Bring back iconic rival, stack the odds? - 4 ways The Rock could still play a role in John Cena and Cody Rhodes' WWE WrestleMania 41 feud

John Cena and Cody Rhodes are currently locked in a heated feud for the Undisputed WWE Championship heading into WrestleMania 41. Since The Cenation Leader shockingly turned heel at Elimination Chamber, he has been at odds with the fans, blaming them for his decision. The American Nightmare, in turn, has called out his challenger for abandoning his values.

Throughout this epic rivalry, though, there has been a huge elephant in the room: The Rock has barely been mentioned. The Great One triggered Cena's turn in Toronto after Rhodes refused to "sell his soul", and was expected to be a major player in the story heading into The Show Of Shows. He has barely featured thus far, but with four weeks to go, The Final Boss could still make his presence felt.

Here are four ways The Rock could still play a role in John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 41

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#4: The Rock could be in John Cena's corner at WWE WrestleMania 41... and face off against an old foe!

The Final Boss could appear at the Show Of Shows, and so could one of his greatest rivals [Images from WWE.com]

The Rock is one of the busiest people in the entertainment industry. On top of being in high demand as an actor, The Final Boss has multiple entrepreneurial ventures that keep him on the move. As such, it's often hard for him to find the time to appear in WWE regularly. As it stands, he's unlikely to be around as much as he was on the road to WrestleMania XL.

However, given his key role in John Cena's feud with Cody Rhodes on the Road To WrestleMania 41, The Brahma Bull should at least show up at The Show Of Shows. He could be in The Cenation Leader's corner, stacking the odds against The American Nightmare and helping the former win his 17th world title.

His presence could even pave the way for legendary rival Stone Cold Steve Austin to make a surprise return to even the odds!

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#3: The Final Boss could add a stipulation to the Undisputed WWE Title match at WrestleMania 41

When The Rock morphed into The Final Boss on the road to WWE WrestleMania XL, he didn't just turn heel but also became an authority figure. Using his newfound power in the hierarchy of the Stamford-based promotion, the Hollywood megastar stacked the odds against Cody Rhodes. However, with the help of Bloodline opponents including John Cena, The American Nightmare prevailed.

Fast forward to the Road to WrestleMania 41, and Cena is on the other side of the divide, backed by his former rival. Given that the 16-time world champion "sold his soul", The Brahma Bull could use his power to add a stipulation that would increase his new ally's chances of capturing his record 17th World Title. One only wonders what such a stipulation could be.

Such hands-off influence could be the best way for The Final Boss to get involved without overshadowing or derailing the rivalry itself.

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#2: The Rock could send John Cena backup against Cody Rhodes on the Road to WWE WrestleMania 41

When John Cena allied with The Rock against Cody Rhodes at WWE Elimination Chamber 2025, speculation ran wild regarding a potential "third man". Many fans thought The Final Boss was subtly messaging as much with his hand signals in Toronto, and they wondered who might join the two Hollywood megastars. Names like Randy Orton and Austin Theory have come up, but none have been confirmed.

With four weeks until the Showcase of the Immortals, The Great One could still recruit a "third man" to back up the 16-time world champion. Alternatively, he could send former Bloodline members like Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu to help his new ally overcome The American Nightmare.

Sikoa did, after all, inexplicably attack the Undisputed WWE Champion a few days before the Chamber upon returning after losing Tribal Combat to Roman Reigns. This could be the payoff to that story thread.

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#1: The Rock could show up in WWE on the Road to WrestleMania 41

The Rock has appeared thrice on main roster WWE programming since the beginning of 2025. The Great One was part of RAW's Netflix debut, delivering a promo in the lead-in to Tribal Combat and later crowning Roman Reigns as the true Tribal Chief. His next appearance came on the February 21 episode of SmackDown, where he asked Cody Rhodes for his soul.

This culminated at Elimination Chamber, where John Cena aligned with The Final Boss to kickstart his feud with The American Nightmare. The 52-year old hasn't been seen since, and is not advertised for any upcoming shows. However, with four weeks to go, he could still show up to infuse some electricity into the buildup to the Show Of Shows as only he can.

These surprise appearances worked incredibly well on the road to WrestleMania XL, and they could have a similar galvanizing effect this time around.