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Some stories have gone on for so long that they begin to take on a life of their own. It’s starting to feel like The Rock vs. Roman Reigns has reached such mythical status.
Over the last few years, the hope for a dream match featuring the two WWE superstars has reached a fever pitch.
As of today, it’s hard to remember when the suggestion for the match even originated. Nevertheless, it becomes a talking point ahead of WrestleMania just about every year. Of course, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see why WWE would like to see these two generational stars face off on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
This unparalleled marquee matchup is the type of promotional tool the company used to build its biggest pay-per-view event of the year. It would undoubtedly draw millions of views and generate more ticket sales, but is it really possible at this point?
One could argue that the possibility of one last match from the most successful crossover star in pro wrestling history has become a white whale. Sure, The Rock has said he is open to it, and Reigns is the perfect opponent for this generation for several reasons. However, when do we start discussing whether that window is closing?
As the saying goes, never say never when it comes to wrestling. We’ve seen much more seemingly improbable outcomes come to fruition in 2022 alone. After all, Stone Cold Steve Austin wrestled in the main event of The Show of Shows in April following his retirement in 2003.
So, The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment could still step into the ring again to take on The Tribal Chief. Many believe it will happen at SoFi Stadium next year as WWE returns to Hollywood. For now, let's break down the timeline of this ongoing rumor and the most recent updates.
As far as we can tell, the fantasy book for this star-studded match tracks back to 2018 when rumors surfaced online ahead of WrestleMania 35. Supposedly, The Rock was set to return, win the Royal Rumble, and challenge Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship at the event.
In December, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter debunked this claim as an unsubstantiated rumor. According to the respected pro wrestling historian, the company planned to book the match even before Reigns went public with his leukemia diagnosis. He later confirmed that it was "not true at all” on the F4WOnline message board.
The Big Dog eventually made his triumphant return on the Feb. 25, 2019, episode of Raw and went on to wrestle Drew McIntyre at The Showcase of the Immortals. Still, the excitement around an encounter with The Brahma Bull didn’t die down. In fact, it ramped back up ahead of the next road to ‘Mania season.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the world to shut down, and WWE had to host its iconic event in an empty arena for the first time in the history of the company. Even more, Reigns pulled out of the show amid a build toward a clash with Goldberg at Raymond James Stadium. As a result, the Samoan star went on a five-month hiatus.
During that time, The Rock sparked interest in the dream match again. He seemed optimistic when asked about it as a part of a Q&A on Instagram Live.
"I think anything is possible," he said (h/t Kellie Haulotte of Wrestling Inc). "Sure, of course, I'm always open. That's the cool thing about professional wrestling: There is an adaptability to wrestling. You never say never in the world of pro wrestling.”
"You never say never to Vince McMahon, who has been one of my mentors in the business for a very long time. Very, very close friend and confidant. You never say 'no.' For something like that to happen, I think the venue would have to be right. The business model would have [to] be right. But I'm very close with Roman—he's family to me, so we will see."
The rest–as they say–is history. Reigns came back to WWE at SummerSlam 2020 and surprisingly turned heel. The long-awaited character change turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to him. His transformation into The Tribal Chief will eventually go down as one of the best reinventions of all time.
It’s impossible to discount how much his shift into The Head of Table upped the ante for fans hoping to see him finally wrestle another famous member of the Anoa’i family. Now, this blockbuster matchup had a compelling reason for them to go head-to-head to match its hype and potential drawing power.
On Feb. 15, 2020, WWE announced that Hollywood would be the destination for The Greatest Spectacle in Sports Entertainment the following year. That seemed an ideal venue for this showdown.
According to WrestleTalk, the company hoped The Rock would return in late 2020 to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania next year. However, that would depend “on a variety of factors, including COVID and Rock’s movie schedule.”
In December of the same year, WrestlingNews.co reported that Vince McMahon didn’t think “that WrestleMania 37 would be the time for the match to happen.” Their source said the former CEO didn’t “know how many fans will be allowed to attend the show," adding: "He definitely wants fans there, and we will probably have to implement social distancing, but he would rather wait until WrestleMania 38 if Rock wants to do it, but we can’t do the show in [Los Angeles].”
On Jan. 16, 2021, The Granddaddy of Them All relocated to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fl. As a result, the event occurred at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, this year and was booked for SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, for 2023.
Ultimately, the highly sought-after leading man’s busy schedule didn’t permit him to participate in the festivities. In November 2021, he told Andrew Freund there was no truth to the rumors of an upcoming match at WrestleMania 38 during an interview with Dish Nation to promote Red Notice.
That didn’t stop fans from continuing to get their hopes up as WWE promoted Survivor Series as a celebration of the 25th anniversary of The Rock's debut at the event. Nevertheless, viewers quickly became disappointed when he didn’t make an appearance at the show. Instead, we got some bizarre segments featuring a golden egg as a promotional tie-in for his aforementioned Netflix film.
In February, Meltzer reported that “the idea for next year's event at SoFi Stadium is to have Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson vs. Roman Reigns and Ronda Rousey vs. Becky Lynch as its two big showcase matches.”
The sitcom based on Johnson’s life, Young Rock, even made light of the dream match and gave fans a new tease in April. Meanwhile, Meltzer reiterated that The People’s Champ vs. The Undisputed WWE Universal Champions is “100 percent the plan.”
For now, we will have to wait and see if this highly anticipated match finally ensues as WWE hosts its first WrestleMania in Hollywood since 2005. This certainly isn’t the last time you’ll hear about it.
Ronda Rousey has been such a curious case in 2022. The former UFC women's bantamweight champion made her surprise return to pro wrestling in January and won the women’s Royal Rumble match.
One would assume that her long-awaited reemergence would have made a more significant impact, but she has had some noticeable struggles.
Fan interest in The Baddest Woman on the Planet has diminished following her hiatus. However, she’s still one of the most recognizable stars on the roster. She still has enough star power to garner mainstream attention, and Fox sees her as an asset on SmackDown.
Unfortunately, WWE hasn’t been able to utilize her as well as it did during her rookie year.
A few questionable creative decisions hampered her buzz, forcing a bit of course correction over the summer. Now, the company will have to figure out how to make better use of her in 2023.
Although she has had some setbacks, that won’t be too difficult of a task. The new regime already seems to have a better handle on her character.
An Ideal WrestleMania Opponent
If everything goes as planned, it seems Rousey already has an opponent lined up for WrestleMania 39.
In February, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that WWE wants "Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson vs. Roman Reigns and Ronda Rousey vs. Becky Lynch as its two big showcase matches."
Although Triple H has taken over as head of creative since then, one would have to assume the marquee match is still on the table. Lynch was present at the launch party for The Show of Shows at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, and she has expressed interest in the matchup several times.
The Man even threw a jab at her famous rival during a recent appearance on the Out of Character podcast when asked about it. "Maybe if she starts training a little bit more," she said. "Maybe if she gets a little better."
The former Raw women’s champion is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury, but WWE hopes she will be back by the end of the year. The Man remains one of its top stars and a proven commodity at The Showcase of Immortals.
So, her eventual clash with Rousey is the biggest women’s match available for the company’s return to Hollywood. Even more, their heated rivalry would provide an excellent story next year.
Unfinished Business with Becky Lynch
Rousey vs. Lynch was the hottest story heading into WrestleMania 35. The Man’s iconic promo from the episode of Raw after her Royal Rumble win will go down as a career highlight.
It was a picture-perfect payoff to her star-making moment during the build to Survivor Series 2018 and the champion vs. champion match that never happened. Then, WWE overcomplicated the storyline and added Charlotte Flair, robbing fans of a highly anticipated one-on-one match.
At The Show of Shows, The Man handed The Baddest Woman on the Planet her first loss in the Winner Takes All Triple Threat match. However, Rousey injured her hand during the main event, and the finish left the door open for an inevitable rematch.
So much so that most viewers expected the 35-year-old to challenge for the Raw Women’s Championship in April. Instead, she teased an attempt on Jan. 31 before setting her sights on Flair.
This may have disappointed some fans, but that was right the call because the electricity from their first confrontation wasn't there anymore. In fact, keeping them apart for most of 2022 may have been a stroke of genius.
Lynch had abandoned The Man persona and was still in the middle of an ongoing feud with Bianca Belair. The development of their year-long story arc and their match from Night 1 of WrestleMania 38 was much better than a rematch with Rousey could have hoped to be right now.
It makes much more sense to allow both competitors to grow closer to the characters they were three years ago first. The fans are dying to cheer for The Man again and the natural progression from Big Time Becks will make her return more rewarding.
More importantly, the SmackDown women’s division desperately needs another star like The Man. She’s more synonymous with the blue brand because that’s where the persona originated. It’s also where she won her first singles title as The Irish Lass Kicker, so it feels right for her to go back to her roots.
Meanwhile, the awaiting champion is much better as an antagonist as opposed to an uninspiring babyface. Her recent feud with Liv Morgan was a much-needed change of direction.
The Verdict
We’re buying Rousey as the SmackDown women’s champion on the road to WrestleMania. WWE doesn’t really sell the event on matchups anymore, but she’s the high-profile star it needs to appear on mainstream outlets for a major show in Hollywood.
Her match with Lynch will likely headline a night at Sofi Stadium. Admittedly, Los Angeles provides a better stage for their showdown than Dallas. Also, swapping character dynamics and generating buzz for most of 2022 was a smart way to build their rematch.
Reigniting their feud is also the shot in the arm the SmackDown women’s division needs right now. The brand has lost many of its stars such as Sasha Banks, Naomi, and Flair, so this will be the perfect way to revitalize it next year.
On Sunday, Pro Wrestling Noah announced Shinsuke Nakamura will face The Great Muta on New Year’s Day. The revelation stunned the wrestling world, leading many to wonder how the stars aligned for a final matchup between the two.
The news will, undoubtedly, spark hope for more crossovers or partnerships, but it’s best to just enjoy another surreal moment in an unbelievable year.
Muta plans to retire next spring. The 38-year veteran has two more matches left on his farewell tour with Noah following his appearance over the weekend in a six-man tag match at Ariake Arena in Tokyo.
On Jan. 1, he will take one Nakamura in a one-on-one bout. Then, he will compete for one last time as The Great Muta persona when he teams up with Sting on Jan. 22 in Yokohama.
In addition, he will join Kazuchika Okada and Toru Yano in an encounter against The United Empire as his final appearance for New Japan Pro-Wrestling on Nov. 20 as a part of NJPW X Stardom Historic X-Over.
It’s unclear if the innovative Japanese legend has any more dates left to announce for next year. Nevertheless, this is a star-studded sendoff for a man who deserves to get his flowers while he can still smell them.
The Clash of Two of NJPW’s Defining Stars
To say Muta has been an incredibly influential performer almost seems like an understatement. He popularized the use of the green mist, which has become a staple in pro wrestling.
It inspired notable names like Tajiri, Kishin Liger and Asuka. He also pioneered many moves, such as the Shining Wizard, his famous moonsault, Dragon Screw leg whip and the Muta Lock.
While many mainstream U.S. fans may remember his stint with WCW, the 59-year-old made a name for himself with NJPW as Keiji Muto. He was instrumental in the company’s success in the early 1990s as one of the original Three Musketeers with Masahiro Chono and Shinya Hashimoto. They became the backbone of the promotion following Antonio Inoki’s generation.
In March 2002, Nakamura joined New Japan and developed into one of its fastest-rising stars. The Super Junior went on to become the youngest IWGP heavyweight champion in 2003. He, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Katsuyori Shibata became the new Three Musketeers as the company struggled to find a new identity.
Still, his initial reign was a bit forgettable because he sustained various injuries, which forced him to vacate the title after 58 days. When he returned, he unsuccessfully challenged Bob Sapp and famously wrestled Brock Lesnar at the Tokyo Dome before he went on an excursion in 2006.
After Inoki-ism failed to reinvent NJPW, Nakamura reemerged as one of its top stars and started his iconic feud with Tanahashi.
The King of Strong Style defeated his rival at Wrestle Kingdom II to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. His second reign put him on the map, as he became the first Japanese wrestler to beat Kurt Angle in a title unification in 2008.
This victory restored the lineage of NJPW’s top prize and helped him earn the respect of his peers. In March, Muto returned to the company as a representative from All Japan Pro Wrestling and defeated Nakamura for the title.
Together, the two generations of Musketeers have helped to revitalize the promotion and kick off its growth into the popular entity we know today.
The two Japanese legends haven’t stood toe-to-toe in the ring in 14 years. Coincidentally, sending the former intercontinental champion to Japan on behalf of WWE brings their last encounter full circle. It’s an excellent way to pay tribute to Muta and acknowledge his contributions to NJPW.
How Is This Miraculous Match Possible and What Does It Mean?
The King of Strong Style described the match as a "miracle" in his interview with Tokyo Sports (h/t PWMania.com). He pushed for talks with the new regime after Vince McMahon retired, and the two parties came to an agreement on Oct. 26 thanks in part to his persistence.
"Of course, I wanted to do it," Nakamura said. "I opened a door that no one had been able to pry open. Hahaha...it’s a real ‘Forbidden Door.’"
Some fans may see his joke about the “real” Forbidden Door as a jab at All Elite Wrestling, which recently entered a partnership with NJPW. However, many of us always expected those two companies to work together because they share a fanbase and The Elite originated in New Japan. Even more, Tony Khan was always open to working with other promotions.
Getting WWE to work with Noah was a much tougher task because it historically doesn’t enter into such talent exchanges. The move will likely create goodwill with the Japanese company, but fans shouldn’t expect this to turn into a full-blown partnership.
This seems more like a one-off appearance that worked out perfectly for Muta and Nakamura. Of course, never say never in pro wrestling. More preposterous things have happened in 2022 alone, but Triple H still seems to have his eye on global expansion for WWE rather than forging partnerships with other companies.
Still, it’s nice to know that his regime is more willing to help historic moments like this. It’s a good sign for the overall outlook on the future of the industry.
