Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson could be heading for the largest single-event payday in professional wrestling history, as negotiations for him to main event a proposed WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia are reportedly heating up. The target event is slated for 2027.
According to a report from Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, sources close to the Saudi General Entertainment Authority (GEA) claim that “negotiations for Dwayne Johnson were advancing” and that “the deal was close to being finalized.” The GEA is reportedly pushing for a main event featuring Johnson against either Roman Reigns or Cody Rhodes, tying back to storylines from WrestleMania 40.
Meltzer notes that the total cost for the event weekend could exceed $100 million, with a significant portion earmarked for talent. “The idea is that the individual payoff for Johnson would be multiple times that of any pro wrestler for any event in history.” However, the report stresses this information comes entirely from the Saudi side, with no confirmation from WWE, leading to the possibility of it being “billionaire fantasy booking.” Still, Meltzer believes there is a “good chance” Johnson will ultimately perform.
Saudi Arabia’s Pursuit of WWE Legends
This potential deal for The Rock is part of a larger, well-funded ambition to bring multiple iconic figures to the Kingdom. Reports indicate that Saudi Arabia is prepared to offer massive paydays to secure legends like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, and Shawn Michaels.
However, landing these other names presents unique challenges. The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels have shown little interest in another match following their heavily criticized tag team bout in the country years ago. Meanwhile, WWE has expressed hesitation in booking The Rock for a title run due to his demanding Hollywood schedule, though a non-wrestling appearance is always considered a possibility.