Wrestlepalooza marked WWE’s landmark broadcast partnership with ESPN in the United States. The high-profile event, however, was notable for the absence of one of the company’s biggest stars, The Rock. Former WWE writer Vince Russo has weighed in on the non-appearance, suggesting it may signal significant issues behind the scenes.
Speaking on Sportskeeda’s Legion of RAW, Russo argued that The Rock missing such a pivotal show was a sign of internal political struggles. He pointed to the magnitude of the ESPN deal and how unusual it was for a top star not to appear on the inaugural broadcast.
“There’s so much stuff going on behind the scenes that we don’t have a clue about,” Russo said. “My God, bro, do you know how huge the ESPN relationship is? Perhaps the biggest relationship they’ve ever had. If The Rock was gonna be in any premiere show it would be this one. Rock was at the premiere on Fox, Rock was on the premiere of Netflix. This is huge. And Rock is a sports guy. The fact that he was not a part of this speaks volumes.”
Russo’s case centers on The Rock’s history of appearing at other major premiere shows, including those tied to partnerships with FOX and Netflix. He framed the Wrestlepalooza no-show as a conspicuous break from that pattern.
The Rock’s last WWE appearance was at Elimination Chamber, where he played a key role in orchestrating John Cena’s shocking heel turn.