'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQF/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABv/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAtxhMX//EACMQAAEDAwIHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMBAgQABiESIgUTFCNBUqH/2gAIAQEAAT8As66J1wW7xN0qMHqgHURScxdzmZ1Jj5TigkOU7wA1E3r2fK59q//EABgRAQADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIAAREy/9oACAECAQE/AC0Obyf/xAAbEQACAQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMAESExgf/aAAgBAwEBPwBoIw742b9Nf//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
A new report has revealed when The Rock was made aware that he was going to be facing Roman Reigns at WWE WrestleMania 40.
Cody Rhodes won the Men's Royal Rumble match for the 2nd year in a row on January 27. Most fans expected him to challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 40 after coming up short last year. However, he recently stepped aside so that The Rock could face The Tribal Chief at the biggest show of the year instead, and the wrestling world was not happy about it.
In a new report from Fightful Select, several in WWE's creative team were told that the plan was The Rock versus Roman Reigns at WrestleMania and merchandise was produced to promote the match. The report added that The Rock versus Roman Reigns was the plan since January 3.
WWE sources informed Fightful that there were meetings on January 1 and people had indicated to Cody Rhodes that plans for him to face Roman Reigns were unchanged. However, those plans changed the week before the Royal Rumble, and only a select few people were informed of the alterations during the weekend of the event.
Former WWE writer claims the company is losing confidence in Cody Rhodes
Wrestling veteran Vince Russo recently claimed that the company was losing confidence in Cody Rhodes as a top guy.
Speaking on Sportskeeda Wrestling's Writing with Russo show, Vince Russo suggested that the promotion no longer viewed The American Nightmare as a top guy. Russo sensed that the promotion was hesitant to make Cody Rhodes "the guy" and that there is a lack of confidence in him.
"I don't think they are feeling Cody like they wanna feel Cody. I am telling you bro I think there is a little, there is just a little lack of confidence in Cody being the guy. I feel that, I do feel that's the game plan bro. Roman's gonna go over the Rock, and then Cody is gonna win, you know that's gonna help. I just don't feel the confidence is there right now. " [From 02:13 onwards]
You can check out Russo's comments in the video below:
Wrestling fans have rallied behind Cody Rhodes after The Rock seemingly took his spot at WrestleMania 40. It will be interesting to see how the promotion deals with the fallout moving forward.
Who do you think should face Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 40? Let us know in the comments section below.
