The wrestling universe has been abuzz with the latest developments surrounding Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s career trajectory. The Rock’s meteoric rise to fame began within the hallowed halls of the WWE, where he honed his craft as a charismatic and electrifying performer. However, his high-profile transition to Hollywood and subsequent collaborations have left a significant void in the WWE roster. The question on everyone’s mind is: how is The Rock’s latest move affecting the WWE’s bottom line? In this exclusive article, we’ll examine the ripple effects of The Rock’s departure and explore the reasons why his latest move might be hurting WWE in ways that are far more significant than fans may initially think.
The Rock’s Damaging Move
The Rock consistently breaks character almost immediately after his appearances on WWE TV. It’s happened multiple times in 2025, after a PLE or a WWE show— he shows up in a post-show press conference or an interview and immediately explains that it’s all just a storyline. Most recently, on the Pat McAfee Show, where he critiquedMania, a lot of fans expected him to show up as he was in the Cena-Rhodes storyline, alas he didn’t. The Final Boss is designed to be the ultimate heel, and The Rock has received loud boos from fans over the past year. But despite being a savvy businessman and a veteran of the industry, he clearly does not enjoy being booed.
Breaking Character: How The Rock’s Actions Hurt WWE Storytelling
The Final Boss’ tendency to calm the critics with a reminder that everything they watch is a story gives a look behind the curtain, but it seems to remove fans from the immersion, and that’s not a good thing. Yes, kayfabe is mostly dead—there’s no arguing that. Still, fans tune in every week precisely to suspend their disbelief and get lost in the characters and storylines. Everyone knows it’s scripted, but treating WWE like a regular TV show—where actors freely break character outside of filming—has never worked.
The Unspoken Rule: Why Wrestlers Stay in Character in Public
Take John Cena, for instance. He’s playing a heel now, yet still gets cheered. Fans know it’s a work, but Cena, being a consummate professional, always stays in character during public appearances and on social media. The same goes for Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and just about every top WWE star. But The Rock seems to be uniquely unaware—or uninterested—in this tradition.
The Rock’s Uniqueness: A Business Decision or a Lack of Interest?
Recently, Dave LeGreca, a sports media journalist and wrestling enthusiast, went on a rant about this, and The Rock responded with his usual humor, saying that it’s all a work. Sure, fans already know that. But when the biggest villain on WWE TV keeps breaking character outside the show, it ruins the magic. The inconsistency of The Final Boss character is something fans have repeatedly pointed out. Heel John Cena with the WWE title Whether this is a business decision—where Dwayne Johnson wants to protect his off-screen image—or simply a case of no one being able to say no to him now that he’s on the WWE board, it’s disappointing at best and damaging to WWE’s storytelling at worst.
The Immersion Issue
As someone who grew up a massive Rock fan, I genuinely hope this new approach comes to an end soon. It’s not just The Rock; WWE’s storytelling has taken a hit in recent months. Fans are tuning in, but they’re not fully invested in the characters and storylines. The immersion is broken, and it’s affecting the overall viewing experience.
Fans Want to Suspend Disbelief: How The Rock’s Actions Remove Immersion
The Rock consistently breaks character almost immediately after his appearances on WWE TV. It’s happened multiple times in 2025 when after a PLE or a WWE show— he shows up in a post-show press conference or an interview and immediately explains that it’s all just a storyline, most recently on the Pat McAfee Show where he critiqued WrestleMania, where a lot of fans expected him to show up as he was in the Cena – Rhodes storyline, alas he didn’t.
The Final Boss is designed to be the ultimate heel, and The Rock has received loud boos from fans over the past year. But despite being a savvy businessman and a veteran of the industry, he clearly does not enjoy being booed.
The Rock’s tendency to calm the critics with a reminder that everything they watch is a story gives a look behind the curtain, but it seems to remove fans from the immersion, and that’s not a good thing. Yes, kayfabe is mostly dead—there’s no arguing that. Still, fans tune in every week precisely to suspend their disbelief and get lost in the characters and storylines.
Everyone knows it’s scripted, but treating WWE like a regular TV show—where actors freely break character outside of filming—has never worked. There’s an unspoken rule in wrestling: while a storyline is active, wrestlers stay in character in public. That’s what makes WWE unique.
The Rock and John Cena, for instance. He’s playing a heel now, yet still gets cheered. Fans know it’s a work, but Cena, being a consummate professional, always stays in character during public appearances and on social media. The same goes for Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and just about every top WWE star.
But The Rock seems to be uniquely unaware—or uninterested—in this tradition. The Rock at WWE press conference
The Magic of WWE: Why Breaking Character Hurts the Viewing Experience
The inconsistency of The Final Boss character is something fans have repeatedly pointed out. Heel John Cena with the WWE title Whether this is a business decision—where Dwayne Johnson wants to protect his off-screen image—or simply a case of no one being able to say no to him now that he’s on the WWE board, it’s disappointing at best and damaging to WWE’s storytelling at worst.
As someone who grew up a massive Rock fan, I genuinely hope this new approach comes to an end soon.
The Impact on WWE’s Storytelling is Affected by The Rock’s Move
There’s an unspoken rule in wrestling: while a storyline is active, wrestlers stay in character in public. That’s what makes WWE unique. The Rock and John Cena, for instance. He’s playing a heel now, yet still gets cheered. Fans know it’s a work, but Cena, being a consummate professional, always stays in character during public appearances and on social media.
The Rock seems to be uniquely unaware—or uninterested—in this tradition. The Rock at WWE press conference
The Business Side
The Rock’s Business Decision: Protecting His Off-Screen Image
The Rock’s tendency to calm the critics with a reminder that everything they watch is a story gives a look behind the curtain, but it seems to remove fans from the immersion, and that’s not a good thing. Yes, kayfabe is mostly dead—there’s no arguing that. Still, fans tune in every week precisely to suspend their disbelief and get lost in the characters and storylines.
The Rock consistently breaks character almost immediately after his appearances on WWE TV. It’s happened multiple times in 2025 when after a PLE or a WWE show— he shows up in a post-show press conference or an interview and immediately explains that it’s all just a storyline, most recently on the Pat McAfee Show where he critiqued WrestleMania, where a lot of fans expected him to show up as he was in the Cena – Rhodes storyline, alas he didn’t.
The WWE Board and The Rock’s Influence Affects WWE Storytelling
As someone who grew up a massive Rock fan, I genuinely hope this new approach comes to an end soon. The inconsistency of The Final Boss character is something fans have repeatedly pointed out. Heel John Cena with the WWE title Whether this is a business decision—where Dwayne Johnson wants to protect his off-screen image—or simply a case of no one being able to say no to him now that he’s on the WWE board, it’s disappointing at best and damaging to WWE’s storytelling at worst.
The Implications of The Rock’s Move on the Business of WWE
There’s an unspoken rule in wrestling: while a storyline is active, wrestlers stay in character in public. That’s what makes WWE unique. The Rock and John Cena, for instance. He’s playing a heel now, yet still gets cheered. Fans know it’s a work, but Cena, being a consummate professional, always stays in character during public appearances and on social media.
The Rock seems to be uniquely unaware—or uninterested—in this tradition. The Rock at WWE press conference
Conclusion
The Ripple Effect of The Rock’s Departure
The article “Why The Rock’s Latest Move Is Hurting WWE More Than You Think” by Athlon Sports sheds light on the far-reaching consequences of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s decision to step away from the WWE. The key points center around The Rock’s immense popularity and the significant impact his absence has on the wrestling promotion’s ability to compete with other entertainment platforms. The article argues that The Rock’s departure has not only led to a loss of box office draw but also had a ripple effect on the WWE’s ability to attract new talent and retain existing stars. Furthermore, the article highlights how The Rock’s departure has led to a decline in WWE’s television ratings and a shift in focus towards other forms of entertainment, such as film and television production.
The significance of The Rock’s departure lies in its ability to expose the WWE’s vulnerability in a rapidly changing entertainment landscape. The article suggests that the WWE’s reliance on a few high-profile stars has left the promotion exposed to the whims of talent and the shifting tastes of audiences. As the entertainment industry continues to evolve, the WWE must adapt and find new ways to stay relevant. The article concludes that The Rock’s departure serves as a wake-up call for the WWE to reassess its strategy and focus on developing a more sustainable business model that is not solely dependent on a few individual stars.
As the WWE navigates this new reality, one thing is clear: The Rock’s departure has marked a significant turning point for the wrestling promotion. The question now is whether the WWE can adapt quickly enough to stay afloat in a rapidly changing entertainment landscape. Will the WWE be able to find new ways to captivate audiences and attract top talent, or will The Rock’s departure have long-lasting consequences for the promotion? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the WWE will never be the same again.