The WWE is keeping the momentum from their RAW on Netflix debut as they hosted NXT’s New Years Evil event on Tuesday night in Los Angeles, CA. The card had some title changes on both the women’s and men’s side, which will begin a new era for NXT. The most anticipated appearance of the night came from The Rock, as he was due to be on the show in some capacity. With The Rock giving a confusing promo last night at RAW, there was some hope that he would get things back in order with regard to the storyline. We didn’t fully get that on NXT, but he left the door open enough for things to heat up when/if he decides to do so.
The Rock Meets Ethan Page
😱 😱 😱
Ethan Page just went face-to-face with @TheRock! @avawwe_ #NewYearsEvil pic.twitter.com/ezrcazi7cM
— WWE (@WWE) January 8, 2025
One of the promo segments from NXT New Years Evil had the brand’s General Manager Ava (The Rock’s daughter) and NXT star Ethan Page. They haven’t had the best relationship, and things got heated between the two as Page felt he deserved to be on the New Years Evil card. Ava stood her ground and explained to him that it’s her show and she runs it how she sees fit. This is the moment when The Rock stepped into the room.
As Ava finishes, she says, “Perfect timing,” and while Page disagrees with her statement, The Rock comes into the picture and says, “Actually, it is.” The Rock stared down Page briefly before saying, “Ethan Page,” to which Page answered, “Correct.” But then Page came back and said to The Rock, “Final Boss,” to which The Rock replied, “That is correct.” It was a solid segment in which The Rock was putting over Page, and he told him that he hoped to see him on the main roster in the future. The Rock then has this cool moment where he asks his daughter Ava to advise him on what he should say when he addresses the NXT Universe. It was a good segment, and Page was able to get the rub of a lifetime by being right there with The Rock.
The Rock Cuts His Promo With A Cliffhanger
“The Rock is The Final Boss, thinking 20 steps ahead.”@TheRock ALWAYS has a plan… 👀 #WWENXT | #NewYearsEvil pic.twitter.com/gG1hH6q1RB
— WWE (@WWE) January 8, 2025
With ten minutes left, The Rock addressed the NXT crowd. Four of those minutes were spent taking in the energy the crowd was giving off as The Rock could not avoid giving that babyface smile. Once he got going, The Rock immediately went into storytelling mode as he was well aware of what social media had to say about his interaction with Cody Rhodes on Monday night. The Rock said that Rhodes was the topic of discussion everywhere he went. He said people would approach him and ask, “Why are you so mean to Cody?” Then they would follow it up, saying, “He needs to finish his story.” The Rock said it mockingly while following up with what people said after RAW last night. “You can’t be nice to Cody,” The Rock was told by fans. “Don’t drink Tequila with Cody.”
It was an amusing story in a way that only The Rock can tell it. But then he quickly settled into character and said, “At the end of the day, The Rock is the Final Boss thinking 20 steps ahead of them, so the best thing for them to do is know their role, shut their mouths, and enjoy the ride that the Rock is taking them on.”
That last part about enjoying the ride is where the cliffhanger comes in. We have seen “Corporate” Rock these past two days, and it was all about appealing to the fans and making them feel good that The Rock is back. That cliffhanger feels like the story with Roman Reigns isn’t over. There is something in that story that still needs to be told.
THE ROCK AND ROMAN REIGNS #RawOnNetflix pic.twitter.com/3sXdMxCkit
— Netflix (@netflix) January 7, 2025
There was some tension in the air when The Rock put the Ula Fala on Reigns after he won the Tribal Combat match against Solo Sikoa. Minutes before that, Paul Heyman patted himself on the chest twice while looking at The Rock, and he acknowledged this by giving Heyman a head nod. Is Paul Heyman putting together something to betray Reigns? Is this all leading towards a Reigns vs. Rock WrestleMania match? All questions that are soon to be answered. Let’s hope it does turn into something and that we aren’t left with empty lines by The Rock these past two days.
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