The Rock might not compete at WWE WrestleMania 41

The Rock’s acting schedule could potentially keep him off the WWE WrestleMania 41 card.

At Bad Blood last weekend, The Rock returned to WWE for the first time since the aftermath of WrestleMania 40. He made a surprise appearance at the end of the PLE after Roman Reigns & Cody Rhodes teamed together to defeat The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa & Jacob Fatu.

It’s been speculated that The Rock could face Rhodes or Reigns — or both of them in a triple threat match — at WrestleMania 41. But Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that, at least as of right now, The Rock is not scheduled for WrestleMania:

• However, as of right now, Dwayne Johnson is not scheduled for the show. Obviously that could change and he’s going to do what he wants all the time. While nobody can say it publicly, some with old school mentalities didn’t like the idea that he stole the show and it‘s not building to a match. ‘He’s not going to be able to do Mania. He already gave word that he wouldn’t be able to do that match’ [a source said] when asked bout Rock vs. Reigns vs. Rhodes. Rock came out with the People’s belt that the widow of Muhammad Ali gave him at the Hall of Fame. There was no specific reason given past we were told that different reasons were given to different people. What we do know is that Dwayne Johnson when it comes to this is either going to be all in, meaning a full training camp to get into the best wrestling and cosmetic shape he can get in, or not in. ‘The story is simply his schedule got too heavy, he couldn’t commit to doing it right.‘

Though The Rock may not be scheduled for WrestleMania right now, Meltzer noted that it’s only October and there is still time for him to change his mind:

• Ultimately it’s October and he would probably have until just before the Royal Rumble if he were to change his mind, and really he probably could even change his mind after that but it would throw everything into chaos as they have to have Mania plans when formatting the Rumble. If he was to change his mind, ultimately he would decide who he wants to face and the only thing that would get a pushback was if he wanted to win the WWE title, in which case it’s hard to say what would or wouldn’t prevail, but that’s not an issue at all right now. Johnson’s schedule has always been a factor because of the amount of preparation time he feels he needs to do what he wants to be able to do. It is why the original plan for him to face Reigns didn’t happen in Los Angeles in 2023 after it had been talked about for years.
• Another person who would be intricately involved in the top of the card program said that he had no idea about anything. These things are largely kept secret from the talent because as noted last year, the plan for Rock vs. Reigns to headline WrestleMania was being negotiated through December and agreed to in early January. However, Rhodes had been told he was facing Reigns in the main event for months. From talent close to him they believed he was officially first told around October. He was not told differently until the day of the Rumble when he was told he was winning the Rumble, but not facing Reigns at WrestleMania and to not tell anyone and go out and act like he was. Almost nobody knew what the plan was until the angle was shot on the following Smackdown and the reaction online to that angle led to Rhodes vs. Reigns happening.

In the main event of WrestleMania 40 night one this April, The Rock returned for his first real WWE match in more than a decade. He pinned Rhodes in a tag team match on night one. Rhodes then won the Undisputed WWE Championship from Reigns on night two.

WrestleMania 41 is taking place from Las Vegas on Saturday, April 19 and Sunday, April 20, 2025.