Through the first half-hour of the WWE debuting Monday night time uncooked on Netflix, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson acquired a thunderous reception. The Individuals's Champion is one in every of skilled wrestling's most iconic and immediately recognizable characters, and In 2024, The Rock had a banner yr as one in every of WWE's most dastardly heels. His villainous antics as “The Last Boss” got here after WWE followers have been upset with plans for him to take the WrestleMania spot that Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes had taken.
Throughout his look on one of many greatest exhibits in WWE historical past The Rock deserted your entire look of The Last Boss character in Monday night time uncooked in favor of a extra charismatic and emotional promotion in regards to the significance of the event (although he threatened to “go Squid Video games” on Netflix executives if there have been streaming points). It was a stunning and controversial transfer that induced The Rock's future in WWE to develop into one of many hottest speaking factors in wrestling.
Why WWE Sacrificed the Last Boss Character
WWE had its causes for The Rock's sudden turnaround
When Monday Evening Uncooked opened with one in every of WWE's all-time nice montages and a rousing speech from Paul Levesque, the musical success of The Rock and The Nice One entered the sector. Your present theme tune is to suit the menacing heel character he performed in WWE all through 2024, The Last Boss. He lower legendary, expletive-laden promos on social media, defeated Cody Rhodes with a weight belt within the rain, and joined The Bloodline, on the time probably the most villainous steady in WWE.
Nonetheless, it is very important do not forget that on Netflix, WWE welcomed many new viewers who had no concept any of this had occurred. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is the man who simply starred in Moana 2 and is the individuals's champion, progressive and chilling.
To borrow a time period from Triple H, sending The Rock out to inform the viewers he's there to "get the herpes out of his mouth" or to insult Cody Rhodes' canine like he did final yr isn't finest for enterprise.
Was it the best transfer for rock?
WWE's full-time viewers is confused by this look
It's simple to grasp why WWE determined to go this route for The Rock, however how he and Cody Rhodes shared laughs about Cody's mom (like promising to point out her his son's blood to the world eventually yr's WrestleMania didn't even occur). , one thing doubtlessly tragic occurred to The Rock on this phase. Together with his electrifying new entrance, wardrobe, and swearing/screaming angle, The Last Boss represented an evolution for The Rock that was harmful, daring, and, most impressively of all, cool. His look on Uncooked was something however that.
It's essential to level out right here that this author loves Dwayne a lot that he would put his coat in a puddle so the person wouldn't get his footwear moist within the rain. The Rock is a board member of TKO, WWE's mum or dad firm, and It seemed like Dwayne Johnson talking, not The Rock. Contemplating the final time we noticed him as The Rock was when he arrived on the finish of Dangerous Blood to threaten Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns (eliminating CM Punk and Drew McIntyre from the Fundamental Occasion within the course of), all the pieces looks like a multitude to the full-time WWE viewers.
The way forward for The Rock's character is unsure
Too many blended messages depart The Rock in a wierd place
As The Rock left the state-of-the-art Intuit Dome in his truck, strolling away after ingesting a crimson glass of tequila with the person he threatened on Uncooked after final yr's WrestleMania, There's quite a lot of confusion about how the wrestling viewing group ought to really feel about The Rock right this moment. A whole yr's value of your tales are actually null and void. This wasn't an express flip like wrestling followers are used to. It felt just like the Mark Calloway we now see talking on a podcast coming to Uncooked, performing like he hasn't been a Deadman in years and showing like The American Badass.
There's actually no want for a lot concern right here. The Rock has the flexibility to adapt and shine in any skilled wrestling setting this places him within the dialog in regards to the Mount Rushmore of wrestling. Someday after arriving on SmackDown to problem Roman Reigns for the WrestleMania Fundamental Occasion, Rocky was public enemy primary. He responded with top-of-the-line runs of his profession. However within the current second, it's arduous to know how you can really feel about The Rock when Dwayne Johnson is on digital camera taking part in an alternate, company, and drastically much less likable model of his finest character.
WWE Uncooked is a weekly stay tv program that started airing in 1993, that includes a rotating forged of WWE Superstars. Identified for its dramatic storylines and athletic matches, it has develop into a cornerstone of Monday night time skilled wrestling leisure.