Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has finally addressed fan backlash and media criticism following his notable absence from WrestleMania 41, despite his central role in the storyline that led up to WWE’s biggest annual event.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, The Rock gave new insight into the creative process leading up to Elimination Chamber 2025. He revealed that concerns about ticket sales for the event prompted the need for a powerful storyline direction — one that eventually led to John Cena turning heel by attacking WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.
“It was Triple H who ultimately came up with the idea to turn Cena heel,” The Rock said, confirming that the seismic storyline shift was a collaborative effort designed to energize the road to WrestleMania 41.
After Elimination Chamber, where Cena’s heel turn and alliance with The Rock stunned the WWE Universe, The Rock stepped away from WWE television. He explained that, in his eyes, the “Final Boss” character had served its narrative purpose, and the spotlight now belonged to Cena and Rhodes.
Despite this rationale, many fans — and members of the wrestling media — expected The Rock to play a larger role at WrestleMania. His complete absence from the event triggered widespread speculation and some backlash.
Among the loudest voices was Busted Open Radio’s Dave LaGreca, who criticized The Rock’s disappearance during WrestleMania weekend. In response, The Rock took to social media and posted a direct — and sarcastic — rebuttal:
“Hi Dave, the business is a complete work. Always has been, always will be. Every aspect of it. Every match. Every interview. Please join me, Cody, Cena, Brian and the rest of us for our creative discussions so you can expand your perspective. Until then, stop ranting, it’s not healthy my friend. Enjoy the show. P.S., tell Bubba I have Grand Marnier and hush puppies for all of us 🥂😂”
The post quickly went viral, with fans and wrestlers reacting to The Rock’s firm but humorous defense of his creative decisions. His tweet underlined a core point: wrestling is a collaborative work, and the decision to step aside was made with storyline integrity — and long-term payoff — in mind.
Despite the controversy, WrestleMania 41 proved massively successful at the box office. The absence of The Rock may still linger in fan discussions, but the road ahead — especially with Cena’s historic 17th title reign — remains unpredictable.
Stay locked to PWMania.com for more on John Cena’s heel run, The Rock’s future WWE plans, and all the fallout from WrestleMania 41.
