Although a dream match between Roman Reigns and The Rock at WrestleMania 39 feels possible, if not likely, another question hovers over the rumors: How would WWE set up the showdown?
Well, perhaps we shouldn’t rule out the possibility of The Rock winning the 2023 Royal Rumble.
“The idea we heard regarding a discussion and nothing more, like I said, it’s been talked about as a pie-in-the-sky is a surprise No. 30 entrant and winning,” Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter wrote last week. “It could be something only a few people know but as best we can tell there is nothing official to it right now past a rumor.”
This certainly would be the most straightforward route, as the winner of the annual Royal Rumble event is guaranteed a title shot at WrestleMania, and Reigns is the undisputed WWE universal champion. It’d still be somewhat shocking, though. Dwayne Johnson obviously has a busy schedule — such is life when you’re one of the world’s most recognizable celebrities — and his availability for WrestleMania always has seemed up in the air, let alone making time for the Royal Rumble.
“The idea was being talked about behind-the-scenes, but as best we can tell, while rumors certainly exist within the company, as far as those who would be in a position to know, there is no real answer,” Meltzer wrote of the Royal Rumble scenario. “If Johnson wants to do it and can be sold on the idea, it would be the most perfect scenario for the company.”
Nevertheless, a showdown between Reigns and The Rock — real-life cousins — at WrestleMania 39 at SoFi Stadium makes all the sense in the world. Not only is Reigns white-hot, asserting his dominance over WWE as part of The Bloodline faction — which includes his other real-life cousins Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa and “honorary Uce” Sami Zayn — while gaining more mainstream appeal. The event also is taking place in Inglewood, Calif., with the tagline, “WrestleMania Goes Hollywood.” Who better to up the ante than The Rock, arguably the biggest star in Hollywood?
Of course, there are other ways WWE could build toward a family showdown between Reigns and The Rock, namely the former’s assertion he’s “The Tribal Chief” and “The Head of the Table.” But for now, we can leave the door open for fireworks at the Royal Rumble, scheduled for Jan. 28 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
