Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has given high praise to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and his “Final Boss” persona, calling it one of the most compelling evolutions in modern wrestling storytelling.
Speaking on ALL THE SMOKE, Rhodes reflected on The Rock’s return to WWE in early 2024—a time marked by intense fan backlash when Johnson initially appeared to replace Rhodes in the WrestleMania 40 main event against Roman Reigns, despite Rhodes winning the Royal Rumble. The backlash led to a major creative pivot, with The Rock embracing a darker heel persona known as “The Final Boss.”
The storyline culminated at WrestleMania 40 Night 1, where The Rock and Roman Reigns defeated Rhodes and Seth Rollins in a blockbuster tag team match.
“He came back to a very tumultuous WWE, a year or so ago, and decided, nope, I’m not gonna deal with that,” Rhodes said. “I’m instead gonna create a new character even though I’m already one of the greatest characters ever, that being The Final Boss… We’ve just scratched the surface on The Final Boss. There’s something incredibly special there, so The Rock is on my Mount Rushmore.”
Rhodes’ admiration highlights The Rock’s creative adaptability and long-term vision, with “The Final Boss” earning critical acclaim for its layered storytelling and cinematic presentation.
Currently in his second reign as Undisputed WWE Champion, Rhodes successfully defended his title against Drew McIntyre at Saturday Night’s Main Event on November 1.
Meanwhile, The Rock, who joined the TKO Board of Directors in January 2024, has not appeared on WWE programming since Elimination Chamber 2025, where he helped John Cena turn heel.
