WWE fans have been clamoring for The Rock to return for years. The Hollywood mega-star is, by just about any measure, one of the ten most popular wrestlers in WWE history, and it’s been a dream for many to see him lace his boots back up and deliver a few more People’s Elbows. Now, after a surprise appearance on SmackDown last night, it looks like that’s going to happen. You’d think that would be a cause for celebration, but unfortunately, thanks to the way it was done and what storylines it might affect, WWE fans are revolting and screaming on social media in a way they haven’t since at least the 2015 Royal Rumble. Here’s the full backstory for those of you who might be out of the loop.
The Rock’s cousin Roman Reigns is The WWE Champion and hasn’t lost a singles match in more than three years. He’s The Guy to an even greater extent than The Rock was The Guy during his own time in WWE in the late 90s and early 2000s. Reigns is a villain, or in wrestling terms a heel, and his main foil, the most popular good guy or babyface, in WWE storylines is Cody Rhodes. He’s been on a mission for the last two years to beat Roman Reigns and win The WWE Championship, which his late father, Dusty Rhodes, came close to winning but never could decades ago.
