The Rock’s WWE RAW Segment: Was It a Missed Opportunity for a Heel Turn?

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Last week, the fresh chapter of WWE RAW commenced on Netflix at the Inuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. Kicking off this thrilling transition was none other than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who announced the beginning of the promotion’s new era on the streaming platform.

Instead of being expected to appear as the ultimate villain again, similar to previous times, fans instead saw a different aspect of The Great One (Rock). Unexpectedly, The Rock expressed gratitude towards his rival Cody Rhodes for keeping WWE afloat throughout the past year. He also referred to Roman Reigns as the “Original Tribal Chief.

Fans were taken aback by The Rock’s unexpected behavior, as they had anticipated him challenging either Rhodes or Reigns. Later in the program, Roman Reigns engaged in a Tribal Combat fight with Solo Sikoa. In the end, Reigns emerged victorious, strengthening his status as the uncontested Tribal Chief. Yet, during Reigns’ celebration, The Rock made another unexpected entrance.

As I stood there, my heart pounding, The Final Boss loomed near, causing both Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman to show clear signs of worry. But then, a moment of triumph! The Great One extended the Ula Fala in my direction, a symbol of respect bestowed upon Roman Reigns following his hard-fought victory over Solo Sikoa. A powerful embrace ensued, a testament to their unbreakable bond.

In this instance, it felt as though The Rock was handing over his mantle to Roman Reigns. WWE Hall of Famer and relative to both stars, Rikishi, expressed disappointment that The Final Boss didn’t capitalize on the chance to switch to a villainous role.

Rikishi weighs in on the missed opportunity for The Rock heel turn on WWE RAW

In the “Rikishi Off The Top” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi discussed an encounter between Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (also known as The Great One) and Roman Reigns following their match. He expressed that this was a strategic move for The Rock to either endorse or hand over the mantle to Roman Reigns (i.e., validate or pass the torch). While he found the moment touching, he also believed it was an opportune moment for The Rock to transform into a villain (heel in wrestling terms).

He expressed, “When I witnessed that occur on Monday Night Raw, it was a breathtaking moment, indeed. Yet, it also felt like, ‘If I were to switch allegiances, if you understand, if The Rock decided to switch sides, what an ideal opportunity for such a move.’

Instead, During his WWE NXT performance, The Rock spoke about his past actions, leading some fans to wonder if his apparent kindness could be part of a more complex strategy he has planned out in advance.

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2025-01-13 22:10