The Rock on Potential WWE Match vs. Roman Reigns: 'I Think Anything Is Possible'
April 20, 2020
You know what they say about pro wrestlers and the word "retirement."
The Rock opened the door slightly for a return to the ring in an Instagram Live Q&A with fans, saying he'd be open to going one-on-one with Roman Reigns.
"I think anything is possible," The Rock said, via Wrestling Inc. "Sure, of course, I'm always open. That's the cool thing about professional wrestling: There is an adaptability to wrestling. You never say never in the world of pro wrestling.
"You never say never to Vince McMahon, who has been one of my mentors in the business for a very long time. Very, very close friend and confidant. You never say 'no.' For something like that to happen, I think the venue would have to be right. The business model would have [to] be right. But I'm very close with Roman—he's family to me, so we will see."
We can answer some of these questions right now.
The "right" venue? Obviously, WrestleMania.
The "right" business model? Obviously, millions and millions of dollars.
WWE, despite recent layoffs amid the coronavirus pandemic, still has deep enough pockets that The Rock could probably name his price. Edge recently got $3 million per year for limited dates. Goldberg has gotten paid millions for spot appearances in recent years.
The Rock's starting price would, in all likelihood, be the highest payout for a single match in WWE history. WWE's offer would have to be great enough for Rock to likely turn down film offers during the build to the match. Movie studios would likely balk at insuring Rock while he's competing in a WWE ring over injury concerns that would delay production.
Given that The Rock is one of the highest-paid actors in the world, WWE's offer would have to be gargantuan.
On one hand, all those factors make it unlikely he'll ever have another one-on-one match in a WWE ring. On the other, there's something deflating about The Rock's final WWE match being an instant squash of Erick Rowan.