The Rock Returning to WWE for SmackDown’s FOX Premiere

Pro wrestling legend and Hollywood superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will return to WWE this Friday for SmackDown’s premiere on the FOX network.

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Pro wrestling legend and Hollywood superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will return to WWE this Friday for SmackDown’s premiere on the FOX network. While many pro wrestlers have attempted to make the jump to acting, none have been quite as successful as Johnson, easily one of the most popular celebrities in the entire world. People like John Cena and Dave Bautista are doing well for themselves, but both have miles and miles to go before catching up to The Rock’s level of Hollywood dominance.

Way before he starred in hit films like Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and the Fast and the Furious franchise though, Johnson entertained millions of fans in the WWE ring as The Rock, a brash, cocky, quick-witted character that often served as the chief rival to “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. The Rock never quite surpassed Austin’s popularity among wrestling fans, but he’s certainly had much more success on the silver screen, so it all kind of evens out.

The Rock hasn’t appeared inside a WWE ring since WrestleMania in 2016, where he won a seconds-long “match” against The Wyatt Family’s Erick Rowan, and was then saved from the faction’s wrath by a returning Cena. Most fans would say he’s long overdue for another return to wrestling, and Johnson himself revealed via Twitter today that he’ll appear on Friday night’s heavily hyped debut of SmackDown on FOX. Check out his post below, complete with video promoting the occasion.

FINALLY…I come back home to my @WWE universe. This FRIDAY NIGHT, I’ll return for our debut of SMACKDOWN! LIVE on @FOXTV. There’s no greater title than #thepeopleschamp. And there’s no place like home. Tequila on me after the show 😈🥃#IfYaSmell🎤 #Smackdown#RocksShow #FOX pic.twitter.com/V5i4cxqIqH

WWE’s two main weekly programs, Raw and SmackDown, have both aired on multiple networks over the course of their existence, but what makes SmackDown’s move to FOX different is just how big a potential audience reach it’ll have. WWE has never before aired a weekly, primetime program on any of the U.S.’ big four over-the-air broadcast networks, with the closest they came being the now-defunct Saturday Night’s Main Event, which used to occasionally air in Saturday Night Live’s timeslot on NBC. While SmackDown at one time aired on both The CW and My Network TV, neither of those stations is on par in viewership with the quartet of ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC.

That said, while WWE is certainly smart to call in their biggest gun for SmackDown’s FOX debut, fans shouldn’t anticipate much physicality from The Rock, as Johnson announced his official retirement from in-ring action last month. Not that that reveal came as much of a surprise, since The Rock hasn’t wrestled a real match since losing the WWE Championship to Cena at WrestleMania in 2013. The best we can probably hope for is The Rock working the mic like only he can, and maybe dropping some fools with Rock Bottoms. Also in attendance at the event will be fellow wrestling legends Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Sting, and Steve Austin.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/rock-wwe-return-smackdown-fox-premiere/