THE ROCK INSISTED ON FACING ROMAN REIGNS AT WRESTLEMANIA
A recent report indicates that The Rock may be actively seeking to end Roman Reigns' legendary reign as world champion at WWE WrestleMania 40. The surprising turn of events was announced on last Friday's SmackDown, where Roman Reigns will defend his WWE Undisputed Universal Championship against The Rock, ignoring Men's Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes.
This decision provoked a negative response, becoming the most liked WWE video on YouTube. The hashtag #We WantCody emerged on social media, becoming a global trend. Reports suggest that The Rock's influence in getting the match increased following confirmation that CM Punk and Brock Lesnar will not be at WrestleMania.
Fightful Select, in a comprehensive report on the situation, supports the idea that sources within WWE believe The Rock played a significant role in orchestrating the WrestleMania match. Some sources suggest that The Rock may be looking to defeat Reigns and end his legendary three and a half year reign with the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship.
While Cody Rhodes expressed his intention to challenge Reigns at the Royal Rumble, rumors circulated within the company that The Rock had already agreed to face Reigns that afternoon. Reports of WrestleMania-themed product prototypes featuring The Rock were also mentioned.
The order of events is still unclear, but many expect WWE and TKO to reconsider the decision based on fan reactions. Sources reveal that The Rock not only sought the fight, but some believed he was advocating for a victory. TKO sees this as a strategic move for immediate financial gain, despite recognizing Cody Rhodes' talent. Sources within TKO emphasize that the decision was not motivated by malice towards Rhodes, but may have underestimated the audience's patience with the situation.