Even after his departure from World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2004, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson still moves the crowds, and the sports entertainment company could capitalize on that popularity at the “WrestleMania 40” gala in April.
As the 40th (XL) edition of wrestling’s biggest night of the year, WWE promises big things, although it has yet to announce its plans. For a long time, a match between The Rock and his cousin Roman Reigns seemed likely, especially since the runner-up has held the Universal Champion and WWE Champion belts for three years.
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Johnson appeared to have thrown a stick last Friday when he made a surprise appearance on “SmackDown” alongside host Pat McAfee and young talent Austin Theory. The reaction from fans was immediate and “Rocky” is still in phenomenal physical shape.
That same day, the 51-year-old was a guest on The Pat McAfee Show, where he talked about a possible return to the ring, but didn’t confirm anything. The Rock was reportedly close to returning to action at WrestleMania 39, but negotiations with Vince McMahon and Co. ultimately fell through.
“We were very close! But we couldn’t figure out what was missing. We decided to put our pens down and agreed. At some point it’s going to happen… There’s ‘WrestleMania’ in Philadelphia,” Johnson said, referring to the gala , which will take place at Lincoln Financial Field.
Since becoming one of the most popular actors in the world, the American has made several appearances. His stint from 2011 to 2013, notably facing John Cena at two consecutive WrestleManias, is still fresh in the minds of wrestling fans.