Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and offered in-depth analysis of the controversial WWE WrestleMania 41 main event between John Cena and Cody Rhodes, a bout that saw Cena become a record-breaking 17-time world champion.
While the finish generated intense debate among fans and critics alike, The Rock stood firm in his support of the outcome—albeit with some creative caveats.
“They had six weeks to plan for that. I loved the finish of the match,” The Rock stated. “I would have finessed things a little differently on how they got there, but that’s just me creatively. Ultimately, the bottom line is, I love John getting 17.”
Rock made it clear he never doubted Cena’s ability to carry the moment, but admitted his concerns were centered around the long-term direction of Cody Rhodes, particularly given his current babyface status and the legacy-driven narrative that has defined his arc.
“I never had a concern about John pulling this off. My thoughts were always to Cody and what we’ve established with him and his story, and the kind of babyface that he is. If done right, finessed right, and nuanced right, down the road, that guy not only has an incredible run as a babyface champion, but also an unheard-of run as a heel.”
One of the most intriguing aspects of WrestleMania’s storytelling was the ongoing theme of “selling your soul,” a motif Rock confirmed was carefully calculated to test fan response and lay the groundwork for a potential future heel turn.
“Let’s get a temperature check on this. Establish it, anchor it in, and you come to find out that there were a lot of fans saying, ‘Sell your soul.’ I was an advocate of that,” Rock revealed. “Not turning heel soon, but eventually, down the line, I like the idea of that because Cody is a smart and intelligent guy, a ring general.”
He continued, highlighting how the emotional weight of such a story could transcend titles and even the sport itself:
“This idea that you give him a reason to turn, way down the road, you give him a reason to turn not based on titles, but it’s his soul and what that means, that affects generations. It’s transcendent beyond pro wrestling. Fans were loving it.”
The Rock literally spoils that Cody Rhodes' future plan is to have another babyface run with the world champion but then turning heel afterwards LMFAOOOOO pic.twitter.com/pli1hUgq97
— Just Nando🇿🇦 (@Justnandofr) April 22, 2025
As WrestleMania 41 reverberates through the WWE Universe, The Rock’s comments add further intrigue to the direction of both Cena’s historic reign and Cody Rhodes’ evolving narrative.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more exclusive WrestleMania fallout and insights.
