WWE News: The Rock’s Next Television Appearance Confirmed
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has revealed that he wants to wrestle Roman Reigns at some point, fueling speculation that he’ll be at next year’s WrestleMania. However, fans can expect to see the legendary WWE superstar on their screens before then, as he’s booked to appear on tonight’s episode of Talking Smack, which will air straight after Friday Night SmackDown.
The news was confirmed by Fox Sports PR‘s Twitter account on Friday. The update revealed that “The Great One” will join Jay Glazer, Charlotte Wilder and Sasha Banks for an interview segment on the show.
It’s possible that The Rock will discuss Reigns and build hype for their prospective showdown. Reigns is currently involved in a program with Jey Uso, and it’s seen “The Big Dog” act heel on his family member. Given that The Rock is a cousin to both superstars, he’ll undoubtedly have some thoughts to share on the matter.
While the nature of Johnson’s appearance is currently rooted in mystery, the announcement caused some speculation in the comments section, with many fans hoping that it signals the beginning of his long-awaited in-ring comeback.
“The Rock on Talking Smack?! Surely we aren’t getting the start of hotly anticipated [WrestleMania] main event? Could it be?” tweeted one fan.
Tonight, FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN shifts to FS1, followed by a special edition of TALKING SMACK featuring conversations between @JayGlazer and @TheRock and @TheWilderThings and @SashaBanksWWE.
?: 8:00 PM ET on @FS1 pic.twitter.com/0OBuBfFR72
— FOX Sports PR (@FOXSportsPR) December 18, 2020
However, another Twitter user noted that the legend will have to appear more than once before the Universe can start getting excited for his dream bout against the current Universal Champion.
Wrestling aficionados hoping for Johnson to announce plans to compete at next year’s pay-per-view might be disappointed, however. As The Inquisitr previously documented, there are a couple of factors that are prohibiting him from stepping into a ring in 2021.
According to the report, The Rock wants fans a live crowd for the occasion, which might not be possible due to the ongoing pandemic. He also has Hollywood commitments to honor. Studios and insurance companies supposedly aren’t keen to risk him getting injured and delaying productions.
If The Rock does compete again, it will most likely be in 2022 at the earliest. The company has started figuring out alternative plans for his cousin at the 2021 pay-per-view, but it’s believed Vince McMahon would drop everything to book match between the cousins if it’s possible.
“The Great One” hasn’t appeared on the company’s programming in over a year. He showed up for the Friday Night SmackDown premiere on Fox last October, but he’s focused on his acting career since then.
