's training partners.## This choice might surprise some, but WWE Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative Shawn Michaels has shed light on the reasoning behind it. In an interview with SEScoops, Michaels emphasized Gallus' professionalism and dependability as key factors.## "These are three guys who know what they're doing, understand every aspect of it," Michaels said. He explained that while younger, high-flying talent can be valuable for training, there's also a need for experienced and adaptable partners. "Sometimes you need guys who are mature, and professional, who can adjust to everything to what Rock wants."## Michaels, known for his own legendary career, expressed his admiration for Gallus. "Obviously, I'm partial to those guys," he admitted. "They're fantastic guys, they're professional and very dependable." ## With WrestleMania just around the corner, all eyes are on The Rock. The choice of Gallus as his training partners highlights the importance of experience and reliability in preparing for such a high-profile return. Only time will tell how The Rock fares in the ring, but one thing's for sure: he's got a dependable team behind him. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

The Rock Feels Fans Are Excited, Likens Current Era To Golden Age Of Wrestling WWE News
views

The Rock Feels Fans Are Excited, Likens Current Era To Golden Age Of Wrestling

The current phase in WWE is arguably one of the most exciting periods wrestling fans have ever witnessed. Triple H's influence has grown significantly since Vince McMahon stepped down in 2022. The long-term impact of his leadership is still unfolding, but early signs are promising.## Since taking on a bigger leadership role, Triple H has brought back some wrestlers previously released by WWE, such as CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Jade Cargill, and Andrade, to name a few. This move has been well-received by fans who enjoy these wrestlers and adds depth to the roster. ## WWE is performing well across the board, and the return of The Rock has further boosted its success. Several SmackDown episodes featuring The Rock became sell-outs, indicating strong fan interest.## Speaking to Joe Tessitore of ESPN, The Rock addressed the fan reaction to the current era of WWE, which is characterized by a renewed passion for the product. ## "What I'm feeling with the fans, and you know, I think that's one of the great benefits of this business of professional wrestling. I was very lucky and fortunate that I grew up in it. I was born into it. For those who may not know, uh, my grandfather was a professional wrestler, my dad was a professional wrestler. My grandfather wrestled for Vince McMahon Senior in the 70s. My dad came along in the 80s, uh, he was a trailblazer as well. I came along in the 90s, ruined everything with my bad haircut, my fanny pack as I like to say. Um, but what I'm sensing now, Joe, is that fans are excited at this idea that professional wrestling, yes, is cool again. It's exciting again, it's unpredictable, and it kind of hearkens back to, in my opinion, which was my personal goal, um, you have a sense in the spirit of professional wrestling in the early 80s.## Where that was a really unique time in this world of professional wrestling, where a shift started to happen in the culture, in the Zeitgeist, where Hulk Hogan, The Immortal Hulk Hogan, became what he became, and professional wrestling became national, then it became global. But the cornerstone and the underpinning happened in the early 80s. So you had, and again, growing up just as a fan of a man who, and a kid who just loved professional wrestling, loved the bad guys, um, at that time in the early 80s, you had Hulk Hogan, you also had Ric Flair, and you had Dusty Rhodes, and you had guys like that who were ushering in this really unique style of professional wrestling where there was a blurring of the line, so to speak, between reality and fiction, and how they merged and converged together at times in the early 80s created this really cool, unique, as we call it in wrestling parlance, as you would shoot wrestling angles, yeah? Um, people would watch and go, "That was really cool! Is that… that looks real! Like, what is that? What's unique about it?" So, uh, I feel like, um, in this world of pro wrestling, things can come full circle, and I think it's getting coming back around full circle, but also in this unique way where, um, I always say teamwork makes the dream work, or so I am, one luckily, one of many individuals who are ushering in this new era, if you will." ## If you use any of the quotes above, please credit the original source with a h/t and link back to Sacnilk for the transcription. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...