Big Nick Dudley
Nick
An entire year from now (WrestleMania 28). Is setting this match, a year ahead of time, a good idea? I'm still not sure how I feel about this.
Discuss.
Discuss.
The Rock vs. John Cena...
- Thread starter Big Nick Dudley
- Start date
Stormtrooper
Championship Contender
They HAD to announce the match tonight. Rock isn't gonna be on WWE TV every week, and they had to strike while the fire's hot. Plus, this match HAS to take place at WrestleMania, as it's the biggest match in decades.
They really had no choice. Either announce the match now, or the feud will lose steam before the match is announced, which could hurt them to the point of the match never happening.
Will it be hard to build a feud for a full year in this modern era of wrestling? Yes. Can they do it? Yes. I expect the Rock/Cena stuff to go on the back burner for about 6 months for the most part from June-December, before it picks back up. And I fully expect Cena to have the belt for a while, as it will give him something to do without having the Rock stuff being thought of. He'll lose the belt around Survivor Series, then around the start of 2012 He will start prepping for The Rock.
They really had no choice. Either announce the match now, or the feud will lose steam before the match is announced, which could hurt them to the point of the match never happening.
Will it be hard to build a feud for a full year in this modern era of wrestling? Yes. Can they do it? Yes. I expect the Rock/Cena stuff to go on the back burner for about 6 months for the most part from June-December, before it picks back up. And I fully expect Cena to have the belt for a while, as it will give him something to do without having the Rock stuff being thought of. He'll lose the belt around Survivor Series, then around the start of 2012 He will start prepping for The Rock.
Big Nick Dudley
Nick
Think so? I would say Rock/Austin at WM 17 was bigger.
Hulk Hogan's Brother
Stop asking me what I'm gonna do!!!
Even Rock vs Hogan was bigger but I think its the biggest since that.
Big Nick Dudley
Nick
Rock vs. Hogan wasn't as big of a deal going into WrestleMania as this will be. Hogan was a heel, the nWo thing had fallen flat, etc.
Stormtrooper
Championship Contender
The main reason Rock/Cena is bigger is because in 2002 WWE was still relatively close to its peak. Right now WWE (and as such wrestling in general) seems to be starting the upswing. This match is what could jump them back into the public eye, and make wrestling popular again.
And I think Rock/Cena is bigger then Rock/Hogan because even then in Hogans career, he was at the end, and wasn't able to go to the level needed to Main Event Mania. Cena's in his prime, and Rock is still pretty damn young, especially in wrestling years, I would expect him, with a full year, to be in his best wrestling shape.
It's really close, and this is easily the biggest match since then, but I also think this surpasses even that match.
I wasn't the first person here to say that this match is the biggest match since Hogan/Andre either.
Big Nick Dudley
Nick
I was talking about Rock/Austin. I suppose Rock/Cena could be bigger, in terms of mainstream coverage. But as a wrestling fan, I still think Austin/Rock II was a bigger deal.
Maybe, but I'd say Rock vs. Cena will be bigger. The era was already defined, and it was pretty much known that these two were going to be wrestling legends no matter what happened. Cena vs. The Rock has the chance to change the entire landscape of the WWE. I don't know if Rock vs. Austin did. Still, I could be sold on Rock/Austin being bigger, and I can be sold on Cena/Rock being bigger as well.
Definitely not.
Peoples_Champ
Bra & Panties match winner & NEW...
i dont know if this is a good idea. its a great idea to book their rematch right now, the momentum of their feud will never be higher than it is right now, but every week they go without building, the weaker the feud will get.
from royal rumble 2012 onward, it'll be interesting to see how they rebuild the Cena-Rock feud.
i would've booked this for summerslam in LA (rock win) then royal rumble (Cena win), with a rubber match at Mania (in Miami, Rock win). it'll make the feud last and keep it fresh
from royal rumble 2012 onward, it'll be interesting to see how they rebuild the Cena-Rock feud.
i would've booked this for summerslam in LA (rock win) then royal rumble (Cena win), with a rubber match at Mania (in Miami, Rock win). it'll make the feud last and keep it fresh
Big Nick Dudley
Nick
We're in agreement, sort of. The era was defined, and it was bigger than it is now. More people watched wrestling at that time, no question. Both are bigger stars than John Cena, and with Rock eleven years older, I don't think this match can live up to the Mania 17 match.
Perhaps it will be the biggest match in decades. Only time will tell. One thing is for sure though. This will be the biggest match of this era. A match that defines an era. And as long as The Rock stays relevant in the next twelve months (for example, perhaps we could screw Cena out of the title at some point, making sure that Cena ain't gonna be 'tied up' with anything else at WrestleMania). As long as Rock doesn't now just disappear off WWE TV for the next 9 months, this could well be the biggest match in wrestling history (oops, not allowed to say that word anymore are we lol).
This is definitely bigger than Austin/Rock or Hogan/Rock. For once a 'Hollywood' champion wrestler is actually from Hollywood. I just find it strange that they would announce the match this early. I know planning major events such as Wrestlemanias are done long in advance but to actually announce the main event this early is a huge burden for Cena to carry throughout the year. Seem like Cena has to carry the company for 2011 much like 2010.
Well one of the other elements is that Rock/Austin have the perfect chemistry and would pull off an epic match if told to do so on the spot. It's going to be a great match and I'm heavily considering going to my first Mania next year, it has sold it for me.
Much like X said, this is one of the greatest matches to have a year's worth of hype and I think it will pay off, the fact people like myself who live in the UK and never seen a Mania live want to go to this shows how much of a selling point this has. WWE could make wrestling the thing of the decade once again.
Much like X said, this is one of the greatest matches to have a year's worth of hype and I think it will pay off, the fact people like myself who live in the UK and never seen a Mania live want to go to this shows how much of a selling point this has. WWE could make wrestling the thing of the decade once again.
Mr. Artistic guy
Better Off This Way
I think it's a stroke of genius. In my mind I liken it to.. have you ever seen a series of like a fantasy drama like Buffy? The way somehow at the beginning of a season you'll find out who or what is going to be the final hurdle at the end of the series, and all the time spent between then and the end there may be other battles, it might get put onto the back burner but it's always just looming in the back of your mind like a shadow. It gives the opportunity for the most awesome match build ever.
Now I don't believe that's what's going to happen. I believe they'll have nothing at all happen until we get to January times of next year, and they start building from there. But the very fact we know it's happening, hell I just like to know what's going to happen before it's happened. None of this terrible Corre v Kane, Show and Koztino match making a week before mania. No we know what's going to happen now and it's possibly the biggest match ever, certainly the one we've all been waiting for.
Now all I need is for them to build it like I detailed in the first paragraph, just little allusions every so often. It means when Cena goes off and feuds someone til SummerSlam, there is Rock involvement in some degree. When he's fighting at Survivor Series......involvement. Now I'm not saying he runs in and costs Cena the title every time, nothing like that, it needs to be varied. That, I believe, is how they ought to build this match.
Now I don't believe that's what's going to happen. I believe they'll have nothing at all happen until we get to January times of next year, and they start building from there. But the very fact we know it's happening, hell I just like to know what's going to happen before it's happened. None of this terrible Corre v Kane, Show and Koztino match making a week before mania. No we know what's going to happen now and it's possibly the biggest match ever, certainly the one we've all been waiting for.
Now all I need is for them to build it like I detailed in the first paragraph, just little allusions every so often. It means when Cena goes off and feuds someone til SummerSlam, there is Rock involvement in some degree. When he's fighting at Survivor Series......involvement. Now I'm not saying he runs in and costs Cena the title every time, nothing like that, it needs to be varied. That, I believe, is how they ought to build this match.
Little Jerry Lawler
Sigmund Freud On Ritalin And Roids
Someone has to sell me that this will change wrestling for the decade because I'm not seeing it especially with the way Cena gets booed now. Imagine what it will be like when he does go over The Rock.
Little Jerry Lawler
Sigmund Freud On Ritalin And Roids
I can see them talking about this match every week. It's the WWE after all.
So Wrestlemania is set. Swell. Why to we have 12 (?) other PPV's in between then?
On one hand, that's twelve months to make sure everyone cares by the time WM28 rolls around. On the other hand, that's twelve months where lazy booking for Cena and the absence of Rock can extinguish my interest. I'm torn and interested to see how they play this. To be frank, it would have been more revolutionary to book this for some b-show in a couple months and not wait on fucking Mania to book a dream match.
Little Jerry Lawler
Sigmund Freud On Ritalin And Roids
They will never do something like that. I would have rather had them face off at Summerslam and do Cena/Taker for Wrestlemania.
I think WrestleMania is by far the best possible place for it, but it should have happened this year instead of that overbooked mess that we ended up getting. That would leave room for Cena vs. Taker next year for 20-0. I don't, however, think that the "year long" build up is a mistake. Because it won't be a year long buildup. The Rock will go back to Hollywood soon and leave Cena to do whatever until around the Royal Rumble, at which time he will return and things will heat back up between them. My main gripe is that this year was the perfect time for it, and for whatever reason, it wasn't done. And as a result of that, we got one of the lamest WrestleMania endings in quite some time.
Hollywood Naitch
The current reigning and defending
I bet Cena gets an injury that puts him out until after next years WM....
Big Nick Dudley
Nick
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.
I'm sure, around February of 2012, I'll be excited again. Or will I? Cena is an absolute lock to go over Rock, so basically, I'm waiting 12 months to see a guy I don't really care for pin a guy I actually like. I understand that may not be a majority opinion, but I guarantee a lot of people feel the same way.
