The Rock was in cahoots to finish his story before fans stood up for Cody: When did he originally plan his WWE return?

With WrestleMania 40 just around the corner, one of the major talking points has been The Rock. Having turned heel, The Final Boss has made it his mission to make sure that Cody Rhodes doesn't finish his story. Has it all happened in the spur of the moment, since making his return in January or, has a lot more gone into his return than meets the eye?

Well, on the surface, it would seem as though The Rock's return was unexpected. After all, the idea of him returning for a match with Roman Reigns only became plausible after he made an appearance at RAW Day One. After that, things slowly unraveled, with him initially taking Rhodes' place in the main event of WrestleMania XL, then The American Nightmare taking it back, and so on. However, while this all seems last minute, The Brahma Bull's recent Instagram post suggests otherwise.

Today, The Rock shared a post suggesting his return to WWE has greatly improved ratings. In the caption, he talks about how he loves seeing such a positive impact. More importantly, he mentions that he has been working with TKO Group and WWE for over a year to "bring the greatest value to the company and set up WrestleMania 40."

"Over a year of strategizing with my @tkogrp @wwe partners, Ari, Nick & Mark on how to bring the greatest value to the company and set up WRESTLEMANIA 40 this weekend as the biggest of all time," wrote The Rock

This seems to suggest that his return has been on the books for quite some time. In other words, the plan to stop Cody Rhodes from finishing the story was set into motion a year ago. It certainly is quite the revelation days before their blockbuster tag team match at WrestleMania 40. The Rock and Roman Reigns are set to take on Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night One on the Grandest Stage of Them All.

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The Rock will not be leaving WWE immediately after WrestleMania 40

There is no denying that The Rock is a busy man. The Final Boss has a lot on his plate, from his numerous businesses to his career as a Hollywood actor. With that in mind, many believe he will be out the door once WrestleMania 40 has concluded.

However, as his close confidant and business partner, Brian Gewirtz revealed, this will not be the case. Speaking to ESPN, the former WWE head writer, revealed that Dwayne Johnson will continue to be present in WWE going forward, and definitely will not be leaving immediately after the premium live event.

These are certainly interesting times in WWE. The Road to WrestleMania has been nothing short of incredible and unpredictable. One thing is for sure, the WWE Universe cannot wait for what's in store at The Show of Shows.