A revelation in Netflix’s series “WWE Unreal” detailed an original WWE plan that would have crowned Kevin Owens as champion. The proposal, developed by former WWE writer Brian Gewirtz and The Rock, would have drastically changed the events of Elimination Chamber.
The creative team felt that a showdown between fan favorites John Cena and Cody Rhodes would be predictable. To inject “controlled chaos” into the storyline, The Rock and Gewirtz devised a bolder alternative centered around the concept of the “Final Boss.”
The plan involved The Rock demanding that Cody Rhodes become “his champion.” When Rhodes refused during Elimination Chamber, The Rock would use his authority as “Final Boss” to immediately create a title match on the spot.
In this scenario, Kevin Owens—who was already in a rivalry with Cody at the time—would emerge victorious and capture the WWE Championship. The ultimate goal wasn’t necessarily to establish Owens as champion, but rather to create a “seismic” and completely unpredictable moment for the WWE universe.
However, the proposal never made it to WWE television. The company chose a different direction, one involving an alliance between The Rock and John Cena after Cena turned heel. This alternative path was deemed more creatively compelling by WWE at the time.