After The Rock’s complicated Monday Evening Uncooked look throughout the first episode of the Netflix period again in January 2025, I assumed I wouldn’t be seeing The Nice One, The Last Boss, or The Most Electrifying Man In Leisure on WWE TV anytime quickly. However then Dwayne Johnson dropped a shocker on social media in February saying he was lastly coming again to SmackDown. And he did, however it highlighted some main points I’ve with the previous WWE Champion.
No, it’s not his promos, his matches, or that large goofy belt of his (If I could add, the Individuals’s Championship was MIA), however as a substitute, one thing to do with the inconsistency of the entire bundle. One minute he’s heeling it up and pointing at his goosebumps, the subsequent he’s selling WrestleMania 42 and different upcoming WWE occasions. And in a type of leisure the place the suspension of disbelief is vital, The Rock’s most up-to-date appearances have taken me out. Let me clarify.
I’ve been a fan of The Rock since my days of sporting my “Odor What The Rock is Cooking” t-shirt on the playground, and I’m satisfied that The Last Boss gimmick is the best heel since Hollywood Hogan and The NWO took over WCW in 1996. BUT this entire schtick of his the place he reveals up with that superior variation of the basic Jim Johnston entrance theme, factors on the goosebumps on his arm (undecided how he makes that occur on demand), after which cuts some meandering promo simply isn’t cooking, if you realize what I imply.
It’d be one factor if The Last Boss reduce some 15-minute promo reducing everybody down in specific phrases, however as a substitute, we’re getting these lengthy speeches the place he bounces between being The Rock and Dwayne Johnson doing public relations work for TKO. His most up-to-date look on SmackDown, very similar to his return on Uncooked in January and that Dangerous Blood look the place he pointed at Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes, was extra of the identical and so inconsistent.
The Rock And WWE Want To Commit To The Last Boss
What made WrestleMania 40 and its construct so nice was the truth that The Rock and WWE dedicated to The Last Boss being the largest, baddest, meanest, and most despicable heel that wrestling had seen in years. From the purpose when The Rock turned on the followers and began calling them Cody Crybabies to the ultimate moments of the insane WrestleMania predominant occasion match, Dwayne Johnson didn’t exist, The Nice One didn’t exist, it was simply The Last Boss.
However since then, The Rock has bounced between his real-life self and that nice wrestling persona, not solely in the identical week or night time, however over the course of a single promo. It’s inconsistent, it’s jarring, and most of all, it makes a multitude of issues. And as a fan, it makes issues manner too complicated.
It Feels Like There’s No Plan And His Numerous Returns The Previous 12 months Have Had A ‘Fly By The Seat Of Our Pants’ Really feel
Like most wrestling followers, I used to be shocked when The Rock introduced on Instagram that he was coming again to SmackDown lower than 24 hours earlier than the present went reside on Friday, February twenty first. Although I used to be excited, I used to be additionally somewhat hesitant as a result of it felt like one other impromptu second the place he was flying by the seat of his pants and simply decided at that second.
And that’s been considered one of my main issues with The Rock for the reason that finish of the primary Last Boss run after WrestleMania 40. It seems like there’s no rhyme or cause, only a man exhibiting up with no script and going loopy with a scorching mic for quarter-hour or till somebody comes out to get him. Make no mistake, I like The Rock, however all these returns have felt overstuffed and undercooked.
However who is aware of, perhaps The Rock shall be again for a short while longer this time and recreate the magic he had final yr. Solely time will inform…