The Rock and WWE experienced a minor falling out right before the WrestleMania 40 main event, resulting from a misunderstanding over private jet travel to Los Angeles. The Rock and WWE falling out before WrestleMania 40 affected the start of the crucial rehearsal sessions for the anticipated tag team match.
Tension Over Travel Arrangements Before Major Event
During preparations for WrestleMania 40, Dwayne Johnson, known as The Rock, was set to train for his upcoming tag team match where he would join forces with Roman Reigns against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. To assist in preparation, WWE arranged for Gallus, a group of performers led by Wolfgang, to join The Rock in Los Angeles and practice the key spots required for the event.
The training was scheduled to start earlier, but plans were delayed by one day due to an unexpected disagreement. This disruption stemmed from confusion about which party was responsible for the private jet arrangements. According to Wolfgang, former WWE NXT star, The Rock believed WWE would arrange his travel to Los Angeles. In contrast, WWE expected that The Rock would use his own aircraft. The situation was described by Wolfgang as arising from
someone big leaguing the other one.
—Wolfgang, former WWE NXT star
Behind the Scenes: How the Misunderstanding Played Out
Wolfgang offered more insight during his conversation with Cultaholic’s Tom Campbell, outlining the fallout. They arrived on Monday night, with training intended to take place over the next few days. However, Tuesday’s session was cancelled due to the unresolved disagreement and resulting travel complications. As Wolfgang recounted:
There’s a whole backstory that we arrived on Monday night. Tuesday was supposed to be day one and then Wednesday was day two and Thursday if we needed it. We got there on the Monday, on the Tuesday I don’t know what happened and I don’t want to start any rumours here, but there was a bit of a falling out about, ‘You come pick me up in your private plane. No, no no, you come pick me up. I’ll be here, you come get me.’ So Tuesday was scrapped. They just couldn’t get off the runway, they said there was a problem with the plane. And then myself, Mark and Joe just got a free day in Los Angeles where we just got to go be tourists. Hit the gym, went down the pier. It was a fantastic day,
—Wolfgang, former WWE NXT star
The overall mood was not openly antagonistic, though the delay meant the rehearsals lost a day. Wolfgang described it as a case where neither party wanted to relent over who would make arrangements, stating:
To be honest, I think it was just someone big leaguing the other one. I think it was a case of, ‘No, I don’t drive to you. You collect me.’ That’s the way I like to think it was. But regardless, the boys and I got a free day in LA.
—Wolfgang, former WWE NXT star
Gallus’s Role in The Rock’s WrestleMania 40 Preparation
Once the disagreement was set aside, Gallus played a key role in helping The Rock prepare for the main event. Wolfgang stood in as Roman Reigns during the practice runs, while the Coffey brothers took on the roles of Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes. These rehearsals were crucial in fine-tuning the tag team match routines ahead of WrestleMania 40.
Although the initial travel hiccup caused some disruption, it did not derail The Rock’s preparation for one of the year’s major WWE events. The efforts in Los Angeles set the stage for his high-profile performance that night.
What Follows After WrestleMania 40
Currently, The Rock is absent from WWE TV following his role in John Cena‘s heel turn at the Elimination Chamber 2025. WWE fans, as well as those involved like Wolfgang, Mark, Joe of Gallus, and the Coffey brothers, are left to reflect on how such behind-the-scenes dynamics can influence leading events in sports entertainment. The Rock and WWE falling out before WrestleMania 40 reveals how logistical and interpersonal matters can briefly disrupt even the largest productions, but are usually resolved in time for the main event.
