Few names bring eyes to WWE likeThe Rock, and his return toWWE SmackDownon Friday February 21 was yet more proof of that. The Final Boss made his presence felt in abizarre and ominous segment withCody Rhodes, leaving fans buzzing with speculation—and delivering amassive ratings spikein the process. Historically, WWE’s road to WrestleMania sees an uptick in interest, but SmackDown’s ratings had remained steady in recent weeks—until now. The Rock’s surprise return shattered that trend, with the episode pulling in1,736,000 overnight viewers, per Programming Insider.
That marks a significant increase from the previous week’s1,384,000 overnight viewers, which had featuredElimination Chamberqualifying matches and an appearance from Cody Rhodes. The key 18-49 demographic also saw a big jump, climbing to 0.51 from last week’s 0.42.
The Rock isn’t meant to appear on this week’s SmackDown but he’s already confirmed that he will be appearing atElimination Chamberon March 1 in Toronto, where he and Rhodes will go face to face once again and Rhodes is expected to give his response to the cryptic challenge set out.
What Happened on WWE SmackDown?
The Rock appeared towards the end of Friday’s SmackDown on USA Network with a
major announcement, revealing that WrestleMania 42 will be held in the Big Easy next year. But what followed was something entirely unexpected.Calling Cody to the ring, The Rock initially struck a friendly tone, praising the Undisputed WWE Champion, even noting that their mothers had become close over the past year. Then came the twist—The Rock wanted Codyto be"his champion."
Rhodes, naturally, reminded The Rock that he already was champion, but The Rock doubled down, insisting that he could elevate Cody to new heights and “make all of Cody’s dreams come true.” However, the conversation soon took an ominous turn as The Rock revisited last year’s WrestleMania 40 drama, when Rhodes derailed his plans to challengeRoman Reigns.
Some fans have noted parallels between The Rock’s current arc and his 1998-1999 feud withStone Cold Steve AustinandVince McMahon, when he was positioned as“the face of the company”against the anti-establishment Rattlesnake. Could history be repeating itself? And more importantly, could Cody be tempted to embrace the darkness?
WWE Elimination Chamberstreams on Peacock this Saturday. WWE Raw streams Mondays at 8 PM ET on Netflix. WWE SmackDown airs Friday nights at 8 PM on USA Network.
