“I wanna see Cody punch Rock,” CM Punk calls for Cody Rhodes to retaliate against Dwayne Johnson after press conference mayhem

At the WrestleMania 40 press conference, Dwayne Johnson lost his temper and slapped Cody Rhodes in a heated moment.

“I wanna see Cody punch Rock,” CM Punk calls for Cody Rhodes to retaliate against Dwayne Johnson after press conference mayhem

CM Punk, Dwayne Johnson and Cody Rhodes (via X/@WrestleOps)

The WrestleMania XL Kickoff delivered an electrifying ending with an intense showdown between wrestling icons Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Roman Reigns, and Cody Rhodes. Despite CM Punk‘s absence from the ring due to injury, his presence on the panel of hosts added an extra layer of excitement. Tensions soared as Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes exchanged fiery words. The climax came when The Rock delivered a thunderous slap to The American Nightmare.

CM Punk shared his perspective on The Rock’s slap to Cody Rhodes. He highlighted Rhodes’ reputation for being diplomatic and kind but emphasized the importance of standing up for oneself when faced with physical confrontation. Punk expressed his desire to witness Cody retaliate by punching The Great One.

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Somebody slaps you, you gotta bust them right back in the mouth, that is what I would have done. I wanna to see Cody punch Rock right in the face. 
CM Punk at WrestleMania XL Kickoff

During the WrestleMania event, Roman Reigns announced The Rock as his opponent. As they stood together on stage, The People’s Champion elaborated on their shared family legacy. However, their moment was overshadowed by chants from the crowd, expressing discontent over Cody Rhodes being sidelined.

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The optics of The Rock returning and seemingly taking The American Nightmare’s spot soured fans, particularly as Rhodes had seemingly stepped aside for him on SmackDown earlier in the week. The 38-year-old interrupted the family reunion to a warm ovation, calling the situation “bullsh*t” and formally challenging Reigns to a title rematch at WrestleMania 40.

A right he had earned by winning the 2024 Royal Rumble. Reigns and Rhodes exchanged verbal jabs about their respective families, culminating in The Rock intervening and slapping Cody, leading to a tense standoff before the latter was escorted backstage amidst a pull-apart scuffle involving World Heavyweight Champion, Seth Rollins.

Triple H confirms WrestleMania match between Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns

The WrestleMania Kickoff show ended without providing any official match confirmation. After the end of the event, it was still unclear who was going to challenge Roman in the main event. Both Rock and Cody challenged The Tribal Chief for the title during the show. However, Triple H has made the official confirmation of the WrestleMania main event.

Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes made official for WrestleMania
Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes made official for WrestleMania (via WWE)

Following the press conference, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque took to social media to confirm the highly anticipated matchup. He announced that Roman Reigns would indeed be facing Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania, addressing the fervent speculation surrounding the event. With this official confirmation, fans are excited as the stage is set for The American Nightmare to finish his story.

The announcement of Roman Reigns facing off against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania delighted fans who had longed for this match. WWE initially hinted at giving the main event slot to The Rock, sparking frustration and anger among fans on social media. Their passionate response forced WWE to give fans what they wanted, highlighting the importance of fan engagement in wrestling.

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