The Rock may not be coming to Survivor Series, but WWE’s gonna celebrate him anyway

Earlier this year, we heard rumors Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson might be making his way back home to WWE for Survivor Series.

They made sense, as the 2021 edition of the pre-Thanksgiving Big 4 PPV marks the silver anniversary of young Rocky Maivia’s in ring debut, and this year’s show takes place in Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, across town from where the future Great One teamed with Jake Roberts, Marc Mero & Barry Windham (as “The Stalker) to beat Crush, Goldust, Jerry Lawley & Triple H at Survivor Series 1996 in Manhattan’s Madison Square Garden. Plus, seeds keep being planted to Rock vs. Roman Reigns, and when it seemed that might take place at WrestleMania 38, starting the program would have been necessary.

But now it looks like, if it ever happens, the clash of Super Samoans won’t happen until 2023 in Los Angeles, and Rocky reportedly won’t be at this month’s event, either. WWE will still mark the occasion of Johnson’s arrival to the company, though.

This works, too, since Rock’s failed babyface push actually started early in November of ‘96, when he showed up on Raw as part of Mero’s entourage. Fans didn’t care that he was the first third-generation wrestler in company history, of course. The rejection of his “Blue Chipper” gimmick prompted a heel turn, and the rest is history.

Look for WWE to catch us up on all that as they turn the eleventh month into the celebration of an icon born of the Attitude Era for a second straight year. No word yet on what this will entail, but I’d expect we’ll get a new documentary or two on Peacock and/or FOX Sports. Both network partners would happily run shows focused on one of the biggest stars in the world, with or without new material from Johnson himself.

And who knows, maybe the People’s Champ will make an appearance at Survivor Series like Undertaker did last year? It might have to be via satellite, but WWE would still take it.

Happy Rock Month!