NoDQ&A: WWE’s plans for The Rock in 2024, modern wrestling vs. the Attitude Era, more

Welcome to NoDQ&A! I first started this series in 2010 and it has been switching between text and video formats since 2011. Here are some of your wrestling questions answered via Twitter/X…

Q: Was The Rock’s heel turn always in the Wrestlemania 40 script?

People are saving it was WWE pivoting. Whether it was or not, I’m fully on board with Rock being a heel right now. I’m very stoked for Wrestlemania at this point.

Q: How many times will The Rock wrestle in 2024?

If he does more than two between now and Wrestlemania 41, I’ll be surprised.

Q: Who is The Rock going to face at Wrestlemania 40?

Either he’s not wrestling or we are getting Rock and Reigns vs. Cody and Rollins. The Wrestlemania 40 trailer certainly seems to be teasing a tag team match which I presume would be the Night One main event.

Q: Will The Rock have a storyline with Cody Rhodes in similar fashion to Vince McMahon vs. Steve Austin?

I don’t think something like this will happen unless The Rock becomes a regular television character again. I feel like he’ll be gone again for an extended period of time after Wrestlemania.

Q: Will The Rock cost Roman Reigns the undisputed WWE Universal title at Wrestlemania 40?

Yes. I don’t see Rock’s heel turn lasting too long. Whether Rock accidentally costs Reigns or does it intentionally, I think Rock’s actions will help set up a singles match between him and Reigns at Wrestlemania 41.

Q: Is women’s wrestling better than it was in the past?

Absolutely. The rosters across various promotions are great. For WWE and AEW, there’s still work that needs to be done with the booking but the talent is there.

Q: Is the current WWE era better than the Attitude Era?

They are different. I don’t think anything can top the Attitude Era in terms of the characters and unpredictability of the shows. However, I think the in-ring product today is superior to the Attitude Era. Some of the Attitude Era’s content has also aged poorly.

Q: What do you think about squash matches?

I don’t mind them and sometimes prefer them to long, competitive matches on television. I think they can be effective in building stars.

Q: How would the landscape of WWE look in 2024 if Vince McMahon didn’t “retire” in 2022?

WWE would definitely be different in some aspects. More talent would have probably been released and not brought back. I actually think Cody Rhodes would still be pushed as the top face. He came back and defeated Seth Rollins three straight times while Vince was still in charge.

Q: How good would Sean “X-Pac” Waltman be in today’s wrestling era?

Sean Waltman would do great in today’s era as he was ahead of his time. 123 Kid vs. Bret Hart was one of the best matches from the early years of Monday Night RAW.