The Rock Teases a "Potential" Match Against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40

The WWE Universe is still buzzing over The Rock's recent return to WWE television, and The Great One is doing what he does best: Stirring up millions of fans worldwide with anticipation!

The Rock's September 15 SmackDown appearance had everything the WWE Universe could want – catchphrases, a surprisingly catchy (but vulgar) chant, and Austin Theory summarily finding himself on the receiving end of a Rock Bottom. It isn't often when a Superstar like The Rock shows up unannounced on a random edition of SmackDown. So, needless to say, fans around the world took notice. The Rock couldn't help but acknowledge the 100-million-plus views his return earned across all platforms:

Is The Rock Open to a Match at WrestleMania 40 Against Roman Reigns?

The Rock makes his return to SmackDown on September 15, 2023. Photo: WWE

As the saying goes, where there's smoke, there's fire. And it seems to us at USA Insider that The Rock has no intention of calming down the fevered WWE Universe anytime soon – WrestleMania rumors are already running rampant throughout social media that he could be planning an honest-to-God return to the ring against a WWE Superstar that he has family ties to. During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show ahead of his shocking return to SmackDown on September 15, The Rock was candid about openly discussing the potential of facing Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. 

"There's WrestleMania in Philadelphia – I'm saying that that's a potential too, so I'm open," The Rock told Pat McAfee. "But again, let's figure out what that is because the fans deserve something just incredible and unprecedented. And not only that, I always want to deliver to the [WWE] locker room, and the boys and the girls back there that are working their asses off. What can we do that can put them in position to be a part of something that is a new change and era in this world of pro wrestling?"

It's good to hear that The Rock has the best interests of the WWE Universe at heart because his return to the ring would make WrestleMania season even more exciting! From the sound of it, it seems The Rock is giving serious thought to gifting his fans – and the locker room – an "incredible and unprecedented" WrestleMania moment.

The last time The Rock competed in the main event at WrestleMania was at WrestleMania 29 against John Cena – it was a bout that saw him suffer an excruciating abdomen injury mid-match, one that put him on the shelf for months afterward. Pat McAfee wondered aloud if the thought of being injured again makes The Rock hesitant to return to the ring. After all, star is no spring chicken – The Great One turned 51 in May.

"Honestly brother, it's not the injury that I'm concerned about because that's just part of it," The Rock confessed. "It's just part of the game you sign up for. You get hurt, we all get hurt. That's just the way it is. It's not even the schedule, because I can control the schedule to a large degree. Me going back to WWE and wrestling a match – it always comes down to the reason why and what can we create that's never been done before for the fans."

How Close Was The Rock to Returning at WrestleMania 39?

Since leaving the main roster, The Rock has made a handful of appearances in WWE. Photo: WWE

Interestingly enough, it looks like there was something behind the rumors of his return earlier in 2023 – The Rock admitted a WrestleMania 39 showdown against Roman Reigns was originally slated to happen in Los Angeles, all but confessing it was "locked." 

"The Rock headlining WrestleMania with Roman Reigns, SoFi Stadium – that was locked," he revealed. "We were doing it. But let me just tell you, in the beginning of 2022, [WWE CEO at the time] Nick Khan was very instrumental in bringing Vince and I together. We all flew to LA, we met, we sat."

Unfortunately, terms for The Rock challenging The Tribal Chief for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship were never agreed to, and both sides decided to walk away. 

"We got really, really close, but we couldn't actually nail what that thing was."

For the WWE Universe, "really, really close" isn't close enough. WrestleMania 40 needs to be headlined by The Rock and Roman Reigns. Especially after discovering how close we all were to seeing that match at this year's WrestleMania, we have a feeling fans won't accept any other scenario in its place!

You can tune in to Peacock to watch WWE's Fastlane on October 7. In the meantime, catch up on all things WWE Universe on Peacock.