WWE's intention with The Rock's return reportedly revealed ahead of SmackDown 

The Rock is set to return on the February 21 episode of WWE SmackDown. His appearance was a last-minute addition.

Although he was expected to work a program with Cody Rhodes or Roman Reigns this WrestleMania season, Dwayne Johnson broke all conventions on the Netflix premiere of RAW in January. He was seen joking about last year's intense rivalry with The American Nightmare, destroying kayfabe. This particular move was lambasted by many.

According to Billi Bhatti on the Wrestling Informer Podcast, WWE has struggled to move additional tickets since the Royal Rumble event. WrestleMania 41's match card is not clear at the time of this writing, barring Jey Uso vs. Gunther and Charlotte Flair vs. Tiffany Stratton:

"Since the Royal Rumble, I can report that WWE has sold fewer than 500 additional tickets. These reports stating that 90% of the tickets are sold for WrestleMania are incorrect. The way ticket sales work is that you begin with Configuration Number One, then move onto Configuration Number Two, and if it’s an absolutely sold-out, high-demand event, they move onto Configuration Number Three."

At the time of this writing, WrestleMania 41 has not reached 'Configuration Number Two,' and so The Rock's involvement is believed to make a difference.

"WrestleMania 41 is currently stuck at around 45,000 tickets sold for both nights, nowhere near the 51,000 mark needed to extend to 60,000. If they reach 51,000, Configuration Number Two will be activated, increasing the capacity to 60,000. Beyond that, Configuration Number Three would push it to 71,250 per night." [H/T: RSN]

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The Rock proved Cody Rhodes is beneath him, WWE Hall of Famer says

After the January 6, 2025 episode of RAW, Bully Ray felt Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes was below The Rock in the pecking order despite holding the top prize of World Wrestling Entertainment.

While Dwayne Johnson is a bigger box office attraction, Ray felt that the company should have given The American Nightmare a grand entrance and a segment with The Rock, with both men in the ring. Instead, The Final Boss cut a promo, joking about the champion's mother, but the latter laughed it off rather than confront the situation.

"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."

It remains to be seen what The Final Boss' return to SmackDown nine weeks before WrestleMania 41 is all about.