The Rock is coming back to WWE just in time for the road to WrestleMania 41.
Just hours after reports he’s been cast in a new Martin Scorsese film, Dwayne Johnson has been announced for tonight’s SmackDown in New Orleans as Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque insisted ‘everything could change’.
While nothing is set in stone, the timing of the reveal could mean another massive twist for this year’s WrestleMania.
‘Strap in,’ Triple H said in a statement. ‘When The Final Boss shows up at this time of year, the audience knows absolutely anything is possible. Everything could change in an instant.’
Dwayne has hyped his own return on social media too, as he described himself as ‘unpredictable and dangerous’.
‘Bold and disruptive. Unpredictable and dangerous. The Final Boss returns, LIVE on #SmackDown,’ he wrote on Instagram.
He added in the comments: ‘The Final Boss is coming to handle business, deliver a big beautiful gift to the city of New Orleans and f*** up a certain someone’s life with the Final Boss gospel.’
That will be music to the ears of fans after he previously seemed to shed the Final Boss persona during the Netflix premiere of Monday Night Raw last month.
There had been speculation Dwayne could reignite his rivalry with Cody or Roman in Las Vegas in April, but he instead opened up about his own family history, and gave some shout outs to the fans, Netflix chiefs and the Undisputed WWE Champion himself.
Cody was shown on the front row as The Rock praised him for ‘carrying this company on his back’ for the last year, although he didn’t totally ignore their rivalry.
‘Tell Mama Rhodes The Rock says hello,’ he quipped, with the American Nightmare laughing at the reference despite his mother playing a key role in their blood feud last year.
The following night on NXT, Dwayne addressed criticism over his apparent U-turn, hinting that not everything was as it seems.
He said: ‘The Rock is the Final Boss thinking twenty steps ahead, so the best thing for them to do is to know their role, shut their mouths, and enjoy the ride that The Rock is taking them on.’
It remains unclear if the wrestling legend turned blockbuster Hollywood star will be involved, with the Royal Rumble suggesting Roman could be kept busy with Seth Rollins and CM Punk.
Cody’s road to WrestleMania is less clear, with the Undisputed WWE Champion’s number one contender set to be decided at Elimination Chamber on March 1.
There, John Cena will face off with CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Logan Paul, Damian Priest and Seth Rollins with the winner challenging the American Nightmare in Vegas.
The Rock’s comeback could turn everything on its head, while some fans have also speculated his appearance could be tied to next year’s WrestleMania.
Tonight’s SmackDown is airing from New Orleans, rumoured to be the location of the 2026 event, which may mean Dwayne is appearing to make the official announcement.
WWE SmackDown airs Friday nights at 1am live on Netflix.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
