“Don’t Look Comfortable”: Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s Heel Run Criticized After Lackluster SmackDown Promo on Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins

When 2024 started and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson returned to the WWE on the Day 1 edition of Raw, no one thought he’d turn heel in a month. However, with WrestleMania XL just a month away, here we are. Johnson has been cutting heel promos on SmackDown for weeks now as well as on social media. Moreover, his persona has changed when addressing Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. Allying himself with his cousin, The Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns, has brought back heel Rock. Unfortunately, for some, he isn’t as convincing as he thinks he is.

Busted Open feels like Dwayne Johnson is still adjusting to being a heel

During the most recent episode of the Busted Open podcast, Jonathan Hood and Justin LaBar discussed The Rock vs Cody Rhodes feud. While praising it for being rich in storytelling and cinematic, they brought up one issue. The issue was with how Johnson carried himself on live TV. During the SmackDown promos, both hosts noticed he wasn’t in his element. They said, “Old Rocky don’t look so comfortable as a heel at times.” They backed this up by saying this wasn’t the original plan.

The duo touched upon how Johnson was supposed to return as a babyface and only turned heel due to the backlash. They added, “I don’t know if he feels as comfortable in the role.” They discussed how, in an isolated setting, as his social media videos target Rollins and Rhodes, he looks and sounds better. However, the same cannot be said when he’s in the ring.

READ MORE: Despite the Slap, Dwayne Johnson Seemingly Trolls Cody Rhodes Ahead of SmackDown Memphis: “Who’s Your Daddy?”

Since the WrestleMania XL Kickoff show in Las Vegas, Johnson has been cutting heel promos weekly. While fans have been loving it and booing heel Rock, even they noticed that he’s holding back. Could it be due to the change in the wrestling industry’s atmosphere?

Heel Dwayne Johnson isn’t the same as heel Rock

Naturally, while discussing today’s heel Rock, one cannot forget the stellar run he had in the 2000s. The Hollywood heel Rock was the most over character in the WWE. His promos are remembered to this day. So, what happened? According to the hosts, there’s an answer to that. They said, “Fans would cheer it based on the opponent that he’d face.” 

During his original run, Johnson faced heels rather than babyfaces. Today, he’s pitted against the company’s biggest babyface. Rhodes is loved by every town he visits, and the fans are not inclined to boo him as they did Jinder Mahal when Johnson returned. This has complicated the issue which maybe the reason why Johnson holds back in his promos. What do you think? Is Johnson in full heel mode? Tell us in the comments.

READ MORE: Two Months After In-Ring Return, Seth Rollins Warns Dwayne Johnson Ahead of Their WrestleMania XL Match: “Don’t Stand a Chance”