Triple H Addresses Why The Rock Likely Won’t Be Wrestling At WrestleMania 39
Triple H gave an explanation as to why The Rock likely won’t be at WrestleMania 39 this year even though it’s something that Rock loves to do.
There was a belief going into this year’s WWE Royal Rumble Premium Live Event that if The Rock was going to be a part of WrestleMania 39 this coming April then we likely would have known something at the Royal Rumble. After all, The Rock was one of the five biggest betting favorites to win the Men’s Royal Rumble match going into it.
The Rock did not appear at the Royal Rumble event, nor was he even really mentioned. Cody Rhodes won the Men’s Royal Rumble to earn an Undisputed WWE Universal Championship Match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. It’s also pretty clear that Reigns will be targeted by Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens after what he did to them at the end of the Royal Rumble. In other words, it’s very unlikely that Rock will be in a match at WrestleMania this year.
During a Royal Rumble press conference that aired on WWE’s YouTube channel after the show, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque was asked about The Rock while joking about the story that Rock wouldn’t be in proper wrestling shape ahead of the match.
“Apparently he can’t get in shape in time. That’s what all you tell me.”
As Triple H continued, he spoke about how The Rock is a very busy man. Triple H didn’t mention that The Rock owns the XFL, which is relaunching in late February, but Rock has that plus other businesses that keep him very busy.
“He looked pretty jacked, I thought. I saw Black Adam the other day and I didn’t think it was the uniform. He’s incredibly busy. I can say this, as a guy that, we grew up as two young kids fighting each other for the spot and having battles over it and, in the best way, pushing each other. We all were in that time.”
“I know, for him….I was at a large Emmy event a few years ago and there was a poster of him. I think he was about to drop the People’s Elbow on me. He was standing over me in this photo and it’s a hyper-focused incredibly detailed picture. As I’m looking at the picture, I realized he had goosebumps all over him, standing over me. I took a picture of it and sent it to him. I said, ‘You don’t get this in Hollywood, do you?'”
“It’s a rush, but after the 12th time you’ve done that take, probably not as exciting as the first couple. There is nothing like this, nothing. I know for him, and I know his family and background, there is a part of him that, if he could be here for this and for this WrestleMania in Hollywood, he would turn over every stone and walk through fire to be able to do it, if he could.”
While The Rock may not be wrestling at WrestleMania 39, Triple H reiterated that The Rock has an open invitation to come back at any time he wants because WWE is The Rock’s home.
“I just don’t think it’s in the cards. Then again, I don’t know. We always have conversations with him because he loves it so much and we’d love for him to be a part of it. He’s the biggest star in Hollywood and maybe the most recognizable person on the planet. Why wouldn’t we want him to be part of it? This is his home. It’s an open invitation. We don’t lock the door.”
“He has an open invitation to walk through it anytime he wants, but he’s incredibly busy. I think that respect factors both ways. He wouldn’t want to do it unless he could absolutely do it. There is no way he would show up here and half-ass it. There is no way he would show up here and not come in and want to put every single thing he had into it to make it the best it could possibly be.”
“Unless he could do that, it won’t happen. He knows the door is open and when he has the time and availability to do it, he can come in and electrify everybody.”