Last Updated on April 16, 2024 by Avik Das
The Rock returned to the familiar territory of WWE in early 2024, taking a hiatus from Hollywood. This time, it wasn’t a one-off appearance like some of his previous returns. He turned heel, joined The Bloodline, became The Final Boss, and wrestled at WrestleMania for the first time in eight years.
The Final Boss competed in a tag team match by aligning with his cousin Roman Reigns on Day 1 of WrestleMania 40. The next night, he came to the aid of The Tribal Chief, but it backfired. Seeing The Rock’s performance at WrestleMania 40, it’s fair to say that he still has a few years left in the squared circle and can go up against any talent in WWE. Even on the RAW after Mania, The Great One hinted that he might wrestle again. With SummerSlam scheduled in August, it is conceivable that The Final Boss could come back and wrestle at the Biggest Party of the Summer. Listing below some possible adversaries for him at SummerSlam 2024.
#5 John Cena
John Cena, one of the greatest rivals of The Rock, had an unexpected encounter during Bloodline Rules Match in the main event of WrestleMania 40. When The Leader of Cenation showed up to help Cody Rhodes, The Final Boss turned up, confronting and hitting him a Rock Bottom. It was one of the best WrestleMania moments from this year, taking fans to the memory lane. The Rock and John Cena faced off for the first time at WrestleMania 28. The two greats exchanged verbal blows, delivered unforgettable promos, and battled fiercely in the ring to raise the bar of an incredible feud. We saw the repetition of it the following year at WrestleMania 29. While The Rock was victorious in their first encounter, Cena avenged the loss in the second one. Eleven years later, the WrestleMania face-off might have planted seeds for a trilogy of this epic rivalry. The Wicked Final Boss and the good guy John Cena could produce an all-time classic at SummerSlam 2024.
#4 Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar’s last WWE match was at SummerSlam 2023. Amid some controversies, he didn’t wrestle at WrestleMania 40. Fans would be eager for his return, and if it happens at Summerslam this year, the pay-per-view card is set to get better.The Beast Incarnate could be a perfect match-up for The Final Boss, with whom he has a past. A young Lesnar pinned Hollywood Rock to win his first WWE Championship at SummerSlam 2002. More than two decades later, they could run into each other, probably with Paul Heyman’s service on the line. The rivalry could unfold with Heyman, who is the former manager of Lesnar and currently serves as the ‘Wiseman’ of Roman Reigns. A victory for The Rock would affirm Heyman’s continuous association with The Bloodline, while Lesnar’s triumph would mean their reunion.
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#3 Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins was the silent hero at WrestleMania 40, helping Cody Rhodes finish his story against Roman Reigns. Even though The Visionary One had a World Heavyweight Championship match of his own, he was determined to lend a hand to The American Nightmare in his war against The Bloodline. He received the opportunity to fight the dynamic duo of The Rock and Roman Reigns on day 1. Despite losing his big gold earlier on day 2, Rollins came to rescue Cody in the main event wearing the Shield gear, which turned out to be a game-changing move. His involvement in that feud, especially his physical and verbal exchanges with The Rock, automatically placed him among the best potential options to face him. The Rock and Seth Rollins never faced each other in the singles feud, making it a fresh rivalry. Additionally, Rollins’ participation in Cody’s fight against the injustice of The Bloodline makes him a strong contender from the storyline point of view. Seth Rollins‘ experience and passion against The Rock’s charisma and witty jabs would make the rivalry unforgettable.
#2 Cody Rhodes
Roman Reigns was the primary foe of Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40, whom he dethroned as the champion, an epoch-making reign that lasted nearly four years. During the rivalry, Cody’s bad blood with The Rock was as personal as with Roman. The Final Boss spoke disparagingly of Cody and his family, talking about his legendary father Dusty Rhodes, his mother referred to as ‘Mama Rhodes’, and even his siblings, making fun of their age differences. It was The Rock who ridiculed Cody’s fans as ‘Cody crybabies’. The Brahma Bull even designed a tailor-made belt with the name of ‘Mama Rhodes’, which was handy in whipping Cody several times. On the RAW after WrestleMania 40, which was likely to be his last WWE appearance in a while, The Rock suggested that he could pursue Cody’s title next, leading a speculation of a mega clash between The American Nightmare and The Final Boss.
#1 Roman Reigns
A clash between The Rock and Roman Reigns has been a dream match for ages. The two behemoths from different generations, yet the same family, joined hands for the first time in the recent Bloodline feud against Cody Rhodes. However, people were already talking about this ultimate showdown when The Rock was at his peak in Hollywood, and Roman Reigns was working on his way up in the squared circle. Even when The Great One made a comeback to WWE earlier this year, a portion of fans were expecting to see this fantasy feud with The Rock as a babyface. As Cody already won the Royal Rumble and already picked Roman, it was too late for a substantial change in that storyline, forcing The Rock to turn heel and join The Bloodline. Roman Reigns’ loss could be the beginning of a civil war within the family stable, especially after Solo Sikoa’s recent attack on Jimmy Uso. If Roman leads one group of The Bloodline members and The Rock leads the other group, a bout between them is feasible to determine the ultimate Head of the Table.
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Avik Das is the founder of Sportsheed. He is a sports lover with broad knowledge of Professional Wrestling, MMA, Football, and Cricket. He has an English major and has previously written articles for various sports and entertainment websites
