The Rock’s return at WrestleMania 40 was electrifying. In a shockingly quiet Saturday show, The Rock was the spark that ignited the crowd and set WrestleMania Sunday on the path of greatness as only “The Great One” can do. The fans cheered and jeered Rocky equally, which is exactly what fans should have expected.
The Rock got the crowd to react through phenomenal character work and some very fun spots. The road to WrestleMania was possibly the best of all time, especially where this match is concerned. The crowd may or may not have been as quiet as the folks online think.
What could have been a major letdown was made all the better when the fans showed up loud for this match. All the stars met the moments that Rock provided on Raw and SmackDown for the last several months and displayed the fire in Philly fans. He has set the tone for a WrestleMania Sunday to remember.
The Buildup to Saturday Night’s Main Event
The road to WrestleMania 40 was wild. All of that has to do with The Rock. From his return and heel turn to the Bloodline drama with Cody Rhodes, the best moments of the past several months involved The Rock.
Rocky’s star power and charisma have significantly aided a renaissance of wrestling under Triple H. He made the feud personal at every turn, with “Mamma Rhodes” becoming a frequent character reference on WWE programming.
The buildup to the Rock’s return shockingly focused very little on The Rock’s return. Despite that being a massive moment, Rock centered the feud on WWE’s newest star. Cody Rhodes was the actual focal point of the build, and the results each week were noticeable. Cody looked like he could stand up to a wrestling icon.
Adding two world champions made the match on Saturday feel like a clash of titans. For as selfish as the final boss character is, Rock knew who the star of the show was. However, any thought that this was deliberate to hide Rocky’s flaws was quickly dispelled when he arrived in Philadelphia.
Finally, The Rock Has Come Back to WrestleMania
When the lights went down and the stage powered up, it was clear that The Rock had arrived to cap off WrestleMania 40. When the “People’s Champ” stepped out of his Brahma ring of fire, the night kicked into another gear. Even before the match started, the energy began to pick up.
This was the night’s fight and possibly the weekend match. Electrifying is a part of The Rock gimmick, but it was very real at WrestleMania. Perhaps because the crowd had just gotten into Sami Zayn winning, or perhaps it was him finally getting into the ring. After the bell rang, the match over-delivered on expectations in every way.
The FINAL BOSS demands NO referee counting outside the ring in this main event at #WrestleMania XL! pic.twitter.com/py3cR5mMSN
— WWE (@WWE) April 7, 2024
The Rock’s position on the board was a major factor in the flow of the match. The four superstars brawled around the ring and got extreme in the city that made it cool decades ago. He finally had Cody’s mother at ringside to really sell that angle, notably as he beat Cody with his now iconic weight belt.
Outside of his character work, though, Rock was great in the ring. Rock was always more about charisma than technical prowess, but he looked like he belonged in the ring with the three top guys in WWE. No, it was not a high-octane style.
Truthfully, though, only Seth Rollins is genuinely comfortable in that environment amongst the competitors. Rocky held attention and held his own, bumping and selling for everyone while fighting exactly how a final boss should.
The Bloodline Thrives off The Rock’s Return at WrestleMania
The fall of The Bloodline is still at the top of many people’s minds in the WWE Universe. The Rock tonight performed at such a high level that it may even complicate that story. During his appearance at the WrestleMania post-show press conference, Rock mentioned wanting to return in a way that added value.
Tonight, as he brawled around the stadium with Seth Rollins and clashed with Cody Rhodes in the ring, he did that expertly. The Rock can lead the Bloodline; he can destroy The Bloodline, really anything that WWE desires.
What led to @TheRock coming back to @WWE?#WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/Q7EJxml9sZ
— WWE (@WWE) April 7, 2024
The Bloodline has been such a gift to WWE that it has actually been difficult to envision a world without it. Even when they weren’t the most exciting act on the card, they felt too big to fade away. The Rock can be the key to extending this story, which has already propelled WWE to new heights.
Like he revitalized the crowd in tonight’s main event, this Rock 10.0 can breathe electricity and energy into that angle. The Rock has shown interest, and tonight, he proved he very much can get it done.
The Future of The Rock after WrestleMania 40
The Rock’s future involvement after WrestleMania is undetermined, but it will be fascinating to watch. The Rock’s return at WrestleMania 40 proved that he can still go. Rock looked great, performed even better, and made Saturday night’s main event mean so much more with his presence.
The Bloodline has some issues to iron out, which could worsen after Sunday. Wherever the next steps are, The Rock will be a significant part of it moving forward. If all of his matches are as well executed and received as this one, then this run may be one of the very best from a WWE legend.
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