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Simone Johnson discusses backlash after The Rock's return affected Cody Rhodes

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 16, 2026, 1:17 PM

Last updated Sep 16, 2026

Simone Johnson discusses backlash after The Rock's return affected Cody Rhodes

Summary

Simone Johnson, daughter of Dwayne Johnson, reflects on receiving backlash after her father's return seemingly displaced Cody Rhodes at WWE WrestleMania 40. Rhodes had won his second consecutive Royal Rumble but faced uncertainty regarding his spot against Roman Reigns when Johnson returned. Fans expressed discontent online, which extended to Johnson, leading to negative experiences that shaped her perspective on wrestling. Despite the initial backlash, Johnson ultimately appreciated the lessons learned during that time. Rhodes did proceed to compete at WrestleMania 40, where he faced Reigns after all.

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Status Watch

•Cody Rhodes almost lost his WrestleMania spot to Dwayne Johnson.
•Fans reacted negatively to Johnson's return on social media.
•Simone Johnson faced backlash as a result of the controversy.
•Cody Rhodes ultimately faced Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40.
•Simone Johnson left her WWE contract in January 2026.

Latest Updates

1:17 PMYahoo Sports — WWE news: Simone Johnson recalls catching flak after The Rock took Cody Rhodes' WrestleMania spot

What they're saying

"
A few years ago, Cody Rhodes almost missed out on finishing his story at WWE WrestleMania 40 . Despite winning his second Royal Rumble in a row, Rhodes was almost kicked out of his WrestleMania 40 spot against Roman Reigns when “The Rock” returned and seemingly hijacked it. While Dwayne Johnson’s WWE return was appreciated, fans were strongly […] The post WWE news: Simone Johnson recalls catching flak after The Rock took Cody Rhodes' WrestleMania spot appeared first on ClutchPoints.
— Yahoo Sports

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