Everyone could smell what Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was cooking as he returned to the WWE ring for the first time in 11 years on Saturday, April 6, during the show’s main event.

It appeared as if no time had gone when Johnson, 51, pinned Cody Rhodes on the mat during Night 1 of Wrestlemania 40 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Johnson, now known as the frightening Final Boss, teamed up with his “cousin” Roman Reigns to defeat Rhodes and Seth Rollins in the match, establishing Bloodline rules for Sunday night’s WWE Championship fight.

For WWE fans, The Rock’s big homecoming on Saturday was exciting for a number of reasons. Reigns, 38, inadvertently “speared” his cousin during the bout, laying the groundwork for an unavoidable Rock vs. Reigns feud. The error might also indicate The Rock turning on Reigns during the main event of the second night of Wrestlemania on Sunday, costing his cousin the bout and, ultimately, the championship.

“What’s been extremely rewarding is two things: one, the fans’ acceptance of The Final Boss – this version, the Rock 10.0 version. But also all of the guys and girls in the locker room,” Johnson stated about his return to WWE on “The Will Cain Show” podcast on Friday, April 5. “Because I do come in, admittedly, I’m a disruptive spirit — I like to disrupt things when I come in and raise all the ships with the tide — but the locker room has been really tremendous.”

According to ESPN, Johnson currently serves on the board of directors of TKO Group, the parent company of WWE and the UFC, and owns the complete rights to “The Rock” character’s name, image, and likeness.

WWE ‘Legend’ Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson returns to Wrestlemania.

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson appears on Night One of WrestleMania 40 on April 6, 2024, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images

After several previous attempts to resurrect his character, everything came together in 2024 for The Rock’s return. “Why this year?” Johnson asked ESPN in February. “It seemed like the timing was going to work out well. And it seemed like the timing was going to work in our favor.”

On Saturday, fans went wild for The Rock, including local Philadelphia star Jason Kelce, who posted a photo with the “legend” on his “New Heights” podcast X Facebook. Kelce, 36, also got into the ring over the weekend, when he and former Eagles teammate Lane Johnson interrupted Dominik Mysterio and Santos Escobar’s match as two masked luchadors.

Travis and Jason Kelce’s Most Positive Quotes About Each Other

Welcome to Wrestlemania, Philadelphia Eagles,” announcer Pat McAfee said, before another announcer jumped in, “Isn’t that whatshername’s brother-in-law?” alluding to Jason’s brother Travis Kelce’s fiancée, Taylor Swift. “I’m a Steelers fan, Pat.”

The “New Heights” Instagram released a few photographs from Saturday