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Explained: Why The Rock entered WrestleMania 40 with a belt a decade after last WWE match

Home> Wrestling> WWE

Published 12:12 7 Apr 2024 GMT+1

Explained: Why The Rock entered WrestleMania 40 with a belt a decade after last WWE match

The Rock entered WrestleMania 40 carrying a belt.

Alex Brotherton

Alex Brotherton

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Featured Image Credit: WWE

Topics: WWE, WrestleMania, The Rock, Roman Reigns, Muhammad Ali, Wrestling

Alex Brotherton
Alex Brotherton

Alex Brotherton is a journalist at SPORTbible. He has previously worked with publications including the Manchester Evening News, GOAL and BBC Sport. He is a football fanatic, but also dabbles in tennis and American football. He can often be found watching dreadful non-league football.

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@alex_brotherton

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The Rock starred at WrestleMania 40 over a decade after his last full WWE match - so why did he enter the arena with a belt?

WrestleMania 40 began with a bang on Saturday night as The Rock made his much anticipated return to WWE.

The wrestling legend's last WWE match - against Erick Rowan in 2016 - lasted just six seconds, meaning his last 'proper' match - a defeat to John Cena - came all the way back in 2013.

The 'Final Boss' made his return alongside Roman Reign in a tag-team match against Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes.

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The match was a thrilling spectacle with plenty of drama, including The Rock playing dirty and Reigns accidentally spearing his cousin and teammate.

The Rock secured victory after 45 minutes, hitting Rhodes with a Rock Bottom before pulling off a People's Elbow to seal it.

Fans could tell the match was going to be a classic when The Rock made his dramatic entrance to the arena.

The wrestling icon emerged into a ring of fire - in the shape of his bull logo - and defiantly eyed the crowd while holding a belt over his shoulder.

Some fans were slightly confused though, and wondered why The Rock had a belt if he hadn't been involved in a match for eight years.

The answer is that the belt was gifted to The Rock by the widow of boxing legend Muhammad Ali during the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony on Friday.

Ali was posthumously inducted into the WWE HOF, and during the ceremony, Lonnie Ali presented The Rock with a People's Championship belt.

Lonnie explained that back in 1998, The Rock asked Ali permission to use his famous 'People’s Champion' moniker.

Ali appreciated The Rock asking him for permission, and so he granted the wrestler his request.

The emotional moment added another layer to the legacies of both legendary athletes.

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