Can Roman Reigns hold on to his title?

By David Craig

Published: Saturday, 03 February 2024 at 12:13 PM

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Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson made a surprise appearance on WWE’s Smackdown last night, where a major fight was announced for the upcoming Wrestlemania 40.

Arguably the biggest star to emerge from the long-running wrestling institution, The Rock has made intermittent appearances since embarking on a Hollywood career – fronting blockbusters such as Black Adam, Red Notice, Jumanji and Jungle Cruise.

At the start of the year, the wrestler-turned-actor and businessman joined the board of directors at WWE’s parent company, TKO Group, in a move that also gave him full ownership of his well-known pseudonym.

This might be what paved the way for The Rock’s surprise return this weekend, confirming a dramatic bout with his own cousin – current WWE champion Roman Reigns – at April’s Wrestlemania 40.

The announcement was made by challenger Cody Rhodes, who named The Rock as one of several individuals who had been giving him “counsel” in his mission to bring down Reigns.

Following a dramatic entrance, The Rock and Roman engaged in a tense stare down as Cody left the ring, which appears to have left fans divided.

While the audience in the stadium was going wild for the reveal, some viewers have argued that Cody’s actions aren’t in-keeping with his character, raising questions over whether The Rock’s return is for business reasons or storyline ones.

Whatever the case, there is sure to be major drama to come at the much-anticipated event – check out last night’s reveal below, courtesy of WWE’s official YouTube channel.