In what can only be described as the most electrifying game of “Whisper Down the Lane” in WWE history, The Rock made a blockbuster, unadvertised cameo on Monday’s Raw in Chicago, turning the show into an episode of “The Bold and the Brutal.”
As Cody Rhodes kicked off the night, probably thinking the biggest challenge he’d face would be remembering his lines or not tripping over the ropes, in strutted The Rock. What followed was a staredown so intense, folks at home were half-expecting tumbleweeds to roll across the ring. The Rock then whispered sweet nothings (or rather, somethings) into Rhodes’ ear, leaving Cody looking like he’d just been told the last season of his favorite show was a dream.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond played detective, trying to get the scoop on The Rock’s mysterious message. The Rock, channeling his inner Sphinx, tossed the ball back to Cody. Rhodes, sticking to the “Fight Club” first rule of whatever The Rock said, kept lips sealed but teased a promise as elusive as a clean public restroom at a music festival.
The night’s drama didn’t end there. In a finale that made soap operas look tame, The Rock and Rhodes took their beef backstage, escalating to a rainy, noir showdown by Cody’s bus. In a scene straight out of a wrestling telenovela, The Rock, now seemingly auditioning for a villain role, smeared Rhodes’ blood on a weight belt (because, why not?) and dropped a Dusty Rhodes reference that would make Shakespeare nod in approval. “Hard times,” he ominously declared, leaving fans wondering if he meant more awkward whispers or actual wrestling.
Next week promises more Rock and Rhodes drama, with The Rock scheduled to grace Brooklyn’s Raw before WrestleMania 40. As The Rock zeroes in on Rhodes with the intensity of a cat watching a laser pointer, fans are left to wonder how much more personal (and wet) this rivalry can get.
Meanwhile, Rhodes found himself in a SmackDown soap opera of his own, walking into what might as well have been an ambush, because nothing says “WWE plot twist” like a good old-fashioned ring encirclement. Despite the odds, the night ended in a WWE-approved stalemate, leaving fans on the edge of their seats, or at least mildly reclined.