Well, it seems like that time of year again for WWE fans as we speculate about where The Rock will appear next and if he will be a part of WrestleMania 41.

Last fall, The Great One reemerged alongside Pat McAfee on the Sept. 15, 2023, episode of SmackDown, making his first appearance on WWE programming in four years. Little did we know this seemingly one-off sighting would pave the way for his most extensive and entertaining stint with the company since his feud with John Cena.

The world-famous superstar eventually returned during the Day 1 edition of Raw and teased a long-awaited matchup with Roman Reigns. Even the most ardent skeptic couldn't have guessed what would happen next as a showdown between the two generational stars was seemingly within reach at last.

Fans have been salivating over the prospect of this dream match since at least 2018, but Cody Rhodes' second consecutive Royal Rumble win divided the fanbase. As a result, the highly-anticipated staredown on Feb. 2 became one of the most confounding and divisive cliffhangers in recent memory.

Luckily, the company decided to pivot after the negative response. The Rock's subsequent heel turn was one of the highlights of the year, and Rhodes finally finished the story at The Showcase of the Immortal.

Nevertheless, we have unfinished business because The Final Boss still has an ax to grind with him, and there's still a glimmer of hope that he could take on The Tribal Chief someday. So, It didn't take much to imply that we could see the most successful crossover star in pro wrestling soon.

The latest hints suggest that he could show up this weekend at Bad Blood following the main event.

The Rock and Cody Rhodes Have Bad Blood

Ever since the 52-year-old confronted the newly crowned WWE Universal champion on the Raw after Mania, we suspected they would inevitably cross paths again.

Before The Brahma Bull went away again, he reminded The American Nightmare that he pinned him on night one and vowed to come back for him. Then, he handed him a small undisclosed object and left the Wells Fargo Center crowd clamoring for more.

The next day, Dave Meltzer reported that the plan was for their storyline to come to a head at WrestleMania 41. Las Vegas is a fitting destination for their one-on-one match because The Rock slapped Rhodes during this year's kickoff show at the T-Mobile Arena.

That brings us to today as the second-generation wrestler offered a slight spoiler for Bad Blood during his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. Apparently, a video package with world title implications for Crown Jewel will air during the event.

This vague declaration was enough to spark speculation online about his next title defense, but it didn't stop there. Later, a clip surfaced on social media where McAfee told Rhodes he heard that "the big guy's coming back this week."

Considering his ties to The Rock, it's hard to imagine he could be talking about anyone else. Maybe it's just a clever way to promote the upcoming premium live event. However, it's also easy to see why The Final Boss would take issue with Reigns siding with their WrestleMania opponent against family.

Will The Rock Plant More Seeds for His Next WrestleMania Feud?

Although expectations have been set for Rhodes vs. The Final Boss, plans often change in pro wrestling. After all, The American Nightmare's road to The Show of Shows seemingly changed multiple times this year.

The Rock could realistically return and challenge him for the WWE Universal Championship at the Mohammed Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Crown Jewel routinely utilizes legends from the Attitude Era and the card could use one of its biggest stars.

Following his vintage performance earlier this year, this is the best time for him to take part in the annual event. In fact, WWE may not have a better opportunity to make him a main attraction at a Saudi show.

Reigns' face turn and overwhelmingly favorable reactions also add an interesting wrinkle to the equation. There were already subtle hints that his alliance with The Great One would be short-lived, but the OTC clearly wants his title back, which could put them at odds.

The main event of Crown Jewel could be a triple-threat match and the first development that eventually leads us back to The Rock vs. The Tribal Chief. The third-generation megastar's feud with Rhodes has been a blast, and they have excellent chemistry together.

Nevertheless, it might be a mistake to assume we can always go back to the dream match fans originally wanted. WWE should strike while the iron is hot because there is no guarantee that it will remain on the table in 2026 for various reasons.

So, we expect The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment will appear in some form at Bad Blood. His return would be a perfect way to advance the story with The Bloodline and tie up his dangling plotline with Rhodes.

Verdict: Buy