'%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,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Rock is one of the few WWE legends who has not yet been advertised for the special Raw Reunion episode of Monday Night Raw on July 22.
However, it is worth noting that the WWE Superstar-turned-movie star has been known to make surprise appearances in the past, notably at WrestleMania 31, while he was also present at the Performance Center this week for a reason that has not yet been revealed.
With major names including “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan scheduled to make rare appearances, it seems that WWE is pulling out all the stops to bring back as many legends as possible for the one-night extravaganza.
In this article, let’s take a look at five possible roles that The Rock could play if he shows up on Raw in Tampa, Florida on Monday.
#5 Interrupt Elias’ concert
Since his in-ring comeback with WWE ended in 2013, The Rock’s sporadic returns have primarily consisted of him laying the verbal SmackDown on heel members of the roster.
This has happened to Superstars including Rusev, Lana and The New Day on Raw, while he also mocked Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, Bray Wyatt, Braun Strowman and Erick Rowan at WrestleMania events.
Looking at the current roster, Elias stands out as somebody who could realistically be on the receiving end of a derogatory promo from “The Most Electrifying Man In Sports Entertainment”.
Why? Because not only does WWE’s resident guitarist essentially use the same format that The Rock used for his ‘Rock Concerts’, but he has also claimed in various media interviews that he is more talented than "The Great One" due to the number of songs that he has to write on a weekly basis.
A musical battle between The Rock and Elias is inevitably going to happen one day, so do not rule out seeing it at Raw Reunion.
#4 Tease a future match against Brock Lesnar
Following his defeat against John Cena at WrestleMania 29, the next obvious opponent for The Rock in WWE appeared to be Brock Lesnar.
“The Great One” even tweeted three months before WrestleMania 30, where Lesnar broke The Undertaker’s undefeated streak, that he was originally supposed to face “The Beast” at the event.
The match did not come to fruition, of course, but it seems that The Rock is still keen to go one-on-one with the former UFC star one day, as he name-checked his former rival at a Comic Con Q&A in November 2017 as somebody who he would be willing to face if he ever returned to WWE.
Given that Universal champion Lesnar is being featured in a prominent role on WWE programming right now, he is bound to make a big impression at Raw Reunion, so this episode seems as good a time as any to build Brock vs. Rock if WWE is still planning to hold the match one day.
#3 Segment with various legends
One of the most memorable WWE in-ring promo segments of all time took place at WrestleMania 30 when arguably the three greatest Superstars in history – Hulk Hogan, The Rock and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin – reminisced about their legendary wrestling careers.
If The Rock shows up at Raw Reunion on Monday, not only will he be joined by Hogan and Austin, but WWE would also have the opportunity to show off every wrestling era from the last four decades in one of the most star-studded segments that fans have ever seen:
- 1980s: Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair
- 1990s: Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin, The Rock
- 2000s: John Cena, Randy Orton, Triple H
- 2010s: Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins
There are names missing, of course, notably Bret Hart and The Undertaker, but a lengthy segment involving various legends would be great to see and it would sum up WWE’s “Then, Now, Forever” slogan to perfection.
#2 Movie-based promo with Roman Reigns
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin is among the star names being advertised for the Raw Reunion episode, so it is safe to assume that the WWE Hall of Famer’s upcoming show on the USA Network, Straight Up Steve Austin, will receive a mention or two.
Equally, if The Rock appears, there is no way that he will show up on Monday Night Raw in front of the millions – and millions – of viewers without promoting his next movie, Fast & Furious spin-off Hobbs & Shaw, especially considering that it also stars Roman Reigns.
During The Rock’s 2011-2013 run with WWE, the commentary team often advertised his G.I. Joe: Retaliation and Hercules movies throughout episodes of Raw.
On this occasion, perhaps we could see a rare backstage interaction between “The Great One” and “The Big Dog” ahead of the release of Hobbs & Shaw in August.
#1 Set up Roman Reigns rivalry
Remember how Batista set up his WrestleMania 35 rivalry with Triple H by aiming a dig at him towards the end of the Evolution reunion at SmackDown 1000? Well, perhaps we could see a similar situation with The Rock and Roman Reigns.
After all, the two men have been associated with each other from a storyline perspective ever since “The Great One” helped Reigns win the 2015 Royal Rumble, but WWE is yet to follow up on that with a match or significant storyline development.
Four years on from that helping hand, how does The Rock’s character (i.e. not Dwayne Johnson) think Reigns is doing as WWE’s top guy? Has “The Big Dog” really fulfilled his potential? Or does he still need to prove himself?
These questions are currently unanswered, but you just know that it would only take one derogatory comment from “The Most Electrifying Man In Sports Entertainment” to plant the seeds for a dream match against his relative.
