{"id":123835,"date":"2024-04-07T01:03:48","date_gmt":"2024-04-07T05:03:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=123835"},"modified":"2024-04-07T01:02:47","modified_gmt":"2024-04-07T05:02:47","slug":"the-rock-return-at-wwe-wrestlemania-40","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/04\/07\/the-rock-return-at-wwe-wrestlemania-40\/","title":{"rendered":"Return of The Rock at WWE WrestleMania 40: An Electrifying Match"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><strong>The Rock&#8217;s<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/01\/09\/pros-cons-the-rock-returning\/\" target=\"_self\">return at <em><strong>WrestleMania<\/strong><\/em><\/a><em><strong> 40<\/strong><\/em> was electrifying. In a shockingly quiet Saturday show, The Rock was the spark that ignited the crowd and set <em>WrestleMania<\/em> Sunday on the path of greatness as only &#8220;The Great One&#8221; can do. The fans cheered and jeered Rocky equally, which is exactly what fans should have expected. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Rock got the crowd to react through phenomenal character work and some very fun spots. The road to <em>WrestleMania<\/em> 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. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">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 <em><strong>Raw<\/strong><\/em> and <em><strong>SmackDown<\/strong><\/em> for the last several months and displayed the fire in Philly fans. He has set the tone for a <em>WrestleMania<\/em> Sunday to remember.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Buildup to Saturday Night&#8217;s Main Event<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The road to <em>WrestleMania 40 <\/em>was wild. All of that has to do with The Rock. From his return and heel turn to the Bloodline <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/02\/27\/what-if-cody-rhodes-loses-at-wrestlemania-40\/\" target=\"_self\">drama with <strong>Cody Rhodes<\/strong><\/a>, the best moments of the past several months involved The Rock. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Rocky&#8217;s star power and charisma have significantly aided a renaissance of wrestling under <strong>Triple H<\/strong>. He made the feud personal at every turn, with &#8220;Mamma Rhodes&#8221; becoming a frequent character reference on <strong>WWE<\/strong> programming.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Rock\u2019s vicious beatdown on Cody Rhodes: SmackDown highlights, March 29, 2024\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/S50KWLaPKCw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The buildup to the Rock&#8217;s return shockingly focused very little on The Rock&#8217;s return. Despite that being a massive moment, Rock centered the feud on WWE&#8217;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. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Adding two world champions made the match on Saturday feel like a clash of titans.\u00a0 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&#8217;s flaws was quickly dispelled when he arrived in Philadelphia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Finally, The Rock Has Come Back to WrestleMania<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">When the lights went down and the stage powered up, it was clear that The Rock had arrived to cap off <em><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/04\/06\/wwe-wrestlemania-40-saturday-night-one-results-recap\/\" target=\"_self\">WrestleMania 40<\/a><\/em>. When the &#8220;People&#8217;s Champ&#8221; 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. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This was the night&#8217;s fight and possibly the weekend match. Electrifying is a part of The Rock gimmick, but it was very real at <em>WrestleMania<\/em>. Perhaps because the crowd had just gotten into <strong>Sami Zayn<\/strong> winning, or perhaps it was him finally getting into the ring.\u00a0 After the bell rang, the match over-delivered on expectations in every way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The FINAL BOSS demands NO referee counting outside the ring in this main event at <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WrestleMania?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#WrestleMania<\/a> XL! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/py3cR5mMSN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/py3cR5mMSN<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; WWE (@WWE) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WWE\/status\/1776802692767035419?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">April 7, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Rock&#8217;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&#8217;s mother at ringside to really sell that angle, notably as he beat Cody with his now iconic weight belt. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">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. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Bloodline Thrives off The Rock&#8217;s Return at WrestleMania\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The fall of <strong>The Bloodline<\/strong> is still at the top of many people&#8217;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 <em>WrestleMania<\/em> post-show press conference, Rock mentioned wanting to return in a way that added value. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">What led to <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheRock?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@TheRock<\/a> coming back to <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WWE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@WWE<\/a>?<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WrestleMania?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#WrestleMania<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Q7EJxml9sZ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/Q7EJxml9sZ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; WWE (@WWE) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WWE\/status\/1776825630769754136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">April 7, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">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&#8217;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. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Like he revitalized the crowd in tonight&#8217;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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Future of The Rock after WrestleMania 40<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Rock makes an electrifying entrance as The Final Boss: WrestleMania XL Saturday highlights\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/m2FL3JuJ8g8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Rock&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/03\/27\/predicting-every-ple-the-rock-wrestlemania\/\" target=\"_self\">future involvement<\/a> after WrestleMania is undetermined, but it will be fascinating to watch. The Rock&#8217;s return at <em>WrestleMania 40<\/em> proved that he can still go. Rock looked great, performed even better, and made Saturday night&#8217;s main event mean so much more with his presence. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">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.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>More From LWOS Pro Wrestling<\/h3>\n<p><em>Header photo \u2013 WWE \u2013\u00a0<span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Stay tuned to the\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on the\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/watch.wwe.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WWE Network<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peacocktv.com\/watch\/home\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Peacock<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Rock&#8217;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 &#8220;The Great One&#8221; can do. The fans cheered and jeered Rocky equally, which is exactly what fans should have expected. The [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4470,"featured_media":123844,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,2192,4,3],"tags":[7994,550,8417,8790],"class_list":["post-123835","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-north-america","category-wrestling","category-wwe","category-wwe-universe","tag-the-bloodline","tag-the-rock","tag-wrestlemania-40","tag-wrestlemania-xl"],"modified_by":"Michael Joseph Sugue, Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123835","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4470"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123835"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123835\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/123844"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123835"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123835"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123835"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}