The Rock has been trending just about continuously on social media since WrestleMania this previous Sunday, and it has not been for optimistic causes. First, it was about him not exhibiting as much as ‘Mania, regardless of having beforehand been concerned in the primary occasion storyline. Then, it was about occurring The Pat McAfee Present and defending his choice to not attend, whereas concurrently claiming he solely received concerned within the storyline to start with due to low ticket gross sales at Elimination Chamber. Then, it was a couple of double whammy of a remark he left on a wrestling journalist’s Instagram that claimed folks should not get labored up about wrestling as a result of it’s not actual, amongst different issues.
Yeah, it was a very unhealthy week for Dwayne Johnson, at the very least amongst wrestling followers, and it’s resulting in quite a lot of conversations about whether or not The Rock ought to have anyplace in WWE transferring ahead. Sadly, the reply to that query is actually sophisticated, and it’s made all of the extra sophisticated due to Johnson’s very actual govt place on the Board Of Administrators for WWE’s guardian firm TKO. The entire thing is a large number, and anybody who tells you there’s a straightforward resolution is being disingenuous. So, let’s simply try to speak this out in a good and balanced manner.
Why The Rock Is So Beneficial
The Rock is, by just about any definition, one of many best and most vital superstars within the historical past of the wrestling enterprise. He’s definitely the largest crossover actor ever, and he’s in a position to entice mainstream eyeballs in a manner that nobody at present concerned within the enterprise, John Cena included, can. He’s simply one other degree of well-known, and likewise, he’s at one other degree in the case of getting himself over.
If you happen to’re not an enormous wrestling fan, getting your self over mainly means connecting with the gang to the purpose the place you encourage a response. It could possibly be as a superb man. It could possibly be as a foul man. All that issues is that the gang particularly cares about seeing you. Essentially the most over superstars are those individuals are shopping for tickets for, they usually’re those the present is constructed round. Nobody on WWE’s roster, not Cody Rhodes, not Roman Reigns, not John Cena, is as over as The Rock. The group pops when he walks by way of the curtain in a totally totally different manner.
So, it’s straightforward to see why WWE and guardian firm TKO would love him to be part of ongoing storylines. It’s why the corporate supplied him possession over his WWE-related logos, and it’s why he was given a seat on the Board Of Administrators and an enormous bonus to come back again after Vince McMahon bought the corporate. He can transfer the needle in a manner nobody else can, whether or not it’s ticket gross sales, merchandise or basic crossover curiosity.
That Rock impact was seen very clearly final yr within the lead-up to WrestleMania. The Folks’s Champion returned on a close to weekly foundation between the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 40 to help his cousin Roman Reigns in his conflict in opposition to Cody Rhodes, and he delivered terrific scores and a bunch of bought out arenas. He additionally did among the greatest work of his complete profession. His new character, The Closing Boss, was very nicely obtained, and it culminated in an excellent WrestleMania tag crew match alongside Reigns in opposition to Cody and Seth Rollins, in addition to an look throughout the Major Occasion of Evening 2 between Roman and Cody.
So, yeah, it’s apparent why TKO desires The Rock round at any time when his schedule permits it, however sadly, what his schedule has allowed within the final yr turned out to be an enormous web damaging.
Why The Final 12 months Has Gone So Poorly
First, The Rock appeared on the Uncooked after WrestleMania 40 to announce he was going again to Hollywood. That was broadly anticipated amongst wrestling followers. Sadly, what we additionally received was an especially awkward and prolonged section with WWE Champion Cody Rhodes the place he held his title belt for awhile and appeared to indicate he’d be coming again within the close to future to take it from him.
So, as wrestling followers, all of us waited as Rhodes received his post-WrestleMania feuds, assuming the plan down the highway was going to be for The Rock and Cody to lastly sq. off. Months handed, nonetheless, and it grew to become clear Johnson in all probability wasn’t coming again anytime quickly. So, all of us moved on and began investing in different tales. Then in October, the apparent principal occasion for Unhealthy Blood, Drew McIntyre vs CM Punk, was abruptly moved to the start of the present, and Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns vs Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu was moved to the top. It seems that was as a result of Johnson made a shock look after the match during which he stared down Rhodes and Reigns, counted to a few and did a throat slashing gesture earlier than the PLE went off the air.
For months, WWE followers speculated on what that might imply. They waited for The Rock to reemerge and clarify himself, waited for some announcement on the inevitable Rock and Cody Rhodes match. We didn’t get any form of rationalization till the Uncooked on Netflix premiere in January. Sadly, that did nothing however create confusion. Johnson gave a weird, rambling promo during which he basically patted himself and WWE on the again for the way good enterprise has been after which thanked Rhodes for all the good work he’s performed.
Followers, myself included, had been very confused as a result of it made actually no sense. We had watched The Rock and Rhodes feud for mainly a yr at that time, and given The Rock was calling himself ‘The Closing Boss’, it appeared apparent in his identify that he’d be the final massive problem for Rhodes. As a substitute, nonetheless, we received compliments, which kinda sorta appeared like they had been coming from Johnson as TKO Board Member and never The Rock, the character Johnson performs on TV, although it was by no means made clear on air.
Anyway, Johnson made one other look in February, this time seeming to take everybody’s suggestions under consideration. He once more complimented Rhodes however this time stated it was as a result of he wished to assist him get to the subsequent degree however with a view to try this, he’d want Cody to present him his soul. The language was overly simplistic, as soon as once more repetitive and rambly and sort of silly, nevertheless it was at the very least a direct storyline for followers to put money into that defined why The Rock had been nicer to Cody not too long ago. He apparently wished him to do his bidding in WWE whereas The Rock was off in Hollywood and having him be The Rock’s champion and forfeit his soul would enable that.
Every week or so later, The Rock confirmed as much as Elimination Chamber alongside platinum rapper Travis Scott and as soon as once more requested for Cody’s soul. Predictably, Cody colorfully advised him he wouldn’t give it to him, however rather more unpredictably, The Rock then made a gesture at John Cena and Cena promptly turned on Rhodes, signalling that he was the one who bought his soul to The Rock. The second nearly immediately grew to become WWE’s largest in months. Cena’s heel flip was lined within the mainstream press, and most followers agreed it was the largest since Hulk Hogan famously joined the nWo in 1996.
What adopted was weeks of hypothesis about why The Rock and John Cena had been working collectively and what the 2 of them may do collectively. Sadly, The Rock by no means truly confirmed up once more. He didn’t make any appearances on Uncooked. He didn’t make any appearances on SmackDown. Much more bizarrely, he was barely talked about by anybody concerned. Cena by no means actually defined why he bought his soul to The Rock. As a substitute, he defined he turned on the followers and Rhodes as a result of he was sick of the blended response he’d gotten for his complete profession. Rhodes didn’t actually speak about The Rock both. He centered on the betrayal by Cena and principally pretended that entire soul factor by no means occurred.
That brings us to WrestleMania. Given the shortage of any point out about The Rock, some followers assumed that storyline had merely been dropped and we wouldn’t hear about it once more. Others had been satisfied he’d present up and really end the story he began to inform. Sadly, we received the worst of each worlds. The Rock didn’t present up, however his henchman Travis Scott did. His music interrupted the primary occasion between Cena and Rhodes, and he interfered to assist Cena win. So, in essence, it was like WWE tried to complete the story The Rock began telling however didn’t truly use The Rock.
The principle occasion was very, very poorly obtained by wrestling followers. As an entire, they couldn’t perceive why Travis Scott confirmed up with out The Rock, they usually couldn’t perceive why The Rock had gotten concerned in any respect if he wasn’t even going to be at WrestleMania. The outrage was fairly loud on social media, after which all of a sudden Johnson was introduced for The Pat McAfee Present the next day. I believe his look was meant to do some harm management, nevertheless it solely made issues worse.
The Rock stated he’d solely made the final two appearances, the one the place he requested for Cody’s soul and the one at Elimination Chamber, as a result of ticket gross sales had been down and he was requested by TKO to assist. He stated he then stepped away as a result of the story didn’t want him, and he didn’t wish to step on Cena’s second. The feedback didn’t sit nicely with wrestling followers, since he mainly made it clear he solely received concerned for cash, which was notably insulting since TKO has jacked up ticket costs exponentially over the previous few years, they usually additionally didn’t make logical sense since Travis Scott actually got here to the ring in the midst of the primary occasion and stepped throughout Cena’s second.
All of those feedback made the backlash even louder, to the purpose the place indignant social media posts and clips from numerous wrestling podcasts ranting about The Rock had been all of a sudden in all places. In one other effort to do harm management, The Rock responded to one of many rants and claimed everybody must relax as a result of wrestling is “a whole work.” In wrestling phrases, meaning it’s pretend. He then invited the podcaster in query, Dave LaGreca, to hitch the artistic discussions between him, Cody, Cena and his private author Brian Gewirtz and “the remaining” of WWE to see how the choices are made and alter his perspective.
As soon as once more, followers weren’t completely satisfied campers for a number of causes. First, he mainly advised everybody they need to care much less about wrestling as a result of it’s pretend, which is an outrageous factor to say given WWE and TKO instantly make all their cash off followers caring a lot. Second, he fully ignored Triple H, the precise head of WWE artistic, and appeared to indicate he’s not making selections on the most important storylines and as an alternative The Rock is.
What TKO Ought to Do Shifting Ahead
There are some wrestling followers who need TKO to simply transfer on from The Rock totally, however I don’t suppose that’s a good suggestion in any respect. Having very public rifts together with your largest stars from earlier generations is rarely a superb look, and it additionally ignores the truth that The Rock, when he’s in the fitting storyline, can nonetheless be actually, actually good. He didn’t give us some lazy nostalgic efficiency within the lead-up to WrestleMania 40. He advised a brand new story as The Closing Boss, and it was among the best tales WWE has advised within the final twenty years.
Followers additionally nonetheless wish to see him. Hardcore followers is perhaps actually mad at him proper now, however informal followers aren’t plugged into that and everybody will get actually excited when he walks by way of the curtain. He’s an enormous attraction and somebody who can play a task in WWE doing nice work transferring ahead. Simply bailing on him is a large overreaction and never the trail ahead, for my part.
However letting The Rock present up at any time when he desires and getting half-involved in storylines just isn’t the play both. Proper now, it feels as if Johnson decides when he desires to indicate up, then he will get along with the writers and says what’s the good factor I can do on this specific episode and does that. However these cool issues, whereas they really feel nice within the second (at the very least once they’re nicely executed), should not essentially what’s greatest for the precise long-term well being of the enterprise if they do not repay down the highway.
Let me speak about this in movie phrases. The Rock is among the largest film stars in the whole world. If he had been to indicate up on the set of any film and say I’ve a pair free days and would like to be on this, it might be actually, actually laborious to say no. However shoehorning The Rock right into a film, and not using a nicely organized plan, isn’t essentially going to make the film higher. If he’s simply doing a enjoyable cameo, that’s one factor, but when he’s going to be concerned within the A-plot, there higher be a transparent plan as to how he suits and whether or not he’s out there to shoot the scenes wanted with a view to make him match.
From my perspective, TKO appears to be obsessive about making viral moments, shoehorning in celebrities and increasing WWE’s total attain to further casuals. These targets make quite a lot of enterprise sense, however they’re a foul long-term monetary choice if they arrive on the expense of the particular high quality of the product. Those disproportionately paying WWE’s payments are the hardcore followers. They’re those shopping for motion figures and going to a number of tour stops and paying hundreds of {dollars} to attend WrestleMania. They’re those watching each single week, they usually deserve a narrative that is sensible. As somebody who has watched each minute of WWE principal roster programming for years, I deserve a narrative that is sensible, and proper now, it’s unimaginable to try this when The Rock is randomly dropped in at any time when he feels prefer it or at any time when the outrageously priced tickets aren’t promoting.
So, right here’s the gorgeous apparent sport plan, at the very least from my perspective. Anytime The Rock desires to indicate up, he must be allowed to indicate up and be included into the present, nevertheless it must be performed as a sideplot. Nobody would care if he confirmed up as soon as each three months to dunk on The Miz or feud with Austin Concept. If he desires to be sporadic about his appearances, I’m high-quality with that— they simply must not contain any of the important thing characters on the roster.
Conversely, if The Rock desires to inform a narrative with WWE’s largest stars, then he must work with Triple H to stipulate the scope of the story and the precise dates he’s going to indicate up nicely forward of time. He can’t be injected in on the final minute. There must be a transparent plan of what they’re making an attempt to say and the place it’s going. Then, everybody concerned can inform the story in such a manner that it doesn’t depart followers feeling like an afterthought, or depart followers feeling like The Rock thinks he’s larger than the corporate’s most vital storylines.
Triple H is doing a implausible job operating the artistic aspect of WWE. I don’t agree with each single selection he makes, however on the entire, he’s delivering the perfect storylines and essentially the most entertaining product followers have gotten in many years. Overlook The Rock. Overlook the improved presentation. Overlook TKO or the Netflix deal. Overlook any particular person celebrity. Most of WWE’s progress is as a result of followers are pleased with the artistic route and having fun with the tales being advised.
If there may be some sort of behind the scenes subject, The Rock must step again and let him do his job. The cases during which artistic hasn’t made sense over the previous few years have nearly at all times been as a result of they both concerned The Rock or they concerned Vince McMahon. If there’s some sort of energy wrestle occurring behind the scenes, Triple H ought to win. Interval. Finish of story.
However I do not wish to see that energy wrestle, and neither do most followers. As a substitute, what we wish to see is Triple H have the liberty to inform the tales he desires to inform, and in an ideal world, we would like to see The Rock decide to telling a few of these tales when his schedule permits it. Fingers crossed TKO can discover a solution to make that occur.