The Rock proved to be a man of his word on the March 25, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, as he vowed to make Cody Rhodes bleed before the night was done.
Raw went off the air in gruesome fashion with The Rock assaulting Cody Rhodes backstage. The pair’s brawl would take them outside of Chicago’s All-State Arena. In the pouring rain, Rhodes was left in a pool of his own blood as The Rock verbally berated the American Nightmare.
What The Rock Said to Cody
Earlier in the show, Cody Rhodes cut an impassioned promo in front of the fans that was interrupted by the ‘Final Boss.’ Rather than be his loud-mothed, boisterous self, Rock instead whispered something in Cody’s ear and left the ring without the pair coming to blows.
Taking to Instagram, The Rock revealed what he said to Rhodes. The Brahma Bull warned Rhodes “Tonight, I’m gonna make you bleed,” a promise he would keep hours later.
The Rock kept his vow to make Cody bleed on this week’s Raw, but the Final Boss also kept another promise to a different Rhodes family member. Before the show, The Rock fired off a tweet promising Michelle, Cody’s mother, that he’d have a belt for her, covered in her son’s blood.
Sure enough, The Rock kept his promise. In his beatdown on Cody, The Rock revealed a weight belt with ‘Mama Rhodes’ emblazoned on it. The Brahma Bull would wipe Cody’s blood on the belt in question.
What’s to Come?
The Rock will make his long-awaited return to the ring next week as part of WrestleMania 40: Saturday. On the show, he and Roman Reigns will face Rhodes & Seth Rollins. The match will determine the stipulation for the following night’s Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match between Rhodes and Reigns.
Chicago was simmering for CM Punk on WWE Raw and ‘The Second City Saint’ didn’t let his hometown down. Punk made his long-awaited return to The Windy City and dropped the WrestleMania 40 bombshell that he’d be on commentary for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match between Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre.
After the show ended, Cathy Kelley caught up with Punk backstage for a WWE Digital Exclusive interview and asked him what it felt like to be in front of a packed house in Chicago.
“I feel such a responsibility to want to give them a show that I can’t right now because I paid the price of being a professional wrestler since I was 15, but I felt I gave them a little bit of that guy.”
Kelley mentioned that The Rock name-dropped Punk tonight after being relatively quiet when it comes to him. That didn’t go unnoticed by CM Punk.
“I’m glad Rock’s back and it’s good to see that he knows his role and he’s kept his mouth shut. Anything goes here in this new era of WWE with me being back I’m gonna cross paths with everybody sooner or later.”
Finally, when it came to Punk being on commentary for Rollins vs. McIntyre, Punk said he thought being behind the broadcast booth may be the best spot for him that evening.
“Let’s face it, who’s the five-tool player in the WWE right now? It’s this guy. I’d like to maybe try my hand out as a referee, but honestly, I would not be able to be impartial with those two idiots so maybe commentary is the best thing to do.”
The Rock’s assault on Cody Rhodes did not go unnoticed by the American Nightmare’s family, who are looking for revenge on the ‘Final Boss’ of WWE.
The March 25, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw saw a surprise appearance by the Brahma Bull in Chicago, Illinois. In the closing moments of the show, The Rock delivered a vicious beatdown on Cody that left the popular Superstar a bloody mess.
The Rhodes Family Responds
Immediately after WWE Raw went off the air, the Rhodes family had some choice words for The Rock. In a tweet, Dustin Rhodes didn’t mention the Great One by name but made his views abundantly clear.
Brandi Rhode suggested that The Rock could be the victim of an assault himself after this week’s Raw and said he should keep security tight at WrestleMania 40.
He better keep his security detail tight at Mania. That's all.
Teil Rhodes, the sister of Cody, made clear that The Rock had made a grave error with his bloody beatdown on the 2023 & 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble winner.
the Rhodes are the blood and bones of American pro wrestling. Rock just made his worst mistake
The assault was also noticed by those within wrestling outside of the Rhodes family. On Twitter, Alexa Bliss shared her reaction to the attack via an emoji.
The Rock will be on next week’s episode of Monday Night Raw from Brooklyn, in what’ll be the go-home show before WrestleMania 40.
At WrestleMania 40: Saturday, Rhodes and Rock will be opposing teams, as they’ll team with Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns respectively. The match will determine the stipulation for the following night’s Undisputed WWE Universal Title match between Rhodes and Reigns.
No matter if it’s ‘Bloodline Rules’ or if the Bloodline is banned, this will be Cody’s final shot at the Tribal Chief, an edict made by The Rock as a TKO board member.
WrestleMania 40 is less than two weeks away, and they are putting things into overdrive. WWE RAW was in Chicago this week, and they closed out the show with an attention-grabbing segment.
The Rock and Cody Rhodes’ feud is heating up, and they amplified that during the March 25 episode of WWE RAW. This also included Cody Rhodes bending one of WWE’s longstanding rules about bleeding on television.
WWE doesn’t feature blood a lot anymore. The practice of blading is really a thing of the past. They made an exception this week, as Cody Rhodes bled to hype his feud with The Rock. This was quite a ruthless way to close out WWE RAW this week.
Brutal Ending For WWE RAW
The March 25 episode of WWE RAW ended in brutal fashion, as The Rock got physical with Cody Rhodes, but the Final Boss was the one who delivered all the punishment.
Cody Rhodes took a beatdown from The Rock backstage. Then things spilled out into the rainy Chicago night. This was also a bloody ordeal.
After The Rock beat Cody Rhodes down, pummeling him several times, the camera finally panned down to see Cody wearing a crimson mask. Then The Rock pulled out a weight belt that said “Mama Rhodes” on it.
The Rock smeared Cody’s blood all over that weight belt, and it was a gruesome sight for WWE’s TV-PG programming. This is also a rarity to see blood on WWE television.
The Rock was not happy about how things ended during the opening segment with Cody Rhodes. He whispered something in Cody’s ear at the end of the segment, and fans didn’t hear what he had to say. It probably had something to do with this beatdown.
Many fans thought that The Rock said, “tonight I’m gonna make you bleed” to Cody at the beginning of the show. If that is the case, then he certainly fulfilled that promise.
After rewatching this way too many times, I believe the Rock said "Tonight, I'm gonna make you bleed" pic.twitter.com/aGEiO7rvgX
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) March 26, 2024
SEScoops will have even more on this story, and so much more. Please keep checking back for continued updates.
The Rock made his return to WWE during the Day 1 episode of RAW on January 1st. He gave Cody Rhodes credit later on, but the two are certainly not on the same page now.
Cody Rhodes opened up WWE RAW’s March 25 episode in Chicago with a promo about his road to WrestleMania. Then The Rock joined him, but things did not develop into any kind of verbal warfare at all.
The Rock’s Silent Promo
Fans in Chicago were on fire for Cody Rhodes’ promo. He got everyone in the building to point at the WrestleMania sign, a sign of solidarity as he faces two nights of stiff competition in April.
The Rock on WWE RAW, March 25 in Chicago
Suddenly, The Rock’s music hit and The Final Boss emerged. The Windy City crowd popped again as the Hollywood juggernaut made his way to the way.
Fans were expecting a promo from The Rock, but he did not say a word. Instead, stood in the ring, silent, staring Cody Rhodes down. Neither of them had a microphone in their hands.
The two stood there for a couple of minutes, and several chants, including “CM Punk” broke out. Then, The Rock simply walked over to Cody, whispered something to him, and left.
Fans booed Dwayne Johnson as he left the ring, as they didn’t see any physical confrontation. They also didn’t get to hear him say a word in the microphone. Cody Rhodes was left in the ring, silent, looking perplexed, but still ready for a fight.
After the commercial break, The Rock was asked what he told Cody in the ring, and he said, “Go ask Cody Rhodes,” before walking off.
Cody Rhodes and The Rock will finally have a chance to throw down during the first night of WrestleMania 40. They will be involved in a tag team match, where Cody and Seth Rollins will take on Rock and Roman Reigns.
The winner of that tag team match will determine the stipulation for the Undisputed Universal Title match the next night. As of this writing, The Rock is not announced for any more WWE appearances or matches after Mania.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of WWE’s road to WrestleMania 40. Please keep checking back for breaking headlines.
The Rock is staying the course to his gameplan heading into WrestleMania 40 and ‘The Final Boss’ made that very clear this weekend.
‘The People’s Champ’ took to social media to hype his upcoming appearance at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn as Rocky makes his road to Philadelphia, making sure he reiterated a few key points he has touched upon these past few appearances on SmackDown.
“The Rock has made pro wrestling cool and exciting – again. The Rock has made pro wrestling unpredictable and he’s changed the game and raised the bar – again. The Rock is THE most electric, disruptive, distinctive, and hottest heel professional wrestling has seen in the last 20 years. You’re Welcome. F*ck off crybabies. Mama Rhodes ~ The Rock has a very special belt being made just for you. Your tears. Cody’s blood. My hands. I’ll see you soon, Mama Rhodes… ~ Final Boss”
The Rock has made pro wrestling cool and exciting – again.
The Rock has made pro wrestling unpredictable and he’s changed the game and raised the bar – again.
The Rock is THE most electric, disruptive, distinctive, and hottest heel professional wrestling has seen in the last… pic.twitter.com/nJWuhRHxxn
What The Rock completely disregarded is all that Cody Rhodes had to say this past Monday on WWE Raw about his ‘Mama Rhodes.’ Cody made quite clear that his mother, Michelle, will not be shaking in fear if she’s approached by The Rock. Rhodes even recounted a story where his mom beat up an undercover cop while at a Willie Nelson concert one time.
The Rock was nowhere to be seen on SmackDown last Friday as Roman Reigns and Cody confronted one another and he’s not scheduled for this week’s Raw or SmackDown either. However, one name who is scheduled for Raw tomorrow is CM Punk as WWE makes its return to Chicago and vows to be at WrestleMania 40 in some capacity.
Seth Rollins hasn’t taken kindly to The Rock taking credit for making wrestling cool again, staying the claim is some “dumb s**t ”
Since returning to WWE, the Bloodline member has done all he can to establish himself as a heel, a tall order given his immense popularity both in and out of the world of professional wrestling. Recently, The Rock took credit for making wrestling cool again, and had some strong words for Michelle, the mother of his WWE adversary Cody Rhodes.
The Rock has made pro wrestling cool and exciting – again.
The Rock has made pro wrestling unpredictable and he’s changed the game and raised the bar – again.
The Rock is THE most electric, disruptive, distinctive, and hottest heel professional wrestling has seen in the last… pic.twitter.com/nJWuhRHxxn
At a WWE event in Rockford, Rhodes and Seth Rollins got some practice in ahead of the WrestleMania tag team match when they defeated Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa.
After their main event win, Rollins grabbed the mic and brought up The Rock’s return to WWE to a chorus of boos from the Illinois crowd. The fans punctuated the sentiment with a chant of “Rocky Sucks.”
Rollins then addressed the “dumb s**t” that The Rock has been saying as of late, and argued that the worst comment was that The Rock had made wrestling cool once again. This earned more boos and a “bulls**t” chant from the fans which Rollins would take notice of.
When Rhodes gave his suggestion for who has made wrestling cool again, naming Byron Saxton, Rollins admitted that Saxton was part of the answer. Growing more impassioned, Rollins then said that it’s everybody who has been “busting their ass” for years who should be acknowledged as part of the “revolution” that has made wrestling cool again.
Rollins made sure to acknowledge the role of the fans in this revolution. Seth noted that the fans are just as much a part of this movement and that as the ‘WHOA’ gets louder in Rhodes’ theme each week, it’s got nothing to do with The Rock.
The Rock will make his return to the ring at WrestleMania 40 as part of the main event of Night One. The Great One will team with Roman Reigns to face Rhodes and Rollins. The match will determine the stipulation for the following nights Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match between Reigns and Rhodes.
The Rock may be the ‘Final Boss’ and a villain on WWE programming, but the Great One proved he has a heart of gold in a video to a very young fan.
On Twitter, The Rock shared a video of himself singing ‘You’re Welcome’ from Disney hit film Moana. The Brahma Bull explained that this song was for Naomi, a two-year-old who is currently in hospital fighting a brain disorder.
The Rock spoke about the importance of bringing positive energy into the world at a time when there’s a lot of negativity out there.
Join me in a song ? ??? Naomi is 2yrs old and fighting the fight in the hospital with a brain disorder.
Her wish is for Maui to send her a video of him singing “You’re Welcome” ????
As we know, there’s a lot of noise and negativity out there, but I deeply believe that… pic.twitter.com/kVqbfhwCi8
This is hardly the first example of The Rock showing immense kindness to others. Last month, the TKO board member donated $50,000 to a foundation. The foundation in question was created by a couple called Esperenza and Edwin, whose daughter Lily-Rose had died and aims to help parents struggling with the loss of a child.
In June 2023, The Rock bought a home for WWE Superstar Tamina Snuka. In his social media post at the time, Rock praised the former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion as someone who always makes it through tough times.
Last September, a U.S. Navy serviceman shared some of the signed items they had received from The Rock after losing his leg in combat. The Rock had to break the bad news that these autographs were fake but vowed that he would send him the genuine article.
What’s Next?
The Rock will make his long-awaited return to the ring at WrestleMania 40. On the Saturday portion of the show, The Rock will team with Roman Reigns to face Seth Rollins & Cody Rhodes. The match will determine the stipulation of the following night’s main event for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
Welcome the Daily Drop, your daily roundup of wrestling news and rumors for Sunday, March 24. The weekend is never dull in the pro wrestling world, and with under 2 weeks until WrestleMania XL, things are always likely to heat up.
– Johnny Ace is a Dirtbag:Ronda Rousey had a lot to say about John Laurinaitis. She called him a dirtbag, among other things.
– The Rock Surprise: The Rock surprised customers at a Target in Memphis. He was there to promote his Papatui brand of men’s healthcare products:
– Top WWE Prospect: Giulia announced that she is leaving STARDOM in a matter of days, presumably at the end of March. WWE has been watching her for a while, and it is widely thought that she is coming in.
– WWE Shop Arrival: Ahead of their WrestleMania 40 collision, WWE has dropped a two-pack Usos Funko Pop set. You can click here to see what they have to offer in the WWE Shop.
Pump the music. Pop! WWE Superstar Jey Uso™ & Pop! WWE Superstar Jimmy Uso™ are entering the ring as a Fanatics exclusive 2-pack! Commemorate an iconic WrestleMania® 39 moment today. What’s your favorite WWE WrestleMania moment? #FunkoPop#WWE ?: https://t.co/qIGBpFvlTdpic.twitter.com/cAMWzrMYu6
– AEW Streaming Deal: While speaking to Comicbook Nation, Tony Khan said that AEW is still in talks for a streaming deal with MAX. “We’re actively negotiating right now. Something I would be really excited about would be bringing AEW to Max, and it’s something I think we’ve talked about, it just needs to make sense for everybody,” Khan stated.
– Kota Ibushi Injury Update: Ibushi updated fans with a promising message on Instagram. He posted a clip of him training for a return, with a caption in Japanese that translates to: ”1 year in and out, my ankle is still sprained, but I was able to explode with lab practice since surgery. It doesn’t take a year to come back. It will surely heal in six months. CURE !!”
Customers who shopped at a Target in Memphis, TN probably didn’t expect to see Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson walking the aisles while they were on the hunt for deals.
The Brahma Bull was at the store to mark the launch of his new Papatui brand of men’s healthcare products. In the caption for the video, The Rock discusses starting his wrestling career in Memphis and being able to come back and see his “big ass head” on every TV in Target.
The line of products includes a collection of hair, body and tattoo care products, and is available on papatui.com as well as at all Target stores.
The name comes from Johnson’s love for his family. The Tui part of the brand comes from a granted him by his grandfather ‘High Chief’ Peter Maivia. The Papa part comes from The Rock’s devotion to his family and children, including WWE NXT General Manager Ava.
The Rock’s Future
When not promoting Papatui, The Rock can be found appearing on WWE programming. At WrestleMania 40: Saturday, The Rock & Roman Reigns will face Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins. If the Bloodline wins, the following night’s Undisputed WWE Universal title match will be under ‘Bloodline Rules.’ Should Rollins and Rhodes win, the title match will be free of Bloodline interference.
Other Ventures
Papatui is hardly the first venture that Johnson has committed to. In addition to his work in WWE and in Hollywood, Johnson also has his own brand of Tequila called Teremana. Johnson also has his own brand of ZOA energy drinks and recently launched his ‘Big Dwayne Energy’s line of flavors.
The Rock says ‘off’ is the direction the people who don’t like new avatar can … go. TKO Group is reportedly looking to lean more into the PG realm of content. The company official so was hoping that The Rock would be setting a good example, being a member of The Board Of Directors.
“The talent was told that because the company was publicly traded and the wishes of TKO management was to be TV-PG. The feeling was that if he’s on the board, if anything, he should be he one following the rules to set the example.”
Meltzer added that some people in WWE complained that select talent could get more traction with the handcuffs taken off. The roster was seemingly frustrated with the fact that certain people are allowed to break the rules that everyone else is made to follow.
The Rock’s Reply
The Rock has rocked ‘n’ rolled on both WWE programming and social media, using colorful language to further fuel his feud with Cody Rhodes. That led to The Rock himself addressing his own pushing the limits of “standards & practices” on social media.
This is not the first time The Rock and has camp have attempted to debunk reports about his current WWE run. In response to a recent report by Fightful stating one of The Rock’s promos ran long, former WWE head writer Brian Gewirtz fired back that ‘The People’s Champion’ was actually thirty seconds under his allotted time.
The Rock’s return to WWE for the road to WrestleMania 40 is not the only iron he has in the fire. He is still part-owner of the UFL, and he’s open to have a conversation about the league’s innovative approach.
The XFL announced in September 2023 that it was merging with the USFL to form the United Football League. The UFL’s season is set to kick off on March 30.
Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld) may tune in to see what the UFL has to offer, because he has some ideas for football. Those ideas got him a phone call one-on-on with The Great One.
Larry David Phone Call With The Rock
David has a lot of ideas, and one of them pertains to football. He wants to have the goalposts removed from the situation. It seems he believes that kicking the ball through the uprights has nothing to do with the game of football itself.
During an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, Larry David explained how his quest to remove goal posts from the game of football got him a call from The Rock.
“I have a little update, because I’m still obsessed with it, and I heard about this UFL and I said, ‘let me talk to someone in the UFL.’ So, my agent got me on the phone with Dwayne Johnson.”
“I went straight up [the flag pole] and then he called me, and he had a conversation. He didn’t know [what I was calling about], but he was nice enough to call back. We had a conversation, and I pitched him my no goal post idea, and I thought it was gonna happen — he was completely into it.”
Larry David said there is a no reason for a goal post, and he argued that there should be no kick for an extra point. He had no idea that the XFL already had a rule like that.
The Rock saw David’s appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, and he had to reply. While expressing his love for the Seinfeld creator, he also remarked about the innovative rules that they implemented into the XFL.
LOVE my guy Larry David. He hates goalposts and field goal kicks [LOL emoji] – we had a spirited and very productive conversation. At the end of the day, like me and all of us fans – he loves the game of football. We at the XFL had already implemented new innovative rules last season that we carry over to our new @XFL2023 league that starts this month. I’m considering creating THE LARRY BOWL in his honor
LOVE my guy Larry David. He hates goalposts and field goal kicks ? – we had a spirited and very productive conversation. At the end of the day, like me and all of us fans – he loves the game of football. We at the XFL had already implemented new innovative rules last season that… https://t.co/eMKnfPeJpW
The UFL’s first game on opening day is scheduled for Saturday, March 30, 2024, where the Arlington Renegades and Birmingham Stallions, both previous champions in other leagues, will battle it out on the gridiron.
Four teams originated from the XFL, while three teams originated from the USFL. In the USFL Conference, teams include the Birmingham Stallions, the Houston Roughnecks, the Memphis Showboats, and the Michigan Panthers.
Meanwhile, the XFL Conference consists of the Arlington Renegades, the DC Defenders, the San Antonio Brahmas, and the St. Louis Battlehawks.
The stakes are even higher this year. After making a grand return to WWE, The Rock inserted himself into Cody Rhodes’ business with Roman Reigns. Now aligned with The Bloodline, Rock will team with Roman Reigns against Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania XL Saturday, the night before Rhodes vs. Reigns 2.
Rhodes’ primary focus is on the Tribal Chief, but a one-on-one showdown with the Final Boss is inevitable. Wrestling legend Jeff Jarrett has seen it all and is certain that WWE is building towards Rock vs. Cody. On the latest episode of his My World podcast, Jarrett said SummerSlam on August 2 would be the ideal setting for this blockbuster attraction.
“So we can fantasy book all we want. Will we see Rock vs. Cody at some point. Our running thread is creative is subjective, and you have to factor in, I mean, all the obvious..”
The primary factors that would affect this match taking place are The Rock’s Hollywood commitments, as well as each man remaining healthy.
“So many things to factor in, but the short answer is absolutely you will [see the match],” said Jarrett.
The Rock’s WWE Schedule (2024)
While The Rock will be at WWE WrestleMania 40, he’s expected not to be sticking around with WWE afterward. This year, he has several movies slated to be in production, including The Smashing Machine and Moana 2. However, he may still be involved with WWE by August.
Jarrett’s co-host Conrad Thompson also pointed out that the former WWE Champion is also on the board of TKO Group Holding. As a board member, The Rock could have more incentive to want to compete in a big match at WWE SummerSlam. However, it will depend on whether he can get through his movie production schedule and find the time to be involved with WWE as a wrestler.
Rhodes and The Rock have done a great job teasing a match to get fans interested. It will be on The Rock and WWE to make it work for the big summer event.
Nic Nemeth is really enjoying the story told between The Rock and Cody Rhodes, even getting himself worked up talking about it.
On Friday’s edition of Busted Open Radio, Nemeth was asked by Dave LaGreca what he thought of The Rock’s promo last Friday night on SmackDown where he went babyface on the city of Memphis, but heel on the mother of Cody Rhodes.
Nemeth says if being a heel was your play, it would be helpful to the story to be witty, but you have to make some moments count. Nemeth said he’d just like to see a little bit less of the “90’s jokey humor” and understand there’s some real life behind-the-scenes arch taking place right now.
“Let’s have it be where it’s so personal, it’s not jokey, it’s not catchphrase-y, it’s not ‘let’s sell t-shirts’, it’s ‘let’s sell this story and put a**es in seats even more than it already is, everyone is doing great, but there’s just something about that, man, I wish there could be just that little more realism that we’re kind of getting little teases of.”
He did say that times are different now where wrestling roles have been blurred, but he would like to see The Rock take another harrowing stab at the ribs of Rhodes.
“I would love just one more little twist of the knife of realism into the guts of Cody just to give one last piece to go, ‘You have to beat all these people to get by. Let’s do it.’”
Nemeth then also went on to say that he loved Rhodes’ rebuttal to The Rock as a whole on WWE Raw. Just seeing the clips out of context, he thought at first that they were trying to go “Attitude Era,” but then once he did the homework and watched the full segment, he really liked it.
Please credit “Busted Open Radio” and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.
The Rock has received quite a bit of attention thanks to the fact that he has cut some non-PG promos in recent memory, especially online. This came after WWE sent out a memo reminding talent that they need to keep it clean. The story traveled all over the pro wrestling business, especially into Eric Bischoff’s line of sight.
Eric Bischoff is never short on opinions, and this is certainly the case yet again. Regarding reports of WWE talent’s discontent with The Rock’s promos, Bischoff suggested they may be exaggerated and emphasized the need for transparency in wrestling journalism.
The Backstory
I exclusively reported that a recent memo highlighted the mandate for talent to follow PG guidelines on TV and social media. Despite this, The Rock’s use of profanity, like in a recent promo, has raised questions among talent about double standards. They wonder why he’s allowed to curse while others aren’t.
I was told that the thinking among some talent, not the entire locker room, but SOME talent, is that “even if he is the big movie star, shouldn’t everyone play by the same rules? So he can curse and use that to get over, but everyone else is handcuffed?”
Eric Bischoff Weighs In
On the latest episode of Strictly Business, Eric Bischoff discussed various aspects of the wrestling business and WWE talent’s reported issues with The Rock’s promos. Bischoff expressed optimism about the wrestling industry’s overall state, citing its growing revenue and global appeal, particularly with WWE’s expanding reach and the excitement surrounding events like WrestleMania.
Regarding the state of the wrestling business, Bischoff emphasized the importance of revenue as the ultimate metric of success, highlighting WWE’s efforts in securing sponsorships and hosting premium live events like WrestleMania. While television ratings may raise questions, Bischoff noted the industry’s revenue growth and highlighted AEW’s collaboration with Warner Brothers Discovery as a positive development. He also cautioned against excessive violence and reliance on shock value, suggesting it could deter potential partners and advertisers.
On the topic of scripted promos and The Rock’s use of explicit language, Bischoff cautioned against overreliance on that vulgar shock value. He suggested that occasional use of explicit language could enhance storytelling but warned against its excessive use. Bischoff then speculated that WWE might be aiming to strike a balance between creative freedom and maintaining control over the product.
“They have [been entertaining], and I agree with you. I would love to see us get away from them [scripted promos]. When I say us, I don’t mean content-wise as much. It’s not like — I mean, the kind of language that we’re talking about, the kind of stuff that Rock has been saying, particularly in social media. Occasionally, appropriately done, can enhance the story or the moment and make it more interesting and feel more real and honest. Because that is how people talk. It’s how politicians talk, it’s how teachers talk. It’s how business executives talk. Maybe not in public, not when they’re on camera, but it is the conversation of our life across the board for the most part.”
“Not everybody, but for the most part. And sometimes, done judiciously and appropriately, yeah it can make things feel more real. It can have that kind of — I don’t want to say shock value because nobody is shocked. But it definitely makes you take notice when you hear something in terms of, you know, F-bombs or whatever that you wouldn’t normally hear on television. It gets your attention, that’s the purpose of it. But when it’s done too frequently, it then becomes boring. It becomes a crutch. That’s the best way to say it, it becomes a crutch. Much like blood and extreme violence, and jumping off a f**king ladder that the referee’s holding for you onto a plate of glass when there’s nobody around, just so you can say you did it… if that’s as far as you’re going to have to appeal to your audience and you rely upon that too much, it hurts the product overall. Because you’re relying on that, as opposed to great character and great story.”
WWE & Profanities
Cody Rhodes’ promo on WWE RAW this week included some notable profanities, and The American Nightmare delivered his lines like a champ. He had to answer back to The Rock’s profanity-filled rant, and now we will have to see what happens next.
Profanities can be valuable, if used correctly. AEW certainly saw the negative effects of dropping double-digit number of S-bombs in one two-hour show, and they have since toned things down greatly. Only time will tell if WWE will open up their roster to allow a bit more of an edge to their promos, but it’s really all about keeping a balance.
SEScoops will keep our eye on this story, and so much more, as we continue down the road to WrestleMania. You never know what will happen next, but we will be here with the headlines that you need.
Brian Gewirtz may be the former WWE head writer, but he’s not afraid to put the pen down and speak up when his name gets mentioned.
On Monday’s WWE Raw, the wrestling world was waiting to hear what Cody Rhodes had to say in response to The Rock and “The American Nightmare” pulled zero punches. Like The Rock has done in the past, Rhodes decorated his words with some colorful language and got more than one eyebrow raised other than The Rock himself. That included putting his “Final Boss” moniker into question.
“You have referred to yourself as ‘The Final Boss’, kudos to Brian Gewirtz for that nickname, perhaps you are the actual, literal ‘final boss. ‘Perhaps I am too naive to see that, but at WrestleMania, I don’t think you’re going to be the ‘final boss.’ At WrestleMania, I think you’re just Roman’s side chick.”
However, Gewirtz took to Twitter/X that he wasn’t the originator of that nickname, but did put something else on Rocky’s radar.
“Final Boss” isn’t anything I came up with. The Rock calls himself that because he is that. If it makes you feel better Cody Rhodes, I was the first to tell him about your spectacularly stupid goofy ass dog.”
The Rock has arguably garnered the most heat by taking shots at Pharaoh, Rhodes’ lovable white husky dog who many fans are familiar with since the early AEW days. Rhodes would notoriously bring Pharaoh along to Starrcast events and have meet and greets with the pooch in order to raise money for charity, but The Rock has been unabashed in his targets.
So far on Rock’s list, he’s taken shots at Pharaoh and Cody’s mom, Michelle Rubio, who on Raw, Cody made clear that Michelle isn’t afraid of “The Final Boss.” The Rock will be on the “go-home” show of WWE Raw.
The Rock will be part of the final episode of Monday Night Raw ahead of WrestleMania 40, as confirmed by the TKO Board member himself this week.
Taking to Twitter, The Rock vowed that he will electrify when he appears on the April 1, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw. The Bloodline’s newest member also encouraged fans to “sit back” and “enjoy the ride” that he is taking the WWE Universe on.
THE FINAL BOSS WILL ELECTRIFY BROOKLYN ON MONDAY NIGHT RAW????
Now sit back, shut your mouths and ENJOY THE RIDE THE ROCK IS TAKING ALL YOUR CANDY ASSES ON ?
There’s no confirmation as to what The Rock will be doing on the go-home Raw ahead of WrestleMania 40. At the two-night Premium Live Event, Rock will team with Roman Reigns to face Seth Rollins & Cody Rhodes. Should The Bloodline win, then the following night’s Undisputed WWE Universal title match between Rhodes & Reigns will be under ‘Bloodline Rules.’ If Cody and Seth emerge on top, there will be no Bloodline involvement with the WrestleMania 40: Sunday main event.
The Rock After WrestleMania
The Rock will have a huge role to play at WrestleMania, but there have been questions as to will be next for him after April 7. It is believed within WWE that the upcoming tag-team match will not be the Brahma Bull’s last time competing in WWE. Many are still hopeful to see The Rock Vs. Roman Reigns, a match initially penciled in for WrestleMania before the fan backlash and ‘We Want Cody’ movement led to WWE changing course.
As to when that match will take place is something of a mystery. The Rock will be filming for ‘The Smashing Machine’ from May to August of this year which will mean he can’t compete in WWE. Options for when Rock Vs. Reigns could take place include SummerSlam (though it seems unlikely), WWE’s second Saudi show of 2024 or WrestleMania 41.
Greatness recognizes greatness even if two legends are working for two different companies like The Rock and Ric Flair.
The Rock had one of his memorable promos this past Friday night in Memphis, TN as he serenaded Music City with one of his ‘rock concerts.’ Dwayne Johnson then went on to take jabs at his forthcoming WrestleMania 40 opponents in Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes before changing his target to Cody’s mom.
The Rock got serious and told Cody’s mother that he’d be handing her a bloody weightlifting belt after he whips his son like a dog with it, then used a closing lyric from his movie, “Moana.”
Flair was impressed and took to social media to put “The People’s Champ” over big-time as a promo, noting that he believes Rocky is even better than him.
“My Friend The Rock, You Are The Most Entertaining Motherf*cker In The Entire History Of The Wrestling Business And I’ve Seen Them All, Including Myself, But I Pale In Comparison! I’m So Thankful For Our Friendship & Respect. God Bless You! You Are The F*cking Man! WOOOOO!”
My Friend @TheRock, You Are The Most Entertaining Motherf*cker In The Entire History Of The Wrestling Business And I’ve Seen Them All, Including Myself, But I Pale In Comparison! I’m So Thankful For Our Friendship & Respect. God Bless You! You Are The F*cking Man! WOOOOO! pic.twitter.com/wqcBOqIsWJ
Flair also made the same post on Instagram and not long after SmackDown, The Rock happened to take notice of “The Nature Boy” and didn’t think he was deserving of the designation.
The content of The Rock’s promos is getting a lot of attention. He said that standards and practices were upset, and SEScoops also reported that there were some questions from talent about why Dwayne Johnson is allowed to pull off non TV-PG promos.
It was recently explained that FOX receives The Rock’s script in advance to anticipate censoring any inappropriate language, ensuring compliance with network standards. This allows The Rock more flexibility in his speech, with FOX preemptively bleeping out any offensive content to maintain a smooth broadcast.
WWE’s Approval Process
During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer discussed WWE’s television deal, noting that FOX receives The Rock’s script in advance to anticipate when to censor certain content. Despite the scripted nature of The Rock’s promos, FOX ensures they can bleep out any inappropriate language.
This arrangement highlights a unique dynamic where The Rock enjoys more flexibility in his promos while still adhering to network standards. Therefore, any potentially offensive content is preemptively addressed.
“The deal with the TV, what they (WWE) have to do is, FOX gets the (Rock’s) script ahead of time so they know when to bleep. Because the whole thing, the Rock’s promo, obviously it’s completely scripted.”
“But if it was anyone else, they would just be not allowed to say it, but with The Rock, it’s like, he can say whatever he wants, but they know what he’s gonna say and when he’s gonna say it, so anything they wanna bleep out, they will bleep out. And they know when to bleep it out because they’re told ahead of time.”
“So that’s kind of the gist of the promo and why certain things were bleeped out and everything like that, and they didn’t miss on anything.”
The Rock is Special
I exclusively reported that a recent memo emphasized the need for talent to follow PG guidelines on TV and social media. Despite this, The Rock’s use of profanity, like in a recent promo, has raised questions among talent about double standards. They wonder why he’s allowed to curse while others aren’t.
The Rock also fired off a response to anyone who has a problem with what he says. He made it clear that he does not give the slightest care about what anyone thinks about his promos. He’s there to be a heel, and that is exactly what he’s doing.
SEScoops will keep covering this story, just in care there are more updates. You never know what will happen on the road to WrestleMania, so keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines!
The Rock rocked Music City on Friday’s WWE SmackDown and happened to do so with extra time to spare, according to former WWE Head Writer, Brian Gewirtz.
WWE was in Memphis, TN for SmackDown and it was The Rock who kicked off the festivities. Unlike he did in past weeks, The People’s Champ didn’t run down the hometown of Elvis, calling it “home” himself as he got his start there as Flex Kavana with Memphis Wrestling. However, the gloves came off when it came to Seth Rollins, Cody Rhodes, and particularly, Cody’s mom, which was The Rock’s main target.
However, a report from Fightful Select said that The Rock went over way his time for the segment and that one match was cut for time. The Rock going over was reportedly expected with accomodations likely set, but Brian Gewirtz took to social media to dispel the notion that The Rock ran late.
“The segment went 30 seconds under its allotted 20 minutes.”
Gewirtz has been The Rock’s go-to guy as a writer since both were in WWE and the two have obviously played a big role since getting back into the WWE fold.
Whether The Rock does go over time, it really “doesn’t matter” considering he’s such a huge star and is on WWE’s Board Of Directors. He notoriously has found different routes to get the word out about promoting his SmackDown appearances by utilizing social media and has already cut several memorable promos that he also sprinkled with colorful language not suited for television.
The Rock couldn’t care less that there have been issues with the language he uses on WWE programming and has declared that he is shooting “from the hip.”
On the March 15, episode of SmackDown, the Brahma Bull brought back his Hollywood theme and performed in a special ‘Rock Concert.’ The Bloodline member took aim at Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes, two men he’ll face at WrestleMania 40: Saturday.
As sources exclusively told SE Scoops, talent were recently reminded about adhering to the company’s PG guidelines on TV and social media. This has led to some resentment in WWE as many see a double standard and believe The Rock is getting special treatment. The former WWE Champion has been able to curse in his social media promos and opened his most recent promo with an “are you f***ing kidding me?”
The Rock Responds
On Instagram, The Rock had a fiery response to the notion that his language is crossing a line on WWE programming. The Great One argued that he’d “rather be real than not.” He added, “I talk from the heart, shoot from the hip, and try to always have fun.” The Rock signed off with his self-prescribed new moniker as the ‘Final Boss.’
The Rock gets to do a lot of things that normal WWE Superstars aren’t allowed to do. This includes going over time, and he certainly took full advantage of his position this week on SmackDown.
We previously reported that The Rock’s musical promo ran over time this week on the March 15th episode of SmackDown. Now, we know one match that was cut down from two segments to just 11 minutes, which is a good indication that this is where WWE trimmed the show for The Rock’s overrun. Angel Garza and Humberto’s match was initially slated for two segments, but it ultimately lasted for a total of 11 minutes, including both their entrances and the post-match segment.
WWE Made Edit to Match
The Rock had quite a time on SmackDown this week. His freedom is evident, and as a member of the TKO board of directors, there isn’t much that is off limits. He obviously doesn’t have to wrap things up when they tell him he’s run out of time.
Sean Ross Sapp noted on Fightful Select that Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo’s match was actually slated to go longer, but that wasn’t what happened when the show went live.
Angel Garza & Humberto’s match was scheduled for two segments. It ended up getting 11 minutes with entrances and post match.
The Rock’s Latest Controversy
I exclusively reported that a recent memo emphasized the need for talent to follow PG guidelines on TV and social media. Despite this, The Rock’s use of profanity, like in a recent promo, raised questions among talent about double standards. They wondered why he was allowed to curse while others weren’t.
I learned that The Rock’s viral promos, where he frequently curses, including opening his recent social media promo with “are you f*cking kidding me?” about Cody, has made some talent raise questions. There’s a sense of a double standard at play, especially considering it’s Dwayne Johnson we’re discussing.
It appears that The Rock has the freedom to use profanity liberally on social media, while the rest of the roster is expected to adhere to PG guidelines. Additionally, there’s questioning among talent about why The Rock receives special treatment.
The sentiment among some is that, “even if he is the big movie star, shouldn’t everyone play by the same rules? So he can curse and use that to get over, but everyone else is handcuffed?”
SEScoops will keep a close eye on this story for additional updates. You never know what will break next, especially on the road to WrestleMania 40.
The Rock took over SmackDown this week with a twenty-minute concert/promo. That being said, the company didn’t initially have that much time blocked off for him.
It is now reported that The Rock’s concert on the March 15th episode of WWE SmackDown actually ran long. That being said, this also wasn’t a huge surprise.
The Rock Runs Over Time
Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that The Rock’s segment on SmackDown this week went way over time. Then again, this didn’t really surprise anyone, because we’re talking about Dwayne Johnson.
It was reported that, although The Rock’s musical segment went long, it was honestly expected to go longer than planned.
The Rock’s concert was only scheduled for one segment, but those backstage told us “of course” they knew it would go longer.
Triple H was also wise to book The Rock’s segment as the first in the two-hour show. This gave him a lot more room to be creative when it came to trimming the rest of the show to make room for The Great One.
Double Standard With The Rock
I exclusively reported that a recent memo from Nick Khan, Paul Levesque, and Dan Ventrille emphasized the importance of following PG guidelines on both television and social media platforms.
Despite this directive, The Rock has been observed using profanity, including opening a recent social media promo with “are you fucking kidding me?” in reference to Cody. This has led some talent to question why The Rock appears to receive special treatment, allowing him to curse while others are expected to strictly adhere to the guidelines.
There’s a sentiment among some talent that if The Rock, despite his status as a big movie star, can use profanity to connect with the audience, then everyone should have the same freedom to do so.
SEScoops will have more on this story as additional information is made available. For additional headlines and stories, please keep checking back with us throughout the day!
The Rock is back in WWE, and having a great time as a heel. It also seems that the rules don’t apply to him.
I can exclusively report that a recent memo emphasized the need for talent to follow PG guidelines on TV and social media. Despite this, The Rock’s use of profanity, like in a recent promo, has raised questions among talent about double standards. They wonder why he’s allowed to curse while others aren’t.
I am told that Nick Khan, Paul Levesque, Dan Ventrelle sent out a memo “the other week” about how talent needs to adhere to PG guidelines on TV and also on social media. The Rock, like most things in his life at this point, is getting a bit of special treatment.
WWE is under the TKO banner, and a publicly traded company. They also need to adhere to TV-PG guidelines. That being said, there seems to be an exception that is getting under some talent’s skin.
The Rock Getting A Pass (Exclusive)
I was told that The Rock’s viral promos, where he keeps cursing, including opening up his social media promo this week with “are you f*cking kidding me?” about Cody, has rubbed some people the wrong way. There seems to be a feeling that we are seeing a double standard, because we’re talking about Dwayne Johnson here.
A message from the hottest heel pro wrestling has seen since the 80’s.
Mama Rhodes, you’re now in the Rock’s crosshairs.
Your son’s blood will be on the Rock’s belt, that I will personally deliver to you at WrestleMania.
It seems that The Rock is able to get away with dropping every flowery profanity he wants to on social media, while the rest of the roster are wearing PG handcuffs. I was additionally told that talent are asking why The Rock is getting a pass.
I was told that the thinking is that “even if he is the big movie star, shouldn’t everyone play by the same rules? So he can curse and use that to get over, but everyone else is handcuffed?”
WWE higher-ups sent out a memo a few weeks ago to talent, reminding them that they need to stick to PG language, even on social media.
Then The Rock gets to drop as many F bombs as he wants to online, even on live television. Now, there is a problem.
The Rock will wrestle alongside Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 in a tag team match, but that was not the match he wanted. He wanted a singles match against Roman, but now he will face Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in tag team action. Dwayne Johnson’s original plan had to shift, and I exclusively covered that story as it unfolded.
Lia Maivia, the grandmother of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame next month. While WWE has yet to announce the news, this would make Maivia the final inductee in the Class of 2024, and The Rock had a huge hand in making that happen.
Dwayne Johnson is also on the TKO board of directors. This is something that a lot of people have brought into his storyline, and it might be more of a shoot than some fans realize. He is obviously afforded certain privileges, but he also isn’t back for the long-term at all.
The Rock will remain on the TKO board of directors. His seat also came with $30 million in company stock, and a WrestleMania match. He may come back for another match, but he will have to work it into his Hollywood schedule.
The Rock’s next movie, The Smashing Machine, will start shooting on May 1st. That doesn’t give him a lot of time after WrestleMania to get prepared fro his next project. SEScoops will have more on this story, and so much more, as additional information is made available.
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant had an amusing response to The Rock taking a jab at him on last night’s Friday Night SmackDown. He saw The People’s Champ’s little remark about him like everyone else.
Ja Morant replied to The Rock’s dig at his gun situation by simply giving an animated gif in response. This paticular gif showed 50 Cent asking what TF did he do.
The Rock’s Jab at Ja Morant
‘The Great One’ has embraced his heel side, and he has been dropping bombshells on the mic week after week. He also took over the blue brand with a musical segment for the Memphis crowd.
During the musical affair on this week’s SmackDown, The Rock took a jibe at Morant and dropped a reference to his controversy involving a gun. “The Rock” sang the following:
“You’re simply an embarrassment, son. Just like Ja Morant when he’s waving a gun. I love you, Ja!”
NBA suspended the Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant for as many as 25 games without pay due to the gun controversy. This marked his second major suspension in a couple of months after his appearance on social media, waving a gun.
It’s worth noting that after he departed a social event in Memphis on May 13, Morant went on to take a selfie in a car and posed with his gun on a live stream. A statement from the NBA stated that he had already served an eight-game, non-paying suspension for having a gun on March 4 during a livestream at a club in the Denver area while also being intoxicated.
Ja Morant responds
Despite being in hot waters, Morant took the jab sportingly and responded to The Rock on social media. He posted the popular 50 Cent meme which was the “What I Do” meme from a previous dispute that 50 Cent had about boxing legend Floyd Mayweather.
Currently, Morant is recuperating from shoulder surgery and has been on the sidelines. Following his suspension, in January he sustained a separated shoulder which put him on the shelf for the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, The Rock is set to team up with Roman Reigns and take on the team of Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night One of WrestleMania 40. If the heels win the big Mania match, then it will be Bloodline Rules for Cody vs Roman on night 2.