WWE: The Rock & Triple H on Process Leading to Pivot of WrestleMania 40 Main Event Plans, Cody Rhodes on Possibility of Future Heel Turn in WWE, More News

The Rock & Triple H Comment on Process Leading to Pivot of WrestleMania 40 Main Event Plans

WWE released their previously delayed WrestleMania 40: Behind the Curtain documentary on their YouTube channel on Wednesday. This documentary focuses on the behind-the-scenes look at WWE’s creative process and pivot of the plans for the main event of this past April’s WrestleMania 40 event.

During the documentary, TKO Board of Directors member Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and WWE CCO Paul “Triple H” Levesque gave their thoughts about the process that led WWE pivoting from their plans at the time for the main event of WrestleMania 40 in such a short period of time.

Levesque stated that Cody Rhodes’ loss at last year’s WrestleMania 39 event was done in order to give Rhodes a hot year leading into WrestleMania 40 and the plans for him to challenge Roman Reigns again for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, later renamed to the Undisputed WWE Championship.

The Rock responded that he and WWE President Nick Khan first stated to talk about a potential match between him and Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39 in December of 2021.

“The deal wasn’t quite there. So we decided to shoot for WrestleMania the following year, which of course was WrestleMania 40.”

The Rock also stated that the pieces for this match started to come together once the TKO merger was finalized. Levesque responded stating that he had told Rhodes that it was not likely that he would headline WrestleMania 40 on the afternoon of this past Janurary’s Royal Rumble 2024 event.

“I sat with Cody at the Royal Rumble in the afternoon and told him it was becoming more of a reality that the match with Roman and The Rock could take place at WrestleMania. I don’t think anybody knew a thing outside of Cody. And I’m sure that was a brutal day,” he said.

Levesque also stated that there were no plans made for Rhodes after the angle took place where he gave up his WrestleMania 40 spot to The Rock on the February 2nd WWE SmackDown show.

“Obviously his next question is where does that leave me. I’m like, not sure yet. So that’s on me to figure out because this is all happening in real time…we’re going to see what the reaction is.”

Johnson stated that he was the one who pitched the idea to pivot back to Roman vs. Cody for the main event of WrestleMania 40 with himself going heel for the storyline due to the negative online reactions following the angle on SmackDown and the negative crowd reactions on the following RAW show.

“I called Nick [Khan] and Triple H and I called Ari [Emanuel]. I said, here’s how I’m feeling. We can truck through this and we can put on this main event. And the majority of the world, many of which who don’t watch WWE who we do plan on pulling in…they’re going to love this idea of Rock and Roman and we’re going to tell this amazing story. Hopefully this will be the first chapter of a few. We could do that. However, my gut says Ari, Nick, Triple H, my gut says I don’t like, even if its like a segment of fans, I don’t like that they’re upset. And that really bugged the s*** out of me. And it’s not how I’ve operated my entire career. I don’t like it. And I knew, essentially, the choice was mine.”

Transcript h/t: F4WOnline.com

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Cody Rhodes Comments on Potential of Turning Heel in the Future in WWE

In a recent interview with The Pivot Podcast, Cody Rhodes gave his thoughts about how he defines a heel character in wrestling and the possibility of him turning heel in WWE in the future.

“Being a heel in wrestling, it’s very hard to be a heel today. What is a heel? If a heel is trying to actively take something away that you like, You’ll hear people in wrestling say there is a wrong type of heat. There is truly no such thing as the wrong type of heat, as long as you can manage it. As long as you can take it. Today, people get canceled for everything. Every hour, somebody is getting canceled and uncanceled. A heel’s job is to get canceled. A heel’s job is to not be cool and not sell merch. In wrestling, the term has gotten more identified with The Rock types that aren’t really heels. He’s just The Rock. He’s in a Disney movie. He’s beloved. Watching him is a prime example. You have to really go to lengths to upset people and do something. In this case, he upset them greatly because he was taking away a spot. He was smart enough to know, ‘That’s a good spot to be in.’ Most people are uncomfortable in that spot. Most people don’t want to explore being hated. John Bradshaw Layfield, you couldn’t sell his merch, even in his hometown. If there were JBL shirts, he would go up to the stands personally and make sure they were not there. He was meant to be hated. He wanted you cheering for John (Cena) and Eddie Guerrero. That is a hard ask. There is beauty if you can commit to being a bad guy. It’s a unique space creatively. You have to be really vulnerable, open, and open and blood-hungry in terms of how you are on the microphone. There is a growing sect of fans that want to see that happen for me at some point. If you’re really wishing for that, it’s scorched earth. Then you might be, ‘We don’t like that.’ You have to really go scorched earth, and in 2024, that is hard for anyone to understand. You’re not meant to be cool. You’re not meant to be the next Rock. You’re meant to be a bad guy.“

Transcript h/t: WrestlingNews.co

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WWE News & Notes

This past Tuesday’s NXT LVL Up tapings at WWE’s Performance Center featured former U.S. Olmpyic wrestler and WWE talent Tamyra Mensah-Stock making her official televised in-ring debut for WWE’s NXT brand. Mensah-Stock competed under the ring name Tyra Mae Steele and wrestled Wren Sinclair in a singles match at the taping.

In a recent interview with CBS Sports, Carmelo Hayes gave his thoughts about WWE tossing him into the deep end with all the big opportunities he has received very quickly after being called up to the main roster. Hayes stated “I’d be lying if I said it felt new because I feel like they did the same thing when I got to NXT. They immediately put me up against Kushida for the cruiserweight championship, put me against Adam Cole, and put me in the Breakout Tournament. I’ve been put in these high-pressure and sink-or-swim situations for as long as I can remember. I’ve proven every time that I’m a swimmer and I’m worth the opportunities.“

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, former WWE talent Ronda Rousey gave her thoughts about how Paul Heyman was one of the few people in WWE who had encouraged her creatively in the company. Rousey stated “He’s one of the few people who really encouraged me creatively. He showed me I’m so much more than just what my body can do. That’s how so many people see me–as an athlete, as a fighter. It’s all about performing, being on camera, focusing on what I can do physically–but it was different with Paul. It was Paul Heyman who said, ‘What do you want your movie to be?’ Paul produced my segments during the second half of my first year in WWE, and he really worked with me on being able to write my own promos and deliver them. I’d wrote before, two memoirs, but not creatively–he encouraged me to create outside of myself. Paul was my first mentor as a writer, and he saw that in me.“

In a recent interview with the Going Ringside podcast, JoJo Offerman, former WWE ring announcer and fiance of the late Bray Wyatt, gave her thoughts about how she has been feeling since Wyatt’s passing. Offerman stated “There are good days, there are bad days. It’s honestly very difficult most days. But I’ve always said that Windham and I – you guys know him as Bray – our relationship was so strong, it was such a wonderful, beautiful thing that that’s what gets me going, knowing that we had that type of love and strength in what we built in our family, in our home, in our life. So, that keeps me going, staying strong for him. The wrestling community, even beyond, they’ve really had my back, especially people in the company have really just stepped up and helped me get through a lot of my days.” Offerman also gave her thoughts about how she is doing wrestling conventions so that fans can show their support in person. Offerman stated “Honestly, the biggest reason I do this is to be able to let people know that they can come and, kind of, show their support in person if they want to cause I think that seeing me as helped a lot of people cope.” (Transcript h/t: F4WOnline.com)

In a recent interview with WQHT’s HOT 97, former WWE talent Mercedes Mone gave her thoughts about how she was depressed after fans labeled her “unsafe” following Saraya (former Paige in WWE) suffering an injury during their match at a house show event in 2017. Mone stated “I was so depressed by it. That definitely sent me on a spiral of depression because wrestling has always been my biggest goal and dream, and I’ve always wanted to be the greatest at it. So, to hear any kind of noise that people might not think you’re safe… It wasn’t even the boys in the back, it was just the fans thinking you’re not safe. It’s scary sometimes, but that’s the business that we’re in. You never know when you’re going to get hurt.” (Transcript h/t: F4WOnline.com)

In a recent interview with the Cheap Heat with Peter Rosenberg podcast, Chad Gable gave his thoughts about his plans for the future of his career in WWE. Gable stated “I’ve done some reflection. I’ve done some reflecting about what (re-signing) means for me. Not just professionally or financially, going forward, but what I want it to mean to me. I’m getting older. This business is interesting. If you would have told me in high school when I started this, that I’d be hitting my peak when I was 38, I would have said you’re crazy. How do you wrestle that long? But here we are. When I evaluate what I want my legacy to be, or part of my legacy, I want to step in more of a leadership role going forward, locker room wise. We have a lot of young talent coming up with guys from NXT, we have guys like the Creeds [Julius Creed and Brutus Creed], who are these incredible athletes. Everyone has seen their athleticism. They haven’t necessarily had the guiding light for them to show them the other stuff and the other side. No one needs to teach them how to be strong and athletic. They have that. I couldn’t teach them that. I think I’m the type of guy that would be good in a leadership role and I would have a lot of value. Especially to the people that WWE and NXT are interested in, which are people with sporting backgrounds and making that jump from amateur athletics with the NIL deals. I think there is a big chance for me to step into a nice leadership role and help those guys whenever I can.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)