Major Update on The Rock’s WWE Future Ahead of WrestleMania 42 & 43

For fans who spent all of 2025 expecting The Rock to eventually circle back to the center of WWE’s biggest storylines, a new report has finally brought much-needed clarity—and a heavy dose of reality.

After playing a pivotal role in John Cena’s shocking heel turn against Cody Rhodes, The Rock’s absence from the WrestleMania 41 main event last April left fans frustrated and confused. Despite positioning himself as a moral arbiter obsessed with Cody’s “soul,” The Final Boss quietly exited the narrative, later stating on The Pat McAfee Show that his involvement effectively ended at Elimination Chamber.

For those still hoping The Rock would “finish the story” with Cody Rhodes sooner rather than later, the latest update suggests patience will be required—and then some.

No Rock at WrestleMania 42

According to a report from Andrew Baydala, rumors swirling about The Rock’s WrestleMania future have been widely misunderstood. Any discussions involving The Great One are not related to WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas next year.

Instead, all meaningful talks are centered on WrestleMania 43, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in 2027.

Baydala clarified the situation bluntly:

“The Rock is NOT wrestling at this year’s WrestleMania. The ‘big offer’ under discussion is for WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia, and there appears to be hesitation about proceeding, given that The Rock knows it would most likely be his last match.”

Why the Hesitation? Timing, Not Location

Crucially, Baydala notes that any reluctance on The Rock’s part has nothing to do with Saudi Arabia as the host country. Instead, the hesitation stems from what WrestleMania 43 would represent: the end.

If The Rock commits to competing at WrestleMania 43, it is widely believed—within WWE and beyond—that the match would likely be his final bout. There have been no indications that he would wrestle anywhere between WrestleMania 42 and WrestleMania 43, reinforcing the idea that this would be a true farewell.

The Rock’s last in-ring appearance came at WrestleMania XL, when he teamed with Roman Reigns in a marathon tag team main event against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins—a performance that already felt like a swan song to many.

The Rock’s Decision Could Shift a $100 Million Deal

The stakes go well beyond nostalgia.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the final price Saudi Arabia pays for the entire WrestleMania 43 week could be directly impacted by whether The Rock commits to headlining the event. Current estimates reportedly sit around $100 million, with Rock’s involvement potentially pushing that figure even higher.

Given his global superstardom—and the very real possibility of “one last match”—any WrestleMania featuring The Rock would be a record-breaking financial juggernaut. If the deal materializes, expectations are that his opponent would be either Roman Reigns or Cody Rhodes, two rivals whose unfinished business with The Final Boss still looms large.

Wrestling.news | Backstage Take

This isn’t about creative indecision—it’s about legacy. WWE clearly wants The Rock for a historic, once-in-a-lifetime moment, not a half-measure cameo. WrestleMania 43 being WWE’s first WrestleMania outside North America only raises the stakes. If The Rock says yes, it will be positioned as a true final chapter, not nostalgia bait. And if he says no, WWE must finally close the door on the idea of Rock headlining WrestleMania again—something fans have been debating for nearly a decade.

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