The Rock, Roman Reigns & Cody Rhodes Have WWE On Fire

The Rock’s Heel Character is on Hollywood Hulk Hogan Level

When The Rock met Roman Reigns in the center of the ring on a Friday night Smackdown , fans were excited, but since it was publicly discussed in the last 12 months, it felt out of place with Reigns already having a built-in story with Cody Rhodes. The reaction was so loud that the WWE changed its course and decided to make The Rock into a heel at their kickoff show in Las Vegas, NV, during Super Bowl Week. Even though it felt like The Rock was forcing it a bit, it was like riding a bike. Once The Rock got in his groove, it was time to take the fans for the wildest ride they’ve ever been on.

The Rock has been performing with little to no rules regarding language and actions during his promo segments. Nothing is off limits, and he has shown that from city to city. A funny thing occurred as the deeper he went into his heel character, the larger the crowd at Smackdown. It became a situation where he sold out arenas every time it was announced he would be there. The Rock even went into his vintage Versace shirt and black shades look from back in the day but upgraded to current times.

The difference now is that he has a tool like social media to add to his heel character. He’s used it to cut unfiltered promos, and all those videos have gone viral. This latest heel version of The Rock will go down as one of the best, making this year’s WrestleMania one of the most anticipated in recent years.

Roman Reigns Is Doing More With Less

There isn’t much to say about Roman Reigns’ involvement in the storyline, as it’s been more about The Rock & Cody Rhodes than anything else, but that is a great thing. Reigns has been doing more with less, as his facial reactions and little gestures throughout his promos have been homeruns. It adds to the mystique of WrestleMania weekend, as no one knows what he will do. Is Roman Reigns going to turn on The Rock during Night 1? Will The Rock cost Reigns the match on Nights 1 & 2? Reigns has been quietly playing the background, but his lack of participation in all of this makes the storyline much thicker, making fans wonder what will happen. When you can have fans debating on how things will play out, that’s when you know the storyline is hitting on all cylinders.

Cody Rhodes Is The New John Cena Or Is He?

There was no way you thought Cody Rhodes would be this over when he signed to the WWE and showed up for the first time. Rhodes is having a John Cena–type run as he’s become one of the faces of the company. He stays after the final match at every venue to talk to the crowd in attendance. At times, he has committed himself to weddings, gender reveals, etc. This has been a massive build-up, which the WWE has labeled “Finish the Story.” That story is Rhodes winning the WWE title that his father Dusty was never able to win when he was an active wrestler. The arenas are getting louder and louder for Cody Rhodes, and he seems genuinely enjoying this whole ride.

The storyline with Roman Reigns was solid, but the minute The Rock got involved and made it personal by involving families, the real genius material started to come out. Rhodes played the good guy to the point where he was pushed too far and began to fight fire with fire. Rhodes started to curse a little more and took some digs at The Rock & Roman Reigns, which blended storyline with reality. One thing that the hardcore wrestling fans should’ve picked up on was that right before Cody decided to do that, he mentioned having his “Club” cufflinks on. That was a shout to his character in New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) when he was the leader of the Bullet Club. It was an indie & edgy version of what used to be the NWO and is still running in NJPW. On Monday, Cody Rhodes made a “too sweet” gesture, kissed it, made a handgun gesture (Both Bullet Club signs), and pointed at the WrestleMania sign.

What does that all mean, and will it affect WrestleMania? That’s another part of this genius-level storyline that will keep the fans guessing. Will Cody Rhodes finish his story, or will the story just begin? Is the buildup so significant that Cody Rhodes cannot match that level of hype with his in-ring performance? These questions would not be asked if Cody Rhodes, The Rock, and Roman Reigns hadn’t delivered this outstanding storyline.

How Does This All End?

That million-dollar question doesn’t seem like it will be answered until we all witness how WrestleMania Night 1 & 2 conclude. The Rock kept saying from the start that he would take the fans on a ride they had never been on, and if that stays true, expect the unexpected on WrestleMania weekend. Regardless, Cody Rhodes, The Rock, and Roman Reigns have WWE scorching hot, and everyone worldwide is here for it.