How Much Time Does Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Need to Make In-Ring Return? Hall of Fame Inductee Paul Heyman Reveals Timeline

WWE and professional wrestling, while not a competitive combat sport like others, is incredibly tough on the body and requires a tremendous amount of training to participate in. It is physically demanding and great deal of preparation is essential. Moreover, even long-time seasoned pro wrestlers like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson need to prepare themselves before every match.

The Rock has been away from the ring for quite a long time. The Hollywood megastar and businessman returned to WWE after a four-year hiatus back in September 2023. However, Dwayne Johnson hasn’t wrestled a match so far. However, WWE’s newest Hall of Fame inductee, Paul Heyman, revealed when will The Brahma Bull be ready to charge straight into a fight.

Paul Heyman opens up about Dwayne Johnson’s return to the ring

In a recent interview with Jimmy Traina from Sports Illustrated, Paul Heyman talks about Johnson’s return and his upcoming match. He also encounters rumours of him returning to have a dream match with Roman Reigns. During the conversation, Traina asked Heyman when the Rock would need to decide about returning to the ring on April 1st and how long it would take for him to get in shape.

To this, Heyman was quick enough to answer, “Six to ten weeks, just like a boxing match or a mixed martial art, and then once he’s in that shape, he’s good for the rest of the summer.” Heyman stressed that, unlike MMA or boxing, you don’t just train for one day and peak on that day.

He also stated some insights about wrestling while covering getting the ring shape for Johnson. “Once you get back in the ring shape, the muscle memory kicks in; your lungs know how to breathe, your brain knows how to send out the signals, and you’re there, and your body understands how to absorb the punishment that you can take inside of a ring,” added Heyman. 

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But given The Peoples Champ’s fitness level, the main question arises could he be able to still put up a good match against The Tribal Chief? 

Can The Great One have a 15-minute match against The Tribal Chief?

When The Brahma Bull returned to WWE, he aimed to battle Reigns for the Head of the Table title, upsetting fans who wanted Cody Rhodes to finish his story. However, Johnson’s sudden heel-turn changed the dynamic, as he now teams up with his cousin.

If the flip hadn’t occurred, could Johnson still have a dream match with Reigns given his current fitness? Paul Heyman in the same interviews opens up about this too.

He stated, “Could Dwayne Johnson have come back and put together a really classic, very memorable 15-minute match with Roman Reigns for this year’s WrestleMania without going through that training? I bet he could.” Heyman was positive about a fifteen-minute bout.

But he also went on to speak on behalf of the WWE universe. He mentioned they’d want a dream match between the two Samoan wrestlers, but likely want more than 15 minutes for it to last. “I don’t think anybody wanted to pay to see a 15-minute match,” concluded Heyman. They would especially need a more thrilling storyline. However, he also stated that The Rock wouldn’t be able to deliver and didn’t want to disappoint his fans.

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What do you think about Heyman’s view on Dwayne Johnson’s in-ring return? Let us know in the comment section below.