Edge Or The Locker Room?

[midgensa]

I definitely see both sides of the issue, but I tend to come down on the side of The Rock here (Edge).

While I think Cena's promos have teeth and a good point (on how come the WWE Universe loves The Rock, blah blah blah) I still think he is The Rock and to have him around he should pretty much get whatever he wants.

Lets be honest ... The Rock is one the top earners in the businesses history. If you count his transfer into Hollywood he really is the most mainstream in the businesses history. Him coming around generates more buys, more money, more attention and more buzz than ANYONE currently on the roster pretty much doing anything. And sorry to all you Austin and Hogan fans ... it generates more buzz than ANYONE else in the business.

There is more money to go around with him around so those people in the back need to quit whining and rise to the occasion. There were still spots to be had. Look at Wade Barrett, Cody Rhodes, Daniel Bryan and Sheamus. They did not all sit around and cry about, "Rocky stole my candy ... waaaaaah." They went after the spots that are available and took them with hard work and character development.

You want the spot ... go get it. There are plenty of spots to be had.

[Big Sexy]

The Rock is a bigger star then every single person in the WWE locker room. That isn't a knock against anyone it is just a fact. He is in the main event at Wrestlemania because of that reason. If there were two superstars in the locker room with bigger star power then there may be a legitimate gripe, but there isn't. The WWE has gone through a transition the last couple years where a lot of the big names have either retired or have a significantly reduced schedule. All these people complaining about their TV time being taken away have had plenty of chances to do something about it over the last couple years. They are only bitching now because they see an easy scapegoat.

The fact is, if you're good enough then there will always be something for you to do. Rock vs Cena is the biggest match at Mania since Rock/Hogan at Mania 18. Basically this is the biggest match at the biggest event of the year in a decade. It's going to make the WWE a shit ton of money and at the end of the day that's all that matters.

[avi01]

Of course Edge is right. The reason guys like edge or the Rock or Jericho are that good is that they understand the business and put themselves in the position they are/were. Nobody is entitled to a wrestlemania spot.Nobody...so make it happen for yourself. It is a grand spectacle and it is only logical for wwe to want the best to headline the show. Did the Rock take the place of some main eventer who is actually left out now? Of course not, the big players are on the card. And don`t mention the Miz, he was never going to headline 2 consecutive wrestlemanias. He is not of that caliber..nobody would be dying to see Cena-Miz 2 ahead of Rock-Cena. If he is that good, he should be able to get a spot in mid card at least..the Rock has nothing to do with it. Bottom line, if it were possible to have something bigger than The Rock vs. Cena this year, wwe would have it. If next year, Brock Lesnar or Austin were to return, even for a small amount of time, wwe would have it because that`s what people want to see. Instead of complaining like something was taken away from them,those guys should work on their characters, promos and in ring skills so as to put themselves in the position the other have put themselves. Last year Sheamus and Bryan were in a dark match, this year they are fighting for the world title, they did not complain for a year, they worked their ass off and earned their place. Wrestlemania is the big one, it`s block buster event , it is only logical for WWE to think big. Rock-Cena is as big as it gets, it would be borderline retarded to even take those complains into consideration, i`m sure even John Cena will agree this match should happen because it can happen. If wrestlers don`t think in that way, they should not be surprised they are off the card. This is not wrestlemania 18 were Stone Cold was in mid card...some of those wrestlers think too much of themselves. Spots are there to be taken, WWE lack star power, that`s why they still rely on the Rock. So actually become that good and then claim a spot.

[SinCityBlitz]

I think some of what Edge says has some merit but like someone said I think it has more to do with the backstage attitude than anything else. Plus you throw in the fact that not too long ago he wanted NOTHING to do with the business and tried to distance himself from it anyway he could.

The Rock had his time now it's time for him to leave and stay away. He says and does the same shit time after time in his interviews. His act is old. He's not funny anymore and he doesn't fit in. Dwayne is Hollywood. He needs to go back to making shitty movies.

Originally Posted by I'd Wear Pippa Middleton Like A Feedbag

The main event for Wrestlemania 27 was John Cena, and The Miz.

I want you to absorb that for a second. The Wrestlemania main event was John Cena versus The Miz. Aside from that and Triple H and Taker, I had to look up the entire card to know what happened. If you think Wrestlemania 27 was strong without Rock, and would have done the butyrate without him, you're even more clueless than I imagined. Also, that Survivor Series may have more to do with the shit buildup to the match. Cena was beating two geeks on his own, without Rock. Why would we pay for a match where it's patently obvious who will win, because one guy beat the entire team himself.

Yeah, sod off with your shit

So Rock gets all the credit when things go right but none of it when they don't? If the Rock is such a huge draw why have the ratings basically stayed the same? I can't wait to hear the excuses you come up.

Snooki brought more media attention to the WWE than the Rock did. I hate the little fucking hobbit but it's true. Her ugly little face was EVERYWHERE on TV while I barely heard a mention of Rock. No she didn't draw that million PPV buy rate but saying the Rock did is just as stupid.

[grantedisme]

I think the workers have a legitimate complaint, but Edge is right, too. If certain people backstage worked harder, a spot might be made for them somewhere on the card. However, no matter how hard they worked, and no matter how big they became in this day in age, The Rock would have taken the top spot against the top star of the WWE.

That being said, I don't think that it's the 7 year hiatus itself that has the stars bitter. It's that The Rock reportedly doesn't interact with most stars backstage or on camera. For a match set one year in advance, The Rock didn't have time to show up to build the feud. The rest of them were competing for the entire year without knowing if they'd have a match, and The Rock had a spot reserved a year in advance despite having other filming obligations throughout the year. Even when he was around, he did nothing to help anyone. Other than a maybe 2 week feud against The Miz and Truth (and we all know how that turned out), it has been all Cena.

As fans who can look at it from the outside in, we can all say that The Rock was amazing star and a ridiculously hard worker in his day. He helped build the business and probably saved it from bankruptcy along with Austin. However, there are people who put their bodies on the line every week and work on their promo and ring work during 365 days a week and know that they have a 0% chance of being in the main event of Wrestlemania, I can't fault any of them for feeling wronged. Just trying to imagine that perspective, I can definitely imagine that it does have to feel unfair, and I honestly can't say that I blame any of them for feeling that way.

As for the Jericho comparisons, he has been involving himself for a few months now, he has had matches and promos with other stars, and he already built a relationship with most of the talent in the back before he left. It's not really the same thing, although I can see how some of you can make the comparison.

[OhYeah!]

Originally Posted by Davi323

I would agree with Edge if we were talking about an absence of a year or two. But, given the length of time that has passed, I have to ask, where do you draw the line? How long does a wrestler who made his bones have to be gone before he no longer can expect to automatically go straight to the top? If John Cena decided to take a 10 year break, and come back to wrestling at age 44, should he automatically get the top spot, even though an entire generation of wrestlers has come and gone? Cena earned his spot too...Or better yet...Jerry the King Lawler decides to have one last run. Lawler earned his spot 20 years before the Rock did, but he earned it. Guy was one of the greatest world champions of all time, should he automatically get the top spot, because of what he meant for the business previously? If a star NFL player retired for 7 years and wanted to return, should they automatically get their starting position back over whoever the current guy is? What's the time limit? Where do you draw the line?

I would say NO, just like I currently say that Edge is wrong. The WWE roster now looks nothing like it did when he left. The Rock isn't returning, he is on a nostalgia tour. The Rock WAS a great wrestler. But that 7+ year gap means you can't assume that the Rock IS a great wrestler still. He looks like he is still in great shape, but how the hell do we know if he can still put on a great match like he used to? If his match against Cena is lights out, and he can keep up with the best the WWE has to offer and look like he never lost a beat, sure, you let him resume his role at the top. But until you know that, you can't take the chance. 7 years is an awfully long time.

Yeah dude but The Rock is FAR better than anyone else in the roster right now, and they're basically trying to make money and hold the company. And what else do they have to main event a Wrestlemania? I've gone gone from wrestling basically since Shawn retired, and Ive come back because of The Rock vs Cena and see what hapers with the Streak, After this and Taker is gone, Im done too! Cheers.

[TWJC: The Beginning]

Ever cross your mind that the "locker room" beef with Rock is probably largely a work? Dirt sheets are about as reliable as Fox News and not only that but pro wrestlers are carny by nature and love to work people whether or not the cameras are on.

I think Rock should be in the main event. He's a huge draw. He shouldn't act like a dick backstage (doubt he really does), but he's a draw. He doesnt' bump anyone down, if anything, everyone gets elevated because Rock brings a few more eyeballs to the show.

[TWJC: The Beginning]

Originally Posted by OhYeah!

Yeah dude but The Rock is FAR better than anyone else in the roster right now, and they're basically trying to make money and hold the company. And what else do they have to main event a Wrestlemania? I've gone gone from wrestling basically since Shawn retired, and Ive come back because of The Rock vs Cena and see what hapers with the Streak, After this and Taker is gone, Im done too! Cheers.

So basically you quit watching in 2010 and have recently started again. In other words, you are a pretty shitty judge of the modern talent. Believe it or not, a TON of old school people hated the attitude era because it was a trash TV show and not a wrestling show. Nostalgia can be a horrible thing. You can have your opinion, but when you openly admit that you don't watch the program and only watch for the nostalgia acts, you lose all credibility.

[ProWrestlingFan84]

First reply on a forum for this site but it seems just about everyone including myself is agreeing with what Edge has to say. The Rock quite honestly is going to get handed his spot with Cena because the draw is going to be just main event worthy. Anyone who doesn't see that really needs to clean their glasses.

One thing I tend to disagree with concerns how a lot of people feel that the current crop of upper mid card talent could've earned possibly The Rock's spot. Well the past couple of years have seen a drastic change in talent. The last truly over star aside from Randy Orton and John Cena had to retire the day after Wrestlemania. Once Edge left, I truly believe WWE has done just an awful job of making top tier talent aside from CM Punk and honestly that's because of the famous promo he delivered on RAW. Take a look at the 4 main matches this year of Wrestlemania. The Rock who hasn't been in a ring since Survivor Series. Chris Jericho which has been one of the oddest returns in recent memory. Then another match, HHH vs Undertaker 3 which takes 2 guys who wrestle once a year. The other guys are Rock's opponent, John Cena who is the Hulk Hogan of the modern age. CM Punk who is one hell of a performer and has earned his spot. The other match is sort of lost in the mix and it's a championship match in Daniel Bryan vs Sheamus which was reduced to a dark match last year at Wrestlemania. Point being 4 of the guys in 3 of the main/upper matches are pretty much part timers. Now I understand Wrestlemania is all about buys, I'll be buying because those matches are going to sell the show BUT I'm awfully concerned when those guys all leave again.

Just one man's opinion...

[loregasmic]

let's get one thing straight...the rock is going to job to john cena at wrestlemania.
i'll say it in bold for those who didn't quite catch it the first time: the rock is going to job to john cena at wrestlemania.
still confused? then perhaps this will enlighten you:
THE ROCK IS GOING TO JOB TO JOHN CENA AT WRESTLEMANIA. ROCK KNOWS IT. VINCE KNOWS IT. CENA KNOWS IT. ANYONE WITH A SHRED OF COMMON BUSINESS SENSE KNOWS THIS AND WHOEVER DOESN'T IS RETARDED.

cena has his points but what people fail to realize is that the rock really has nothing to gain from this and all he's doing is entertaining the fans and making cena a bigger star than he is already in the long run by not only jobbing to him at mania, but promoting cena's merchandise (i.e. the real purpose of the "boston tea party")

whoever thinks that the rock is willing to risk getting his neck broken in a match with john cena, obviously not the most coordinated wrestler in the world, just to promote g.i. joe 2 which is going to be ridiculously profitable anyway is an idiot and a virgin

not to mention a guy that made over $10 million just for putting on a tooth fairy costume didn't come back just for the paycheck either, especially when wwe's shares are lower than ever.

last but not least, as for the rock distancing himself from the wwe...simple. he wanted to be taken seriously as an actor, he didn't want the stigma of HE WHO SHALL NOT BE NAMED and his double murder-suicide following him around, and frankly i don't blame him one bit.

i think the backstage heat is all a work, and if it's not then it just goes to show you why most of the guys in the back will never make it anywhere. did the rock blame stone cold steve austin for all the endless "DIE ROCKY DIE" chants? NO. he reinvented himself and made himself a star. the boys in the back should look towards the rock as an inspiration, but just like hogan they let their egos get in the way of good business. look at hogan now, broke ass white man in his 60s still wrestling because his gold digging whore of a wife spent all his money. that's karma, motherfucker.