MR. TITO: The Rock Just Saved Wrestlemania 41 on Last Night’s WWE Smackdown with Cody Rhodes
Well, the Rock just made Elimination Chamber 2025 and Wrestlemania 41 MUCH more interesting based on his appearance and promo cut during last night’s edition of WWE Smackdown. In my opinion, it’s a MUCH NEEDED shot in the arm because the hype for Wrestlemania 41 and the rumored matches just didn’t feel “special” like what a Wrestlemania should present. That, or we had such a great Wrestlemania 40 that we’re so spoiled to believe Wrestlemania 41 should be equally great. Well, I think the Rock’s appearance last night and promo cut on Cody Rhodes just made Wrestlemania 41 worthwhile. I expect ticket sales to begin picking up…
I believe Rock is doing what many of us thought he’d start doing last year… Just like he was the “crown jewel” of the Corporation during late 1998 and during the first half of 1999, I believe he’s using his heel “Final Boss” character and position as TKO Board Member (which he alluded to last night) to form his own version of the Corporation. With the Rock’s involvement, it’s very likely that he’s going to meddle with Cody’s Wrestlemania 41 main event match to crown himself a new WWE Champion who will do his bidding and lead a stable to dominate the WWE throughout the rest of 2025 and into 2026.
Many of you are thinking that Cody Rhodes will be the one joining the dark side, but I personally believe that it’s going to be his opponent that joins the Rock…
Think back to Survivor Series 1998, which in my opinion is one of the best storyline driven shows ever. The expectation was that Mick Foley was the corporate sellout to make it difficult for lead babyface Steve Austin to win it or likewise for the emerging babyface, the Rock, to win it. But Vince McMahon and his Corporation stable had other thoughts. They concocted a scheme where Shane McMahon would act like he was against his father and was demoted to referee. Then, when the time came, Shane McMahon flipped the double birds to Steve Austin and allowed Mick Foley as Mankind to score the cheap win. Heading into the finals between Rock and Mankind to determine the new WWE Champion of the tournament, it was expected that Mankind would receive the Corporation’s help but they screwed him to help the Rock become the new WWE Champion.
I think that WWE is making you THINK that Cody Rhodes will join the Rock, when in turn, his opponent actually does.
So who will Cody Rhodes wrestle at Wrestlemania 41?
Can’t be Roman Reigns, as he’s NOT in the Elimination Chamber match. Sure, that hasn’t stopped other wrestlers from not weaseling their way into the WWE Title main event match, but I think we’ll be seeing Roman Reigns take a year off from main eventing and have a direct match with Seth Rollins.
Here are the Elimination Chamber participants:
– John Cena
– CM Punk
– Damian Priest
– Drew McIntyre
– Logan Paul
– Seth Rollins
I get the sense that Roman Reigns will return at the Chamber and cause Seth Rollins to lose. That sets up Roman vs. Seth at Wrestlemania 41 for a blood feud.
I do NOT expect Damian Priest or Drew McIntyre to have any shot in heck at winning this match and challenging Cody for the WWE Title. Like both guys, but we need bigger star power.
Logan Paul could be an interesting opponent for Cody and does bring in outside possibilities and hype (like Paul and his brother Jake, or not, but the guys are well known celebrities). HOWEVER, if Paul heads into this match as the heel against Cody, the swerve that’s coming feels too obvious.
I could see the possibilities with John Cena vs. Cody… One way to emphasize Cody as a heel is to embarrass and beatdown John Cena in this match with the help of the Rock. However, I could also see John Cena portraying a heel for the first time since 2003 and becoming corporate champion because both he and the Rock understand each other now as Hollywood actors. Cena vs. Cody becomes 100% more interesting with the Rock meddling and possibly turning either guy.
But we have one more guy left… CM Punk.
Remember that Survivor Series 2024 favor with Paul Heyman? Uh huh… Heyman owes Punk one and it could be to JOIN HIM as Punk turns heel and becomes the NEW corporate champion for the Rock. So thus, if Wrestlemania 41 is headlined by Cody Rhodes vs. CM Punk, I think the match will be portrayed as Cody possibly joining the Rock but it’s CM Punk AND Paul Heyman joining the Rock instead.
The BEAUTY of Paul Heyman also joining the Rock’s Corporation stable is that when the Rock is out filming movies in Hollywood, Heyman can speak on behalf of the Rock. Just like Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns taking lots of time off and Heyman represented them well to keep the ball rolling, the Rock can rely on Paul Heyman to do exactly the same thing. Then, the WWE can make the Rock’s appearances feel more special when the “Final Boss” shows up. Like last night’s Smackdown.
Why would Paul Heyman turn on Roman Reigns, you ask?
Well, after Wrestlemania 40 and through late June 2024, there was ZERO communication between Heyman and Roman Reigns. In fact, Heyman couldn’t get a hold of Roman in any way, shape, or manner. Then, when Solo’s Bloodline attacked Heyman at Madison Square Garden, we heard crickets from Roman Reigns for more than a month before he appeared at SummerSlam. Even in the weeks that followed, we heard NOTHING from him about Paul Heyman who was savagely attacked by Solo, Jacob Fatu, and the Haku brothers. In fact, we heard nothing of their relations until Paul Heyman showed up to add CM Punk to Roman’s Survivor Series 2025 team.
There is the potential for strained relations between Paul Heyman and Roman Reigns, and we could see some plotting here with Heyman to get revenge for literally doing NOTHING after Solo, Jacob, and the Haku brothers attacked him and slammed him through the announcer’s table. Thus, when CM Punk asks him to join the Rock’s Corporation, Paul Heyman will agree to do him a favor and SCREW Cody Rhodes out of the WWE Title. Then, we’ll get “Corporate” CM Punk who can shred the audience and get into full heel promos and Paul Heyman can do the same by his side.
With CM Punk as the Corporate Champion and Paul Heyman now by his side, this creates a GREAT storyline with BABYFACE Roman Reigns having something significant to do for the rest of 2025 and then for 2026. Roman will have to first dispatch of CM Punk as WWE Champion, which you can accomplish either at SummerSlam 2025 or at Royal Rumble 2026 (both could trade titles back and forth to make things interesting), and then it EASILY sets up Wrestlemania 42 with us FINALLY getting Rock vs. Roman Reigns.
Yes, they are basically recycling WWE during 1998-1999, but why not? It was a great storyline with tons of twists and turns, while making a ton of stars in the process.
This Wrestlemania 41 show would look GREAT to me:
– Bianca Belair vs. Rhea Ripley
– Charlotte Flair vs. Tiffany Stratton
– John Cena vs. Logan Paul
– Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns
– Gunther vs. Jey Uso
– Cody Rhodes vs. CM Punk, with the Rock looming over the match.
Regardless, the Rock did it again and has made things VERY interesting during Wrestlemania season. The guy STILL has the magic, especially when he’s a heel character. I was struggling with this year’s Wrestlemania 41 show and was reluctantly going to watch Elimination Chamber 2025, but I’m 100% invested again and pumped.
Best case scenario is to have Cody vs. CM Punk, Rock AND Paul Heyman assists Punk to become WWE Champion and top Corporation stable wrestler, and Roman Reigns will have to “save the day” by slaying not just CM Punk, but also the Rock through Wrestlemania 42.
Magic could still happen with Cody vs. John Cena, especially if we can get John Cena to fully turn heel. HOWEVER, I think Cody Rhodes has some good talent to pull off the corporate kiss-up to the Rock. Either way, you’ll have Roman Reigns chasing either guy who becomes the Corporate WWE Champion and then all roads lead to the Rock for Wrestlemania 42.
Good stuff is FINALLY happening again for Wrestlemania season… HEEL Rock is one of the best characters ever and he continues to keep proving it.
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