What Are Dwayne Johnson’s WWE Return Plans After Shooting ‘Smashing Machine’?

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson returned to the WWE on the Day #1 Edition of RAW. No one thought he would stir up such a storm with his feud against Cody Rhodes. Aligning himself with his cousin and Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns, the Samoan Dynasty took on Rhodes. This feud reshaped what people expected WrestleMania XL to be. Ending Night #2 of Mania XL saw Rhodes finish his story by dethroning Reigns and taking the title. However, this would also see the end of Johnson, who left the night after RAW.

While Johnson is busy with his upcoming MMA-based movie, The Smashing Machine, fans have questions. So, when will The Final Boss return to continue his feud with Rhodes, or will he take on Reigns?

The possible return timeline for Dwayne Johnson

Johnson’s social media has been filled with posts regarding his training for The Smashing Machine. Prioritizing the MMA legend  Mark Kerr, Johnson has taken a more serious approach to the movie. While filming is set to end around August, WWE’s SummerSlam PLE will be here. After Mania, The Rock told Rhodes that he was going away for a while but would return to continue their feud. Since his shooting is scheduled for three months, this PLE is when fans expect Johnson to return.

Johnson does have other Hollywood projects on the line, such as Moana 2 and the live-action remake of the first one. This means that his time in the WWE will perhaps be limited. Despite fans wanting to see him wrestle, Johnson clarified that he would not participate in wrestling during Hollywood projects. If Johnson does return, it will only be to advance the storyline with Rhodes. Before leaving, he did hand The American Nightmare a mystery gift, which fans have been debating to this day. But what about Reigns?

Will The Rock face Rhodes or Reigns when he returns?

The Rock vs. Reigns was the original idea for Mania XL. However, the WWE didn’t anticipate the support Rhodes would get to finish his story, which is why the storyline pivoted. Now that Rhodes has the title, fans want to see Reigns take on his cousin. However, there is a problem.

The Rock stated that he wants Rhodes’ title, and the fans want him to face Reigns. While both matches could take place, they can not happen at Mania XLI. This has led to the speculation that they will take place at international PLEs, or we could see a rehash of Mania XL. This time, Reigns and Rhodes will team up to face The Rock and Bloodline 2.0. With no confirmation by the WWE on the matter, this is just fan speculation. What do you think? Should Johnson aim for the title or the Head of the Table? Tell us in the comments.