MR. TITO: No Rock, No Problem for the WWE and Its Creative Team After Wrestlemania 41
In my mind, one of the best abilities is “availability”. If you’re getting paid to do a job, you have to show up and your talents need to be available to complete a project or a certain task at hand. If you’re not available, it’s a productivity drain on the company. During Wrestlemania 41 season, the Rock’s availability caused many plans to be changed or rushed. Thus, the end result was John Cena’s heel turn being rushed for Elimination Chamber 2025 in Toronto rather than it being the surprise finish of Wrestlemania 41. Simply put, Rock was filming in Hawaii during Wrestlemania 41 weekend, whereas he was available during Elimination Chamber weekend.
On top of that, following Wrestlemania 40, there was an expectation that we’d see MORE of the Rock and then get either Rock vs. Roman Reigns (finally) at Wrestlemania 41 or maybe Cody Rhodes vs. Rock at Wrestlemania 41. Hell, maybe Rock vs. Cody at Rumble 2025 and then Rock vs. Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania 41.
However, the Rock isn’t a full-time wrestler… He was available for Wrestlemania 40 because the Hollywood pipes were clogged following the Actor’s guild strike.
Furthermore, the Rock joined TKO as a board member for pure public relations reasons as well. Remember, the week after Royal Rumble 2024 had the bombshell details released from the lawsuit with Janel Grant against Vince McMahon. This forced Vince McMahon to RESIGN as TKO Board Chairman. An easy way to distract the public from legitimate corruption that happened in the WWE was to pay $30 million to the Rock to join the TKO Board and since he was available, to cause a distraction with WWE fans to FINALLY give them Rock vs. Roman Reigns. Of course, only WWE fans wanted to see Cody “finish his story”, so that forced a pivot but the Rock was still going to work Wrestlemania. The genius plan of the Rock/Roman vs. Cody/Seth tag match was hatched and the Rock was all-in with his new “Final Boss” character.
But remember, Rock was available because of the actor’s strike for Wrestlemania 40…
So what has the Rock been up to since Wrestlemania 40?
Moana 2 was a massive animated film released by Disney that came out during November 2024, as announced it was officially arriving to theaters during February 2024. Lots of voiceover work for Rock on that film, along with marketing and promoting the film. FURTHERMORE with this film, it is likely that Disney discouraged him from portraying a heel in the WWE which has likely thrown cold water on the character in my opinion.
Red One came out during November 2024 as well, but it was filmed through early 2023. Its release was delayed, likely due to the Hollywood strikes. Rock had to travel and promote that film as well.
LIVE-ACTION version of Moana began filming during July 2024 and wrapped through November 2024. This role had the Rock in costume, as well.
The Smashing Machine is biographical film about MMA fighter Mark Kerr and the Rock was all-in with this one physically and looking different for the camera. This was filmed between May and August 2024, so Dwayne was splitting time briefly between the live-action Moana and filming this, two very physically demanding roles for him.
Where Rock was for Wrestlemania 41 was in an untitled Martin Scorsese film being filmed in Hawaii. Sorry, but 100% of your attention needs to be given to Martin if you want to succeed in Hollywood.
Another Jumanji film and his full return to the Fast & The Furious series is also happening. Multiple other sequels have been announced.
Guys, the Rock has been BUSY… When he’s not filming, he’s promoting a previously shot film. That is what Dwayne Johnson does with his career full-time. Not pro wrestling.
All of this discussion of “does Triple H and the Rock hate each other?” is getting ridiculous. Fact is that Rock was brought on as a TKO Board member because (a) he was interested and (b) WWE needed massive Public Relations help. TKO can then use Rock, IF HE’S AVAILABLE, to help promote WWE or UFC events. One of the biggest celebrities in the world can be used as a chess piece to help promote events.
Rock and Triple H don’t hate each other, or else they wouldn’t have had many, many great matches from 1997 through 2000. Do you want to see HATE? Go watch Charlotte Flair vs. Tiffany Stratton from Wrestlemania 41. Those two performers clearly disliked each other, but also didn’t TRUST each other. While Rock and HHH were likely competitive alpha males backstage, they 100% trusted each other inside the ring when wrestling. When you trust another human being with the health and safety of your own body and well-being, that goes a long way.
The Rock became an actor through 2000 when The Mummy Returns was filmed. Yet throughout the year 2000, the Rock wrestled HHH many, many times throughout 2000 and he was completely healthy to go film scenes for a movie. If Triple H was as vindictive as say Bret Hart wants you to believe, then why did the Rock escape injury throughout 2000 and then in later years during 2001 and 2002 when Rock wrestled HHH in various matches? If Rock hated HHH so much, then why was he constantly doing business with him?
Speaking of availability, where is Roman Reigns? Another Spring/Summer vacation planned? Since his return from his last Spring/Summer vacation of 2024 that ended through late August 2024, he has wrestled a total of SIX matches and 5 of which were at Pay Per Views. While I applaud Roman personally as being SMART for working less to earn millions, many plans are put on hold because of HIS availability, too. They were really stretching that “new” Bloodline storyline last year following Wrestlemania 41, for example. It was a long drip between debuting each member, and then a long time before they turned on Heyman.
But honestly, Roman’s career is NOT fulfilled until he defeats the Rock. Without that feather in his cap, his little babyface turn just feels without any purpose whatsoever. Because the Rock was UNAVAILABLE due to filming Hollywood movies, the Bloodline storyline has simply died. Roman has already vanquished the Solo Sikoa-led group and that lasted barely 4 months. Also, Roman just cannot gain any true ground as a babyface against CM Punk, who is also a babyface. The chemistry between those two is just off because the heel/face dynamics are needed between the two.
But Roman NEVER had that definitive moment that turned him babyface. Perfect moment would have been the WEEK AFTER when Paul Heyman was attacked at the MSG Smackdown, which happened during late June 2024. Yet, Roman waited at least 2 months to retaliate against the “new” Bloodline led by Solo Sikoa who attacked the Bloodline. 2 months! Should have been on the Smackdown immediately after that attack. But no, utter silence… Thus when Roman returned at SummerSlam 2024, it was less impactful because he showed ZERO empathy towards an attacked Paul Heyman.
But yet, the post Wrestlemania 40 Bloodline storyline was moving along and some changes were made to it because, once again, the Rock was unavailable. He couldn’t truly become the “Final Boss” of what Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and the Haku Brothers were doing because he was too busy with Hollywood stuff. Hence the pivot to making Solo a stronger boss of the revised group and hence Roman’s focus shifting towards feuding with Solo for the next 4 months. It just didn’t work…
Roman Reigns is NOT the same as a babyface lacking a purpose, versus a babyface who could have slayed The Rock at Wrestlemania 41. He’s lost and not as impactful, and now he’s on another Spring/Summer vacation DESPITE Paul Heyman turning on him. Instead of seeking revenge, he seeks a vacation.
The variables of The Rock and Roman Reigns are out of Triple H’s control. The Rock isn’t a full-time wrestler and is only available when he wants to participate. That’s fine… For Roman, even though he’s not as effective as a babyface, he’s still a top star and not a free agent you’d want to go elsewhere.
Which brings me to my point… Post Wrestlemania 41 world…
In my opinion, Triple H and his Creative Team have done a FINE JOB with the post-Wrestlemania stuff for 2025 versus 2024. RAW this week was great with Jey Uso vs. Seth Rollins, which was a great match and it was filled with different angles that can take the WWE several places. Since CM Punk is AVAILABLE, he can immediately feud with Seth Rollins and continue their heated feud but with much different storyline implications. While that is happening, Jey Uso will feud with Logan Paul… Well, you can’t win them all, but if Jey Uso is truly a great champion, then he could pull a great match out of Paul. Cody had some struggles with him last year.
On the flip side, John Cena vs. Randy Orton feels massive and legit. Cena thought he could skate for the rest of his dates as WWE Champion, but an old foe won’t let him.
I really liked what WWE did with Gunther attacking Pat McAfee. That killer instinct was lacking with Gunther. Yeah, he attacked Jimmy Uso, too, but that was totally expected and everyone saw that coming. But what made Brock Lesnar great was that he could snap and wreck everything like a bull in a china shop. THAT is what Gunther needs to do, rather than acting like a proper wrestler. He needs to show that he’s legitimately dangerous and his skillset merits that he truly is.
No Cody Rhodes, and I agree with him taking a vacation. He needs it, as he is totally over-exposed as a character and has worn WWE fans out. He was a better chaser than champion, and was beginning to bore fans being champion. Hence why WWE fans at Wrestlemania 41 heavily cheered for John Cena. Cody has been the product of favorable booking to play upon him exiting AEW as an EVP (which hurts them), being the son of Dusty Rhodes, and a redemption story based on his prior WWE career. Becoming champion at Wrestlemania 40 was his PEAK… I think WWE needs to continue keeping him off the road to freshen him up just a tad.
Just like that, WWE has snapped back into place following Wrestlemania 41 and they can do that with competent management, THANKS to Triple H, and as well-led roster also THANKS to Triple H.
That’s why I keep saying this supposed “wedge” between Rock and Triple H has been placed there by online AEW fans or Vince McMahon lovers who are jealous of Triple H’s successful tenure as WWE’s showrunner. AEW fans want what Triple H is achieving right now with WWE, but they cannot have it with Tony Khan and the Young Bucks as EVPs. Online Vince McMahon marks refuse to admit how BAD the 2010s WWE was, especially with the forced Roman babyface push of 2014-2019, and somehow want this horrible human being back in the WWE chair to micro-manage everything again. YOU WATCH, when Vince McMahon unveils his new wrestling promotion, these Vince marks will be praising it as the greatest thing ever.
WWE is doing just fine… They just had a wee bout of thinking they could rely on the Rock as a bigger character, but his own plans changed and thus WWE had to change their plans. Next time, though, get the Rock’s commitment to the WWE in writing rather than handshakes, mmmmkay? Because without the Rock, Roman Reigns is a lost puppy dog out there as a babyface and creating the false promise that the Rock MAY be at a particular show will hurt that show. Hence why the Travis Scott stuff looks really terrible because it was just the scrawny rapper instead of the Rock helping John Cena win the main event match of Wrestlemania.
But that’s OK, post Wrestlemania 41 WWE is pretty awesome right now WITHOUT the Rock and even without the vacationing Roman Reigns. AEW is still AEW, and Vince McMahon is still a publicly humiliated version of himself. We’re still good in the WWE, brother.