Jonathan Coachman believes The Rock could still return to WWE, but it may take a major financial incentive to bring Dwayne Johnson back for another appearance.
Speaking exclusively to “Hard Rock Bet,” Coachman discussed the possibility of “The Great One” returning and explained why he is only 50-50 on the idea. The former WWE commentator pointed to The Rock’s long absence from wrestling-related social media activity as one of the biggest reasons for his uncertainty.
The Rock‘s last major WWE television appearance came at Elimination Chamber in March 2025. During the PLE, “The Final Boss” played a central role in John Cena’s heel turn, aligning with Cena and Travis Scott before the group attacked Cody Rhodes. The Rock then disappeared from WWE programming.
His absence became particularly notable during the build to WrestleMania 42. As Cody Rhodes was set to defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton, fans began speculating that The Rock could eventually be revealed as the person influencing Orton’s increasingly ruthless behavior. “The Viper” was repeatedly shown communicating with a mystery caller, leading to widespread speculation that the mystery person could be The Rock.
The eventual reveal went in a different direction, with Pat McAfee emerging as Orton’s ally. McAfee returned to WWE television and helped Orton target Rhodes before WrestleMania 42.
Against that backdrop, Coachman explained why he remains uncertain about The Rock’s WWE future.
“I’m 50-50 on it because here’s where a lot of people don’t understand. He is a social media beast. Since February last year, he has not made one, not one social media post about wrestling.”
Jonathan Coachman then connected The Rock’s lack of wrestling-related activity to the events surrounding Cena’s heel turn and suggested that something else could be keeping the Hollywood star away.
“The fact that he hasn’t since basically the John Cena debacle tells me there’s something else going on. There is only one thing that can get him back in the fold is this: The Rock loves a big payday. He also loves an easy payday.”
For Coachman, WWE would have a better chance of securing The Rock if the deal involved a huge payday for a limited commitment rather than a lengthy wrestling run.
“If it’s $15 or $20 million for one trip to Saudi Arabia for WrestleMania next year, I most certainly think that could happen.”
The Rock Has Not Wrestled Since WrestleMania 40
(Photo by WWE/Getty Images)
The Rock has not competed in an official WWE match since WrestleMania 40 in April 2024. His Elimination Chamber appearance in 2025 was part of a storyline rather than an in-ring match.
Since then, “The Final Boss” has largely focused on his Hollywood commitments. His work during this period has included “The Smashing Machine,” Disney’s live-action “Moana” and other major film projects, making a regular WWE schedule difficult.
His potential involvement in the Cody Rhodes-Randy Orton story also showed how much interest remains in The Rock’s presence, even when he is not appearing on WWE television. The mystery surrounding Orton’s caller was enough to fuel speculation that “The Great One” could eventually return to continue his issues with Rhodes.
WrestleMania 43 is scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2027, making Coachman’s prediction about a lucrative one-off appearance particularly noteworthy.
For now, there is no indication that The Rock is preparing for another WWE match. Coachman, however, believes the right offer could still change that – especially if WWE can make the appearance both financially rewarding and relatively easy for the Hollywood star.
It will be interesting to see when the former WWE Champion makes his much-awaited return on WWE TV.
