REVEALED: Major Scrapped WWE Plan For The Rock To Win Undisputed Title At WrestleMania 40, Immediately Vacate The Belt & Go Back To Hollywood

The Rock almost walked away from WrestleMania 40 as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.

Dwayne Johnson was originally planned to main event WrestleMania 40 against Roman Reigns and challenge him for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. That plan was ultimately scrapped, though, following a fan backlash to Cody Rhodes stepping aside for The Rock on the February 2 episode of SmackDown, at which point The Rock himself stepped aside for Cody and turned heel. Rhodes would go on to finish the story and win WWE's top belt in the main event of WrestleMania XL.

There were backstage disagreements within WWE over who should face Reigns at WrestleMania 40 and a major scrapped plan, according to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, would have seen The Rock defeat Roman Reigns at WrestleMania for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. The Rock would have then vacated the title to return to Hollywood, at which point he would call himself "The People's Champion" while away from WWE TV and carry around the People's Title that he is currently using.

After the Undisputed WWE Universal Title was vacated, Roman Reigns would win the championship back and eventually drop it to Cody Rhodes. Cody, after winning the Royal Rumble, would have been taken out by The Bloodline in an injury angle on the February 2 episode of SmackDown.

There was major opposition to the plan, however. Some felt The Rock winning the belt and then vacating it would greatly damage Cody finishing the story, especially as Rhodes is/was planned to be the guy to carry WWE in 2024 and 2025. Others were against the plan as they felt Cody had to be the person to beat Reigns for the title first.