Does the Rock need to revamp his character?

[Rabbid Wolverine]

We all saw the one on one showdown between the rock and cm punk, I find that the rock is stale, especially now that I have been watching my attitude era dvd, maybe that is what is causing it. But if you look at the rocks 2 feuds since returning to wwe, they are very similar. Rock's main attack is to try and create a nickname for his opponent (fruity pebbles and cookie puss) and to me it comes across sort of lame. He then goes on to talk what seems like forever. CM punk has changed what is considered an awesome promo to me now and I dont think what the rock is doing is good, it just seems Punk is so much better on the mic now. IMO I feel the rock comes in with a feeling that he is so much better than everyone because of what he has accomplished prior and he feels he can spew anything out on the mic but why come back with that attitude?! When Jericho came back the first time he understood what he was doing wasn't working and he changed his image, I feel Rock needs to do something similar because I am quite bored.

I will order RR but thats just because I am a fan of wrestling and even if one thing turns out good I'll be happy i ordered it.

What do you guys think? Do you think the rock is still the most electrifying man in sports entertainment?

 

[Jenna.]

This isn't attack on you but...

Dictionary.com defines the word character as the following:

"The aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing."

So with that said. Dwayne plays a character. The Rock is an arrogant self righteous bullying that is going to call you names and kick your ass.

Ever since he turned into The Rock, that was his persona. It baffles me how people complain he does the same thing, but that is what a character is supposed to do. Punk whines about respect, because that is his heel character. It's the same schtick. He doesn't say anything different does he? Cena is a super hero because that is his character. Wrestlers have characters and they stick to it. Especially if it works....

So with that said, ask yourself the question? Does The Rock really need to revamp his character? I mean what for honestly? Because you and other disgruntle IWC fans (not saying you're disgruntle) didn't like his jokes? The fans came to see him. People watched Raw because of him. They cheered because of him. When he's there, there is a direct correlation to ratings and sales.

At the end of the day most people might have grown out of The Rock. That's fine, but trust there are millions and millions (pun intended) that eat this shit up, including myself. For every complaint about The Rock I see on here, my timeline on Twitter, newsfeed on Facebook and Instagram was in a frenzy because The Rock was back doing what he does best and that's entertaining.

His character can't be stale if the numbers are positive to his returns. You very rarely hear people boo him and every time he gets a new shirt it sells. Someone like Cena is extremely successful, but that is a character that needs to be revamped because you actually see as a whole people not buying into his character as they boo him every night. Someone like Del Rio needs revamping, because his character is just not connecting with the crowd, etc. Like I mentioned before, many of you(not you) need to get off their high horse and think that because you didn't think something wasn't funny, the whole world thinks that way. The Rock is who is, and no one is going to change that especially if that character is still wildly successful. Period.

 

[The Voice]

The Rock could come out - fart - then walk backstage again and It would still get more viewers than your average Raw without him. You should be privileged that he took the time to speak.

It's much easier to promo as a heel than a face. Prime example, just compare Rock's two Rock concerts, first as a heel then as a face. And look at CM Punks promo's as a face, they absolutely sucked.

I'd love to have Rock as a heel because he's the real one who's too good for you all. Not CM Punk. The Rock would be an absolute legendary heel right now, but WWE wouldn't touch that.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

I gave Punk the edge on Raw, but The Rock is fine.

Do I sometimes roll my eyes at the things he says or wonder why he brought up a character from an ice-cream company primarily based in the Northeast while cutting a promo in Florida? Yeah, because sometimes what The Rock says is cheesy. Sometimes it is completely childish. Sometimes I think he sits at home and thinks up whacky asinine things to say so he can watch tapes and laugh when the crowd chants it. He probably calls his buddies after the shows and says "I can't believe they canted Cookie Puss!" or "Did you hear them chanting Kung-Pow Chicken?" while laughing his ass off.

Cookie Puss, Kung-Pow Chicken, Fruit Peddles, 90% of his references to genitalia, they are childish, sophomoric insults, and the crowd eats it up. He goes away for years at a time, comes back with the crowd knowing he has no intention of sticking around long term, and is still the most over guy on the roster. So no he doesn't need to revamp his character. He may not win every promo battle, but he gets the job done. He has played the same character since like 1998 and he is still insanely over.

 

[KnowYoRole]

No, for fucks sake. Rock has done this literally his entire career and the crowd responds well almost all of the time; this is one of those times. The crowd ate up "cookie puss." Did I roll my eyes at cookie puss? Yes, but people heard that and blew it out of proportion and made the entire promo about that since they were intent on looking something to complain about. You need to view the promo as a whole, and behind all of the flashy, pandering, charismatic speaking, are solid points and good storytelling. Rock has never been somebody to just straight up make a point; he always infuses comedy and involves the crowd and it's formulaic, yes, but it's a formula that works. If you were looking to criticize the Rock's promo on Monday night, you will have a huge issue with "cookie puss." If you were looking to just enjoy the entire segment, it will seem miniscule compared to the amount of intensity both guys exhibited, extremely well at that.

 

[Mustang Sally]

I can understand some folks seeing Rock's act as stale, but I doubt it will change.....first, because he's not around enough to necessitate a change, but mostly because what he's doing is what the fans expect of him and the reaction he gets surely justifies sticking with it.

It's not as if he can't do it any other way, of course. When he turned bad guy to work the program with Hogan after both men had stopped wrestling full-time for the company showed how versatile Rock could be. It was hard to boo him, yet he got people doing it because he essentially played the same character as a bad guy that he does as a face. Yet, I remember him inflaming the fans by chanting Hogan's name in a derogatory fashion to mimic the crowd chanting for Hogan. It was great stuff.

But there's no cause for him to change at this point. Obviously, a lot of pro wrestlers do "arrogance," but Rock has elevated it to an art form. The fans love it, so why ruin a good thing?

 

[blairvb79]

with the way people here hate a nostalgic character being exactly that i really now hope that Austin doesnt come back because they will say the exact same thing that he is stale and doesnt have a place anymore. You guys offically killed a legend and will be the reason why after this stint you will never see the Rock again in the ring good job.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Hang on, I've got a reply to this already. Allow me to refer you to my post of Tuesday the 8th:

Anybody who criticises The Rock for doing the same thing over and over is crazy. What else is he there for if not nostalgia? He's a walking Greatest Hits collection.

I think Jericho's repeated damp squibs are good examples of the sort of underwhelming shit you can produce when you mess with a winning formula. Of all the attempts to "evolve his character" in recent years, I think only one had really worked. If it ain't broke, don't evolve its character. Or something.

Please, sir, I want some more.

 

[boywithbluehanger]

with the way people here hate a nostalgic character being exactly that i really now hope that Austin doesnt come back because they will say the exact same thing that he is stale and doesnt have a place anymore. You guys offically killed a legend and will be the reason why after this stint you will never see the Rock again in the ring good job.

But that's just the thing, they won't. The people who claim to think The Rock is stale are the same ones who cream themselves over the idea of Stone Cold returning in his age-old gimmick. At the core of the people who have harsh critiques of The Rock, you'll find an underlying jealousy of the time he gets to yap in the ring while their favorite wrestlers get ignored.

They're the same ones who bash him for leaving yet bash every return he has as well. There's no need for The Rock to change when the majority of people watching are his fans. The pissed off minority can just go play in rush-hour traffic for all he cares.

 

[Kodo Sawaki]

Do you think the rock is still the most electrifying man in sports entertainment?

You heard the pops at Monday, you tell me...

Dont know why IWC bitches about that. Rock did what he was expected to do, did the walk, did the talk about Punk and insolted him in Rocks ussual ways of doing it and the people cheerd as was expected to do for major face. He got good crowd reaction and he still "got it" so no, he doesnt need the revamp nothing because he is good at his role even now.

 

[rb286]

Wow, if the Rock needs a revamp, then most of the wrestlers today need one as well. The Rock is on such a high pedestal thanks to his fame and fortune outside the ring that the IWC expect something fantastic and 'out of this world' every time he returns. He is just doing what made him famous and why not? It worked back then and its clearly working now, judging by the crowd response on the night, the reaction on this forum (busier than what its been in the past few months) and all other websites as well.

IWC likes to bitch and moan (not directed at the thread starter) and it seems even the Great One isn't exempt from that. The Rock is great, but he isn't perfect. And he's still the hottest superstar who can still go in the ring and outdraws every other wrestler in the business today. And the IWC still moans.

 

[djdolo37]

For the life of me I don't understand this argument. Why would Rocky change? He's like the damn McRib, he's back for a limited time, and still have that same great taste (if you like the McRib) that you love, and you can't get enough of him while he's here. Yeah IWC we get it, you think his schtick is old. Well guess what, who cares? We all love the Rock corny jokes and all, hell that's why you love him! And to be honest it's not like today's product is so breath taking that he is damaging the product. He spikes ratings, loves the business enough to come back and help the overall product (agree with me or not), and let's face it he still is the biggest draw in all of wrestling. So should the Rock change? To quote the great one...."It doesn't matter if the Rock changes!" We are still gonna watch chuckle(some of you begrudgingly) at lines like Punkeye the Crackhead and maybe just maybe remember these so called "stale" lines and schtick is why we fell in Love with the Rock in the first place....and if you disagree well take your opinion, shine it up real nice, turn that sonuvabitch sideways and stick it straight up your candy asses! lol.

Serious IWC, let's stop trying to be such smarks that we can't enjoy the product anymore...sheesh!

 

[a member of wwe universe]

We all saw the one on one showdown between the rock and cm punk, I find that the rock is stale, especially now that I have been watching my attitude era dvd, maybe that is what is causing it. But if you look at the rocks 2 feuds since returning to wwe, they are very similar. Rock's main attack is to try and create a nickname for his opponent (fruity pebbles and cookie puss) and to me it comes across sort of lame. He then goes on to talk what seems like forever. CM punk has changed what is considered an awesome promo to me now and I dont think what the rock is doing is good, it just seems Punk is so much better on the mic now. IMO I feel the rock comes in with a feeling that he is so much better than everyone because of what he has accomplished prior and he feels he can spew anything out on the mic but why come back with that attitude?! When Jericho came back the first time he understood what he was doing wasn't working and he changed his image, I feel Rock needs to do something similar because I am quite bored.

I will order RR but thats just because I am a fan of wrestling and even if one thing turns out good I'll be happy i ordered it.

What do you guys think? Do you think the rock is still the most electrifying man in sports entertainment?

The Rock needs to revamp his character because you're bored and YET your face will be glued to the tv screen for the next three weeks. YET at the same time you rock complainers are the same people rooting for austin to come back where hes gonna do the same shtick just like rock. If that promo was cut by dolph ziggler instead of rock, im pretty sure the iwc kingdom would go nut with praises. Instead of appreciating of an all time great star like rock being involved in the modern era wwe programming, people chooses to find his flaw. Well thats the mindset society for you.

IM NOT REFERING TO YOU. Im directing to the masses that is the iwc rock haters.

In regards to the rock:
- you cannot compare rock to y2j because rock is a bonafide star with legitmate drawing power.
- rock is a part, part timer. Hes not obligated to invest and prioritize his time on his character while he got hundreds of other important stuff to do. YET he is still committed to wwe with hectic schedule this month.
- Rock can just be "Dwayne" and he would still draw more than 95% of the roster. He does not need to revamp himself just to satisfy the boredom of iwc rock haters (which they will never).

In regards to the promo:
What i saw on monday were two types of promo. A well delivered shoot promo by punk and a solid SCRIPTED promo from rock. I enjoyed punk's promo alot more because it was shoot. To the casual fan, i do not think they understood the message of that promo and find intrigue from it. However you cant discredit the rock at the same time, he delivered it with that babyface promo, nothing else. The crowd were behind the promo.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Yeah..that reminds me of this old story, I'm sure everyone's heard it. It's about a goose that lays golden eggs and the dumbass farmer that winds up killing it.

The Rock doesn't need to change a thing about his shctick. You know why? Because it's still extraordinarily over with wrestling fans. All The Rock has to do is come out and raise his eyebrow and he'll have 15,000 people break out into a Rocky chant not 5 seconds later. All he has to do is climb up on the ropes and hold his arm above his head and grown men cheer like little girls. All he has to do is say "Finally, The Rock has come back to...." and grown women squeal like 12 year old girls at a Justin Bieber concert. The Rock's merchandise sells like crazy and his appearance on Raw this past Monday helped the show draw it's biggest rating in months and it was against the BCS Championship college football game that drew almost 26.5 million viewers on ESPN. His presence at WrestleMania last year against John Cena helped WrestleMania XXVIII become the biggest drawing wrestling ppv in history. His presence at the Royal Rumble against CM Punk will almost certainly help draw a huge buyrate for the Rumble, which generally does about 450,000 buys on average. His appearance at WM this year will probably also help deliver a huge, record setting number.

Even though I haven't come right out and said it, since it's pretty obvious what my stance already is, I'm going to now. There is nothing. I repeat, NOTHING, to warrant revamping anything regarding The Rock. I mean...why should he? Just because a handful of smarks & dirtsheet writers think so??

I get that some people don't like The Rock. Nothing wrong with that at all because no wrestler is over with absolutely every wrestling fan, or dirtsheet writer for that matter. However, the fact of the matter is that The Rock is damn good for business. As long as he's able to help draw ratings, help jack up ppv buys and keep live crowds sitting on pins & needles like he did Monday night; then there's no logical reason whatsoever to change anything about The Rock's character.

 

[LoudClearVoice]

IMO I feel the rock comes in with a feeling that he is so much better than everyone because of what he has accomplished prior and he feels he can spew anything out on the mic

He IS so much better than 99% of the roster. He doesn't just think it, he knows it. We, the WWE fans, got him so far over that he became one of the all time greats. He has a unique gimmick that combines, juvenile humor with catchphrases, chants, and seriousness.

He accomplished more in the WWE than probably ever guy on the roster now ever will, except for maybe a handful of guys.

Why should he change his gimmick? And for you to say CM Punk is "so much better" on the mic, tells me that you are just a Punk mark and would say that anything he says is better than the Rock.

Think about this: If the promos were reversed and Rock came out really serious and Punk came out with some seriousness, but mostly jokes and catchphrases, you punk marks would say it was "hilarious" and "fresh" and that he "destroyed" The Rock and why doesn't rock go back to humor. Don't forget Punk is the heel in this feud. He has to cut the serious heel promo. But everything he's saying has been said by every heel before and will be said by every heel after him.

 

[SacredMesa]

The Rock could come out - fart - then walk backstage again and It would still get more viewers than your average Raw without him. You should be privileged that he took the time to speak.

It's much easier to promo as a heel than a face. Prime example, just compare Rock's two Rock concerts, first as a heel then as a face. And look at CM Punks promo's as a face, they absolutely sucked.

I'd love to have Rock as a heel because he's the real one who's too good for you all. Not CM Punk. The Rock would be an absolute legendary heel right now, but WWE wouldn't touch that.

It's this mentality that really screws over modern day superstars. The idea that everyone in the past was so great that those in this modern era can't lift a candle to them. No one is going to say The Rock isn't great or fantastic at what he does but if you are going to call it a privilege that he came out and did his job you really need to reevaluate yourself as a fan.

If anything The Rock is privileged that after 7 years of him acting like the WWE and it's fans didn't even exist that we accepted him back like he has been. You really need to wake up, The Rock is great but this mentality that you have that simple seeing him is some great privilege for fans is idiotic at best.

 

[The Fabulous Rougeau's]

Reading about Rock needing to change his gimmick is som of the funniest stuff I have ever read. No wrestler in the history of this company has gotten as over as he has based soley on his work on the mic. Now you want to change that? I can concede that some of what the Rock has said since his return a few years back hasn't been top quality Rock stuff, but I think that's more a fault of the WWE and their ratings than it is The Rock. While he is granted more leeway than others with his language. He cannot say all the things he did back in 98-03. In my opinion that is what makes some of his promos since returning somewhat weaker, but still nowhere near the point of needed a change or refresh.

 

[midgensa]

Stale? The Rock?

C'mon ... what is he supposed to do? Come out a few times a year and try to completely evolve his character? It would make no sense.

The Rock is there to draw viewers and draw money ... PERIOD. He gets pops like noone else. The crowd eats out of his hand. Sing-a-long with The Rock draws MONEY. There is no reason to change it and no reason to try being something he isn't.

If he was coming around for a full-time run ... maybe a little more evolution of character could happen ... but he isn't ... so there is no reason for him to be anything other than what made him one of the top draws in the history of the business.

Yes ... it is odd that Cena gets bashed for being "childish" when The Rock gets away with silly shit like "Cookie Puss" ... but he is The motherfucking Rock. He can pretty much do whatever the hell he wants ... and he has earned that.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED the exchange with Punk. And sure, The Rock was predictable ... but it was still entertaining and EVERY DAMN ONE OF US still watched every single second of it. I thought Punk was fantastic as well.

No reason for The Rock to try and "revamp" what is already the top draw in the business.

 

[SD619]

Yeah..that reminds me of this old story, I'm sure everyone's heard it. It's about a goose that lays golden eggs and the dumbass farmer that winds up killing it.

Pretty much this.

It makes absolutely no sense to change Rock's character at this point of time. The audience loves him in his current role. He may come up with ridiculous phrases like 'Boots to Asses', but to make something like that trend on Twitter shrug and make a successful T-Shirt out of it (which "inspired" Punk's new T-Shirt) takes a level of connection with the audience that very few have.

Also, why should creative put time and effort in coming up with a different character for someone that is around for 2-3 months per year, when his current one is so successful?

 

[Rabbid Wolverine]

Some good points by most of you.

He isn't on tv as much, probably doesnt need to change his character.
Most of the crowd still likes his ways

Lol wow some of you guys are mad, I was just stating my opinion. You guys are the marks that are getting upset lol Yes I watch wrestling....because I'm the "dumb girlfriend" that won't leave it, I can state my opinion and ask for your's. I've never asked for Rock or steve austin to come back because once its been done in wrestling it will never be the same (NWO, horsemen, DX, rock), so please don't speak for me and what I want.

 

[Dyscord]

This isn't attack on you but...

Dictionary.com defines the word character as the following:

"The aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing."

So with that said. Dwayne plays a character. The Rock is an arrogant self righteous bullying that is going to call you names and kick your ass.

Ever since he turned into The Rock, that was his persona. It baffles me how people complain he does the same thing, but that is what a character is supposed to do. Punk whines about respect, because that is his heel character. It's the same schtick. He doesn't say anything different does he? Cena is a super hero because that is his character. Wrestlers have characters and they stick to it. Especially if it works....

So with that said, ask yourself the question? Does The Rock really need to revamp his character? I mean what for honestly? Because you and other disgruntle IWC fans (not saying you're disgruntle) didn't like his jokes? The fans came to see him. People watched Raw because of him. They cheered because of him. When he's there, there is a direct correlation to ratings and sales.

At the end of the day most people might have grown out of The Rock. That's fine, but trust there are millions and millions (pun intended) that eat this shit up, including myself. For every complaint about The Rock I see on here, my timeline on Twitter, newsfeed on Facebook and Instagram was in a frenzy because The Rock was back doing what he does best and that's entertaining.

His character can't be stale if the numbers are positive to his returns. You very rarely hear people boo him and every time he gets a new shirt it sells. Someone like Cena is extremely successful, but that is a character that needs to be revamped because you actually see as a whole people not buying into his character as they boo him every night. Someone like Del Rio needs revamping, because his character is just not connecting with the crowd, etc. Like I mentioned before, many of you(not you) need to get off their high horse and think that because you didn't think something wasn't funny, the whole world thinks that way. The Rock is who is, and no one is going to change that especially if that character is still wildly successful. Period.

He definitely shouldn't change his character. I think people believe he's stale because he's not wrestling much. The Rock we would remember would deliver a promo, then follow it up with a match or some kind of physicality pretty soon after. Then he would build on that match/physicality for his next promo.

His feud with Cena ended up being boring because he couldn't get physical. He came out, talked, and then left. And after awhile it was the same points, over and over again. Cena would come out, bitch that Rock hasn't been around, lied about never leaving, blah blah. Rock would come out, mention Fruity Pebbles, talk about twitter and such, pander to the people, blah blah. After awhile it got soooooo predictable.

 

[Pedigree1]

Why on Gods Green Earth would the rock change. Old saying if it aint broke dont fix it. The rock for 1 is not around enough to necessitate a change. Yes his jokes are corny,juvenile,very highschool. Very funny though in what he does and says. The rock doesnt need to change at all.

His Promos his catchphrases are just instant classics. Please sir may i have another Insult #Boots2Asses

 

[boywithbluehanger]

I have a counterattack to this subject. CM Punk has gone from a guy who bitched about being disrespected by the company and the fans, then he changed to a guy who was awarded all the opportunities that he wanted, then changed to a guy who embraced the fans, BACK TO a guy a who bitched about being disrespected (while having fan support), now to a guy who says he doesn't care about the fans and that they don't matter.

There's a lot of unlogical changes there. Were they for the better? Do you really want the same writers who came up with these nonsensical changes to change The Rock's VERY OVER character? At least The Rock still makes sense as a face. He's a rich, busy, pro wrsetler/movie star who feels indebted to "The People" for all of his success. CM Punk's initial "give me respect!" character change made sense in the summer of 2011.

Everything he's become after his watered-down face persona, has made very little sense and didn't interest the fans overall. Instead of his character's changes, it took The Rock/The Shield/Daniel Bryan/Jericho etc to incite interest in his story angles during his transformations. So while Punk is one of the most liked guys on the roster, change isn't always for the better. And if the modern WWE is any indication, it's often for the worse.

 

[Skinsley]

I think it was in Chris Chash's report that I read. "if its not broke, don't fix it", may have been someone else, but reguardless. The Rock is not going to be around for long enough not to be just a Nostalgia act. Change him up and make him an almost different character for a short term period would make him "just another guy". I didn't like his promo vs Cm Punk as it seemed forced and repetative. But thats the Rock and thats what he does.

He's a busy man, his life does not revolve around the WWE, and a change in character would take too much creative input and ofcourse would be a risk not worth taking on a man who will already undoubtedly raise the awareness and popularity of every WWE related show he attends.
On a side note, I don't believe beating CM punk would be the correct way forward for the WWE. He just doesn't need or deserve the title. Loosing Dirty has to happen or I will be displeased.....but if he wins. Expect a larger WM Buyrate this year, without a doubt.

 

[LoudClearVoice]

On a side note, I don't believe beating CM punk would be the correct way forward for the WWE. He just doesn't need or deserve the title. Loosing Dirty has to happen or I will be displeased.....but if he wins. Expect a larger WM Buyrate this year, without a doubt.

The correct way for WWE is to make the most money possible which would equal Rock winning the belt. It's that simple.