Below are the highlights from tonight’s WrestleMania 40 Kickoff press conference in Las Vegas.
– Michael Cole introduced Pat McAfee as undefeated at WrestleMania, thus ignoring his loss to Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 38.
– Big E said he’s here to make sure CM Punk doesn’t get fired.
– Michael Cole said what’s happening with Cody Rhodes is something similar to what happened to CM Punk in 2013. Punk then jokingly asked the fans where they were in 2013.
– CM Punk said he understands The Rock main eventing WrestleMania 40 from a business standpoint.
– There were “Cody” and “Cody sucks” chants.
– Big E said Cody Rhodes deserves to be the top guy.
– Michael Cole announced that “WWE Speed” is coming to Twitter / X in April. It’s a new weekly video series showcasing timed matches.
– Triple H talked about what WWE has accomplished since the first WrestleMania in 1985 and said the fans haven’t seen nothing yet.
– Bianca Belair will be in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match against “Michin” Mia Yim tomorrow night on SmackDown.
– Becky Lynch interrupted Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley and said she’s going to win the Women’s Elimination Chamber match in Australia and will challenge Ripley for the Title at WrestleMania XL, which will be a first time ever match.
– World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins then called out Cody Rhodes, but Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns came out instead and raised his title in front of Rollins and a “Tribal Chief” chant broke out. Roman told the Vegas crowd to acknowledge him.
Rollins said Reigns showed up to work and Reigns said Rollins showed up in his wife’s shoes.
Roman said let’s talk about Cody, the man who can’t make his own choice, the man who hesitates. He said it’s no longer Cody’s decision, it’s The Tribal Chief’s decision. Roman said he will choose who faces him in the main event of WrestleMania and said get this bum (Rollins) out of here.
Reigns said he chooses…. and the fans chant Cody, but Roman chooses The Rock. The Rock then came out to a huge pop!
The Rock asked the fans if they think Roman Reigns is going to beat him at WrestleMania or if they think The Rock is going to beat The Tribal Chief, or do they think The Rock and Roman Reigns will be the biggest main event in WWE. A “We Want Cody, Cody Sucks” chant broke out.
Rock then introduced everyone to the “Cody Crybabies”. A Cody Crybabies chant broke out. Rock then showed an image of The Bloodline family tree on the screen. Rock said if you can’t see that this is the most dominant family in professional wrestling and if you don’t think Rock vs. Roman is the biggest main event in wrestling, then save your boos, because it doesn’t matter what you think.
Roman and Rock hugged and Cody Rhodes interrupted them. Cody said Roman can’t call the shots, as he won the Royal Rumble. Cody said he has made his decision and it’s that he chooses Roman Reigns! Roman said Cody must be stupid as him vs. Rock is a done deal. Roman said nobody cares about Cody finishing his story. Roman then said:
“You are irrelevant, just like your dad.”
Cody said if Roman and Rock’s grandfathers were here, they’d be ashamed of Reigns.
Rock then got serious and said when Cody is talking about Roman’s family, he’s talking about his family too, and now they have a problem and Rock slapped Cody! Triple H, Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce separated them.
OH IT'S GOING DOWN. 🫢@TheRock just slapped @CodyRhodes at the #WrestleMania XL Kickoff. pic.twitter.com/nN0MTYIoRk
— WWE (@WWE) February 9, 2024
The hosts said Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship is officially set for the main event of WrestleMania 40.
Backstage, Rock told Triple H to fix this.
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