Finally, The Rock has come back

The Great One returns to form with a menacing heel promo on SmackDown.

After 25 years, The Rock, not Dwayne Johnson — the Teremana sippin’, Under Armour wearin’, Black Adam slippin’ movie star — but the actual Rock, finally showed back up in WWE.

And it was glorious.

What seemed like retro night on SmackDown from the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, UT, was the long-awaited return of the Attitude Era version of The Rock, as the People’s Champion went completely old-school in embracing his current heel turn. Dressed in a sleeveless Versace shirt, unbuttoned so the world could peek at his exposed chest and abs, The Rock sauntered to the ring in full douche mode, where he joined Roman Reigns and the Bloodline, who stood off to the side as the Great One partied like it was 1999.

The Rock began by addressing those in attendance, informing them that they had broken the indoor attendance record for the state of Utah. As fans cheered with pride, Rock’s mood shifted as he delightfully and cruelly let them know which record they had officially broken.

“You broke the all-time record for the largest gathering of trailer park trash The Rock has ever seen.”

As jeers came raining down from all sides of the Delta Center, The Rock asked the people if they were sure they wanted to do that. As the crowd responded with even greater negativity, Rock let Utah know that their lives finally had meaning while taking a shot at the state’s history of polygamy.

“Finally, you and your 50 wives will have a story to tell,” said Rock. “You’ll have a story to tell your 600 inbred grandchildren one day. And that is what it’s like to look at greatness in the flesh.”

After announcing his official return to Salt Lake City, a Cody Rhodes chant broke out. That did not sit well with the Hollywood star, who threatened to “slap the herpes” off of one fan’s lips. Rock explained that what they were seeing was a side of him that’s always been there, but it took their rejection of his proposed WrestleMania main event match with Roman Reigns to bring it out of him.

“You flushed it down the toilet,” Rock began before putting verbal boots to the WWE Universe. “The same toilet you sat your fat asses on, and you sat there and Tweeted, ‘We want Cody, we want Cody. Cody’s gotta finish his story.’”

With disdain dripping from his lips, Rock ridiculed Cody’s saga, highlighting his loss to his cousin, Roman Reigns, at last year’s WrestleMania. Instead of bouncing back like the Utah Jazz did after their 1998 NBA Finals defeat against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, Rhodes and his supporters cried about it, according to Rock. He continued, saying he would do everything in his power to ensure that Rhodes leaves WrestleMania a loser once again before closing with, “If you smell what The Bloodline is cooking!”

For anyone who had concerns that The Rock had fallen off and couldn’t cut a promo like he used to, those fears were ruthlessly put to sleep with his vicious monologue here. The Rock’s words were as entertaining as ever. More so, his message was menacing.

What will The Rock do to keep Cody Rhodes from winning the Undisputed Universal Championship? Will he lean into whatever authority he has as a member of WWE’s Board of Directors to undermine Rhodes? Could it mean that additional help is on the way?

But with the attention on what Rock’s role in the Bloodline means for Rhodes, perhaps the most poignant question is, what does this mean for Roman Reigns? Longtime fans may recall that the last time The Rock went rogue and joined a group, The Nation of Domination, he ended up overthrowing the leader and seizing power for himself.

Might The Rock do the same to Roman Reigns? If he does, will that be the catalyst that leads to their much-anticipated matchup?

What happens next can only be answered at WrestleMania. But in the midst of uncertainty, one thing is abundantly clear.

The Rock is finally back.