Former WWE announcer Jonathan Coachman has raised questions about behind-the-scenes tension between Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and WWE creative, led by Paul “Triple H” Levesque, following The Rock’s absence from WrestleMania 41.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show yesterday, The Rock explained he didn’t show up to the event to let John Cena and Cody Rhodes have the “spotlight”. But Coachman doesn’t buy it and thinks there’s more to the story.
“For The Rock to go on Pat McAfee and say, ‘I didn’t want the spotlight on me. I wanted it on John Cena.’ What??? He is so smart. He had to know that by not showing up, by not tweeting, by not posting, by not saying anything, now all of the focus is now on you.
“And the questions are why? What happened? Are you fighting with Triple H, are you fighting with someone else? That’s the question everyone is asking today. Not congratulations to John Cena on No. 17.”
Was The Rock’s Appearance on ‘Pat McAfee Show’ Damage Control?
In a video posted to his social media, Coachman also questioned The Rock’s random appearance on McAfee’s show and thinks it’s part of a coordinated response from WWE’s parent company.
“The Rock, who was not advertised at all. All of a sudden, late last night, he’s advertised to be on Pat McAfee. It screams several things. A: TKO called The Rock to say, ‘You got to do damage control. We are getting absolutely shredded across the board,'” Coachman said.
Coachman went on to point out what he thinks may be deeper creative or executive friction.
“There is something going on behind the scenes. The Rock is on the board of directors. The Rock got $30 million and then another big payment to come back and be a major part of what the WWE is doing,” he added. “… I’ve been around enough backstage to know when, creatively, you don’t get along… they’re not getting along.”
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