In a jaw-dropping turn of events on WWE SmackDown, the wrestling world was left in shock as Cody Rhodes announced he would not be challenging Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. Following this revelation, The Rock made a triumphant return, sharing a special moment with Rhodes and engaging in a heated confrontation with the Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns. The unexpected twist has sent ripples of speculation throughout the WWE Universe.

Adding fuel to the speculation, WWE legend Paul Heyman, known for his strategic mind, took to his official Instagram account to share a cryptic post. The post featured an image of Cody Rhodes and The Rock shaking hands, accompanied by the caption, “I believe in conspiracy theories.” Heyman hinted at potential behind-the-scenes dealings between Rhodes and The Rock or a hidden reason behind Rhodes’ decision to withdraw from the WrestleMania clash with Reigns.

The Rock, in a recent appearance on the Day 1 Special Raw, discussed his desire to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, reigniting long-standing hints of a monumental clash between the two megastars. Both wrestlers have teased the possibility of this dream match in various interviews over the years. The Rock’s association with TKO’s board of directors further fueled speculation that the blockbuster showdown might finally come to fruition.

Cody Rhodes’ Royal Rumble victory initially suggested a different path, hinting at a potential match against Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40. However, the recent SmackDown twist indicates a shift in plans, with the American Nightmare seemingly set to face Rollins while paving the way for the highly anticipated dream match between The Rock and Roman Reigns.

As the wrestling world eagerly awaits further developments, the prospect of witnessing The Rock vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 has injected a new level of excitement into the Road to WrestleMania, leaving fans on the edge of their seats.

In a pivotal turn of events on WWE SmackDown, Cody Rhodes, the American Nightmare, shocked the wrestling world by announcing that he would not be challenging Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 40. Despite winning the Men’s Royal Rumble for the second consecutive time, Cody Rhodes surprised fans with this unexpected decision.

The recent SmackDown episode, deemed the most crucial stop on the Road to WrestleMania, featured Rhodes acknowledging Roman Reigns’ dominance as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. However, he declared that their anticipated clash would not occur on the grand stage of WrestleMania 40. This revelation left fans in suspense and speculation about what Cody Rhodes had in store for the biggest event in professional wrestling.

Adding more intrigue to the storyline, former World Champion, The Rock, made a spectacular entrance, culminating in a intense staredown with Roman Reigns, the Tribal Chief, as the show concluded. Despite Cody Rhodes ruling out a match against Reigns at WrestleMania 40, a recent report from Xero News suggests that the company has not officially canceled the potential rematch between Rhodes and Reigns. This development has sparked excitement among fans, hinting that the highly-anticipated showdown may still take place at some point in the near future.

Moreover, Cody Rhodes, in a recent segment on WWE Raw discussing his Royal Rumble victory, faced interference from the current World Heavyweight Champion, Seth Rollins. The Visionary Rollins advised Cody to consider challenging him instead. Reports now indicate that Cody Rhodes might make significant announcements related to WrestleMania 40 in an upcoming episode of Raw. Speculation is rife that Rhodes could once again find himself in a marquee match, potentially against Seth Rollins at the Show of Shows.

As the Road to WrestleMania unfolds, fans eagerly await Cody Rhodes’ next move and the potential twists and turns leading up to the grand spectacle that is WrestleMania 40.

In the past month, The Rock, a renowned WWE legend, experienced several significant moments in his career. Notably, he joined the board of directors of the TKO Group and successfully acquired trademark ownership of his iconic in-ring name, ‘The Rock’. His achievements garnered praise from various quarters, including a congratulatory message from UFC fighter Conor McGregor, who expressed joy in the comments section of The Rock’s social media post.

The Rock took to social media to express his gratitude for becoming a part of the TKO Group’s board of directors. He emphasized the pride he felt in occupying a position that his grandfather and father had played a role in creating. McGregor responded with admiration, stating, “Amazing! Congratulations to you Rock.”

Adding to the excitement, The Rock made a surprise appearance on SmackDown during the main event featuring Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes. Cody, sharing his determination to win the title from Reigns, disclosed that the match wouldn’t occur at WrestleMania 40. He hinted at seeking counseling and meeting someone with intimate knowledge of Roman Reigns. This revelation led to The Rock’s entrance with his iconic theme music.

Upon entering the ring, The Rock engaged in a conversation with Cody before heading backstage. The WWE Hall of Famer then shared a significant moment with his cousin Roman Reigns, concluding the segment without any verbal exchanges or physical altercations. Fans are eager to witness a potential match between these two wrestling legends, and the company seems to be dropping hints in that direction. The anticipation now revolves around whether The Rock and Roman Reigns will exchange promos in the upcoming episode or maintain the suspense leading to a potential showdown.

WWE fans witnessed a shocking turn of events on SmackDown when Cody Rhodes announced he won’t challenge Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. The Rock made a surprise return, sharing a moment with Rhodes. Paul Heyman posted on Instagram, hinting at conspiracy theories surrounding Rhodes and The Rock’s handshake, speculating on a possible deal.

With The Rock expressing a desire to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, and recent hints after Day 1, the chances of this dream match seem higher. Cody Rhodes’ Royal Rumble win initially suggested otherwise, pointing towards a match with Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40. Now, the unexpected twist fuels anticipation for a showdown between The Rock and Roman Reigns at the grand event.

SmackDown: The final episode of SmackDown before WWE Royal Rumble 2024 has concluded, creating quite a buzz. In this episode of SmackDown, there was chaos, and the condition of Roman Reigns’ brothers took a hit. Let’s take a look at the results of this week’s WWE SmackDown.

Segment with Randy Orton in WWE SmackDown:
– The rapper Eladio Carrion appeared at the beginning of WWE SmackDown, and soon, he called out Randy Orton. Orton mentioned that people might not know that he and Eladio are friends. He then discussed the dominance of Bloodline and Roman Reigns’ historic title run. Orton claimed that he would become a 15-time World Champion at Royal Rumble 2024. AJ Styles interrupted and reminded Orton that he is also in the match. Styles taunted Orton by proposing a match against Elias Knight instead. AJ Styles mocked Randy Orton about their history and expressed his desire to get revenge for last week’s RKO. El A Night came out and challenged Orton for the Universal Championship at Royal Rumble. El A Night then claimed he would become the new Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. El A Night was attacked by AJ Styles, who then delivered a Pele Kick, leaving Orton stunned.

Santos Escobar vs. Carlito in WWE SmackDown:
– Santos Escobar faced Carlito in a match, and it was a fantastic encounter between the two superstars. Humbero Carrillo and Angel Garza tried to interfere, attempting to help Escobar gain an advantage. This led to LWO members attacking them, resulting in a brawl ringside. NXT superstar Electra Lopez made her debut by attacking Zelina Vega. Carlito took advantage of the distraction and pinned Santos Escobar with a roll-up for a significant victory.

Winner: Santos Escobar.

– Jimmy Uso offered AJ Styles to join him in causing damage to Elias Knight. However, The O.C. Styles came out to meet Elias Knight, but the former WWE Champion left the scene soon after.

– Nick Aldis congratulated Ava Ren for becoming the General Manager of NXT. Later, Bobby Lashley came out with The Street Profits and chose his entrance number for the Royal Rumble match. It was revealed that members of the Santos Escobar team would participate in the Royal Rumble, setting up an intense face-off.

– Bayley announced her entry into the Women’s Royal Rumble match through a video package.

– R-Truth had a funny segment, revealing his entrance number for the Royal Rumble match.

Kabuki Warriors vs. Kaden Carter & Katana Chance (Vimense Tag Team Championship Match) in WWE SmackDown:
– Kaden Carter & Katana Chance defended their Vimense Tag Team Titles against the Kabuki Warriors. The champions created dominance early in the match, but Kabuki Warriors fought back, and Asuka attacked Katana Chance to secure the victory and retain their titles.

Winner: Kabuki Warriors.

– Backstage, Paul Heyman reminded Solo Sikoa that their issues were not resolved yet. Soon after, Mega Star made their way to the ring, confronting Solo Sikoa about his upcoming match against WWE Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins.

– Nick Aldis wished Ava Ren well on becoming the General Manager of NXT. Later, Bobby Lashley appeared with The Street Profits, and he chose his entrance number for the Royal Rumble match. Santos Escobar’s faction faced off with the Saint Santos Escobar team, and Santos chose his Royal Rumble number. It was revealed that superstars from all three brands would participate in the Royal Rumble match.

– Bianca Belair and Bayley announced their entry numbers for the Women’s Royal Rumble match.

Segment with The Pride and Final Testament in WWE SmackDown:
– Bobby Lashley delivered a promo, boasting about his achievements and counting Street Profits’ accomplishments. Afterward, Lashley called out Carrion Cross’s faction to come out. Carrion Cross’s faction members were on the ramp, and Scarlett was in the ring. Cross taunted Lashley, claiming that things weren’t going as per Lashley’s plans. Scarlett said that Cross was not in the mood to fight. Despite Cross’s reluctance, Scarlett attacked Lashley. Taking advantage of the situation, Carrion Cross & Others of Pain launched a vicious attack on Lashley & Street Profits, leaving them in a bad condition. In the end, Cross delivered a Cross Hammer to Lashley.

– Jimmy Uso was not happy with his entry number for the Royal Rumble match.

Austin Theory vs. Carmelo Haze in WWE SmackDown:
– Carmelo Haze executed a dropkick and delivered chops to Austin Theory at the beginning of the match. After a brief fight back from Theory, Gretna Waller interfered and attacked Haze. Despite the interference, Haze continued to fight, but Waller’s attack allowed Theory to pin Haze with a roll-up for the victory. Post-match, heels stars attacked Carmelo Haze, but Trick Williams came out to save him. Despite the help, Carmelo Haze did not seem pleased and left without acknowledging Williams.

Winner: Austin Theory.

Main Event in WWE SmackDown – LA Knight vs. Solo Sikoa:
– LA Knight attacked Solo Sikoa at the start of the match. Soon, Solo fought back, severely damaging Knight. Throughout the match, both continued to assault each other. After LA Knight’s interference in Jimmy Uso’s match, AJ Styles attacked Knight, resulting in a disqualification. Afterward, Styles attacked Uso and Sikoa, delivering a Phenomenal Forearm to Uso. Randy Orton entered the arena and attacked Styles, delivering an RKO. Later, Viper appeared to give a DD-T to Styles. In the end, LA Knight attacked Randy Orton, delivering a BFT.

This recap summarizes the key events of WWE SmackDown before Royal Rumble 2024.