Does The Rock still have a role to play in WWE?

The Rock

Do you think The Rock has a role to play in the WWE? Well, it doesn’t matter what you think!

It really doesn’t, if you ask me, both objectively and a biased, long time fan of the ‘Great One’.

Is he still relevant in the current scenario? Hell yeah.

Is he still popular? Hell Yes.

Can he still go for another match? Sure, the guy is a beast, look at him.

Would he want to? Probably.

Now, the all-important question – does he need to? Hell No.

Here is a certified movie star and the biggest draw in Hollywood (irrespective of the Forbes’ ratings which put others over him), and each of his 4 releases this year has been a blockbuster. Do you need more proof that the guy is in his prime?

In the midst of all of that work, he was the WWE champion for 3 months, and you could see countless pictures of the championship in mainstream media. Wrestlemania 29 turned out to be the biggest draw of all time. Who deserves the most credit for that much pull at the pay-per-view box office? You are damn right, The Rock!

So, the real question is whether WWE, going forward, has any role to play in The Rock’s life? The real answer is no. But the Brahma Bull is a 3rd generation grappler and a proud wrestler-turned-actor. So, he will always be ready for ‘One more match!’, and it will be our pleasure and honour if he chooses to do that.

But coming back to the original question, does The Rock have a role to play in the current WWE? The answer is simple and straight – Yes, provided he wants to.

Let’s face the facts. WWE, as much as it claims to be a global entertainment company, is a dwarf when it comes to big names such as Viacom, Disney etc. and their main trade and hence, the revenue, still comes from pro-wrestling.

The other divisions, especially the studios, are not even close to what the competition in that sphere of operation. The Rock hasn’t done a WWE-produced movie in 9 years and with his current clout at the box-office, imagine what a production, with him starring in the lead, could do to boost up the sagging fortunes of WWE Studios.

Again, The Rock doesn’t need to do that, but will take part in it only if he chooses to. Even if he doesn’t choose to do a movie with the WWE studios, just his name and involvement in any capacity (even as an alumni) gives the WWE a due footing in the world of mainstream entertainment.

From a wrestling standpoint, it gets even more interesting. The Rock, during his last run, was both criticized and praised for his performances. I can agree with most criticism too, as the business has moved on from the time when he was the main star in the late 90s and early 2000s, and he probably hasn’t been able to adapt that well.

But his popularity is unquestionable and his performances in the ring were quite good too. His presence and feuds gave great rub-offs to stars such as The Miz, R-Truth, CM Punk, The Shield and of course, John Cena. His selfless team-playing nature was on full display as he put Cena over clean, truly stamping him as the face of the company and passing the proverbial wrestling torch.

If due to his presence, more eyeballs gravitate towards the WWE product, the other wrestlers on the roster are the ones who stand to gain and this hasn’t been lost on the WWE management as they try to get him to be a part of the company in some shape or the other.

The Rock is a 3rd generation wrestler, and he means it when he says that wrestling is in his blood and he will always be associated with the business. In whichever capacity he is going to do that, one thing you can take to the bank is that he will never ‘phone it in’.

So, in conclusion, it is fair to say that The Rock does have a role to play in the current WWE, and a ‘Great One’ at that.