Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania will host WrestleMania 40 on April 6 and 7, 2024. The show of shows promises to be an amazing experience for WWE fans, with The Weeknd pulling a 5-pete, but the card needed to change. 

WWE’s WrestleMania Booking Issues

WWE saw a few issues that they needed to address when it came to their WrestleMania lineup. Two big matches needed to change due to completely different reasons. Now we are in a waiting game before we know what is really planned for the showcase of the immortals this year.

Brock Lesnar was taken out of the WrestleMania equation after his name was associated with the damning lawsuit that Janel Grant filed against Vince McMahon. Those heinous allegations involving Lesnar claimed that a sexual play date with the victim was a part of his contract renewal. It was also alleged that the Beast Incarnate wanted a video of her urinating, so his dream match against GUNTHER at Mania isn’t taking place. 

CM Punk, on the other hand, is injured. His planned match against Seth Rollins isn’t going down at WrestleMania now. So, WWE needs to figure out a new direction for the top of the Mania card this year, with Cody Rhodes vs Roman Reigns remaining unaffected. 

WWE’s Current WrestleMania Lineup Plans (Exclusive)

A tenured member of the WWE team told me that Triple H and a number of people, including Bruce Prichard, lead writers, and some high level associates, met at the Royal Rumble to discuss WrestleMania. They also spoke about this on a conference call Sunday, and the lineup has been determined. 

I was told, as of last night, that the updated WrestleMania lineup has not distributed to talent or the rest of the creative team yet. Any report saying that there are “card variations” of the lineup is incorrect. 

It was reiterated with me that the WWE creative team has not been informed of the re-shuffled Mania lineup yet. They will be informed of that later this week.

Triple H, Bruce Prichard, lead writers, and some high level #WWE associates met at the #RoyalRumble and also on a conference call Sunday to discuss #WrestleMania.

I've been told that the lineup has been determined.

The final word has "Just not distributed to talent or the…

— Aaron (@AaronVarble) January 31, 2024

What’s Next

As I previously reported, Bron Breakker did get a main roster call-up with his Royal Rumble appearance. He filled in for Brock Lesnar in the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match, but he isn’t getting the matches that WWE had planned for Lesnar at this time.

The only people who really know what is happening with Rock are the people at the very top of the company, and they are all playing it very close to the vest.

— Aaron (@AaronVarble) January 28, 2024

When it comes to The Rock, that doesn’t seem to be happening at this year’s WrestleMania, but Dave Meltzer reported that Rock vs Reigns is still possibly going down this year. 

I was told that any plan for The Rock is being kept “very close to the vest,” so, the only people who really know what is going on are kept to a very close circle.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will serve as the grand marshal for the 2024 Daytona 500. He will give the command for drivers in the NASCAR race to fire their engines on Sunday, February 18.

The announcement was made during the NFL’s NFC Championship game on FOX. The Daytona 500 race will also be broadcast on the same network. The race is set to take place on February 18, 2024 at the Daytona International Speedway in in Daytona Beach, Florida.

You can check out the announcements below:

?? @TheRock is this year’s Grand Marshal for the #DAYTONA500 on FOX! pic.twitter.com/qhKUpd3KLW

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) January 29, 2024

This is the 66th edition of the Daytona 500, and Johnson’s opening command will be for 40 race car drivers participating in the race.

This isn’t the first time a WWE star has been involved as a grand marshal for NASCAR. Johnson himself served in the role for a Cup Series race at the Texas Motor Speedway in 2004. Last October, Liv Morgan was the grand marshal for the fall race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and in 2021, Sasha Banks was the honorary starter for the Daytona 500. John Cena has also been involved several times with NASCAR races.

Some other celebrities who have appeared as grand marshal include Pitbull and Pro Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson over the years. Last year, NASCAR legends had taken on the role of grand marshal. This was done in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the sport.

As for the WWE ring, it appears that the anticipated showdown between The Rock and Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 is still expected to happen, but there is no precise confirmation regarding the same, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

The Rock is reportedly interested in a match for this year, but more details are expected to be revealed after the Royal Rumble.

Yeah, this is big. #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/kZ0D7nZqxQ

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) January 29, 2024

WWE legend The Rock is ‘honored’ after he was appointed to TKO Board of Directors.

‘The Great One’ is certainly one of the biggest superstars of WWE and has tasted success outside the company as well. Whether as an actor in Hollywood or in his business ventures, The Rock has excelled in every aspect. 

The former WWE Champion has a diverse business background that includes Seven Bucks Productions, Teremana Tequila, ZOA Energy, Project Rock, and the United Football League (UFL), a recently merged spring football league. He has also involved himself in revenue-generating opportunities in live events, media rights, sponsorship, licensing, and social media. In addition, he is among the most popular men on the planet with massive social media followers.

The Rock: I have the privilege now to sit at the table 

Taking to Twitter/ X, The Rock once again cherished the huge opportunity that has come in his path. He posted a video capturing the moments from his TKO Board of Directors appointment and in the caption, he said that it was his “honor to join” TKO Board of Directors.

He believes that it was “an historic day of big business.” The Rock noted that the achievement holds “life comes full circle” significance for him. He added: 

“I have the privilege now to sit at the table, that my grandfather and my dad helped to build. Now the fun part – we go to work. We build. Thanks to all you guys out there for your support and hype.”

He finally thanked TKO/WWE partners- Ari Emmanuel, Mark Shapiro, Nick Khan and Paul “Triple H” Levesque. 

My honor to join @TKOGrp Board of Directors
(parent co who owns @WWE @UFC)

An historic day of big business with deep and personal “life comes full circle” significance for me.

I have the privilege now to sit at the table, that my grandfather and my dad helped to build.

Now… pic.twitter.com/R77vK3Ctck

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) January 30, 2024

The Rock recently returned to WWE during the Day 1 edition of Raw on January 1 and dropped hints about Roman Reigns vs. The Rock clash which could take place as this year’s WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia. During an episode of ESPN’s First Take, The Rock admitted there is a chance of a match with Reigns at WrestleMania.

The 2024 Royal Rumble event brought fans to their feet in Tropicana Field, and it was an exciting night for those watching at home as well. The night, as expected, was full of shocking moments, but few could guess everything Triple H had in store. 

While some fans were expecting The Rock, that didn’t come to pass. That being said, a confrontation against Roman Reigns is still in the cards.

Roman’s reaction to Cody winning the Rumble.

Oh man ? pic.twitter.com/MOU4ht7NxL

— Roman Reigns SZN ? (@reigns_era) January 28, 2024

Roman Reigns vs The Rock

The American Nightmare secured his second consecutive Rumble match victory and immediately directed attention towards Roman Reigns, hinting at a strong possibility for the WrestleMania main event. Reigns raised his title high in response to Cody Rhodes, so it appears that the match is on for Mania.

According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, the anticipated showdown between The Rock and Roman Reigns is still in the works, but there is no precise confirmation regarding its timeline.

“The Roman and Dwayne match is still happening. I just don’t know where and Bryan you probably know where because you probably know discussions I may know too and I can’t talk about them but anyways the point is, it’s still happening.”

Roman Reigns is confirmed for WrestleMania, and the main event match has remained unchanged since the decision was made in early September. Notably, Roman Reigns’ WrestleMania 40 match was determined well before that, and The Rock was not involved in the creative discussions this time.

I can exclusively confirm that a triple threat match for Roman’s title at WrestleMania is not under consideration. The creative team received this information last week.

Following Cody Rhodes’ victory at the 2024 Royal Rumble, it appears WWE is moving forward with their original plans. The absence of The Rock at Tropicana Field for the Royal Rumble is noteworthy, as Cody vs Roman is the match now as we hit the road to WrestleMania.

What’s Next

Cody Rhodes will get a chance to finish his story at WrestleMania, but it’s anyone’s guess how the booking will turn out when everything is said and done. Cody has been the decided Royal Rumble winner for a while, and January 27th’s big event in Tropicana Field saw him take a big step in that direction.

As I previously noted here on SE Scoops, WWE has options when it comes to The Rock vs Roman Reigns. We will have constant updates as more information is made available. 

The Rock stirred the pot in a big way when he returned to the WWE fold during the Day 1 episode of RAW. Now, with WrestleMania on the horizon, there is some big talk of a dream match that may finally happen.

WWE’s Plan for The Rock

During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer had a lot to say about WrestleMania 40, and the card that is currently taking shape in front of our eyes.

Regarding the delay to WrestleMania next year, Dave Meltzer did not see it as wise to let Dwayne Johnson age further for this match. The Rock appeared to be interested in having the match this year, and now may be the time. Although nothing had been officially signed yet, more details are expected after the Royal Rumble and on WWE’s television product.

As for holding the match in Australia, Meltzer expressed skepticism, finding it unlikely that The Rock would want to have a match that will air at 4 am in North America. On that note, I have personally asked around about this, and was told that The Rock is not booked for Australia.

Considering Saudi Arabia as a location, it seemed to be a stronger possibility than Australia. The potential for higher financial offers from the Saudis and The Rock’s role on the Board of Directors might have encouraged negotiations. However, based on past discussions and interviews, The Rock had seemed insistent on having the match at WrestleMania.

Exclusive Note On The Rock vs Roman Reigns

As I already reported, Roman Reigns is set to participate in WrestleMania, and the main event match has remained unchanged since early September when the decision was made. Interestingly, Roman Reigns’ WrestleMania 40 match had been determined well before that, and The Rock was never part of the creative discussions this time.

The addition of house show dates to Roman Reigns’ schedule came as a surprise when announced. Many within the company initially believed he wouldn’t wrestle again in 2023 after his Undisputed Universal Title defense against LA Knight in Saudi Arabia at WWE Crown Jewel.

Despite WWE having Roman Reigns’ WrestleMania match planned, it doesn’t guarantee a lack of changes. CM Punk’s return to the company is expected to prompt a creative shift in at least one WrestleMania match. The Men’s Royal Rumble match winner, which I confirmed was determined in September, remained unchanged as I confirmed again in late December. It is very important to remember at times like these that nothing is definitively “locked in” at this point.

According to a trusted source within WWE, “Even Roman’s main event can change if circumstances dictate. Will they dictate? Most likely not. But until it’s locked in, it’s not locked in.”

I was able to exclusively report that a triple threat match at WrestleMania for Roman’s title is not in the cards. The creative team was informed of that last week.

After Cody Rhodes’ 2024 Royal Rumble win, it is apparent that WWE may be going through with their original plans. There was no sign of The Rock in Tropicana Field for the Royal Rumble, making a notable absence for the People’s Champion as they begin the road to WrestleMania. 

The Royal Rumble will likely see a huge development in this story. SE Scoops will have all the updates as we hit the road to WrestleMania 40.

The Street Profits member Montez Ford is delighted with WWE legend The Rock been appointed to the TKO Group Holdings’ board of directors.

In a press release on January 23, a massive announcement was made that ‘The Great One’ will take up the new role.

The Rock has been one of the most accomplished superstars of WWE and has excelled in his career outside the company as well, whether as an actor in Hollywood or in his business ventures.

Apart from these, Dwayne Johnson is involved in TV and film company Seven Bucks Productions, Teremana Tequila, Zoa Energy, Project Rock or the Under Armour clothing line that has an agreement with the UFC. The former WWE Champion also has a partnership with the newly merged United Football League.

The former WWE superstar has also maintained his connection with TKO’s holdings. It has come to light that in a future film, he will play UFC veteran and MMA great Mark Kerr.

His fans and WWE superstars are thrilled with The Rock’s new role in the company. It includes Montez Ford as well, who draws inspirataion from the Hollywood megastar. 

Montez Ford opens up on The Rock

Speaking on HOT 97, Ford revealed that The Rock has been his inspiration since he was a child. He revealed that he idolizes ‘The Great One’ and lauded the legend for his endeavours outside WWE as well. He said:

“The Rock has always been my inspiration since I was a tadpole, just as long as I can remember. To see someone I watched and idolized growing up and then now like you said, shift out into these other avenues. Take ownership of his name, being part of the board of directors and just expanding his self outside of the ring is motivating and inspiring. Like you said, the trajectory of where we can go with ourselves. He’s always continuing to raise the bar. At this point, he shouldn’t even be called The Rock no more should be called the damn Boulder”

The Rock recently made a comeback to WWE during the Day 1 edition of Raw on January 1 and dropped a tease about Roman Reigns vs. The Rock which could potentially take place as soon as this year’s WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia. During an episode of ESPN’s First Take, The Rock admitted there is a chance of a match with Reigns at WrestleMania.

Royal Rumble Premium Live Event takes place on Saturday, January 27 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

WWE legend The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) has once again left his fans in awe when he gave an ESPN host his prized wrestling ring during a live interview. 

The heartwarming moment transpired on January 24, 2024 and the gesture has received massive praise from his fans and won over people’s hearts. 

The Rock gifts his ring to the reporter

‘The Great One’ recently made an appearance on a segment of the First Take talk series. During the segment, the host Molly Qerim revealed how much she loved The Rock’s ring, which he wore at the time.

“That pinky ring, I don’t know if that’s vintage, but I’m obsessed with rings, if you can tell I’ve been staring at it the entire show. It’s amazing.”

The Rock, who has often proved he’s a gentleman, took off the ring and handed it to Molly Qerim and told her, “There you go”.

Molly was astonished with the former WWE Champion’s gesture and asked if he was sure. She then said that she was going to text Nick Khan’s sister-in-law, who is her stylist, and tell her they needed something similar.

“So [WWE President] Nick Khan’s sister-in-law Lisette Mora is one of my dear friends, and she’s my stylist, and I was literally going to text her, like, we need something like this vintage,” shared the host. 

The Rock went on to state that the ring meant a lot to him but it meant more that she mentioned it on air. Molly further if the ring was a gift to which The Great One replied, “Absolutely, 100%. Yes.”

After the episode aired, Molly took to her Instagram and made a collaborative post, lauding the Hollywood star for being an amazing person.

“I’ve been very blessed to interview some amazing people over the yrs, but there is a special energy & light to The Rock,” she wrote in the post’s caption. “Tough guy, but you can feel his heart. He’s humble & sees people. No accident he’s so successful. Grateful!”

The Rock was recently appointed to the TKO Group Holdings’ Board of Directors. Read more about it below:

Roman Reigns Vs. The Rock has yet to be made official behind the scenes by WWE, but the Brahma Bull is focused on making the match a reality.

The Brahma Bull returned to WWE on the Day 1 episode of Raw and teased coming for Reigns’ spot as the Head of the Table. A match between the pair has been teased for years and was at one point locked in for WrestleMania 39. 

The Rock & WrestleMania 40

A potential Reigns-Rock match will come as bad news to fans of Cody Rhodes, who until the Day 1 edition of Raw, seemed poised to face the Tribal Chief at WrestleMania 40. In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reports that despite the anticipation of a match between the two, The Rock has yet to sign a deal confirming his involvement with WrestleMania. 

An agreement has yet to be reached, but the Brahma Bull is eager for the match to happen. One person in the company noted that Johnson was “headstrong” about wrestling Reigns at WrestleMania. Reigns himself laughed at the idea of facing The Rock during the episode of SmackDown that followed the Day 1 Raw. During an episode of ESPN’s First Take, The Rock admitted there is a chance of a match with Reigns at WrestleMania. 

The Rock’s Return to WWE

If The Rock does compete at WrestleMania, it won’t solely be as a wrestler. This week, Dwayne Johnson was appointed to TKO’s Board of Directors. As part of his lucrative deal, Johnson has full ownership of ‘The Rock’ moniker in a deeply personal move for the former WWE Champion. 

Before she graced the screens of WWE NXT and WWE RAW, Ivy Nile made a name for herself on another notable television program — that being NBC’s Titan Games. 

Competing under her real name of Emily Andzulis, Nile appeared in season one of The Titan Games, where she soon became the show’s first female champion. The following year, Nile inked a contract with WWE, pivoting her focus to a full-time career as a professional wrestler. 

On January 1, 2024, Nile’s worlds intersected, as the former host of The Titan Games — Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson — made a surprise appearance on the special Day One edition of WWE Raw to lay the smack down on Jinder Mahal and set the stage for a match with Roman Reigns.

During a recent interview with Ella Jay for SEScoops, Ivy Nile revealed that she and The Rock caught up backstage at the 2024 ‘WWE Day 1’ edition of Raw in what she described as an insane, full-circle moment for her life and career.

“It’s insane. It’s like, how did this happen? It was almost five, six years ago that the Titan Games happened. Next thing you know, I’m in WWE and I see him, not a lot, but more than the average person. So when he was at Day One, I didn’t know he was going to be there. Next thing you know, I saw him and it was like, ‘Wait a second.’ We had a short conversation. It’s about like he’s super proud that a titan of his is now here, so it’s really cool. I got to talk to him for a little bit, and I had a match that night, so there definitely a lot going on, for sure.”

Ivy Nile on working with Rhea Ripley

As Nile alluded to, January 1 also marked her first televised title opportunity on WWE’s main roster. On this occasion, Nile challenged Rhea Ripley for the WWE Women’s World Championship.

Ripley has been a dominant champion during her reign, but Nile believes she was able to push ‘The Eradicator’ out of her comfort zone by utilizing the element of surprise. 

“Rhea Ripley, she is one of the most dominating females in all of WWE, right? And from me being someone who just got moved up [to the main roster], that doesn’t have a lot to show for, I think that worked in my favor because she didn’t have a lot to see what I could do,” Nile said. “She didn’t know what I could do. So for me, I studied her, I watched her matches, like what she does and what she likes to do. I just like to study her like film study. And with her, with me, she kind of didn’t know [what to expect], so that kind of helped in my favor. So I can throw out a bunch of stuff that she didn’t really know I could do, and maybe that caught her off guard. I think that’s what worked for me. I think that’s pretty much what it was.”

After a feverish 13-minute battle, Ripley finally put away Nile with a Riptide to retain the WWE Women’s World Championship. You can watch highlights from the match herE:

Raw Superstar Cody Rhodes remains focused on finishing his story, but the American Nightmare’s path to realizing his wrestling destiny remains unclear.

Wrestling fans have been rightfully uneasy about Rhodes’  personal Road to WrestleMania. After last year’s crushing defeat to Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 39, its looked like he is headed for a long-awaited rematch against the Undisputed Universal Champion at WrestleMania 40.

Nothing is guaranteed in wrestling and there are several other people vying for the position Rhodes and his fans may expect belongs to him.

The Rock Enters The Picture

The Rock is a prime candidate to spoil hopes for WrestleMania 40 to be the stage for Cody’s crowning moment. 

On Tuesday, veteran journalist Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated dropped a bombshell report that sources of his close to Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque told him that Cody Rhodes is NOT currently factored in as Roman Reigns’ opponent at WrestleMania.

Barrasso believes it will instead be The Great One battling the Head of the Table.

After joining TKO Group’s board of directors, The Rock confirmed the door is open for him to compete again.

Cody Rhodes Doubts The Rock Will Interrupt His Story

So, is Cody getting nervous yet?  Earlier this month, he told Barrasso that he plans to win the Royal Rumble and ‘finish the story’ at WrestleMania.

In a new interview with Bleacher Report‘s Mike Chiari, Rhodes says he plans on outlasting 29 other Superstars to become only the fourth man in history to win the Royal Rumble match twice. 

Rhodes remains confident about the big picture, but admits anything can happen. Here’s what he said (transcribed by Mike Chiari)

“You mentioned ‘The Great One’ The Rock.. nothing but respect for him. I went and saw Jungle Cruise. I’m a Rock fan.”

Rhodes continued, “I don’t think he’s the type that would come in and meddle with a story that’s been being told over the past two years. I think he’s probably up to something else, but you never know with WWE. I’ll be watching just like everybody else when I’m not wrestling.”

Rhodes’ comments could be a show of confidence or trying to cope with what may be happening. For now, WWE fans must let it play out and see how this ‘story’ ends. 

WWE’s Royal Rumble event is going down this Saturday, and the pro wrestling world can’t wait to see who is pointing at the WrestleMania sign by the end of the night. WARNING: This article may contain spoilers, and a bit of disappointment for the Nightmare Family.

WWE’s Plan For Roman Reigns’ WrestleMania Main Event

Many fans were shocked when Cody Rhodes failed to topple Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39, but there’s always next year, or is there? It appears that WWE has shifted things a bit, and Cody will keep telling his story without finishing it.

After Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson returned during the Day 1 RAW episode on January 1st, the entire landscape for the grandest stage of them all changed. Where it was previously thought that Cody vs Roman is going to happen again, and the American Nightmare could finish his story, there has reportedly been a change of plans.

WWE’s WrestleMania Plan For Cody Rhodes

I exclusively reported here at SE Scoops that a triple threat match for Cody vs Roman vs Rock is not happening. The WWE creative team was informed that point-blank last week. A new report is now removing Rhodes from the picture completely, because there is a new story to start for him.

Sports Illustrated‘s Justin Barrasso reports that multiple sources have told him that Cody Rhodes will not finish his story at WrestleMania 40, and the main event match is not his. Instead, Rhodes will face CM Punk at Mania in a match that will also likely not give Punk what he wants, which is a legit WrestleMania main event.

Multiple sources close to WWE Head of Creative Paul “Triple H” Levesque have indicated that Rhodes will not headline this year’s event, nor will he “finish his story” at WrestleMania. But there is still a new chapter to write with a marquee matchup to be had… against CM Punk.

Seth Rollins’ WWE WrestleMania Status

Since CM Punk is reportedly slated to battle Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania, that opens up another question about Seth Rollins. It was previously reported that Punk vs Rollins was the company’s plan for Mania.

I exclusively reported here at SE Scoops that WWE was still planning a match for Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40 despite his MCL injury. I was also told that, as of last night, WWE is still hopeful that Rollins will compete at Mania. “Rollins is still on for Mania at this moment,” was the exact wording given to me.

Exclusive Insight On WWE’s Plans

I was told in September that the winner for the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match was in place, but nothing is set in stone with WWE until the final plans are made. Then, I asked again in December after CM Punk returned and declared his Rumble entry, and I was told once again that the plans for the winner have not changed. It was also confirmed to me that Roman Reigns’ WrestleMania match hadn’t changed either.

I asked again last week whether plans for the Royal Rumble match were changed, because a lot of things went down from December to late January, including The Rock’s return. This time, I received a different answer that to fulfill my query request would be to indicate a spoiler.

Triple H only gets one go at booking his first road to WrestleMania without Vince McMahon’s controlling input. By all appearances, it will be an epic trip to the showcase of the immortals this year. Stay tuned, because January 27th will likely be a very big day for the Royal Rumble in Tropicana Field. 

Will The Rock lace up his boots and compete against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 this April? There’s a chance… 

The Brahma Bull returned to WWE on the Day 1 episode of Raw and teased coming for Reigns’ spot as the Head of the Table. A match between the pair has been teased for years and was at one point locked in for WrestleMania 39. 

There’s A Chance

With The Rock’s tease on Raw, many are expecting the long-awaited showdown between himself and Reigns to take place at WrestleMania 40. During an appearance on Hot Take, The Rock, fresh off his appointment to TKO’s Board of Directors, was asked about the possibility of headlining WWE’s grandest stage against the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. 

“I’m a long-gamer and I like to build.  Something like this, what this is [is potentially huge.] If… if myself and Roman Reigns were to main event WrestleMania, and I mean this very respectfully of all the WrestleManias prior, because I grew up in this business and I love it, we could possibly put on, with us as the main event and this incredible group of men and women who are these incredible performers,  we could possibly put on the greatest and the biggest WrestleMania of all time.”

When a host sought to confirm if The Rock was saying there was a chance he would wrestle, the Brahma Bull didn’t reject the notion. 

“There’s a chance… I love this business, I love pro wrestling, I love WWE. But I also have this deep passion to grow it and to build it. And if we’re going to do something like this, I want the world to watch.”

The Rock has his sights set on Roman Reigns, but the Head of the Table isn’t sweating his cousin…

For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops. 

Dwayne Johnson’s excitement over having full ownership of the name ‘The Rock’ goes far deeper than the potential business prospects that this agreement provides. 

Johnson was announced as the newest member of the TKO board of directors today, as part of a landmark agreement between the two sides. Johnson will serve on the board that will oversee decisions for TKO which consists of both WWE and UFC. TKO Group Holdings is owned by Endeavor. 

Dwayne Johnson on Owning The Rock

As part of his deal with TKO, Johnson now has full ownership of the name ‘The Rock’ which until now had been owned by WWE. During an appearance on CNBC, Johnson spoke about the deeper meaning to owning the name. 

“There’s the business side of that, as we know. There’s the economics and the Math side of that. But also, it goes much deeper than that. And this idea, the name of The Rock, for me, I owe that name everything. Without that name, there would be no wrestling career.

“There would be no Hollywood career. But also that name was a derivative of my dad Rocky Johnson who was one of the first Black tag-team champions in WWE. A trailblazer paved the way, a man of color. For a kid like me to be embraced in a bigger way when I came along [he was inspirational.]”

Johnson made sure to credit Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel, who was also on the show, for agreeing to give him the name and appointing him to the board. 

“I want to acknowledge Ari [Emanuel] and give him his flowers because at the end of the day, he had a million reasons to say no but he found the reason to say yes. And the reason why is because he understood, as he told me face to face ‘This is your name and it comes from your family and that’s important to me.’ So family is very important to us.

“The name ‘The Rock’, this is why it becomes invaluable. The street valuation of the name ‘The Rock’, it’s got some heft behind it. But more importantly than that, it’s something that I’ve earned, I built, and I owe so much to that wild lunatic called ‘The Rock’.

“And by the way, and I told him this last night. The greatest benefit of now completely owning the name ‘The Rock’ [with] no gimmicks, no BS, across the board, full ownership [is] the name ‘The Rock’ years ago, really allowed me to be me, and that’s very special. Thank you Ari.”

Dwayne Johnson on owning "The Rock" name. pic.twitter.com/gTyxy7dSxb

— Turnbuckle Times (@TimesTurnbuckle) January 23, 2024

The Rock has his sights set on Roman Reigns, but the Head of the Table isn’t sweating his cousin… 

For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops. 

Dwayne Johnson is a shoo-in WWE Hall of Famer as The Rock, but the world outside pro wrestling also knows his name well. Now, he is taking a seat on TKO Group Holdings’ Board of Directors.

TKO Makes Big Announcement About The Rock

In a press release that was sent out on the morning of January 23rd, it was announced that The Rock has been appointed to TKO Group Holdings’ board of directors.

Johnson is a highly accomplished WWE Superstar, and he had a huge hand in the company’s history already. Now, the globally renowned Hollywood megastar will bring that electricity to the Board.

Vince McMahon, Executive Chairman of the Board at TKO, stated, “Very few people on the planet understand the convergence of sports, entertainment, media, and business like Rock. We are proud to have him join the TKO board to help take our company to new heights.”

The Rock also spoke about this new role. He is very excited to get things going. Johnson was also very candid in saying that he never thought this day would come for him. Now, he is in a position where his decisions can directly change the face of the company that is responsible for making him a household name.

“My grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, and my dad, Rocky ‘Soulman’ Johnson, would’ve never thought this day would come. Which is why I’m very humbled to have a seat at the table that has decades of history and family legacy for me. A table that my family helped to build. Being on the TKO Board of Directors, and taking full ownership of my name, ‘The Rock’, is not only unprecedented, but incredibly inspiring as my crazy life is coming full circle.”

“At my core, I’m a builder who builds for and serves the people, and Ari is building something truly game changing. I’m very motivated to help continue to globally expand our TKO, WWE, and UFC businesses as the worldwide leaders in sports and entertainment — while proudly representing so many phenomenal athletes and performers who show up every day putting in the hard work with their own two hands to make their dreams come true and deliver for our audiences. I’ve been there, I’m still there and this is for them.”

The Rock’s Previous Business Experience

With a broad business portfolio including Seven Bucks Productions, Teremana Tequila, ZOA Energy, Project Rock, and the recently merged spring football league, the United Football League (UFL), Dwayne Johnson has established an expertise in identifying and fostering revenue-generating opportunities in media rights, live events, sponsorship, licensing, and social media. He is one of the most-followed men on the planet on social media as well.

Johnson’s appointment also illustrates TKO’s dedication to delivering long-term value and performance for shareholders through strategic growth initiatives across both UFC and WWE. His name on the board will definitely attract attention.

The Rock recently returned to WWE television during the Day 1 edition of RAW on January 1st. During that appearance, he dropped a blatant tease that he may want that match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania this year. With this new appointment, Johnson is certainly in a position to make some big decisions.

TKO Adds Another Board Member

Brad Keywell was also announced as a new member of the TKO Group Holdings Board of Directors. The company sent out a separate press release to reveal this news.

Keywell, who earned his Juris Doctorate with Honors from the University of Michigan Law School, is a seasoned entrepreneur with extensive knowledge in technology and artificial intelligence. He will bring valuable experience in innovation and industry disruption to the Board.

He has played a key role in co-founding and leading various companies, including Groupon, Echo Global Logistics, MediaOcean, and Uptake Technologies, where he currently serves as Founder and Executive Chairman. Recognized as the 2019 EY World Entrepreneur of the Year, he is only the third US entrepreneur to receive this global honor. 

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson may be one of the biggest stars in the world, but he’ll always have time to meet the fine folks at Make-A-Wish. 

In the video, The Rock recalled meeting 21 children from the Make-A-Wish foundation, who were thrilled to hang out with the People’s Champion. In the video, The Rock reflected on how incredible the experience was for him. 

“I anticipated having a great day hey but today was something unlike I’ve ever experienced.”

The Brahma Bull also reflected on his family’s history with Make-A-Wish and was honored to be performing in the same role as his father Rocky Johnson. 

“We [myself and Make-A-Wish] go way way back. Make-A-Wish and my dad, granting the first wish in the state of New Jersey. I was 11 at that time the concept of that, I remember then being blown away. Like ‘wait this is this little kid’s wish?’

“I always say that, you know, really they’re the heroes and their families are the superstars. It’s unbelievable and what an honor and and a privilege that I get to meet these kids to surprise them and it just gets no better than this.”

As part of the day’s festivities, The Rock toured Universal Studios with the kids and their families, and answered questions about his role in the Fast and Furious franchise. 

Later in the day, The Rock hosted a special party for the kids and their families. The Hollywood A-Lister gifted Project Rock merch and a Rock-themed Xbox to each kid, courtesy of ‘Dwanta Claus.’ Johnson also made sure to speak to every kid in one-on-one conversations and gave them some words of wisdom. 

Did The Rock reveal a massive WWE future plan when meeting a kid from Make-A-Wish… 

Dwayne Johnson has added another accolade to his impressive resume by being inducted into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame. 

Years before he was wowing fans as The Rock, Johnson played for the Miami Hurricanes as a defensive tackle. This week, The former WWE Champion was inducted into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, which recognizes athletes from Tonga, Samoa and surrounding islands. On Twitter, the Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment was honored to receive the induction. 

Thank you Fam.
Life’s road is long, wild and unpredictable.
Core values & relentless work ethic principles I learned at @CanesFootball. Honored and grateful to be inducted in the @PolynesianFBHOF ?? https://t.co/nj57zxxnub

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) January 20, 2024

Speaking about the Brahma Bull, former Miami head coach Dennis Erickson recalled Johnson’s time with the University of Miami via the College Football Hall of Fame:

“Back then, he was a broad-shouldered defensive lineman and his teammates called him ‘Dewey’. He was often spotted walking around campus in a lava-lava skirt singing country music.”

During Johnson’s time at Miami, he was responsible for 77 tackles and 4.25 sacks, according to Pro Football Network. 

Returning to the Ring? 

 It’s been decades since Johnson played football, but a return to the ring may be in the works.  On the Day 1 edition of WWE Raw, The Rock returned and teased coming for Roman Reigns’ spot as Head of the Table. Currently, WWE is trying to decide whether The Rock or Cody Rhodes will challenge Reigns at WrestleMania 40. Despite reports that a triple-threat match had been discussed, SE Scoops’ sources made clear that this is not the plan for the two-night April supershow. 

The Rock may wrestle at WrestleMania 40 against his cousin, but is this the right match for WWE… 

The Rock changed a lot about WrestleMania when he made his surprise return for a one-night special appearance on WWE RAW’s Day 1 episode. After he dropped that “Head of the Table” tease, the idea that fans may finally see Rock vs Roman Reigns is a very popular one. That leaves a big question about plans they already had in line.

WrestleMania 40 Plans

Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes was the plan for the Undisputed Universal Title match at WrestleMania 40. That would have seen Rhodes return a year after his Mania 39 loss to face Reigns again. After The Rock returned to the picture, that brought a big possible change.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that, “Reigns’ opponent is expected to be either The Rock or Rhodes, or it could be a three-way.”

Roman Reigns’ Match (Exclusive)

While we cannot provide any information about WWE’s final decision for Reigns’ WrestleMania main event match, we can confirm that one of those three options is off the table. A triple threat match is not going to be how they resolve this issue.

A tenured member of the WWE creative team confirmed to me that there will be, “No Triple Threat for Mania.” I was told that the creative team was informed of that last week.

At this time, I am told that The Rock, Roman Reigns, and Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania situation “is being held tight at the highest levels.”

History of The Rock vs Roman Reigns at WrestleMania

The Rock vs Roman Reigns was pencilled in for WrestleMania 37 at SoFi Stadium, but then that event was moved to Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium, because WrestleMania 36 went down in front of zero fans. The pandemic caused Tampa to lose Mania 36, but WWE’s dedication to Florida brought them back for a show of shows in front of live fans the next year.

The big cousin vs cousin main event was then tabled after I was told The Rock was a “virtual lock.”

The Rock later confirmed on the Pat McAfee Show that he was very close to having that match against Roman on the grandest stage of them all, but things changed.

“The Rock headlining WrestleMania with Roman Reigns, SoFi Stadium, that was locked. We were doing it. But let me just tell you, so about the beginning of 2022, Nick Khan, very good friend, he’s the man, he was very instrumental in bringing Vince and I together. We all flew to LA, we met, we sat. This was the beginning of 2022. We broke out the Teremana, we toasted life, we toasted the business we love, and about an hour later, we started talking about the potential of what this match could be between myself and Roman Reigns headlining WrestleMania at SoFi.”

The Royal Rumble event on January 27th will likely answer more than a few questions about what WWE is planning for WrestleMania 40. Don’t count on a triple threat match, but the Tribal Chief is practically guaranteed to have a big match at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.

The richest prize in WWE could be decided in a triple-threat at WrestleMania 40, featuring some of the biggest stars of the company’s past and present. 

WWE WrestleMania 40 will take place on April 6, and April 7, marking the fourth two-night event in the show’s history. For Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, it will mark his fourth WrestleMania in a row during the same title reign (should he retain at next week’s Royal Rumble). Reigns captured the title at Payback 2020 and his WrestleMania defense has seen him best Edge & Daniel Bryan (in 2021), Brock Lesnar (in 2022), and Cody Rhodes last year. 

Two Worthy Contenders

Up until recently, it seemed destined that Rhodes would challenge (and dethrone) Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40, finishing his story in the process. Many have speculated that Rhodes’ heartbreaking loss at WrestleMania 39 happened so that his big moment (and the end of Reigns’ historic Undisputed WWE Universal Championship reign) would happen on the 40th-anniversary milestone. 

Cody’s road to WrestleMania hit a serious obstacle during the Day 1 Raw when The Rock returned to WWE and teased coming for Reigns’ spot as The Tribal Chief. WWE had Reigns Vs. Rock ‘locked in’ at one point for WrestleMania 39 before plans changed. 

WWE’s Plans

While we don’t know who Roman Reigns will face at WrestleMania, it will be either The Rock or Cody Rhodes, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports. WWE have yet to make up their mind about the match. The report adds that WWE is also considering a triple threat between the three men. 

Rhodes will enter the Men’s Royal Rumble match next week, a bout he won in 2023. The same show will see Reigns defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against LA Knight, AJ Styles, and Randy Orton. Despite rumors of The Rock appearing at next month’s Elimination Chamber: Perthy event, the Great One is not scheduled for the Australian PLE. 

WWE has a loaded schedule of events for 2024, but Roman Reigns is still enjoying a part-time schedule. That means he doesn’t have to make certain trips, and the company’s journey to Australia is one that he will get to skip.

Debunking WWE Elimination Chamber Rumor

The Rock shocked pro wrestling fans on January 1st when he returned to WWE television. After Dwayne Johnson shut down Jinder Mahal, he then threw a direct reference to Roman Reigns’ “Head of the Table” moniker. Although The Rock’s may return for another match, it will not happen at Elimination Chamber.

The 2024 Elimination Chamber is set to take place at Optus Stadium in Burswood, Perth, Western Australia, on February 24, 2024. Despite the event’s magnitude, a significant rumored match won’t be part of the lineup.

Speculation arose about The Rock returning to wrestle at Elimination Chamber in Australia, fueled by his unexpected appearance at Day 1. It turns out that Roman vs Rock isn’t going to happen in February, because the Tribal Chief isn’t even booked for the show.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter clarified that The Rock vs. Roman Reigns is not scheduled for the Elimination Chamber match in Australia. The idea that WWE may do something with Rock at WrestleMania is still not dead.

Regarding the Reigns vs. Rock match, while I presume it’s WrestleMania (and could possibly be a three-way with Rhodes but I don’t think that will come out until many weeks from now), what we did have confirmed is the Australia rumors aren’t accurate. Reigns is not even scheduled for the show. He’s never been advertised and there are no plans for him for that date right now

WWE’s Possible Plan for The Rock & Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns made it through 2023 by only wrestling 11 matches. That was a huge drop from the 52 matches he worked in for 2022.

Roman Reigns is slated to defend the Undisputed Universal Title against Randy Orton, AJ Styles, and LA Knight in a fatal four-way match at the Royal Rumble on January 27th. It might not be too much to expect that The Rock may appear at Tropicana Field if a WrestleMania main event match is in his future. 

Cody Rhodes won’t let the recent returns of CM Punk and The Rock deter him from finishing the story and becoming a WWE World Champion. 

Since returning to WWE, Rhodes has made it clear he plans on winning the title that his father never officially held. At the 2023 Royal Rumble event, Rhodes won the Men’s Rumble match, earning a shot at Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. At WrestleMania 39, Rhodes would fail to ‘finish the story’ in a shocking loss that left those in the industry in awe. 

Cody Rhodes Isn’t Flinching

Up until a few weeks back, it seemed a certainty that Rhodes would win the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble and finally dethrone Reigns at WrestleMania 40. Unfortunately for the American Nightmare, the return of CM Punk at Survivor Series as well as the return of The Rock on the Day 1 Raw has left his future less clear. 

Though his long-awaited win over Roman Reigns appears to be slipping away, Cody Rhodes remains defiant that he can stand up to any WWE Superstar put in front of him. The American Nightmare made that clear when speaking with SI. 

“The Rock is The Great One–he’s still electrifying. CM Punk is one of the greatest stars in the history of wrestling. I know what I’m up against. Look at the roster–it’s loaded with stars. But that doesn’t bother me. I’m not flinching. I’m not rooting against anyone else, I’m just working to make it happen.”

No matter what comes next for Cody Rhodes, expect the American Nightmare to be his always-generous self… 

WWE RAW’s Day 1 episode at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California was a packed card. Not only did The Rock return for a shocking segment, but Rhea Ripley also battled to defend the WWE Women’s World Title against Ivy Nile. The Rock paid attention to Ripley that night, and he had a special message to share.

The Rock’s WWE RAW Day 1 Surprise

The Rock showed up for a segment with Jinder Mahal, where he shut down the Modern Day Maharaja’s anti-American promo. That resulted in “Day One Douchebag” chants, and after The Rock beat Mahal down, he dropped a blatant tease about a future match with Roman Reigns. 

Following the show, photos circulated on social media showing The Rock spending time with Ripley, prompting a public comment from The Rock on Instagram. His caption provided a very important message that The People’s Champion had for The Nightmare.

“She wears black. I love black. She’s a bad ass. And I got famous for wearing a fanny pack. We had fun f*cking around backstage —-Love, appreciate and respect you champ @rhearipley_wwe – thanks for trusting me with your title, keep kickin’ ass and raising the bar ——Big shout to @cathykelley for being a total pro and having fun — —-#peopleschamp.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C1yNPVRrmXV

Rhea Ripley’s Rise in WWE

Rhea Ripley began her WWE career in 2017, participating in the inaugural Mae Young Classic tournament. She was off to the races after that. 

Rhea Ripley joined NXT and evolved into a top star for the brand. Ripley’s accomplishments include winning the NXT Women’s Championship and playing a significant role in various storylines. Over time, she transitioned to the main roster.

To this day, Rhea Ripley is a member of Judgment Day, and many fans consider her the leader of that faction. The Rock definitely can’t wait to see what she does next.

WWE Superstar Jinder Mahal is eager to step into the ring with The Rock once again, after their collision on this week’s episode of Raw. 

The Brahma Bull returned to WWE programming during this week’s Day 1 edition of Raw to an eclectic response from the crowd. WWE had been teasing the return of a former WWE Champion in the days before the show, which at first appeared to be Mahal. The Modern-Day Maharaja ran down the United States before the return of The Rock, who had some choice words for his fellow former WWE Champion. The Rock then laid out Mahal with a spinebuster and his People’s Elbow. 

Jinder Mahal Challenges The Rock

The Rock may have handily dispatched of Mahal on Raw, but now the 3MB alum is ready for another shot at the Great One. Speaking to WWE Super Dhamaal, Mahal has praise for his own efforts on Day 1 Raw. 

“I had many good points before Rock even came out. I was feeling confident until I was on the receiving end of, you know, Rock gave me a spinebuster. Up until then, I really believed that I had The Rock. You know, I had his confidence choked. I could see the look in his eyes. You know, I am the Modern Day Maharaja, he may be The People’s Champion, they were cheering him on. For someone who had no respect from the crowd, I think I did really well.”

Mahal then made his intentions clear and challenged the Brahma Bull to a match. 

“I want to issue a challenge to The Rock. Anytime in India, you can step into the ring with The Modern Day Maharaja.”

https://twitter.com/SonySportsNetwk/status/1743894248024609054

After dealing with Mahal, The Rock teased going after Roman Reigns’ role as Head of the Table. Click here to check out the reaction from the Tribal Chief. 

WWE may be happy to credit the recent record-breaking views on social media to The Rock, but the man himself believes that the ‘people’ deserve the credit. 

The Brahma Bull returned to WWE programming during this week’s Day 1 edition of Monday Night Raw to an eclectic response from the crowd. WWE had been teasing the return of a former WWE Champion in the days before the show. During his promo, The Rock asked the fans if they’d like to see him as Head of the Table, alluding to taking the spot held by Roman Reigns. Reigns had quite the reaction to his cousin’s threat on social media.

The Rock Reacts to Raw Record

The return of the Brahma Bull has proven to be a hit with fans, as the figures on social media prove. WWE recently disclosed that in its first few days, The Rock’s return has racked up over 171 million views across multiple platforms, a record for any WWE moment during such a timeframe. Taking to Twitter, The Rock was grateful to the fans who he argued were the ones breaking the record. 

Amazing stuff.
This is all thanks to the people.
They break records, not me.
I just try and look cool, not screw up and not cuss too much 😊🥃🙏🏾 #peopleschamp https://t.co/EqITza7mb0

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) January 6, 2024

In a separate tweet, the Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment spoke about his “sacred connection with the people.” The Rock added that while he’s had some loud crowd pops in his time, the one he received on this week’s Raw simply hit differently from the rest. 

25+ years of sacred connection with the people that I’ll forever honor.
This eruption at the end just hit different. I’ve experienced some very loud crowd pops, but this was different. Layers. Chills.
~ people’s champ 🖤💪🏾 https://t.co/360XKztor0

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) January 6, 2024

What’s Next? 

With what transpired on Raw, many feel that the long-awaited dream match between The Rock and Roman Reigns will finally happen this year. Many predict the match will happen at WrestleMania 40, though this hasn’t been confirmed This will come as bad news to fans of Cody Rhodes, who hoped he’d ‘finish the story’ and dethrone Reigns after his loss at WrestleMania 39. While WrestleMania 40 is seen as the ideal location by many, there are other events that WWE could choose for the Rock-Roman match if not WrestleMania 40. 

Will The Rock Vs. Roman Reigns, the most anticipated dream match of a generation, take place on a show other than WrestleMania 40? 

The Brahma Bull returned to WWE programming during this week’s Day 1 edition of Monday Night Raw to an eclectic response from the crowd. WWE had been teasing the return of a former WWE Champion in the days before the show, and after a fakeout with Jinder Mahal, The Rock returned. During his promo, The Rock asked the fans if they’d like to see him as Head of the Table, alluding to taking the spot held by Roman Reigns. Reigns had quite the reaction to his cousin’s threat on social media.

Not Happening at WrestleMania? 

With the tease on this week’s Raw, many have predicted that The Rock Vs. Roman Reigns will at long last take place at this year’s WrestleMania. This has come as bad news to fans of Cody Rhodes who hope that his story will be finished this April with a victory over Reigns, something Rhodes failed to do at WrestleMania 39. 

In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it is made clear that everyone in WWE is “tight-lipped” about the possible Rock-Roman showdown. Dave Meltzer noted that the match could happen as soon as WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth. The local government has reportedly requested the Brahma Bull for the February 24 event. 

There’s also the possibility that the match could happen at one of WWE’s high-profile events in Saudi Arabia. While no dates have been announced, two Saudi events are expected this year. Meltzer noted that the Saudi government pays “ridiculous money” to have high-profile shows. It was added that bringing The Rock in “could possibly negotiate a bonus that would make it the biggest money event in company history.”

WWE has spent a long time planting the seeds of the much-rumored showdown between Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and The Rock. 

The Brahma Bull returned to WWE programming during this week’s Day 1 edition of Monday Night Raw to an eclectic response from the crowd. WWE had been teasing the return of a former WWE Champion in the days before the show, which at first appeared to be Jinder Mahal. The Modern-Day Maharaja ran down the United States before the return of The Rock who laid out Mahal with a Spinebuster and his People’s Elbow. 

WWE Teasing The Rock Vs. Roman Reigns

It wasn’t just Mahal who The Rock had his eyes on during the Day 1 edition of Monday Night Raw. During his promo, the Great One also asked the fans if they’d like to see him as Head of the Table, alluding to taking the spot held by Roman Reigns. Reigns had quite the reaction to his cousin’s threat on social media. 

The Rock Vs. Roman Reigns has been a dream match for fans for years and it is something that WWE has been working on for just as long. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that Reigns being christened ‘The Tribal Chief’ in 2020 was setting up a showdown with the Brahma Bull. 

“That whole thing, ‘The Head of the Table’ and all that, and ‘Tribal Chief,’ was all done originally to build up the Roman Reigns-Rock match.”

Meltzer added that WWE wanted to host the Reigns-Rock match at WrestleMania 38 in April 2022. That match was shelved, reportedly so that the match could take place at WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles. While the two combatants were once a lock for that show, plans fell through. 

What does John Cena make to the possibility of The Rock facing Roman Reigns? Click here to find out.