The Rock’s Underwhelming Segment: A Closer Look At WWE Raw’s Netflix Debut

WWE Monday Night Raw premiered on Netflix on January 6, 2025, with a bunch of memorable moments; however, none as surprising as the largely underwhelming segment headlining Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Arguably one of the most electrifying figures in sports entertainment history, a segment featuring The Rock should have been one of the highlighted moments of the show. But his segment left many fans and critics alike disappointed and confused.

The Build-Up and Anticipation

The announcement of The Rock’s appearance for the Netflix debut of Raw had generated quite a buzz in the wrestling community. He was highly expected to make his return, considering the recent storylines involving his cousin Roman Reigns and the saga that was unfolding with Cody Rhodes. There was speculation that this was going to set up a potential WrestleMania match or at least advance one of these high-profile storylines.

The Segment Breakdown

The entrance of Rock was electrifying: his signature theme music blared through the speakers in the arena, pyrotechnics lighting up the stage. The initial reaction from the crowd was well received as fans stood on their feet and chanted, “Rocky! Rocky!” as he made his way to the ring.

Getting to the ring, The Rock greeted fans by naming WWE’s venture with Netflix. He thanked a few executives in attendance from Netflix and made mention of several current series aired by Netflix. A mention of “Squid Game” really was the nail in the coffin; though most of these caught small pops, this came off far more like corporate shill work than some sort of edgy, charismatic promo that fans expect out of The Great One.

A moment from the segment even took an unsuspecting turn into one of the bigger surprises when it came to seeing The Rock train focus on Cody Rhodes. Instead, he did anything but reiterate their rivalry again or address that unfinished business the trio had in two matches, by praising Rhodes as “carrying WWE on his back.” This sudden kayfabe break also utterly confounded and disturbed many fans online.

Adding further to the confusion, The Rock would go on to acknowledge Roman Reigns, terming him the “Tribal Chief,” with no hint of tension or rivalry between them built up. This was contrary to months of storytelling and character development regarding this mention of Reigns in such a seemingly cordial manner.

Fan and Critical Reception

The reaction was mixed immediately following The Rock’s segment, as excitement gave way to confusion and disappointment. Fans immediately took to social media to comment:

One fan tweeted, “Is this the same Rock who was ready to tear Cody apart a few months ago? Whatever happened to that angel?

Another added, “The Rock praising both Cody and Roman feels so out of character. Where’s the conflict? Where’s the drama?”

The wrestling journalists and analysts also had something to say about the segment. Dave Meltzer from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter said, “The Rock’s promo felt like it wasn’t connected with the storylines of late. It’s like they hit the reset button without explaining why to the audience.”

Bryan Alvarez from Figure Four Weekly then added, “This segment might have pleased Netflix executives, but it did little to advance any meaningful storylines or create excitement for future events.”

Possible Explanations

A number of theories have cropped up to explain the underwhelming nature of The Rock’s segment:

Corporate Pressure: Some believe WWE, looking to impress their new partners over at Netflix, actually told The Rock to cut a promo that was family-friendly but also one that felt very corporate.

Creative Changes: It is entirely possible that last-minute creative changes took place, which altered how much The Rock’s character and storyline involvement would be.

Limited Commitment: In case The Rock’s schedule does not allow for a long-term storyline commitment, this could be a means of keeping him involved without tying him to specific feuds.

Setting Up a Swerve: Some optimistic fans believe this could set up a swerve where The Rock is being friendly now to mask future heel intentions.

Impact on Ongoing Storylines

The Rock’s segment has potentially overcomplicated several storylines currently in motion:

The Rock vs. Roman Reigns: A long-teased cousin-vs.-cousin match that, with The Rock’s respectful acknowledgment of Reigns, no longer seems particularly in the cards.

Cody Rhodes’ Story: The praise by The Rock in some way diminishes the underdog storyline of Rhodes’ pursuit to capture the championship belt.

The Bloodline Saga: The Rock’s neutral stance begs questions about his involvement in the complex family dynamics of the storyline known as The Bloodline.

Lost Opportunities

Critics of wrestling mentioned a few lost opportunities in this segment of The Rock:

WrestleMania Build-Up: The segment could have been used to plant seeds for a WrestleMania program, either with Reigns or Rhodes.

Heel Turn Tease: Given the recent run-ins The Rock has had with Rhodes, this was the perfect avenue for a heel turn to take shape—a move that would have set social media on fire.

Power Struggle Storyline: The Rock was able to position himself as a threat to Roman Reigns’ “Head of the Table” status, adding a new layer to the storyline involving The Bloodline.

Historical Context

This isn’t the first time The Rock’s return has been met with mixed reactions. His 2013 championship win over CM Punk and subsequent feud with John Cena received criticism for overshadowing full-time talent. Those appearances at least had clear storyline directions, though, which has not been the case with this recent segment.

Possible Future Directions

This segment came off pretty underwhelming, but here are a few ways WWE could take The Rock’s character in:

Slow-Burn Heel Turn: The friendly demeanor was all a ruse, unraveling to a more sinister agenda over time.

Authority Figure Role: The corporate-friendly tone used by The Rock may signal a new on-screen authority role within WWE.

Mentor Figure: His praise for younger talent like Rhodes could position him as a mentor figure, which would lead to interesting storylines if he were to later turn on his protégés.

Wild Card Factor: The Rock can be touted as a wild card, neither strictly aligned with faces nor heels, and intervening at the maximal point of major storylines.

IMPACT Influence on WWE in the Netflix-like Era

While this might be disappointing for many, at least this segment proved to be a spot that WWE’s approach is new in the Netflix era: trying to find a balance between its core audience of wrestling fans and a newer one that perhaps has tuned in because of Netflix. That delicate balance could indeed be why WWE seems to focus on segments that feel more “safe” and appeal more to the mainstream rather than taking risks and potentially losing that audience in the process.

Conclusion

The segment that involved The Rock on WWE Raw’s Netflix premiere was subpar, considering how WWE is trying to make its way into this new era of distribution with new ways to reach more mainstream audiences. Be that as it may, it has indeed gotten fans talking about what might happen with the storyline continuation involving The Rock, Roman Reigns, and Cody Rhodes.

WWE, henceforth, must seek a balancing act to cater to both the staunch lovers of wrestling and the greater mass audience the channel expects from Netflix. The next appearance of The Rock will surely be closely observed to determine if this was simply one stop or possibly another new direction his character and the attitude in which WWE writes its shows has now entered into.

While this segment may have been a misstep, the star power of The Rock and the ability of WWE to pivot storylines on a dime means there is still potential for exciting developments in the future. Fans will definitely be tuning in to see how WWE addresses the mixed reception to this segment and what it means for the long-term storytelling in this new chapter of the company’s history.