The Rock treated 39-year-old like a baby; legendary WWE name shames the company for horrible booking

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson played a key role in the first hour of the WWE RAW on Netflix premiere. He followed Chief Content Officer Triple H with an in-ring promo, praising Cody Rhodes for carrying the company since last year's WrestleMania as the Undisputed WWE Champion. The Rock also referenced 'Mama Rhodes,' making a joke of it. However, it was not in the storyline to evoke a negative reaction from the crowd.

WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray shamed the company for what it did to its supposed flagbearer, whom The Rock, a member of the TKO board, treated like a baby. The worst part was having Cody sit at ringside rather than giving him a proper entrance and having him laugh off the 'Mama Rhodes' joke.

Speaking on the Busted Open podcast, Bully Ray questioned the decision to relegate The American Nightmare to an afterthought in such a landmark moment for the company, especially when he is the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion. Although Cody got to interfere during the Tribal Combat Match to fend off Kevin Owens, the whole angle made him look smaller than other major players in the game who are supposedly on the same level as him:

"I don't know what the subliminal message was or why they thought it was a good idea," Bully Ray said. "Cody and Rock side-by-side, sharing the spotlight [would have been a better presentation]. Not Cody beneath The Rock, hanging out in the front row as a fan. And then to have — tell Mama Rhodes I said hello; condescending! And what does Cody have to do? Cody has to sit there and [sarcastically laugh], and go, 'That was a good one Rock, you do comedy too!' Oh my God. No way, man. No way." [From 21:45 onwards]

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The Rock acknowledged Roman Reigns as The Tribal Chief; Bully Ray says The Bloodline Saga's latest chapter is closed

Throughout the show, Dwayne Johnson was himself rather than portraying The Final Boss character, although he dressed the part. The post-match segment, when he put the Ula Fala on Roman Reigns and then embraced his cousin, may have been the end of this chapter in The Bloodline Saga, noted Bully Ray.

While Ray added that Roman Reigns vs. The Rock is too big a match for WWE not to book at some point, he addressed Johnson's film commitments, which might not allow him to step into the ring at WrestleMania 41.

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If you use the quote, please credit the Busted Open podcast and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.