Highlights
- Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes wants to face Universal Champion Roman Reigns, but not at WrestleMania. The Rock interrupts and sets up a dream match between him and Reigns.
- Fans are angry and have disliked the YouTube video of the moment, with #WeWantCody trending. It is revealed that The Rock used his position on the TKO Board of Directors to force his way into the match.
- Fans' anger has escalated to the point of targeting The Rock's daughter, Ava, who is the NXT General Manager. She pleads to be left out and expresses frustration over death threats related to a situation she has nothing to do with.
It's been an insane few weeks for WWE, with both highs and lows, and then the confusing ending to the February 2 SmackDown. Out of nowhere, Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes told Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns that he wanted to face him, but not at WrestleMania. It was then that The Rock's music hit, and as a heartbroken looking Rhodes walked away, The Rock and Roman Reigns stood alone in the ring. The dream match is now a reality, as the two cousins will meet at WrestleMania 40.
It was a bizarre scene, and though the fans in attendance roared when they saw The Rock, the online reaction has been one of anger. The YouTube video of the moment is WWE's most disliked video ever. The Rock is getting ratioed in his own comments and #WeWantCody became the number one trend. That anger only grew when it was revealed that The Rock used his position on the TKO Board of Directors to force his way into the match, and possibly even pitched to win.
That frustration and anger has now gone too far though, as it's now being taken out on The Rock's daughter, NXT General Manager, Ava. Today she tweeted "can ya’ll just leave me out of this ffs i’m busy running a SHOW" and "death threats over a situation i have nothing to do with … bffr."
Stock Bonus Reportedly Major Factor In The Rock's WrestleMania Involvement
The Rock is set to earn a sizeable payday if he hits certain milestones as a member of the TKO Board. Does that explain the new WrestleMania plans?Ava Has Become An Important Part Of NXT
Ava (formerly known as Ava Raine) is named Simone Johnson in real life and is one of The Rock's three daughters. The 21-year-old is a fourth generation wrestler who signed with WWE in 2020. She made her NXT debut in October 2022 as part of Joe Gacy's cult faction, Schism. Ava had her first match in February 2023 but hasn't spent much time in the ring. Instead, she mostly stood in the background behind Gacy and the former Grizzled Young Veterans.
With Schism no more, WWE found something new for Ava to do, making her the NXT General Manager in a moment that brought William Regal back to TV in a cameo, his first moment on screen since leaving AEW. Ava is in a difficult situation as a young woman trying to learn how to be a wrestler, while also being the daughter of one of the most famous WWE superstars of all-time. WWE has been aware of this. There has been no mention of who her father is, with NXT attempting to let her get over on her own.
Whatever you think of WWE's plans to have The Rock face Roman Reigns instead of Cody Rhodes, we should all agree that sending death threats online because we're angry about the direction of a TV show is reprehensible. It's a horrible look. Ava should be supported, not threatened and belittled. She is simply a wrestler trying to prove herself.
