WWE fans who attended a house show in Knoxville on Saturday night expressed frustration regarding plans for Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson to replace Cody Rhodes in a match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. The Rock made a surprising return to WWE television during Friday’s episode of SmackDown, where he confronted Reigns as the show ended.
This interaction, along with the promos by The Tribal Chief and The American Nightmare that led up to his return, indicated that WWE is preparing to have the Hollywood superstar challenge Reigns for the Universal Championship, much to the disappointment of fans worldwide.
The Rock’s SmackDown return video gets loud boos from the crowd
There appears to be a growing negative sentiment towards The Rock’s participation in the WrestleMania 40 main event. This was evident from fans’ reactions at a live event in Knoxville, TN. The displeased audience expressed their discontent by booing when a SmackDown recap featuring The Rock was displayed on the big screen.
The hashtag #WeWantCody is currently trending as the top topic on social media, indicating the fans’ dissatisfaction with the recent change in the main event. This change occurred due to The Rock’s insistence on having a match with Roman Reigns. He believed it would help “save” WrestleMania, especially considering that CM Punk was injured and Brock Lesnar had been pulled from the card.
The Rock & Roman Reigns’ segment from last nights #SmackDown has now surpassed 400,000 dislikes in under 20 hours.
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) February 3, 2024
Extending its record as the most disliked @WWE YouTube video of all time.
3.2M Views. 87K Likes. 400K Dislikes. pic.twitter.com/QHwBLvujeM
There has been a backlash from fans regarding the expected top match between The Rock and Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. The negative reactions from fans on social media and at live events have gained attention from mainstream media outlets, including TMZ.
Although the official announcement is set to be made at a press event in Las Vegas this Thursday, TKO executives may reconsider their plans if such sentiments continue to grow during the build-up to WrestleMania.
The Rock faced a similar situation in 2015 alongside Roman Reigns
It is speculated that WrestleMania 40, happening in Philadelphia in early April, could feature one of the biggest and most exciting matches of the modern era. While there is still no official confirmation for a one-on-one bout, it seems likely that WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns will face off against The Rock.
The Rock’s return to WWE at the beginning of 2024 has reignited a long-standing rivalry with his cousin. The two have been teasing a showdown for some time now, with both of them vying for the coveted title of “Head of the Table.” In this context, it’s worth exploring the history that led to this momentous showdown between two future WWE Hall of Famers.
The Rock and Roman Reigns have had interactions in WWE since the early days of ‘The Shield’ when the group performed their signature triple powerbomb on The Great One. However, it was not until the disastrous 2015 Royal Rumble that their family connection became a part of the story. During the event, The Rock attempted to put Reigns over in front of a Philadelphia crowd that was not receptive to it.
If you watched the pay-per-view event either live or at least watched the recording later, you might recall the puzzled expression on The Rock’s face when the audience showered the ring with boos, like litter after a wrestler’s sudden villainous turn in the old territorial wrestling era. As their rivalry gains momentum, this particular moment is likely to play a significant part in their narrative leading up to their WrestleMania showdown.
What are your thoughts on fan reactions to The Rock’s potential involvement in WrestleMania 40’s main event? Share in the comments below.
