Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has weighed in on the speculation surrounding Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s involvement in WWE’s programming, particularly regarding the Netflix debut of WWE Raw on January 6. While Meltzer hasn’t received any official confirmation that The Rock will appear on Raw, he believes there is a strong possibility that he will, especially considering the amount of hype surrounding the event.
The question fans are asking is whether The Rock will make an appearance at WrestleMania 41 in April 2025, given that he hasn’t been seen on WWE television since October 2024, following the conclusion of the Bad Blood Premium Live Event. While there is belief within WWE that The Rock will be part of WrestleMania, the specifics of his involvement remain unclear. Meltzer notes that Rock has commitments to re-shoots for the live-action Moana movie, which could impact his availability. Furthermore, the previously teased match between The Rock and Cody Rhodes seems unlikely, as WWE is now reportedly steering toward a match between Rhodes and John Cena instead.
However, Meltzer suggests that if The Rock does appear on Raw on January 6, it will likely be a significant moment, potentially mapping out his road to WrestleMania. Given The Rock’s creative influence in WWE, whatever he wants for his WrestleMania involvement is expected to be honored, regardless of plans for Cena’s championship pursuits.
In terms of a potential match for The Rock on Raw, Meltzer speculates that, while he could potentially face someone like Rhodes at WrestleMania, there are discussions about The Rock possibly wrestling on January 6 as well. This would be a major draw for the episode, which is expected to have one of the largest audiences for a wrestling show since the ’80s. With huge matches already scheduled for the Raw debut on Netflix, having The Rock wrestle could elevate the show to Premium Live Event-level hype. However, as of now, it remains unclear whether Rock will be in ring-shape for the event or if a suitable opponent can be found.
As of now, Cody Rhodes is not scheduled to appear on Raw, as he is preparing for a ladder match with Kevin Owens at the Royal Rumble. Therefore, if The Rock does wrestle on January 6, his opponent could potentially be someone else, making for an intriguing possibility heading into WrestleMania season.