The Rock is formally gone from WWE, not less than for some time. The Folks’s Champion made the announcement earlier this week on the Monday Night time Uncooked after WrestleMania 40. In actual life, he’s apparently again to Hollywood and off to movie a film. We gained’t know his actual return date for a while, however plugged in followers who watched Friday Night time SmackDown this week had been handled to the beginning of a serious new storyline that can little doubt contain The Rock as quickly as he returns.
On Friday, WWE launched a model new character: Tama Tonga. The journeyman wrestler, who has labored extensively in Japan and is the true life son of WWE legend Haku, appeared out of nowhere and attacked Jimmy Uso, a lot to the shock of Bloodline wiseman Paul Heyman (No Yeet). Along with Solo Sikoa, they did critical harm to poor Jimmy as a result of, of their phrases, dropping matches has penalties. We had been later advised it was on orders of The Tribal Chief, and it was closely implied that Tribal Chief was not Roman Reigns.
Now, I don’t know all the ins and outs of precisely the place that is going to go, however the long-term storyline right here appears fairly clear. For a very long time, the core members of The Bloodline have been Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman. Extra just lately, Jey Uso left and The Rock joined. Now, Jimmy Uso has been seemingly kicked out, and Tama Tonga has been added. I don’t know the place Paul Heyman goes to finish up or who else may become involved, nevertheless it appears seemingly long-term we’re going to get two separate Bloodlines: one run by Roman Reigns and one run by The Rock.
For these of you who is perhaps followers of Dwayne Johnson who aren’t as plugged in on skilled wrestling, essentially the most outstanding WWE storyline for the final a number of years has been The Bloodline, or the story of the true life Anoa’i Household. They’ve collectively essential evented WrestleMania greater than 15 instances and have produced many outstanding wrestlers together with Roman Reigns and The Rock. Reigns has referred to as himself The Tribal Chief and was the undefeated WWE Champion for over three years. His weekly story largely concerned him attempting to handle his unruly household, who’re additionally members of The Bloodline. The Rock has been supporting Reigns, however after he misplaced at WrestleMania, it now appears seemingly The Rock goes to work to take over The Bloodline, given The Rock considers Haku his uncle and his son simply confirmed as much as assault one among Roman’s closest long-time allies.
All of this can seemingly go down as one of many biggest on-the-fly improvisations within the historical past of WWE. The Rock initially confirmed up earlier this yr with a watch towards essential eventing WrestleMania 40 in a match in opposition to Roman Reigns. The plan was to do a enjoyable cousin vs cousin storyline, however WWE followers turned on The Rock, as a result of they felt his presence was disrupting long-term inventive plans involving Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes. So, The Rock shortly pivoted and leaned into the negativity. He turned himself right into a villain and joined Roman Reigns in The Bloodline. The partnership created a string of unbelievable TV episodes and finally led to some of the profitable and well-reviewed WrestleManias in historical past.
Now it seems to be like WWE is setting in movement the following chapter. It seemingly gained’t appeal to as a lot fanfare with The Rock and Roman Reigns each taking a break and at the moment off tv, but when followers watch intently, they’ll nearly actually see the items being slowly moved round on a weekly foundation to arrange these returns and put every in a unbelievable place to proceed an all-time nice story.
