The Rock's WWE absence raises speculation amid SummerSlam

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Is there a specific reason why The Rock hasn’t returned to WWE programming in such a long time? Let’s see what today’s rumors have to say about it! Top rumor of the day: The Rock’s WWE absence and heat with TKO Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has not appeared on WWE programming since his involvement in John Cena’s heel turn at Elimination Chamber 2025. With SummerSlam tickets not selling like hot cakes, some fans and wrestling analysts speculated that TKO CEO Ari Emanuel might decide to call up The Rock and ask him to show up at the event to help boost WWE’s numbers. Earlier this month, Wrestling Inc. founder Raj Giri responded to that idea by saying he didn’t think it would happen because “it’s clear that there’s some heat between Dwayne and TKO.” Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp has now followed up on Giri’s statement by saying he can’t confirm that’s the case, but there are plenty of signs that point to there being legitimate heat between The Rock and TKO. When Dwayne did an interview on The Pat McAfee Show last year to defend his abrupt absence from Cena’s heel turn angle heading into WrestleMania 41, that may have been his attempt at a power play. If you recall, The Rock did take a jab at WWE creative during that interview, saying that he would have “finessed things a little differently” for the Cena and Rhodes angle. It also stands out that The Rock didn’t do anything to help WWE promote WrestleMania 42 this year, even though he is a TKO Board member. Is there real heat between The Rock and TKO that explains his lengthy absence from WWE? I’ll let you debate that one in the comments below. The rest of the rumors! Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer claims that the reason why WWE changed the name WALTER to GUNTHER years ago is because Vince McMahon “believed that people might start calling him Wally,” which is “not a name he wanted for a main event foreign menace heel.” With renewed speculation about Britt Baker returning to AEW due to the “Rebel Heart” episode of Dynamite being announced, Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp said he hasn’t heard anything about AEW bringing her back anytime soon. Baker’s name apparently comes up every now and then for a creative idea, but those ideas don’t go very far. Even though Triple H was inside the ring for this week’s weigh-in segment between Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi on Raw, PW Insider says he was still “very much” in control of how it played out. For example, Triple H called audibles in the ring with respect to Femi’s spots where he beat up the fake police officers. It sounds like this segment was originally planned to air later in the episode, and it’s not clear why it opened the show. Fightful Select indicates that Mara Sade’s (fka Jakara Jackson in NXT) contract with TNA has expired. It sounds like she is negotiating a new deal with TNA, but is also talking to other promotions. For whatever it’s worth, Chelsea Green told TMZ’s Inside the Ring that Damian Priest takes up more time in the hair and makeup chair than anybody else on the men’s roster in WWE. Discuss these rumors and others in the comments below, and share your takes on any topic in The Feed!