It was one of the biggest moments in professional wrestling history. When Dwayne Johnson, otherwise known as The Rock, was revealed to be the "special guest host" of WrestleMania 27, it sent the wrestling world on a frenzy of intrigue and wonderment. Not only because for the first time in SEVEN YEARS the Rock stood in a WWE ring, but because of his comments aimed directly at current company ace, John Cena.
Needless to say, Rocky doesn't hold Cena in the highest regard after comments made in a UK Sun interview back in 2008:
"He is a genuinely nice guy and a fantastic human being. What I kind of get peeved about, and this is my Achilles heel, is that I've wanted to do this my whole life. Rock falls into that category. At one point he loved wrestling and wanted to do this all his life. So explain to me why he can't come back for our 15th anniversary show or why he can't make an appearance at WrestleMania? I wish he'd just show up, say hi and leave. Do the eyebrow once and get out of town. Simply put it's because he wants to be an actor and there's nothing wrong with that, because he's truly found another passion. He's good at acting. His films make money. Associating with sports entertainment doesn't do much for his acting career. I get it. Just don't f*** me around and tell me that you love this. That's the only thing that gets me really p***ed off. Our fan base have so much admiration for him, he's got to respect that. He doesn't give anything back."
That was the first shot fired in a war that made many die-hard wrestling fans salivate at the possibility of a Rock/Cena match-up. It was only a few weeks later when The Rock made his first appearence in over four years at the WWE to induct his father & grandfather into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Rock got a few pot-shots in towards Cena, but nothing much was said of it, and the whole incident was brushed under the rug.
Upon the Rock's return on Valentine's Day 2011, he made his peace with the fans, hit all of his signature catch phrases and the internet had a stand still. Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites were blowing up. Fans who hadn't watched wrestling in years were quickly turning the channel to see The Rock, live and in person, on Monday Night Raw. And once he had them all at the edge of his seats, he let his opinion be heard about John Cena. He ran Cena's accomplishments down, and as his words grew angrier, even the most casual fan could tell this wasn't your standard wrestling interview.
"So let me get this straight, in the past 10 years, the WWE has gone from the ground-breaking, historical AUSTIN 3:16, to the MOST ELECTRIFYING MAN IN SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT, to...You Can't See Me?"
Mocking Cena's signature catchphrase with the slightest hint of a baby's voice was enough to get the crowd to immediately turn on Cena. He went on to mock Cena's other catchphrases and his signature attire, calling him a "Fruity Pebble" and "Barney's Turd', due to the amount of flashy colors he wears, namely, purple and yellow.
Upon the Rock's return on Valentine's Day 2011, he made his peace with the fans, hit all of his signature catch phrases and the internet had a stand still. Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites were blowing up. Fans who hadn't watched wrestling in years were quickly turning the channel to see The Rock, live and in person, on Monday Night Raw. And once he had them all at the edge of his seats, he let his opinion be heard about John Cena. He ran Cena's accomplishments down, and as his words grew angrier, even the most casual fan could tell this wasn't your standard wrestling interview.
"So let me get this straight, in the past 10 years, the WWE has gone from the ground-breaking, historical AUSTIN 3:16, to the MOST ELECTRIFYING MAN IN SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT, to...You Can't See Me?"
Mocking Cena's signature catchphrase with the slightest hint of a baby's voice was enough to get the crowd to immediately turn on Cena. He went on to mock Cena's other catchphrases and his signature attire, calling him a "Fruity Pebble" and "Barney's Turd', due to the amount of flashy colors he wears, namely, purple and yellow.
Many wrestling purists would have you believe this was bad, having a once in a while attraction practically bury your top guy to the point of no return is not usually a great strategy. But this was different. This was something people had wanted to see for years.
Regardless of the fact that the WrestleMania main events had already been set in stone, this was the first time in a long time wrestling fans were left with the idea of "Okay well I know the rest of that stuff is fake...but this, this seems real."To make a professional wrestling fan in 2011 believe that something they see on the weekly shows COULD BE REAL is an amazing attribute to have, and The Rock is one of the few who can actually do it.
That's a great compliment for the Rock, and at the same time, it's a horrible view on what a sad state of affairs a once impenetrable business has become.
But as the promo continued more people, even the most casual fan, started to realize "Hey...THIS ACTUALLY IS REAL!" The Rock does not like John Cena. There's no script behind this, no elaborate storyline. The Rock's pissed off over the comments going back to 2008, and he has every right to be. That's not to say Cena didn't nail it on the head with his interview back in '08, but was it really his place to say so? When it comes to an attraction like the Rock, is it really anybody's place to say so?
The following week, John Cena addressed the strong words Rocky had for him and, in a brilliant move, turned even the most anti-Cena fans into believers again when he broke out his old "white rapper" gimmick to cut a freestyle on the Rock:
"Finally the Rock came back and everyone was gettin' with it.
Til he said I was talkin' trash but he would never be specific.
Because I wasn't talk trash, Rock, I was talkin' truth.
You left us high and dry to play a fairy with a tooth?
And then you walk into this ring and tell these people that I'm lame, man?
He wore lipstick in Be Cool and rocked a skirt in the Game Plan.
This fruity pebble that you're dealing with?
I'm not your average jabroni.
I'm like a big purple pinwheel, Rock.
So go ahead and blow me.
And your electrifying, yes.
But hang with me? That's just absurd.
Because now you gotta go tell your family you just got schooled by Barney's turd.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up, that's your material, you can have your joke back
Just don't go racin' to Witch Mountain, Rock, because your Mountain is Broke Back.
The Rock's new movie, it's nothing like Walking Tall.
He spends the movie in a bowling alley, and he can polish my balls.
The People's Champ, Rock, you're hard with the people!
You immitate my catcphrase every time you leave,
'cause for SEVEN YEARS, we couldn't see you.
And is it Rock or is it Dwayne?
Pick a side, come on son.
If I was you, I'd stick with Rock,
because Dwayne ain't got a Johnson.
And you'll see me at Wrestlemania?
Well I'll make sure not to miss it.
But you ain't gonna whip my candy ass dude
I'll make sure you kiss it.
You're the WrestleMania HOST, Rock
That's your role, so know it.
I'm here every week to show it.
That's called a first round knock out,
now you know that I'm not playin.
Run your mouth all you want dude,
IT DOESN'T MATTER what you're sayin'..."
I think even the most laidback, off and on wrestling fan who knows ANYTHING about the Rock and John Cena (two of the biggest draws in wrestling history) would agree with me when I deemed that a fatality.
But as the promo continued more people, even the most casual fan, started to realize "Hey...THIS ACTUALLY IS REAL!" The Rock does not like John Cena. There's no script behind this, no elaborate storyline. The Rock's pissed off over the comments going back to 2008, and he has every right to be. That's not to say Cena didn't nail it on the head with his interview back in '08, but was it really his place to say so? When it comes to an attraction like the Rock, is it really anybody's place to say so?
The following week, John Cena addressed the strong words Rocky had for him and, in a brilliant move, turned even the most anti-Cena fans into believers again when he broke out his old "white rapper" gimmick to cut a freestyle on the Rock:
"Finally the Rock came back and everyone was gettin' with it.
Til he said I was talkin' trash but he would never be specific.
Because I wasn't talk trash, Rock, I was talkin' truth.
You left us high and dry to play a fairy with a tooth?
And then you walk into this ring and tell these people that I'm lame, man?
He wore lipstick in Be Cool and rocked a skirt in the Game Plan.
This fruity pebble that you're dealing with?
I'm not your average jabroni.
I'm like a big purple pinwheel, Rock.
So go ahead and blow me.
And your electrifying, yes.
But hang with me? That's just absurd.
Because now you gotta go tell your family you just got schooled by Barney's turd.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up, that's your material, you can have your joke back
Just don't go racin' to Witch Mountain, Rock, because your Mountain is Broke Back.
The Rock's new movie, it's nothing like Walking Tall.
He spends the movie in a bowling alley, and he can polish my balls.
The People's Champ, Rock, you're hard with the people!
You immitate my catcphrase every time you leave,
'cause for SEVEN YEARS, we couldn't see you.
And is it Rock or is it Dwayne?
Pick a side, come on son.
If I was you, I'd stick with Rock,
because Dwayne ain't got a Johnson.
And you'll see me at Wrestlemania?
Well I'll make sure not to miss it.
But you ain't gonna whip my candy ass dude
I'll make sure you kiss it.
You're the WrestleMania HOST, Rock
That's your role, so know it.
I'm here every week to show it.
That's called a first round knock out,
now you know that I'm not playin.
Run your mouth all you want dude,
IT DOESN'T MATTER what you're sayin'..."
I think even the most laidback, off and on wrestling fan who knows ANYTHING about the Rock and John Cena (two of the biggest draws in wrestling history) would agree with me when I deemed that a fatality.
This past Monday on Raw, the Rock responded live via satillite with another vicious promo, going for the juggular, even mocking Cena's freestyle and creating one of his own. While the promo was no doubt electrifying (no pun intended), many were left groaning by the fact that by responding from his HOME, LIVE VIA SATILLITE, it proved Cena 100% correct.
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| Could the Rock return after 7 years out of the ring? |
"Let me remind you, and the world, how this whole thing started. It started with you publically running your mouth about me. Calling me a liar when I say the WWE. You said "Don't jerk you or the fans around" by saying I love this business and not coming back? John, by saying that, you insulted me and my family. Let me tell you something. My love for the WWE is endless. I grew up in the WWE, I was born into the WWE, my blood is the WWE. My grandfather, the late great High Cheif Peter Maiva, my father, former WWE Tag Team Champion Rocky Johnson, both Hall of Famers who I INDUCTED. I am standing in my HOUSE, this is my collection of WWE Championships that I proudly display. I didn't show love?! Because I accomplished my goals in the WWE, and I wanted to achieve more?! I knew that if I made it in Hollywood outside of the WWE, then that meant one important thing, that I just opened the door for the WWE. Helped open the door for the entire WWE locker room that's there tonight. I helped open the door, John Cena, FOR YOU! Paved the way for YOU!"
While the Rock has a right to be legitimately angry with some of the comments Cena made, can he really call Cena wrong?
Sure, Cena had no right to say that the Rock didn't love the WWE. He legitimately has been in the business his entire life. But this passionate, down right amazing promo was overshadowed by one thing: the man who told us just a few weeks ago that he was back for good and would never leave again was cutting this promo from the safety his own home.
Time will only tell how this situation develops and what it actually leads to. With four weeks left before WrestleMania, there's more time for Rock to show up on RAW, and there's just as much time for more responses from Cena. John Cena is slated to challenge the Miz for the WWE Championship, but isn't that just a complete after thought at this point? Sadly for the up and coming Miz, he's the third wheel in an amazing set-up for a big time WrestleMania showdown.
Time will only tell how this situation develops and what it actually leads to. With four weeks left before WrestleMania, there's more time for Rock to show up on RAW, and there's just as much time for more responses from Cena. John Cena is slated to challenge the Miz for the WWE Championship, but isn't that just a complete after thought at this point? Sadly for the up and coming Miz, he's the third wheel in an amazing set-up for a big time WrestleMania showdown.
Over the years, the WWE has brought in numerous amounts of celebrities, wrestling legends and icons, and have had some of the greatest moments in sports history occur on their grand stage. But this may be the first time ever that a conflict with no wrestling involved will single handedly sell a Pay-Per-View of WrestleMania's magnitude.
"Will they or won't they?" is the big question. Will we see a last minute change of John Cena vs. The Rock? Will there be a physical altercation before or even after Cena's match with the Miz? Will we get to see The Rock break out the Rock Bottom and People's Elbow for the first time since 2004? Rumors are running rampid, and like Vince McMahon always told us during the greetings for Monday Night Raw back in the 90's "ANYTHING can happen in the WWF(E)."
One thing's for sure, I'm willing to shell out the $65 dollars and force it into McMahon's pocket. You've done it again, Vince. Bravo.
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