Additional Details on The Rock’s Plans to Win the WWE Title Before ‘Handing It Back’ to Roman Reigns

The Rock’s recent stint in WWE leading up to WrestleMania 40 generated significant buzz and excitement. While initial reports suggested he was slated to face Roman Reigns for the title at WrestleMania 40, recent information sheds light on the evolving plans surrounding this matchup.

Upon his return to WWE, The Great One intervened in Cody Rhodes’ feud with Roman Reigns, reportedly with the intention to elevate the WrestleMania 40 card with a match against Reigns.

Despite these plans, WrestleMania 40 unfolded differently, with Cody Rhodes ultimately defeating Roman Reigns to claim the Undisputed WWE Championship. However, there were earlier considerations that The Rock would dethrone Reigns and then relinquish the title before returning to Hollywood.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there were discussions about The Rock winning the title from Reigns and subsequently vacating it to pursue his Hollywood commitments, all while retaining the moniker “The People’s Champion.”

“Rhodes was always going to get the title, even after all this went down, but for a time it would not have been at Mania. The decision for Rhodes to win the Rumble was to set up a future title match after they would do an injury angle which would lead to Rock getting the title shot and Rhodes would get his shot and victory later. At one point there was an idea that Rock would win the title from Reigns, and then give up the title to go to Hollywood and end the streak, but always call himself “The People’s Champion,” which is where that idea and belt came in, which was long before the Hall of Fame ceremony.“

“The idea that many were fighting against was the title win, and then Reigns after losing getting it back and then losing again to Rhodes, feeling that would greatly hurt Rhodes’ eventual win, and Rhodes was the guy who was going to have to carry the company in 2024 and 2025. Others were strongly against that, saying no matter what happened as far as Rock getting the match, he could not win the title and Rhodes had to be the one who beats Reigns first and wins the title first.”

While there were differing opinions regarding the potential impact on Rhodes’ eventual title victory, it was ultimately decided that Rhodes should be the one to defeat Reigns and claim the title first, setting the stage for his role in leading the company.

Ringside News corroborated these reports, indicating that WWE indeed entertained the idea of having The Rock defeat Reigns for the title at WrestleMania 40 and at the time it wasn’t just a pitch. We were explicitly informed that WWE did have plans in mind for The Great One, and the concept originated from The Rock’s camp. However, it wasn’t revealed whether The Rock himself, Brad Slater, or Brian Gewirtz proposed the idea.

The Rock’s resurgence in WWE was partly attributed to his waning Hollywood career, with reports suggesting his attempt to exert influence backstage during WrestleMania 40 rehearsals. Despite these controversies, The Rock’s potential return at WrestleMania 41 has piqued fans’ interest, leaving speculation about WWE’s future plans.

Considering the developments, do you believe it was for the best that The Rock vs. Roman Reigns match didn’t materialize at WrestleMania 40? Share your thoughts in the comments below!