Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson appeared on The Pat McAfee Show today to discuss the fallout from an eventful WrestleMania 41 weekend. The WWE icon weighed in on the blockbuster moments, including John Cena’s heel turn and record-breaking 17th world championship win, as well as revealing his own creative input and conscious decision to step back from the storyline as “The Final Boss.”
One of the biggest talking points of WrestleMania 41 was Cena’s dramatic character shift — a heel turn that began at Elimination Chamber and culminated in his controversial victory over Cody Rhodes in the main event of Night Two.
“The way John, at the end of the night, raising the title, that was the bottom line, that was the north star,” The Rock said. “I think he’s going to have this insane run as a heel.”
The Rock praised Cena for embracing the uncharted waters of a villainous run.
“There was no blueprint for heel John Cena. So he was creating it as he went along, crossing t’s and dotting i’s. I gave him so much credit. He’s not a bad guy — he’s just telling the truth.”
"I loved the finish of the main event on Saturday night..
I loved every second of it" ~ @TheRock #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/DO0L87RM6r
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 22, 2025
Revealing behind-the-scenes insight, The Rock shared that Cena’s heel turn was sparked by a strategic conversation between himself, Triple H, and Ari Emanuel, the CEO of Endeavor, roughly a month before Elimination Chamber.
“Ticket sales were a concern. I had an idea — the Final Boss wants your soul. Cody was being tested. I didn’t want to turn Cody heel yet, but I wanted to plant the seeds. I talked to Triple H about it, and he suggested Cena turn heel.”
The Rock about Cena's heel run pic.twitter.com/OEtt4NPHaU
— ☆Cell☆ (@CellIWC) April 22, 2025
That conversation led to a creative pivot that saw Cena align with The Rock at Elimination Chamber, blindsiding fans and reigniting his career with a shocking new edge.
Although “The Final Boss” loomed large in the WrestleMania 41 storyline, The Rock explained that he intentionally bowed out following Elimination Chamber, believing that the spotlight needed to belong to Cena and Cody.
“I called John and Cody after Elimination Chamber and said, ‘I think the Final Boss’ work is done. We just pulled off the greatest angle in wrestling history. I’m always here if you need me, but this is your moment.’”
The Rock on why he was not at #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/lY0ykonLAP
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) April 22, 2025
The Rock emphasized that adding himself to the main event would have distracted from Cena’s heel ascent and Cody’s ongoing saga.
“I could’ve been inserted into the finish, but it wasn’t needed. This was about John becoming a 17-time champion. That’s the anchoring storyline for 2025.”
The Rock also briefly commented on Travis Scott’s surprise appearance during the WrestleMania main event, admitting that he was caught off guard.
“I was very surprised to see Travis Scott. That made people wait for the Final Boss, but had I been involved in that aspect, I would have made adjustments.”
From his creative fingerprints on Cena’s turn to stepping away at the perfect time, The Rock continues to play an influential — and calculated — role in WWE’s biggest moments. With Cena’s heel run just beginning and “The Final Boss” waiting in the shadows, 2025 could shape up to be one of the most compelling years in modern WWE history.
For more backstage news and WrestleMania fallout, stay tuned to PWMania.com.
