There is no going back now when it comes to The Rock and Roman Reigns.
And WWE better have the best plan possible for how we get to the mega-match fans have dreamed of after Rock’s surprise appearance on “Monday Night Raw” in San Diego – making good on Triple H’s tease of a former WWE champion appearing.
Because there is a chance that no matter what they do, someone will be screwed over or a vocal part of the fan base won’t be happy.
What appeared to be typical Rock appearance – filled with chants, insults, songs and a People’s Elbow to Jinder Mahal – took a very serious turn in it’s final minute.
“When the Rock gets something to eat tonight in San Diego should the Rock sit in a booth?” The Rock said.
“Or should The Rock sit at the bar? Yeah, The Rock loves the bar, too. Or should the Rock … sit … at the head of the table.”
It’s the mic-drop moment fans have waited years for and the first time The Rock has taken a direct shot at his cousin Roman Reigns, the Undisputed WWE Universal champion whose title reign is at 1,219 days and counting.
Reigns replied on X with a simple crying laughing emoji.
So it looks like wrestling fans are going to get the match we have all dreamed of, but the timing feels like it couldn’t be worse – even if it’s going to make WWE, TKO and Endeavor at ton of money.
The Rock’s words immediately sparked debate about when this match should happen.
And, well, there are no great answers, even if it is not for the championship but for the title of “Tribal Chief of the Samoan dynasty.”
The least destructive of the options is to have them face off at Elimination Chamber in Perth, Australia on Feb. 24 at Optus Stadium in front of a crowd of likely 70,000.
It would make it feel like a huge international event and if the championship isn’t on the line, the outcome of Reigns winning might feel a little less certain.
By doing so, you preserve the chance for Cody Rhodes to win the Chamber match, confront Reigns to close the show and finish his story on Night 2 of WrestleMania 40, while Seth Rollins and CM Punk can finish theirs for the World Heavyweight championship in the Night 1 main event in Philadelphia.
Still, there will a portion of wrestling fans who will say The Rock vs. Roman Reigns is a WrestleMania-level main event and shouldn’t be used on any other show.
Also, Elimination Chamber will air beginning at around 6 a.m. ET — not exactly ideal, even if Rock-Reigns goes on at 9:30 a.m.
There is the option of moving Rock and Reigns to the Night 1 main event on WrestleMania for family pride and letting Rhodes beat Reigns on Night 2 of WrestleMania.
It would heighten Rhodes’ win if Rock should lose the night before.
But now Reigns can say he had to wrestle one night and Rhodes two, unless you give the “American Nightmare” a second match, also – taking a spot from someone else.
Doing that would bump Rollins and Punk, whose whole story seems based on “The Best in the World” finally main eventing WrestleMania.
Consider option three, where Rhodes doesn’t finish his story of becoming WWE champion by getting his win back against Reigns at WrestleMania.
Instead, he gets a different match or he and Punk both land at the same time to tie at the Royal Rumble and they wrestle Rollins in a triple-threat match for the World heavyweight championship on Night 1.
Maybe Rhodes eventually beats Reigns at SummerSlam because that would push his reign toward surpassing Hulk Hogan’s modern record of 1,474 days as champion.
Would all the Rhodes’ fans be OK with that and stick around a little longer for his big moment and would it only further expose the folly of not having him win at last year’s WrestleMania?
Rhodes has stayed hot for 12 months. Can they risk another six and anger towards Rock for stealing his WrestleMania moment?
WWE clearly has a plan or it wouldn’t of had Rock say what he did on Monday night in his second appearance in five months.
There is no going back now.
Let’s hope WWE knows exactly where it’s going because there doesn’t appear to be a path without pitfalls.