Johnson isn’t pulling his punches when stoking the fire to his rivalry with Rhodes.

Ever since Dwayne Johnson returned to the ring in the WWE earlier this year, the brand as well as the WWE Universe have been eating well with what The Rock is cooking up for the future, more specifically, for the upcoming WrestleMania XL.

It’ll be the place where the heated rivalry between Johnson and WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes will settle the bad blood that’s been boiling between them.
Dwayne Johnson at Monday Night RAW
But until that eventual showdown finally arrives, the star is doing all he can to hype their match-up as much as possible, which, combined with his heel phase, results in the athlete running wild. Thus, to further promote this rivalry, Johnson has harnessed the power of memes into his merch and made fun of Rhodes getting slapped by him with the classic Batman Slaps Robin meme.

Dwayne Johnson Uses The Batman Slaps Robin Meme For His Merch To Humiliate Cody Rhodes

The iconic Batman Slaps Robin meme
When it comes to putting on a show that the audience and the fans will never forget, Dwayne Johnson is one of the most capable, only bolstered by his track record performing in big-budget films and as a WWE Superstar. And now, as he once again steps into the ring as The Rock, he is locked into making his upcoming fight with Cody Rhodes, a spectacle to be remembered.

As the rivalry between The American Nightmare and the Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle star heats up even more, Johnson decided to lean into the event that started it all. Since the bad blood between them originated from the Hollywood star slapping Rhodes in the face for talking trash about his Anoa’i heritage, the star has incorporated this event into his new merch line.

Comically, it depicts the perfect recreation of the iconic Batman Slaps Robin meme, where instead of The Dark Knight, we see Johnson slapping Rhodes hard across the face while belittling him and his fandom.

Since the star has turned heel this time, he is heavily leaning into his character and finding any chance he can get to humiliate his opponent, with their ultimate showdown in a Tag Team Match at the upcoming WrestleMania XL.

What Do The Fans Say About This?

The Rock and Cody Rhodes at the WrestleMania XL Kickoff Show
Since Johnson is known for using any popular form of marketing tactic and the latest trends to promote or interact with his fandom, the use of a classic and recognizable meme was a welcome addition to his list of methods by the WWE Universe.

Now, all that is left is for these athletes to duke it out and put on a show for the audience at the grandest stage of them all in the upcoming PPV event.

WrestleMania XL, streaming from 6th-7th April on the WWE Network.