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“Dusty Gave”: Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s ‘Gift’ to Cody Rhodes on Raw After WrestleMania XL Guessed Online

Published Apr 8, 2024 | 9:35 PM EDT

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The Raw after WrestleMania tonight was all about watching Cody Rhodes decompress after a grueling battle and revel in his historic WWE title win. But the ‘Final Boss’ couldn’t just let that be without sliding himself into the scene. During the opening segment, The Rock held the WWE Championship, made a promise to Rhodes, and even handed him a mystery gift.

After surpassing some heat from the crowd, The Rock congratulated Rhodes with some rare words of appreciation for him and his family. The duo then went to swap their titles (The Rock’s People’s Championship and Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Championship belt) for some seconds.

In the middle of a cordial Raw promo tonight, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson also reminded ‘The American Nightmare’ that while his story with Reigns has ended, their story has just begun. The Great One won’t be seen in the squared circle for some time as he resumes his Holywood endeavors shortly, but he hinted at an inevitable comeback to finish his rivalry with Rhodes.

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“The Brahma Bull’s” latest WWE run didn’t offer him any singles matches. So, the next time he returns to WWE TV, it’s more than likely for the company to cook something big for him, maybe a title match against Cody Rhodes if the latter remains champion till then. Rhodes was also more than ready for the challenge and said he was “looking forward” to it.

Then, to everyone’s surprise, The Rock reached out into his pocket and handed something to the 38-year-old and told him “Don’t ever break my heart again” before exiting the ring. This moment captured the attention of fans and has led to speculation about what The Rock gave Rhodes and what significance it could have.

“They are about to cook…” The Rock-Cody Rhodes segment has the fans hooked as they play the guessing game

The Bloodline-Rhodes saga has had layers of storytelling for two years. From the connection between the two wrestling families to how they represent different ends of a spectrum, the drama has kept fans on their toes. And just when everyone thought it was over, they not only hinted at the next chapter but gave the fans something to mull over for the foreseeable future.

As The Rock discreetly passed the mysterious gift to Rhodes, social media was rampant with speculation. A fan asked if it was the ‘Rolex’ which holds personal significance for Rhodes.

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However, it is likely that Rhodes received the watch after his WrestleMania triumph. Speaking in the post-event press conference, Rhodes said that WWE handed him a copy of the Rolex that his father had to pawn. Rhodes revealed, “I came to the back, and Bruce Prichard and Triple H and Nick Khan handed me this, which is the same watch that my dad had that he pawned so that I could go to acting school.”

One fan added another theory suggesting it was a present to The Rock from Cody Rhodes’ late father, which the Hollywood star has passed on to the wrestling legend’s son.

The Rock’s father Rocky Johnson and Dusty Rhodes wrestled together across various wrestling promotions and have even teamed up on occasions, thus the connection between the families goes way back. The Rock has revealed that he met Dusty Rhodes when he was 5 -years old, and hence it is possible that the ‘American Dream’ and DJ shared a bond as well.

The ‘Rolex’ theory can still be revisited but from a different lens. Before WrestleMania XL, Rhodes appeared on Ariel Helwani’s MMA hour, sporting a Rolex, and revealed he also bought one for Seth Rollins, with the watch having the number ’40’ engraved. He also mentioned that more than “more than two” were handed out but refused to give any names.

A day later at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, Roman Reigns had the same timepiece on his wrist as he inducted Paul Heyman. It is also speculated that apart from Reigns, The Rock may have also received one, but a fan suggested, he may have handed it back to Rhodes during their segment.

But one fan had an even more intriguing idea about what The Rock gave to Rhodes. The fan suggested that Cody Rhodes pawned his father’s Hall of Fame ring during his hard times, which wouldn’t sit well with a generational star like The Rock, who has immense respect for Dusty as well.

In the past, The Rock has revealed how Dusty Rhodes had been a mentor to him and even said that his ‘Bionic Elbow’ was the inspiration for the creation of ‘The People’s Elbow’.

One fan, however, perhaps like a few others was interested in what WWE has in store regarding the Rhodes-Rock storyline. Recently, WWE’s long-term storytelling, as seen during the Bloodline saga has done wonders for them and they may not be closing the chapter on this whole angle yet. When The Rock returns, as promised, WWE will have a multitude of angles to branch out that can provide the fans with more compelling narratives.

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Given the teases and promises it seems there is still some unfinished business left between Rhodes and the Anoa’i family. For now, Cody Rhodes gets to start his run as the champion and will keep an eye out for when The Rock returns from Hollywood.

Read more: “Paul Got Tired” – Witnessing Roman Reigns’ Wiseman Without “Two Belts” WWE Universe Run Major Speculation Fest

Written by:

Shreya Nag

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Shreya Nag is a WWE writer at EssentiallySports. As a journalism major, Shreya has worked as both a writer and a news moderator. With over a thousand articles to her name at ES, she has developed a strong hand for the art of wrestling journalism.
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Edited by:

Amal Joyce