When your company’s reputation is on the line due to accusations against its founder and you botch the first media meeting after the allegations, what do you do? If you’re WWE, one of the biggest entertainment companies in the world, you call on one of the biggest stars in the world to try to shift the conversation away from the founder. And that’s exactly what happened when The Rock, Dwayne Johnson, was announced as the main event for WWE’s biggest show, WrestleMania.
The controversy surrounding WWE and its founder, Vince McMahon, began when McMahon was accused of being one of history’s greatest monsters. The media frenzy was intense, and WWE needed a way to divert attention and regain control of the narrative. Enter The Rock, a former wrestler turned Hollywood A-lister, who still maintains a strong connection to WWE.
The details of how The Rock was brought into the fold are unclear, but the end result is that he is now sitting at the top of the company and headlining WrestleMania. It’s a strategic move to shift the conversation away from McMahon and onto something more positive for the company.
Reports and speculation about The Rock’s involvement have been all over the map. Some say that WWE had planned for a Rock vs. Roman Reigns match at WrestleMania for months, despite Cody Rhodes winning the Royal Rumble and building a storyline with Reigns. Others suggest that The Rock used his influence as a board member to secure his own spot on the card.
Regardless of the details, one thing is clear: The Rock now wields a tremendous amount of power at WWE. This comes at a time when the company wants people talking about anything other than McMahon and the allegations against him. The Rock’s return to WWE is a calculated move to generate buzz and distract from the controversy.
WWE’s ratings and ticket sales are unlikely to be affected by the lawsuit against McMahon or the federal investigation. The company is too big to fail, and the presence of The Rock only solidifies its position. Fans may have been upset when The Rock took Rhodes’s WrestleMania spot, but they will still tune in to see him perform. Optics are important, and WWE wants to maintain a healthy image.
From a wrestling perspective, the situation is quite comical. Cody Rhodes, who left WWE to start his own company, All Elite Wrestling (AEW), spent years chasing big, dumb, empty moments that WWE specializes in. When he finally had the opportunity to achieve a significant moment at WrestleMania, WWE pushed him aside in favor of a bigger, dumber, emptier story involving The Rock.
WWE has a history of prioritizing big names over fan wishes. They are always chasing the dragon of mainstream attention, even if it means disregarding the desires of their loyal fanbase. The current saga with The Rock is no different. Instead of facing questions about McMahon and the allegations against him, WWE gets to put out the story that The Rock has returned, diverting attention from the controversy.
While the wrestling world knows what’s really happening, WWE has bought itself a few days of positive press. How long this strategy will work remains to be seen, but for now, The Rock has successfully shifted the conversation away from McMahon and onto his return to the ring.
