Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns' alliance to lead to major fallout? - 3 reasons why The Rock never showed up on WWE SmackDown
WWE Friday Night SmackDown was a massive show last night. The blue brand is no longer on the FOX Network and instead made a return to the USA Network. This channel will be home to SmackDown for the next five years.
The blue brand's latest episode was the season premiere and a lot went down. Cody Rhodes defended the world title against Solo Sikoa in a Steel Cage Match, Roman Reigns made his return to TV, Randy Orton appeared as Kevin Owens' mystery partner, and numerous legends were showcased.
One name that many fans expected to appear on Friday Night SmackDown was The Rock. While The People's Champion was never promoted for the blue brand's USA Network return, fans believed that he'd be making an appearance due to the magnitude of the occasion.
Unfortunately, The Final Boss did not end up making an appearance outside of being included in highlight videos from SmackDown's past. Many are wondering why The Rock didn't appear on the show and while nothing has officially come out, there are a handful of possible explanations for this absence that this article will cover.
Below are three reasons why The Rock never showed up on WWE SmackDown.
#3. The Rock might be busy with commitments outside of WWE
The Rock is one of the most legendary pro wrestlers in history. Not only is he a multi-time WWE Champion and a man who has headlined multiple WrestleMania events, but The Rock is also a first-ballot future Hall of Famer.
As impressive as his time in WWE has been, most of the world's population doesn't know Dwayne Johnson for being a former world champion. Instead, they know him as one of the biggest celebrities on Earth and a massive star in Hollywood.
The People's Champion has been acting full-time for around two decades now and has been cited as one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood. He does projects on the big screen and on television. Frankly, he does it all.
As a result, The Rock not appearing on Friday Night SmackDown may simply come down to commitments that The Final Boss has in the entertainment industry. He could have been filming a movie or a show of some kind and that would keep him away from the program.
#2. The Roman Reigns-Cody Rhodes story needs to develop without The Final Boss for now
WWE Friday Night SmackDown last night was all about one story: Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes. As noted, The American Nightmare began the night by battling Solo Sikoa inside of a steel cage.
Cody ultimately won the bout, but he was then jumped by The Bloodline. Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and Jacob Fatu attacked the Undisputed WWE Champion inside of the cage. They were about to potentially end his career when Roman Reigns returned and fought them off.
From there, Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes had a tense face-off at the end of the show and were seemingly going to come to blows when Jacob Fatu and the rest of The Bloodline appeared. In the end, Cody and Roman fought them off together and agreed to team up at Bad Blood despite their animosity.
This was an important story to tell with Bad Blood just a handful of weeks away. If The Rock appeared, it would have muddled up their story or prevented key parts of it from being told. The People's Champion had to stay away for the time being.
#1. The Cody Rhodes-Roman Reigns alliance could further the Roman-Rock story
With the Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns alliance becoming official, albeit with neither man actively wanting it, this could play a key role in The Rock's WWE return. Prior to The Final Boss leaving the company, his biggest rival was The American Nightmare.
In fact, The Rock's latest appearance on WWE television came on the RAW after WrestleMania. He warned Cody Rhodes that he would come back for the world title. Cody has since defended the belt against top competition such as AJ Styles, Logan Paul, Kevin Owens, and Solo Sikoa.
If The Rock returns and sees Cody aligned with Roman Reigns, he'll certainly be unhappy. It would feel as if Roman slapped The Final Boss in the face. That is exactly why The Rock likely didn't appear on SmackDown.
WWE needs to have Cody and Roman aligned for their story to progress to ultimately make The Rock's return more impactful. The People's Champion feeling betrayed will eventually lead to Roman vs. The Rock at WrestleMania.