Summary

Randy Orton's recent mystery phone angle does not appear to be headed toward Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, at least based on the latest reporting tied to WWE's April 3 episode of SmackDown.

The storyline started after Orton turned heel on Cody Rhodes during the March 13 edition of SmackDown as WrestleMania 42 season intensified. Three days later on Raw, Orton was shown speaking to an unknown person on the phone, and WWE has since teased that the identity of that contact will be revealed on Friday's show.

That reveal now lands on a night when WWE has already loaded the April 3 SmackDown with several major names, which makes the payoff to Orton's phone call one of the more notable loose ends heading into WrestleMania 42.

What Dave Meltzer said about The Rock rumor

Dave Meltzer said people within WWE denied that Johnson is the name behind Orton's mystery call, even though he acknowledged Johnson would fit the role on paper.

Quote from Dave Meltzer

"While Dwayne Johnson fits the bill and would be the biggest addition for a show that is behind on ticket sales, those in the company have denied the name to us. As noted before, if it was Johnson, it's likely to be kept a secret from everyone but Nick Khan, Paul Levesque, and maybe Rhodes and Orton. But my impression is they have a name that at least those in the inner circle are aware of. They could still be working them but they are not of that impression."

What Randy Orton's reveal could mean for WrestleMania 42

If Johnson is not the mystery figure, then WWE still has a significant story beat to cash in on during the final stretch of the Orton and Cody Rhodes program. The reveal can still deepen Orton's heel turn, but it also lowers expectations for a last-minute blockbuster attachment to the feud unless WWE pivots on television.

For fans watching the WrestleMania 42 build, the bigger takeaway is that Orton's phone angle remains important because it gives his conflict with Rhodes another layer beyond the attack itself. Friday's reveal should clarify whether WWE is adding a new player to the feud or simply using the mystery to sharpen Orton's character shift.

Sources

As reported by NoDQ.