Rock Over Cena: Reactions?

[lenguy]

Yeah I for one don't think Cena will turn,I mean he just got a new shirt! Cena will more or less congratulate Rock on the win while not acting like a sore bitter loser,it's not in his character. However if Cena develops some sort of losing streak because of dwindling confidence,then I can possibly see a eventual turn. I suppose a turn isn't completely out of the question but I just don't see it. WWE has teased us with many possible Cena turns plenty of times and yet it never happened. I could be wrong and I hope I am because I would love a heel Cena,guess we will have to wait and find out on Raw.

As for the match itself, it was everything I expected. Great reaction for both competitors,positive or negative. The crowd was into the match the whole time and were on the edge of their seats,as was I. People think that simply because Cena didn't win the match,that he never got a rub,which is false. Even though Rock won,he gave Cena a major rub. Rock made Cena look like his equal when it became clear that Cena could not only hang with the rock but even dominate him on occasions. He may have lost the match but Cena came out of it with looking like a champ. You don't always have to lose a match to put another competitor over,Cena got the rub regardless of outcome.

 

[Dr. Mantis Toboggan, M.D.]

Didn't care who won and still don't care. Loved the match and everything about it. Excited to see what happens on RAW tomorrow.

 

[PlayTheGame]

My thoughts exactly.

All these people that are still thinking Cena is gonna turn full on heel are nuts. I know these reasoning may seem silly to some but you don't release a brand new Cena shirt like the one they did today and expect him to turn heel. That shirt screams role model face character and that is what Cena is and should remain. I don't know where the story can go from here but I hope it is not done.

I actually think this is a very good point. I don't think they have any intention of Cena turning right now, if at all in the forseeable future.

Break it down like this: Cena gets a little cocky and tries to do Rock's move, and it costs him. So shouldn't that signal to him that he shouldn't have acted in that way? Like a sign that he should've stuck to what got him there, not acted cocky, and just finished it while he could? If anything, he deviated from this character, and it cost him. Why would it now make sense for him to abandon "himself"? If anything, if he had just lost clean to the Rock "playing it fair" without any questionable antics, that could have arguably set up a heel turn better- he'd then be able to clearly question himself. The probability of Cena wanting to stay on the straight and narrow is just as likely as him turning.

When you consider that Cena's possibly booked to have a few more matches with the Rock, I think the heel turn possibility is diminished further. Instead of this match's purpose being a Cena turn, it just could be a loss in a best of three series that could see Cena coming out on top in the long-term.

 

[Kidd]

The finish just made no sense to me unless the WWE is turning Cena heel.

There were two things that pointed to a Cena heel turn IMO:

1. Cena getting a little two cocky at the end.

2. (This is what seems more telling) Cena arguing with the ref on a count saying, "I know we're in Miami!" I could see Cena blaming the refs and turning into a sore loser which would turn him.

That being said, a heel turn for Cena makse no sense either. What face is big enough to feud with Cena if they turn him heel?

 

[Richard]

It's amazing. My friend, his brother and I all lept off the lounges and were high fiving, clapping and hugging when Rock got the 3 count. Such an amazing WrestleMania moment, my gosh.

You can't get past The Rock, John Cena. Now it's time to turn on the fans for cheering the Rock's victory.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

I really didn't see this outcome but it happening would seem to infer a greater likeliness that this isn't over or it'll have major repercussions going forward. But as a Rock supporter, I was naturally elated whilst barely managing to stay awake.

I think I did hear French Kiss' head explode from over here though.

 

[Davi323]

It was a huge mistake. What the WWE just did was completely bury their current product. A former great who has wrestled all of 3 minutes in the past nine years before the match is still better than the face of your company, and can beat him clean? This is the message you want to send? It makes absolutely no business sense to have Rock beat Cena, Rock is the WWE's past, Cena is the WWE's present and future.

 

[Shocky]

Gotta see where it goes. If Cena doesn't go heel (I know I know), then it seems like a colossal waste. If this is simply to sell a Summerslam rematch, then count me out. The match was fine, but the Rock was gassed about ten minutes in. Paid for it once, not going to pay for it again.

 

[ABMorales787]

It was a huge mistake. What the WWE just did was completely bury their current product. A former great who has wrestled all of 3 minutes in the past nine years before the match is still better than the face of your company, and can beat him clean? This is the message you want to send? It makes absolutely no business sense to have Rock beat Cena, Rock is the WWE's past, Cena is the WWE's present and future.

A) It's The Rock finally coming back after many years. People wanted him.

B) Cena is the undisputed king of this era and nothing can deteriorate that fact.

C) Cena owned The Rock at every turn of this build with Rocky only getting over on nostalgia.

D) It was in Miami.

Not really much of a mistake.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

A heel turn would make the most sense after last night although I seriously question if WWE will pull that card at this point.

Cena wasn't gonna gain much from the victory anyways so its not a big deal he lost.

 

[Барбоса]

Who won makes absolutely no difference.

 

[Davi323]

A) It's The Rock finally coming back after many years. People wanted him.

Sometimes the unpopular wrestlers win despite the people wanting the other guy to. People really wanted Hogan too, going by the fan reaction at Wrestlemania X8. Hogan still lost.

B) Cena is the undisputed king of this era and nothing can deteriorate that fact.

The problem isn't that Cena's status as the king of this era was in doubt, it was about how this era now matches up against previous eras. It makes the current product look weak in comparison. Now, it can be argued that compared to the Attitude era, it does lack the star power...Perhaps, perhaps not. It is certainly debatable, at least. My problem is this, if you were Vince McMahon, and people were questioning the quality of your current product, rightly or wrongly, wouldn't you want to make your current product look as strong as possible to quiet the criticism?

It's like your current girlfriend not being quite as pretty as one of your previous girlfriends...it may be true that she isn't quite as pretty, but you are NEVER, EVER going to tell her that. When you are both out, and you happen to run into your ex, if your girlfriend asks you if you think your ex is prettier than she is, regardless of it's the truth or not, you tell your current girlfriend hell no! She is the one you are with, not your ex.

 

[BaconBits]

It was a huge mistake. What the WWE just did was completely bury their current product. A former great who has wrestled all of 3 minutes in the past nine years before the match is still better than the face of your company, and can beat him clean? This is the message you want to send? It makes absolutely no business sense to have Rock beat Cena, Rock is the WWE's past, Cena is the WWE's present and future.

To the average fan who drives merchandise sales and buyrates, it did nothing of the sort. They don't give a flying fuck about comparing eras or burying talentor any of that other IWC crap. They want to see an entertaining match. They got one. It was close. Nobody got "buried".

 

[Nev]

It was a huge mistake. What the WWE just did was completely bury their current product. A former great who has wrestled all of 3 minutes in the past nine years before the match is still better than the face of your company, and can beat him clean? This is the message you want to send? It makes absolutely no business sense to have Rock beat Cena, Rock is the WWE's past, Cena is the WWE's present and future.

You're being way too close-minded, man

This isn't about passing the torch or putting Cena over. Although we don't know it yet, this is the beginning of what seems like a very lengthy program between the two. And when its all said and done, Cena will probably defeat the Rock in their last match. Nothing's a "mistake" because it didn't meet your own personal expectations

Anyway, Rock pinning Cena was absolutely excellent. Anyone not seeing that even remotely being a possiblity last night is either a moron, or just badly misinformed/ignorant as there were recent reports about Rock/Cena re-matches in the future. That was one of the greatest mark out moments I've had in a number of years when Rock got the win. It was a great treat for most wrestling fans! Great job WWE!

 

[Ming]

I'm happy. My favourite wrestler ever won his return match at WrestleMania.

 

[Davi323]

You're being way too close-minded, man

This isn't about passing the torch or putting Cena over. Although we don't know it yet, this is the beginning of what seems like a very lengthy program between the two. And when its all said and done, Cena will probably defeat the Rock in their last match. Nothing's a "mistake" because it didn't meet your own personal expectations

Anyway, Rock pinning Cena was absolutely excellent. Anyone not seeing that even remotely being a possiblity last night is either a moron, or just badly misinformed/ignorant as there were recent reports about Rock/Cena re-matches in the future. That was one of the greatest mark out moments I've had in a number of years when Rock got the win. It was a great treat for most wrestling fans! Great job WWE!

So instead of the "once in a lifetime" spiel that they insisted on calling it time and time again, it gets diluted down with multiple matches, reducing the significance of their Wrestlemania match...again, not such a brilliant plan.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

Even if they have a second match it doesn't dilute this one.

It was the first singles match the Rock had since Backlash '03, it's still the Wrestlemania main event. It's not like Rock vs. Hogan II took away from their match at WM18.

 

[Davi323]

was Rock/Hogan billed as once in a lifetime though? If Rock had come back to try to beat the streak or go against Triple H or something, I would have no problems with the win...Undertaker and HHH are more of a part of the Rock's era than today's anyway, at least as far as being full time main event wrestlers.

But, the problem is exactly what you just mentioned...it's his first singles match since 2003, and he gets a clean win over the face of the company? The standard bearer, the biggest wrestler they had? C'mon. Further, what happened during Rock/Hogan's WM8 match? The old guy put over the current guy...

 

[Poop Master Flex]

It was billed as a match people thought they would never see and would never see again. It didn't have the tagline "once in a lifetime" but it was certainly assumed it was a 1 time deal.

 

[Davi323]

It was billed as a match people thought they would never see and would never see again. It didn't have the tagline "once in a lifetime" but it was certainly assumed it was a 1 time deal.

Did you not watch the Rock/Cena special? It was called "once in a lifetime". Did you not pay any attention to Cole and Lawler, who called it "once in a lifetime"? It certainly was billed that way.

 

[ABMorales787]

was Rock/Hogan billed as once in a lifetime though? If Rock had come back to try to beat the streak or go against Triple H or something, I would have no problems with the win...Undertaker and HHH are more of a part of the Rock's era than today's anyway, at least as far as being full time main event wrestlers.

But, the problem is exactly what you just mentioned...it's his first singles match since 2003, and he gets a clean win over the face of the company? The standard bearer, the biggest wrestler they had? C'mon. Further, what happened during Rock/Hogan's WM8 match? The old guy put over the current guy...

And then they made googley eyes at each other and had a happy moment. Also, Hogan couldn't wrestle.

 

[Davi323]

And then they made googley eyes at each other and had a happy moment. Also, Hogan couldn't wrestle.

And became the last ever WWF champion a few months later. And...Hogan showed that he was still capable. The Rock didn't carry Hogan in that match at all. Hogan was perfectly capable of carrying himself in that match. Maybe he wasn't as good as he once was, but he was as good once as he ever was, to steal a line from Toby Keith.

 

[Kenny Powers]

I'm sure we haven't seen the last of The Rock. Cena and Rock will probably have another match at Summerslam or even next year's WrestleMania. WWE sent the fans home happy with Undertaker, Punk, and Rock winning. Cena is already the top guy and a megastar. A win over the Rock wouldn't change one thing. With the loss it makes Cena look human and vulnerable instead of invisible.

If Cena beat the Rock he would basically be the same character we have seen for years that always overcomes the odds without any controversy. Rock has been out of the WWE spotlight for years and hasn't had a major win since WM 19. If Rock will still be around in the WWE for the next year, he needed the win at Mania more then Cena.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

Did you not watch the Rock/Cena special? It was called "once in a lifetime". Did you not pay any attention to Cole and Lawler, who called it "once in a lifetime"? It certainly was billed that way.

No I didn't bother. I'll say this then, ITS WRESTLING DUDE. How many retirement matches have you seen where the person didn't retire? How many times have you heard things like "this wrestler will never wrestle in the WWE again?". When they say once in a lifetime are they talking about the match or the feud? Once in a lifetime is used to state the magnitude of the match itself, it isn't supposed to be taken literally.

Its wrestling, its a tagline to sell the match, the event and to state how big of a match it is, same as the "icon vs. icon" tagline of Rock vs. Hogan.

LT's "First Time, Last Time, Only Time" is a statement that its the only time you will see him wrestle. "Once in a lifetime" could me lots of things. It could mean you will never see these 2 guys wrestle at Wrestlemania again, doesn't necessarily mean they will never wrestle again.

Also, we are assuming they will wrestle again when they may not, maybe Rock faces other guys and Cena turns heel, we are assuming they will wrestle again and if they do once again its wrestling, they do this stuff so much its almost cliche.

 

[One Punch Doug Crashin]

This is assuming Rock even entertains the idea of wrestling other guys.