Did Roman Reigns subtly tease The Rock’s return at WrestleMania 42? | Opinion
Roman Reigns might have a trick or two up his sleeve, especially after dealing with CM Punk’s antics ever since Reigns chose him as his WWE WrestleMania 42 opponent. With tensions already at their peak, I think the situation could potentially draw in another member of Reigns’ family.
The heart of the matter
On the March 16 edition of WWE Raw, Reigns bumped into The Usos backstage, a week after they confronted Punk about his statement about Reigns’ deceased father. Reigns acknowledged their efforts and that they were right in their course of action.
The OTC then looked into the camera and issued a message saying that everyone in the Bloodline should take offense to Punk’s remark about Sika Anoa’i.
“At the end of the day if you run your mouth, there’s gotta be consequences. As a matter of fact, to all my family, all the Bloodline, cousins, you should be offended at what CM Punk said about my father, your Uncle. But here’s the thing, you got before and you have after WrestleMania, but on that weekend CM Punk is mine,” said Reigns.
Given Reigns’ demeanor for anyone to step up, there is one other person from his family whom we all know has long-term issues with Punk: The Rock.
Why The Rock could return to be in Roman Reigns’ corner again
The WWE veteran showed solidarity with Reigns at WrestleMania XL against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. However, the original motive behind his move was to initiate a feud with Reigns for WrestleMania. That was met with backlash from the WWE fanbase who instantly rallied behind Rhodes (#WeWantCody) who won the Royal Rumble and rightfully carved his path for WrestleMania.
Last year, The Rock influenced John Cena’s shocking turn heel at Elimination Chamber with Rhodes being the victim again. While Rhodes is feuding with Randy Orton on SmackDown, The Rock might be tempted to drop by and ensure he doesn’t get the win at WrestleMania 42.
The Rock’s history with CM Punk
The Rock and Punk go a long way back. When Raw celebrated its 1000th episode in July 2012, The Rock returned as a special guest on the program while Punk and John Cena were battling it out for the WWE Championship. Big Show interrupted and attacked Cena, forcing Rock to rush out to even the odds.
Punk was already infuriated when The Rock dismissed him earlier that evening which shaped his decision to attack Rock with a GTS, instigating their rivalry further.
In January 2013, The Rock faced off with Punk and challenged him for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble. This was also where Punk’s signature “Your arms are too short to box with God” promo was used.
It’s important to note that during this time, The Shield were running rampant in WWE. The stable (Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose) made their debut at Survivor Series 2012 and interfered in Punk’s match against Ryback.
At the 2013 Royal Rumble, The Rock and CM Punk collided in a WWE Championship match. The bout carried the stipulation that if The Shield got involved in any manner, he would be stripped of the title.
Final thoughts
Thirteen years later, it seems Punk’s sentiments towards The Rock may have toned down considering he mentioned his respect for everyone in The Anoa’i family except for Sika.
With Reigns now standing as one of the biggest names in the industry, let alone the WWE roster, he possesses the influence to shift the dynamic power play on his side and urge The Rock to return.
If that scenario unfolds, The Rock’s appearance on the road to/or at WrestleMania 42 could amplify the momentum for Reigns and Punk’s rivalry.
Rosanne Raphael is a wrestling writer with over three and a half years of experience covering all things related to the industry. From a kindergarten teacher to PR Associate to turning her lifelong passion for the industry into a career, Rosanne is currently writing for F4W Online where she focuses on wrestling news, analysis, and storytelling.
Rosanne previously contributed to Sportskeeda as an Assistant Content Manager.
When not consumed by wrestling, Rosanne is a musician and an aspiring artist.