WWE President Nick Khan recently stirred controversy when he told the Sports Business Journal that plans for WrestleMania XL never changed and that WWE legend The Rock was always scheduled to participate in a tag team match at the event. This assertion raised eyebrows among fans and experts, especially since WWE had previously acknowledged in the WrestleMania XL documentary that they were forced to adjust their plans.
According to Fightful Select, Khan’s claims have been contradicted. The report indicated that The Rock had informed Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes ahead of the Royal Rumble that he did not intend to interfere with WWE’s plans for the WrestleMania event. However, by the time the Royal Rumble occurred, that situation had changed.
The report further noted that on the day of the Royal Rumble, word circulated that The Rock would indeed be wrestling at WrestleMania XL, and Rhodes had been informed that adjustments had been made to the WrestleMania plans. After winning the Royal Rumble, Rhodes ultimately stepped aside for The Rock, which sparked outrage on social media over Dwayne Johnson’s involvement in the WrestleMania main event at the expense of The American Nightmare.
Rhodes has since indicated, both publicly and privately, that if fans were aware of the original plans for him at WrestleMania, they would have been even more upset. However, the specifics of those plans remain unknown.
As a result of the changes, WWE made adjustments, and The Rock turned heel, aligning himself with World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns and debuting his iconic Final Boss character. He engaged in a memorable feud with Rhodes leading up to WrestleMania XL and participated in a tag team match alongside Reigns against Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night One, which had significant implications for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match scheduled for the following night.
Ultimately, Rhodes defeated Reigns in a Bloodline Rules Match on Night Two to capture the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. He is now a three-time champion, and the title is currently in his possession.
