The "Hogan" Finish

[NYSandman]

Is anyone else getting tired of seeing Cena use the "Hogan" finish every damn time he wrestles?

He gets completely and utterly dominated for the first 10 minutes of the match, and then, all of a sudden, Attitude Adjustment and it's over!

Okay, yes, Cena's had a few matches that ended differently, but why does it seem like they're making him "Hoganish?"

I think it really detracts from realism to have faces constantly wrestle this way. I know it's the classic heel/face formula, but I'm tired of seeing it.

And, it's not just Cena. Babyfaces routinely get their asses kicked for the entire match, except for the last 60 seconds.

I hated it when Hogan did it, and I hate it now. This formula is just old.

What's wrong with the face getting in some offense for 5 minutes? It's just too un-real, even for wrestling. I beat your ass bloody for 10 minutes, and then all of a sudden I'm knocked out!

I think it's time to restructure this, and use the "Hogan" finish less.

 

[HypnotizedHero2010]

first off love the sig. now the whole superman cena thing is really old. but its not his fault. cena is a talented wrestler and i know he can do more than the "5 moves of doom" its just that the wwe books his matches like this. and as long as little kids go crazy over him then we wont get more entertaining matches. unfortunately we have seen all this stuff before but the younger fans dont remember hogan or anyone else. untill they get bored with cena we're going to be forced to see the same old boring matches. its sad really. they don't know what there missing

 

[Poop Master Flex]

I completely agree with both of you. Cena has proven that he can wrestle a good match but when your job in a match is to get your ass kicked, and make a huge comeback to win (almost every match) thats what your going to do, its the bookers decision not Cena's.

All in all I think Cena would be better off being like he was in 04-05 (back then the crowd seemed to be behind Cena ALOT more than they are now) and although the product is aimed towards kids (and I know alot of these kids don't know or don't remember Hogan) but that doesn't mean that it's still not old.

Kids never watched Ric Flair wrestle either, but I guarantee they would be bored to tears if they watched a Flair classic today (not because of Flair he put on some amazing bouts, but because the times and product have changed so much that the old style is not appealing anymore).

 

[ronthony717]

I actually agree to this... I don't get to watch a lot of ppv's but I read them on here.. And I notice that going up to a ppv cena is shown as weak or gets his ass kicked and then ppv comes and he'll either be punked out most of the match or hell squash it (in miz case) and then get the victory at then end every time... I would enjoy him more if hed lose a ppv once in awhile... Like I'm actually rooting for orton big time for NOC cause I'm tired of Triple H and Cena always getting the victory... And having that being done all the time for cena and even triple h its gets so tiring for the older audience where we start rooting for the heel and booin the face.. Its redic and time for a change... Great thread!

 

[2012isbs]

I am a young fan and I see the flaw in the finisher alone can end a match. It's just stupid, especially it seems that a wrestler with a finisher like Cena's that doesn't seem like a one hit KO a few exceptions are the RKO, the SCM, and others quick finishers that go directly after the head for a KO. But yes it is getting boring at times some times though they don't use that formula and it works great.

 

[Black Snow]

Cena using the Hogan finish didn't really annoy me until recently. There was just something about his matches with Big Show and Miz that was truly maddening. First with Show I simply can't stand the announcers spending every moment that Cena is on RAW talking about how Cena is injured or how Cena can't get a submission hold on Show. The more they talk it up the most obvious it is that we're going to get the Hogan finish with Cena somehow defying the odds. It's hard for me to buy the guy that easily has the best PPV record in the WWE as someone who defies the odds.

Then with Miz Cena buried him in a promo on RAW before the PPV. I felt like the WWE was treating me like an idiot by using the Hogan finish when Cena is battling a guy that neither he nor the company considers to be anywhere near Cena's level.

The Hogan finish is fine once in a while but three PPVs in a row? Come on.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

The only time this really annoyed me is at Judgement Day. WWE spent so much time making Big Show out to be dominat, and we had to watch Cena limp to the ring as if he would collapse and die on his way there for a couple of weeks. And then out of no where he hits the attiude adjustment for the win. This will keep happening because it's going to make Cena out to be resilient and give merit to his "I never back down from a fight" speech.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

It's a consequence of the return to PG... to appeal to kids (and thus parents) the good guy has to win in a way that is "right" which means the good guy takes a pounding, then comes back to overcome the odds...

If the bad guy does win, its through underhanded tactics...

It's the formula of every kids TV show, comic book, kids movie for just about the past 50 years...

The Hogan era "hulk up" finish was a classic example of this as Hogan was always facing bigger guys. They are misusing it with guys like Miz cos Cena is bigger... The finish is being used by too many people, Trips uses it, Cena uses it, Jeff often uses it...

PG WWE may as well be called "back to formula" as WWE's greatest success came from being kiddie friendly and formulaic Saturday morning TV...

 

[Suneeboy]

The formula is fine, as this is the formula that has worked in pro wrestling for a long time. This keeps the heel/face dynamic in tact. The heel pounding on the face unmercilessly is to get the crowd behind the face. In regards to the formula, keep it, because I love to see it played out especially by the very talented wrestlers. (One of my personal favorites is Christian. He plays a good face in a wrestling match.)

Now on to Cena. Its three things that could probably make you hate the "Hogan" finish:

1. Its Hogan's finish. He pioneered it and made it mainstream. Now if anyone else does it, it just doesn't have that authentic feel.
2. Its how the match is booked. Some things are out of Cena's control.
3. Cena oversells it too much. He oversells his offense, and oversells getting hurt. He makes his opponent look so strong, and then BAM, he makes his opponent look so weak. He needs to find a balance for his character and work with the bookers to put on more believable matches.

He doesn't have this problem when he faces huge names though. His matches with HHH, HBK, Batista, and Orton don't follow this formula to a T. Only against people like The Big Show and lower.

 

[TimetoShine]

I think the main reason that Cena using the "Hogan" finish ruffles so many feathers is that with this new PG era, Cena just is not very exciting to be the so called face of the company. If Cena was not in the picture, and we replaced him with The Rock, I dont think we would even be having this discussion. The Rock just oozed charisma and forced you to love him, as a face or a heel, and Cena just lacks that same response. I understand the problem though, I feel the same way. We need a new face of the WWE and we need it soon

 

[Razor]

Is anyone else getting tired of seeing Cena use the "Hogan" finish every damn time he wrestles?

He gets completely and utterly dominated for the first 10 minutes of the match, and then, all of a sudden, Attitude Adjustment and it's over!

Okay, yes, Cena's had a few matches that ended differently, but why does it seem like they're making him "Hoganish?"

I think it really detracts from realism to have faces constantly wrestle this way. I know it's the classic heel/face formula, but I'm tired of seeing it.

And, it's not just Cena. Babyfaces routinely get their asses kicked for the entire match, except for the last 60 seconds.

I hated it when Hogan did it, and I hate it now. This formula is just old.

What's wrong with the face getting in some offense for 5 minutes? It's just too un-real, even for wrestling. I beat your ass bloody for 10 minutes, and then all of a sudden I'm knocked out!

I think it's time to restructure this, and use the "Hogan" finish less.

How is Cena doing the "Hogan" finish any different then Edge getting his ass beat before spearing out of no where? Orton getting his ass beat before hitting the RKO out of no where? Those are two heels that regularly just hit a move from no where after getting their ass beat.

But, to answer the question of the purpose of the "Hogan" finish, it's to get the crowd to pop. The crowd thinks the dastardly heel has won, and really cheer Cena on. "Come on Cena! Let's go! You can beat Orton! DO IT!" Cena rallies, and the crowd starts the "OH YEAH!" pop. Then, if the heel puts him down in his place, the crowd gets the "Oh shit, that wasn't cool." boo. But, if Cena wins, then you get the "OH YEAH! HE'S GONNA WIN DESPITE ORTON!" pop. Which is the entire point of that story.

It has it's purpose. It's to work the crowd into acting as the wrestlers want them to act. And it works. So why should we stop a good thing?

 

[gd]

The basic wrestling match will usually always go the same, face starts off fast, heel gains control for awhile, face fights back and hits his finisher/gets his finisher reversed and heel pulls out the victory. I don't really have a problem with it, but I do think that some matches can be a little more back and forth.

The singles match Cena and Big Show had on PPV was just silly though. Cena literally got destroyed by a 400 pounder the entire match, but hit a few moves and picked up the win. I have no problem with Cena winning, but the way he did it made Big Show look incredibly weak, and now here he is back in the midcard.

WWE doesn't need to completely change this forumla, just modify it a little bit to give up some more back and forth action which will lead to more entertaining and satisfying matches.

 

[Slyfox696]

I agree. It's a fucking joke. God damn that Shawn Michaels for using the Hulk Hogan finish for the last 15 years. It's a fucking joke. Why can't he ever change it up and do something original? Do we REALLY have to see Shawn Michaels get beat up for 20 minutes, and then make his miraculous comeback? Is it really necessary to insult our intelligence and have him make us think that he's actually going to hit the Sweet Chin Music the first time? I'm tired of HBK's Superman booking.

Damn it, this pisses me off. I'm going to add a poll.

 

[GSM]

How is Cena doing the "Hogan" finish any different then Edge getting his ass beat before spearing out of no where? Orton getting his ass beat before hitting the RKO out of no where? Those are two heels that regularly just hit a move from no where after getting their ass beat.

But, to answer the question of the purpose of the "Hogan" finish, it's to get the crowd to pop. The crowd thinks the dastardly heel has won, and really cheer Cena on. "Come on Cena! Let's go! You can beat Orton! DO IT!" Cena rallies, and the crowd starts the "OH YEAH!" pop. Then, if the heel puts him down in his place, the crowd gets the "Oh shit, that wasn't cool." boo. But, if Cena wins, then you get the "OH YEAH! HE'S GONNA WIN DESPITE ORTON!" pop. Which is the entire point of that story.

It has it's purpose. It's to work the crowd into acting as the wrestlers want them to act. And it works. So why should we stop a good thing?

I absolutely agree, it´s building up tension. Cena gets beat up the whole time and then comes back with the attitude adjustment, so what ?

As Razorback said it´s a simple form of booking a finish that still does the job.
It makes the crowd pop in a good way.

The face gets beat up the whole time but then he comes back and scores the finisher and wins that might be unrealistic but hey, I even heard there are Jeff Hardy fans out there, ask them about realistic fights.

And is it insulting the audiences intelligence ? Not necessarely, if it would offend anyone on an intellectual level the crowd would sure as hell show that.

But what happens ? They pop.

It´s wrestling 101 and it still works.

 

[TheGreat1Lives]

to be honest arnt we just repeating history by going pg i mean thats what the 90s looked like to me so are we in store something like a new attitude era were we may see a cena heel who doesnt use a "hogan finish"

 

[supersrc]

there is a big diffrence between the hogans, and rocks, doing the hogan finish, and cena doing the hogan finish.

Cena doenst get the hogan or rock pops, and he never will untill he changes his gimick and throws in some bodyslams and sluplexes, or anything else that would spice up his boreing persona/in ring performance.

Your character shouldnt attempt a hogan finish unless they can get a hogan pop, and if you compare the hogans, and austins pops to those like somone like cena you can tell a big diffrence