The term “never say never” always applies to pro wrestling. If a former wrestler wants to return to the ring or make an appearance, it’s hard to ignore that itch.
That was the case for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who made his first appearance in a WWE ring in four years on a recent episode of SmackDown.
Weeks after former rival John Cena returned to WWE, The Rock followed suit, appearing in Denver, Colorado with Pat McAfee and Austin Theory. The building erupted when The Rock appeared. Theory tried attacking The Rock, who landed The People’s Elbow on Cena's recent WrestleMania opponent.
Per Wrestlenomics, that episode of SmackDown had over 2,569,000 total viewers, the fourth highest of the year for a SmackDown show. The whole segment featuring The Rock has over five million views on YouTube.
Given the drawing power of The Rock, will “The Great One” continue to make appearances for WWE?
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It is the perfect time for Rock to return, given the SAG-AFTRA strike has shut down movie studios. Writers and actors want fair pay, and the strikes have been active for months.
Cena, who also appears in blockbusters, is scheduled for several weeks of WWE programming. Coming back to WWE does not violate any SAG rules.
Brian Gewirtz, a former WWE writer and current SVP of Development at The Rock’s Seven Bucks Productions company, discussed in August the potential issues surrounding The Rock appearing on WWE programming but didn't say a full-time return is impossible.
😱😱😱@TheRock is here!!!!!!!#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/f9L07kvw1Y
— WWE (@WWE) September 16, 2023
"The Rock does look at his social media. I don't know how much you can cover when you have millions upon millions and millions of followers, but somehow, he saw the Grayson Waller thing. We haven't discussed it," Gewirtz said on Cheap Heat.
"Even though WWE is not affiliated with any of the guilds and not affiliated with SAG, it's a bad look for a prominent actor like The Rock, Cena, Batista to appear on an entertainment program while there is a strike going on and people are not getting paid and are striking.
"Yes, it's not insane, but appearing on television in an entertainment capacity is not a great look when a strike is going. I would be shocked if The Rock appeared anytime soon while the strike is going on, but I would be equally, if not more shocked if The Rock never appeared in a WWE ring again and figuring in the storyline at some point."
Unlike Cena, the star of Moana, Hobbs & Shaw, and Black Adam has no upcoming scheduled appearances for WWE, including SmackDown. It doesn't mean he would say no to a call from WWE.
I’ll raise a glass to breaking records together 🥃🔥🔥
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) September 19, 2023
Thank you for the unforgettable memory (and insane crowd reaction)
No place like home ❤️ @WWE #PeoplesChamp #WWEFamily https://t.co/dmWMG0RatK
On The Pat McAfee Show before that SmackDown, he confirmed he was supposed to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39 for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title. Many expected The Rock to be at the event and fight his cousin, who instead fought and beat Cody Rhodes. He stated a bout was “locked in."
However, The Rock, Vince McMahon, and Nick Khan agreed to delay it. The Rock later said that while WrestleMania 39 was off the table, WrestleMania next year in Philadelphia is still a possibility.
"We agreed, hey, listen, there’s a merger coming up, eventually, that will happen. There’s WrestleMania in Philadelphia. I’m saying that’s a potential too. I’m open. I’m open. But again, let’s figure out what that is because the fans deserve something just incredible and unprecedented,” The Rock said via Fightful.
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"Not only that, but I also want to deliver to the locker room and the boys and the girls back there who are working their a---- off. What can we do to put them in a position where they’re part of something that is a new change, an era, in this world of pro wrestling? Vince is a big-picture thinker, as you know. This is why we’ve gotten along for years. Just trying to think big picture. So we’ll see."
Planning for WrestleMania is usually done months in advance, with the TV build starting around the Royal Rumble in January. Before then, it does not look like The Rock will appear on additional SmackDown shows. However, that could change when the calendar turns to 2024.
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