While speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson offered insight into his absence from the main event of WrestleMania 41, where Cody Rhodes clashed with John Cena in a highly anticipated showdown. The Rock addressed the speculation surrounding his role and why he ultimately did not appear in that particular storyline.

He expressed admiration for the match itself and the talent involved but suggested that if he had been more directly involved, he might have taken a different creative approach. “I would have finessed things a little differently on how they got there,” The Rock stated, hinting at his own perspective on the storytelling that led to the bout.

The conversation surrounding the creative direction of WWE recently gained more traction after WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff commented on the nature of last-minute changes in wrestling during a discussion on his podcast. Bischoff addressed the ongoing criticism WWE often receives regarding its ever-changing creative plans.

“I have been a part of a lot of writers rooms to a certain extent in WWE, a much lesser extent in WWE obviously,” Bischoff said, acknowledging his behind-the-scenes experience. “But look, that’s what makes wrestling so unique is that you can have a solid plan. You could have planned weeks or months in advance, have absolutely the best creative you can imagine laid out well in advance, in detail. It doesn’t mean it’s not going to change. And it can change for any number of reasons. We’ve talked about a million times. Injuries are the most obvious ones. Contractual disputes is another one. These are situations I personally have experienced. Family emergencies that take somebody out. Personal issues that oftentimes, back in the ’90s and early 2000s, took talent out. Or if you’re really lucky, somebody comes up with a better idea.”

Bischoff went on to speak about the people involved in the WrestleMania 41 scenario and was quick to show his respect despite not having a close personal relationship with all the key figures.

“And look, I’m giving everybody the benefit of the doubt, because although I don’t know Rock personally. We’ve worked together a little bit, very little bit, and had a few conversations that were very brief. So I don’t know him. I know him, but I also don’t know John Cena on a real personal level. I’ve certainly worked with him a lot more, and I have a good sense of what he’s all about, as well as Cody. So there’s nothing but respect for everybody involved, but that’s one of the things that makes wrestling unique. Is that you can have plans and for any number of reasons, including a better idea that everybody goes, ‘Wow. I really like that.’ Sometimes you’re faced with a choice: do we go with an idea that everybody feels is a better idea, or do we stick with what we’ve got because, ‘Well that’s what we have planned.’ And there’s value in that, don’t get me wrong. Pre-production is the key to good production in every way. But sometimes an idea just hits you, even though you’ve done all the work and you adjust on the fly.”