The Rock drops HUGE announcement ahead of WWE RAW

The WWE Universe didn't get to see The Rock's return at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas. However, Dwayne Johnson has shared a major non-wrestling announcement ahead of tonight's RAW in Kansas City.

At Elimination Chamber 2025, John Cena sold his "soul" to The Final Boss and betrayed Cody Rhodes. The two legends, alongside rapper Travis Scott, brutally laid waste to The American Nightmare. Since The Great One was tied to the heated rivalry between Cena and Rhodes, fans expected him to make his presence felt during the Undisputed WWE Championship match at WrestleMania.

While The Final Boss didn't show up at 'Mania, Travis Scott's interference led to The Franchise Player dethroning Cody Rhodes on The Grandest Stage of Them All. That said, outside of professional wrestling, The Rock is set to take on the role of Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, a biographical sports drama.

The film will showcase the 56-year-old UFC legend's struggles with addiction, relationships, and the challenges of his career. Directed by Benny Safdie, it promises a raw and intimate portrayal of Kerr's journey, with Emily Blunt starring as the two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion's wife.

Alberto Del Rio returning to WWE?

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Dwayne Johnson announced that the trailer for Benny Safdie's The Smashing Machine will drop tomorrow.

"Benny Safdie's THE SMASHING MACHINE. Trailer tomorrow."

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WWE legend defends The Rock's absence at WrestleMania 41

Wrestling veteran JBL recently shared his thoughts on The Final Boss not showing up at The Show of Shows. He discussed the subject during an appearance on the Something to Wrestle podcast.

The WWE Hall of Famer said that relying on appearances from legends like The Rock for John Cena's big moment of becoming a 17-time World Champion would not have been episodic.

"Look, I'm not taking shots at the fans; I'm just telling [you] what my perspective of the business [is]. And you're going to book this hotshot moment; you're going to have The Rock come down; you're going to have the glass break [Stone Cold Steve Austin appear]; you're going to have all this stuff happen. Everybody's going to go, 'Oh man,' and all of a sudden, [John] Cena's going to get that 17-time World Championship; everybody's going to stand up and cheer and go, 'Alright man, that's fantastic!' That's not episodic," Layfield said.

Only time will tell if The Final Boss returns to the Stamford-based promotion during John Cena's farewell tour.

About the author

Akash Dhakite is a WWE news writer for Sportskeeda. From wallpapers on electronic devices to ringtones and alarms, WWE runs in the blood of Akash Dhakite, giving him an ascendancy of knowledge about this sport.

Since he was three years old, John Cena and The Undertaker mesmerized Akash's soul, allowing him to follow his "Never Give Up" attitude.

From The Champ's Royal Rumble 2008 surprise entrance to his TLC match against Wade Barett to busting open Brock Lesnar at Extreme Rules to emotionally breaking down at WrestleMania 28 after losing the match against The Rock, Dhakite breathes WWE.

He has an experience in professional wrestling as a news writer, having over 514 live articles on the internet. Besides his love for WWE, Dhakite is also a comedy writer and has occasionally performed as a stand-up comedian.

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Edited by Pratik Singh