The Rock’s SmackDown Promo Confused WWE Hall Of Famer
The Rock returned to WWE television on SmackDown and what he said confused a longtime friend of his.
At WWE SmackDown in New Orleans, The Rock was there for two things. The Rock announced that WrestleMania 42 in April 2026 will take place in New Orleans, which wasn’t a huge surprise because it was leaked earlier, but it was still a major announcement.
After his WrestleMania announcement, Rock called out the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. Rock talked about how much he liked and respected Cody, how their moms have become friends, and how they have bonded as well. Rock didn’t issue a challenge for a match with Cody. Instead, Rock told Cody he wanted him to be “his” champion referring to Rock’s Final Boss character that likes to control everybody around him.
As he continued, Rock told Cody that he wanted his soul. The suggestion is that Rock wants Cody to go heel like Rock has done as the Final Boss character. Cody didn’t say a word in response, but Rock told Cody he wanted a response at the Elimination Chamber in Toronto on March 1st.
Following SmackDown in New Orleans, The Rock held a press conference where he was more like TKO Group Shareholder Dwayne Johnson rather than the Final Boss or Rock character. During that appearance, he told WWE fans that this story involving him and Cody doesn’t need to lead to a match.
It was reported months ago that Rock was likely not wrestling at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas due to a busy work schedule so Rock’s rumored match with Cody was off. However, there is also a lot of uncertainty involving The Rock because he can do what he wants.
The Rock’s Promo And Press Conference Left Mark Henry Confused
Mark Henry goes way back with The Rock as members of the Nation of Domination nearly 30 years ago. Henry has told many stories about how they used to ride together to shows where Rock would practice promos and Henry gave him feedback.
In his current role as an analyst on Busted Open Radio, Mark Henry spoke about how 2025 has been confusing regarding The Rock’s role in WWE. At the WWE on Netflix premiere, Rock basically ended his rivalry with Cody Rhodes while also appearing on NXT and hinting that maybe the rivalry would be back. Instead, Rock was on SmackDown wanting Cody’s soul.
“This year has been very confusing [regarding The Rock]. The confusing part is easy to deal with. It’s the weirdness and the out-of-syncness that is troubling me as a fan.
And when I say out of syncness, I would go to the press conference and hearing The Rock, as Dwayne Johnson, talking about how great The Rock is and how great The Final Boss, the white whale unicorn, how great those characters are as it relates to them being in the WWE, like those two characters single handedly have saved the WWE, first off.”
Secondly, I don’t get [The Rock saying] it doesn’t need to culminate into a match.
The whole point of good and evil is they’re both going up against each other.”
Find out what’s next involving The Rock and Cody Rhodes at WWE Elimination Chamber in Toronto on February 1st.
You can watch the WWE Elimination Chamber when it streams live on Saturday, March 1, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, exclusively on Peacock in the United States and Netflix internationally.