Where there is smoke there is sometimes fire but other times, it is just smoke. Back in January, The Wrestling Observer reported that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would not be competing at WWE WrestleMania 39 because he did not feel he could be in ring shape in time.
On the surface, that seemed to make sense and post-Royal Rumble comments from Paul “Triple H” Levesque regarding Johnson’s WrestleMania status didn’t seem to dispute it. When pressed during the post-show press conference, Levesque conceded that Johnson would likely not compete on the greatest stage of them all but attributed it to his busy schedule, making no mention of his physical prowess.
Former WWE writer, and Johnson’s long-time right-hand man, Brian Gewirtz, was on The Bill Simmons Show and took the chance to dispute The Wrestling Observer’s report. “I know that in it of itself, is not the case,” Gewirtz began. “That is not the reason, whether it happens or doesn’t happen. I know that is the line but then it just took on a life of its own where everyone reading it on the internet and Twitter takes it as fact. To the point where Roman goes on The Tonight Show and tells Jimmy Fallon, ‘Hey, I understand Rock made a statement saying he doesn’t have time to get into ring shape.’ I’m watching this like, ‘What?! What statement? Show me the statement. There is no statement.’
“This is a quote some stooge reported to a wrestling insider newsletter of some kind and now it is just written into granite and stone,” he lamented. “That’s the stuff that drives me nuts and always has.”
Regardless of who you want to believe in this situation, it seems highly unlikely at this point The Rock will have a match at WWE WrestleMania 39. While anything can happen, the match card for the big show is filling up and with Reigns already in a high-profile match against Cody Rhodes, The Rock having a bout and overshadowing that seems unlikely.
Stay with Haus Of Wrestling for all the latest regarding The Rock’s WWE WrestleMania 39 status.