WrestleMania 40 Press Conference Recap: Cody Rhodes chooses Roman Reigns before getting slapped by The Rock

Thursday's press conference leading up to WrestleMania 40 was supposed to clarify the main event, but instead, it added more layers of confusion. 

Expectations were high for the announcement of a showdown between The Rock and the ‘Tribal Chief’ Roman Reigns, but Cody Rhodes threw a curveball into the mix.

WrestleMania 40 kickoff special promised a face-off between two titans - The Rock and Roman Reigns.

Reigns had already declared The Rock as his opponent, setting the stage for a clash of wrestling dynasties. 

However, the atmosphere was tense as chants for Cody Rhodes disrupted the proceedings, indicating the fans' discontent with the situation.

Amidst the anticipation for the Rock vs. Reigns match, Cody Rhodes made his presence felt, interrupting the family reunion between Reigns and The Rock.

 Rhodes, buoyed by the crowd's support, expressed his frustration and formally challenged Reigns to a rematch for the WWE Universal Title—a right he earned by winning the 2024 Royal Rumble.

But Tensions escalated when The Rock took offense to Rhodes' interruption and remarks about their respective families.

 In a surprising turn of events, The Rock slapped Rhodes, igniting a chaotic scene. 

Seth Rollins, the world heavyweight champion, intervened, distancing himself from Reigns and The Rock as Rhodes was escorted backstage.

Despite the high drama, the press conference concluded without confirming the WrestleMania 40 main event. 

The WWE universe was left in suspense, unsure whether Reigns vs. Rock, Reigns vs. Rhodes, or both matches would headline the grand event.

 Additionally, WWE hinted at a potential tag team match involving Reigns, The Rock, Rhodes, and Rollins in the future.

WWE's Chief Content Officer, Paul Levesque aka. Triple H, attempted to clarify the situation on social media by confirming Reigns vs. Rhodes for WrestleMania. However, this only added to the confusion surrounding the event's main event. 

With conflicting reports and unresolved tensions, the road to WrestleMania 40 became more unpredictable than ever.

Apart from the main event chaos, the press conference featured other notable moments. 

WWE Women's world champion Rhea Ripley engaged in a verbal altercation with Becky Lynch, foreshadowing a potential showdown between the two.

 Furthermore, Bianca Belair shared the stage with CM Punk and Big E, adding to the excitement surrounding WrestleMania 40.