Since Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson began his feud with Cody Rhodes, there’s been a major change in the WWE. Unlike the other superstars on the roster, Johnson has been seen using profanity in all his promos. Despite getting a warning from the upper management, his profanity hasn’t been reduced. This resulted in a debate by the fans as to why he was the exception. According to one wrestling analyst, this could be the Brock Lesnar treatment.
Since the start of the PG Era, the use of profanity, both on and off the WWE, has been forbidden. The swearing by wrestlers is always kept to a minimum, but that did not apply to The Rock.
Dave Meltzer claims Dwayne Johnson is being treated like Brock Lesnar
As mentioned above, there has been a strict rule against profanity in the WWE since the turn of the PG Era. Along with this came the reduction of violence and bloodshed. The crimson mask that wrestlers used to wear, which highlighted the Attitude Era, was gone. However, The Rock’s beatdown on Rhodes saw a rare glimpse into that era once more. While the WWE Universe was over the moon with the segment, it turns out that there is a reason why Johnson can get away with this, and others aren’t. Dave Meltzer, a famed wrestling journalist, broke down the reason why.
Meltzer said, “With blood, the key is that this is no longer Vince McMahon’s company.” Despite sitting atop TKO, the now parent company for the WWE and UFC, Vince McMahon was removed after the outbreak of his scandal. While Triple H heads the WWE now, Meltzer claimed that blood will be seen rarely on the WWE network. While this confused fans as The Rock foreshadowed blood throughout his promos and delivered it on WWE RAW, Meltzer had an answer for that as well.
Meltzer continued, “He’s like Lesnar in the Vince administration, and has more power than Lesnar had then.” Here, he compared The Rock to having the freedom Brock Lesnar did back in the day. It is a known fact that during McMahon’s time, Lesnar was given free rein to do as he pleased. During Lesnar’s match against Randy Orton at SummerSlam 2016, Lesnar made Orton dawn the crimson mask. Meltzer further explained that sitting as a Board of Directors in TKO excluded Johnson from the rules of the WWE. If The Rock wants profanity and blood in his work, he will have it.