Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns is set to defend against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 39, but his rumored opponent for quite some time was WWE Legend Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. That match didn’t work out, likely due to Rock’s busy schedule and various commitments, but it’s believed WWE still wants to do The Great One vs. The Tribal Chief down the line.
Reigns’ counsel, Paul Heyman, appeared on Jimmy Traina’s SI Media Podcast this week and said he heard Rock’s name being pitched, but he never actually spoke with Rock about the match. Heyman, who works on Reigns’ creative, also talked about why he doesn’t think people would’ve paid to see a 15-minute Rock vs. Reigns bout.
Heyman was asked if he thinks Rock was supposed to be a part of WrestleMania this year.
“I never spoke to Dwayne about this year’s WrestleMania,” Heyman responded. “I always heard his name being thrown around. I couldn’t imagine with his schedule, with his promotional schedule, with the launch of the XFL, with all the projects that he has on his plate, that he would be able to take the time to get back into what we would call ring shape. Aesthetically, does anybody in Hollywood even compare it to him? No. Could he run a marathon? I don’t know. Maybe. I’m sure he has great cardio, but cardio itself and cardio in the ring and being in ring shape are two completely different things. I’ve seen great mixed martial arts fighters who would have no problem doing 15 rounds of sparring or five rounds in an MMA cage, get into a wrestling ring and within two minutes of hitting the ropes, they can catch their breath. It’s just a different rhythm. It’s just a completely different physical toll that it takes. It’s not like riding a bicycle. It’s not something you can just get back into. It requires you to get back into a specific level of conditioning that is exclusive to the sports entertainment world.”
Heyman continued and discussed what kind of program want would want to see from Rock and Reigns.
“Could Dwayne Johnson have come back and put together a really classic, very memorable 15-minute match with Roman Reigns for this year’s WrestleMania without going through that training? I bet you he could,” Heyman said. “I bet you just based on his knowledge of the ring, his supreme psychology which made him such a huge star, the people that we have around us to diagram such a confrontation, and just the fact that Dwayne will push himself beyond his own limits, we could have had a great 15-minute match. But I don’t think anybody would have paid to see the main event of WrestleMania of a fantasy match-up, of a dream match, between the Tribal Chief Roman Reigns and The Rock himself, I don’t think anybody would wanted to pay to see a 15-minute match. I think people would pay and expect to see, and rightfully expect to see, a far longer story be told in a most exciting, in an A-plus, plus, plus, plus level fashion. There was just no way that he would have been able to deliver, and I don’t think that he would ever want to disappoint what we end up calling the WWE Universe.”
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(H/T to WrestlingNews for the quotes)