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Dwayne Johnson made a surprise return to the WWE SmackDown a month and two days after teasing a match against Roman Reigns on Friday, February 2. The night ended with an intense staredown between him and Reigns, seemingly confirming that he will replace Cody Rhodes at the WrestleMania 40. In SmackDown, Rhodes told Reigns that he wanted the championship belt but not at WrestleMania. Johnson then appeared to the crowd and walked towards the ring, joining Rhodes and Reigns.
Reigns looked shocked when Rhodes said that he has been seeking advice from people who know him. The 38-year-old left the right as The Rock approached Reigns but didn’t say anything. Notably, The Rock and The Tribal Chief are related in real life and happen to be each other’s cousins.
The Rock shares heartfelt message for Birmingham crowd after SmackDown goes off air
The 51-year-old shared a heartfelt message for the Birmingham crowd after the camera stopped rolling, following the staredown. He said, "This is a city deep in history. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I'm happy to tell you that tonight, all of us made history here in Birmingham, Alabama. Birmingham, I thank you, I love you."
It is to be noted that Cody Rhodes eliminated CM Punk to win the Royale Rumble for the second year in a row on January 28, Sunday (IST). With his win, he became the first person since "Stone Cold" Steve Austin to win back-to-back Royal Rumble matches. His victory at the Royale Rumble guaranteed him a spot at WrestleMania 40, scheduled to be hosted in April 2024, which he gave up for The Rock.
