Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has addressed his absence from WrestleMania 41.
On Saturday and Sunday, 65,000 fans showed up at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to watch one of WWE’s biggest events. However, many were left disappointed by Johnson’s absence after he competed in WrestleMania 40.
On Tuesday, the Moana actor spoke on The Pat McAfee Show to explain why he wasn’t there.
“They know, when I come to them and lay this out, ‘Here’s how I feel it should go. We can insert Final Boss into the end of this finish, but then where do we go?’” he said, referring to his WWE nickname “The Final Boss.”
“There are other commitments that I have, and I want to be careful that we’re not overstepping,” Johnson continued. “I can get involved in the finish, but why get involved in the finish when the spotlight should just be on John, 17, heel champion?”
This year’s big match-up was between John Cena, a heel, and Cody Rhodes, a babyface.
In professional wrestling, “good” characters are called “babyfaces” and “bad” characters are “heels.” Cena spent most of his career as a babyface, having last been a heel in the early-mid 2000s — until February’s Elimination Chamber event, where he attacked Rhodes and joined forces with Johnson.
This was part of a storyline in which Cena, during his final year as a pro wrestler, is desperate to win a record-breaking 17th world championship. Rhodes is WWE’s biggest babyface, while Johnson is a heel authority figure, given his real-life position on the board of TKO (WWE’s ownership group).
Johnson said to McAfee after taking a lead role in Cena’s heel turn, he didn’t think The Final Boss needed to be part of the story anymore. “I think The Final Boss’ work is done,” he said.
Cena went on to win the match against Rhodes and won a record 17th world title. Shortly after taking home the win, he revealed on Monday’s episode of The Pat McAfee Show that he received a hair transplant. “It’s coming in,” he said while pointing at his hairline. “I listen to you idiots, I do.”
“There’s another headline for you: hair transplant. There is no shame in that. I have a problem, I try to fix it,” Cena continued. “I’m not going to tell you who did it because I’m still waiting for it to get better. Once it’s better and I get the long flowing locks, I’ll be like, ‘Go to this guy.’”
Johnson repeatedly returned to the professional wrestling company over the years, and he even competed at WrestleMania 40. Last year, Johnson competed in the Night 1 main event, teaming with Roman Reigns to beat Rhodes and Seth Rollins. He also interfered in the Night 2 main event: Reigns vs Rhodes.
