- Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s surprise WWE return has sparked speculation about his future in wrestling and whether he will stick around for more than just a one-off appearance.
- The Rock’s return creates a potential for a big-money match, rumored in the past, and proves he can still perform in the ring and engage the crowd.
- While his return to WWE aligns with the SAG-AFTRA strike, The Rock’s primary focus likely remains his successful acting career, and once the strikes are over, he is set to return to the big screen for future movie projects.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s WWE return stunned the wrestling world and created all sorts of questions regarding his future. Just two weeks after John Cena returned to Smackdown, The Rock followed suit, making his first appearance in four years. Whereas Cena’s was announced in advance, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s WWE return was a genuine shock that created speculation about whether he’ll be sticking around or if this was a one-off. Over the years, Cena has made prominent returns. Cena has worked short-term storylines or frequently came back for the odd single show appearance whereas The Rock remains a special attraction, meaning few people would have expected his return.
Having Johnson back in the WWE is not only nostalgic, but it also creates real potential for a big-money match that has been rumored in the past. After appearing on the Pat McAfee show, The Rock returned in another segment, where they laid out former United States champion Austin Theory. This showed that not only can The Rock still go in the ring, but he is just as good as ever at playing to the crowd. With his return being the talk of the wrestling world, his future with acting, Roman Reigns, and the reason he’s back are all questions that need answers, especially considering Dwayne Johnson’s movie career.
Why The Rock Has Returned To WWE & Why It Doesn’t Break SAG Rules
The Rock’s WWE return comes amidst the SAG-AFTRA strike that has seen many actors refuse to work in order to get fairer pay for writers and actors. Johnson’s WWE return does not break these rules as the company is not being struck and can continue to go about its production as usual. This has somewhat benefited the WWE as it has led to fewer new shows to compete with while also allowing the likes of Cena and Johnson to return. With no new upcoming movie projects, the door has been opened for The Rock to come back to wrestling with a much clearer schedule.
Despite some cautions about his return to the ring, The Rock’s appearance is not in conflict with the strikes, and he has shown support regarding SAG-AFTRA. Dwayne Johnson is among the list of actors donating to the strike, having reportedly contributed over $1 million to the cause. With Johnson and Cena both supporting the strikes, their WWE returns are a means of continuing to work and support the industry they started in while still following the SAG rules.
What The Rock’s WWE Return Means For His Acting Career
While it is unclear if The Rock is sticking around the WWE, the impact it will have on his acting career is intriguing. He has been acting for around two decades and it has become his primary career focus. The likelihood is once the strikes are over, Johnson will leave the WWE and return to acting. With Dwayne Johnson being among the highest-paid actors in Hollywood every year, he has clearly forged an attractive acting career that is desirable to return to. Strikes may have given him the chance to return to the ring, but wrestling is no longer his priority and once the strikes are done, he’ll be back on the big screen.
Until the strikes are over, the WWE gives The Rock a safe option to get work and remain in the limelight. The Rock’s return trended on Twitter and YouTube, showing there was a mainstream buzz about him being back in wrestling. With some of his more recent box office failures, now is the perfect time for Johnson to explore the wrestling world again. It proves if things ever go wrong in Hollywood, Johnson has other options to fall back on. With a Fast and Furious spinoff in development for Dwayne Johnson, albeit not a Hobbs & Shaw sequel, his acting career continues to look profitable, but the WWE will always welcome him home if he needs them.
The Rock’s WWE Future: Is He Going To Wrestle Roman Reigns At WrestleMania?
A lot remains unknown about The Rock’s WWE future, but his most anticipated match would be against Roman Reigns. With John Cena’s return announced in advance, it was made clear he’d be working multiple dates and staying around for a while. Johnson’s comeback is more of a mystery. With WrestleMania taking place in Hollywood last year, there were a lot of rumors about a potential The Rock vs. Roman Reigns match which ultimately fell through. It appeared it was largely due to Johnson’s busy schedule; however, he recently revealed the match was locked in, as seen in the video below:
Although the match didn’t happen last year, there is still potential for The Rock vs. Roman Reigns to headline WrestleMania 40. Reigns is still the WWE Universal Champion, and his bloodline story is ongoing. He has been champion for over 1000 days and has had a story revolving around his family ongoing for the majority of it. With Johnson being Reigns’ real-life cousin, this makes the match even more logical from a storyline perspective. The Rock claimed he was open to the match at WrestleMania 40, which means, depending on how long the strikes last, his WWE stay may be longer than expected.