As we previously reported here on eWn, The Rock vs. Roman Reigns is currently planned to headline this year’s WrestleMania 40 pay-per-view event.
On Friday night’s episode of WWE SmackDown, Cody Rhodes revealed that he wouldn’t challenge Roman Reigns at this year’s “Showcase of the Immortals.” He then introduced The Rock.
The segment drew a variety of comments from people within WWE and Fightful Select has shared some of those remarks.
According to sources, Rhodes was very professional around the situation, but he seemed “somber” at SmackDown.
WWE has reportedly taken note of posts featuring online polls, dislikes on social media, and mainstream coverage about the matter. While the backstage aspect of the situation could be a work, and if it is indeed a work or is heading there, that is being kept quiet.
One source said, “Well, this is preferable to the coverage of Vince McMahon [and the allegations around him], but that’s not going anywhere either. At least with this there can be peaks and valleys, and some sane people can justify it. With the coverage we were getting last week, it was all negative.” Several people had similar thoughts and one source was quoted as saying, “maybe the company prefers to appear inept than malicious by proxy of Vince.”
Some people in WWE were “in denial” about the situation being as one-sided as it is in terms of online reactions and reactions at house shows.
Many people stated that nothing has yet been officially announced, and some talents aren’t quite as down on the matter as others.
One top Superstar said, “I think Rock vs. Roman is a great match to have at Mania. Fans are excited and Cody will still get a huge match and all this will do is make the fans rally behind him even more coming out of it anyway so it’s still fine.”
A newer wrestler on the main roster said, “Dwayne is impossible to dislike if you meet him, and I think that a lot of what he’s built himself on would be undermined by actually going through with something like this. If you listen to so many of the things he’s said, especially to people like me, it just makes me think that it won’t happen the way it appears.”
People in the company believe that the planned matches for WrestleMania 40 are The Rock vs. Reigns and Seth Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes. However, it’s always possible for top matches on the WrestleMania card to change in the lead-up to the show.
One talent noted, “Rock got cheered at SmackDown, and booed on the screen at the house show. They’ll show it on screen at RAW, then the presser in Vegas and Smackdown will be telling. Will he even be around for Smackdown? I don’t know.”
Another talent cited, “If I know Dwayne like I think I know him, perception is very important to him. So I think the chances are high that he takes this head on and addresses it in some capacity.”
No one appears to be worried about how Rhodes would end up coming out of this and everyone expects him to roll with the punches of the situation.
One thing that was brought to attention was how Reigns and Rollins have criticized each other’s championships.
When asked about the matter and if there were any real issues around it, a WWE higher-up replied, “Look who we’re in business with now [TKO and the UFC]. That happens all the time. One champion has a reason their title is more valid than another’s. Perception is reality in that kind of situation. We definitely want to create that discussion. Do you value the guy who isn’t around as much and beat everyone, or do you value the guy who is around all the time and Roman didn’t actually beat? It’s not an accident.”
