What's the best way both Rock and Cena can come out looking good?

[The Scarred One]

This thread is going to deal with what may be a tricky situation in regards to who comes out the victor in the Rock vs. John Cena match to take place at WrestleMania 28.

Specifically, what is the best way that both Rock and Cena can come out it looking good, regardless of who wins? If not done properly, it could blow up in the WWE's face. If the Rock wins, it would make Cena, who has been the company's top guy for 7 years, look like a chump. But if Cena wins, it could make him even more hated for once again overcoming the odds against the popular Rock.

Recently, I watched "Rocky Balboa" and the plot from that movie seems to fit Rock vs. Cena in a way. <Spoiler alert> For those who haven't seen the movie, Rocky Balboa has long since retired and opened up a restaurant when he feels the urge to make a brief comeback. At the same time, Mason Dixon, the current champion, is villified for being too dominant and not having faced a true challenger. A computer generated dream match pitting the two against each other sparks interest in an exhibition bout between the two. As the fight approaches, people see it as a joke considering Rocky is a past-his-prime has-been who could embarass himself if he loses and Dixon has never been pushed to the limit and could become more hated for beating up an old man. The fight takes place and they end up going the distance, silencing all critics and earning a standing ovation for a great bout. Dixon wins by split decision after finally facing a real challenger and Rocky proves he still could go at his age.

Now that fits into the Rock vs. Cena match because we have the Rock in the Rocky role as being the veteran coming back to prove he still has it and Cena as Dixon who has never really faced a true challenge.

So looking at what can happen depending on who wins, what is the best way for both guys to come out looking good?

 

[frankography]

best way the can both come out looking good is to have someone run interference and have neither guy win.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

If it is true that both Brock and Batista are back then I think it makes sense for both to interfere in the match, Batista taking out Cena and someone like Miz getting involved... Dave was feuding with Cena when he left, so there is a reason there...

 

[rge2010]

I said a few weeks ago on here that it will either be a draw with a rematch taking place maybe at Summerslam OR Cena will win controversially. That way your company guy picks up a huge win, and Rock isn't made to look weak in defeat.

There is no way on gods green earth Rock is going over with the elbow or Cena is going over with an AA....cleanly.

 

[The Voice]

I would LOVE that idea to be honest. The one with Brock taking out Rock and Batista taking out Cena. Could lead to Brock vs Rock and Batista vs Cena at Summerslam and then a re-match Cena vs Rock at WM 29. WWE would be rolling in it.

 

[Wald]

No way we get a no-finish sequence with both guys getting taking out.

I do see, and this would be the best way to close the show and save face for both guys, is a Lesner run in through the crowd with the Rock down. He hits the F5 on Cena and leaves before the Rock has any idea what has happened. Both guys get to their feet and Rock hits a Rock Bottom for the three count.

Miami crowd gets the pop, Attitude fans get their win, we get a feel good moment to close the show, Smarks get to drool over a Cena vs Lesner feud and Cena gets to say he wasn't defeated cleanly.

Everyone's a winner

 

[thebarber]

yep, the only way BOTH guys can save face i Cena winning with Rock being screwed over by a third party. With Lesnar signed, it would make sense to take out Rock, Cena wins, and Rock goes and films his next movie, returning to deal with Lesnar in a 10 years in the making Summerslam rematch, with the back story of Rock dropping the belt to Lesnar back then, and returning to shut Rock up as he claims he has BEATEN everybody. Leaves Cena vs Rock II open to do later down the track also.

 

[[cL]]

I hate all of these scenarios. Not because they're bad ideas..in fact they are awesome ideas. Ideas that I actually see happening.
Which is why I hate them.
The reality is, this match has had a build up for over a year if you include Rock coming back before mania last year. We have had this huge war of words, the mini match at Survivor Series and more words. Its been billed as the "once in a lifetime" match.
In my opinion, to go through AAAAAAALLLLLLL of this work to have it end in a run in finish...ruins the entire year for everyone.
What was it all for if we don't get a clear winner? I mean sure, if theirs a way for both guys to come out looking great then cool. But the reality is, it shouldn't happen that way.
I remember watching WM6 Ultimate Warrior vs Hulk Hogan. Champion vs. Champion. It was face vs face in at that time one of the biggest WM matches in history. Hogan, undoubtedly the biggest name in the industry vs the up and coming new face of the company (they thought at the time). The crowd was split. I was a HUGE Hogan fan and as much as I liked Warrior, I WANTED Hogan to win. But they were giving this huge push to Warrior and what better way for him to solidify his push but to have him go over Hogan at Mania. The only way to make Hogan look good in that match was to make them have a stellar match. But someone was going to win and someone was going to lose. Period.

Cena/Rock....someone has got to win and someone has got to lose. Save the run in for tomorrow at Raw. But give this one a clear winner.
Some may think Cena the company man should go over and to be honest as much as I dislike Cena's current character (because the reality is as much as used to hate him, over this past year and especially with the once in a lifetime special...getting to see the behind the scenes thing with him and how he just really is as a person...how can you hate that kind of guy?...just can't hate him anymore) if Rock is on his way back out to Hollywood, it just makes sense for him to win.
HOWEVER.....
If Rock's involvement in the WWE is that he's still going to make sporadic appearances here and there when his schedule permits...I don't see a problem with him going over Cena. Honestly what does Cena have left to prove? What does Rock?
Rock left at the pinnacle of his career and over the past year has come back and shown that he hasn't skipped a beat.
Cena, is at the top of his game right now.
Both guys aren't going to be any more or any less great at the end of this match.
They'll still both be legends in the business and they will both at the end of the day, have their hall of fame inductions.
Win or Lose
But someone has to win....and someone has to lose.
at this point, i don't care who.
But someone HAS to win, and someone HAS to lose.
I don't even care if its a dirty win. On either mans part.
But someone has to win, and someone has to lose.
set it up as a 2 out of three match series. I don't care.
But someone ha.......
you get it.

 

[Mustang Sally]

If they fight a long, hard, closely-contested battle and Rock wins cleanly, I think it costs Cena a great deal because after John's talking about how he's been here for 10 years, giving his all to the wrestling business, it would look bad for him to get squarely beaten by a guy who's been gone for the past 8 years and then comes in and beats WWE's top gun. At the same time, what does it gain for Rock?.....Not much, as far as I can see. He goes back to Hollywood and leaves Cena (and all of us) to ponder the result. In other words, winning does nothing for the Rock......but does great harm to Cena.

Another result could be Rock winning and Cena turning bad. Bad guys are allowed to lose, and I personally believe an evil Cena would set new attendance records for WWE. To accomplish this, there wouldn't be much sense in Cena turning bad against Justin Gabriel or Santino.....but turning bad against a legend like the Rock, on the biggest stage pro wrestling has to offer......would be huge. Huge!

Incidentally, a result in which Cena turns heel would be the only way I could stomach a dirty ending. For instance, if Eve climbs to the ring apron and shakes her ass at Cena, causing him to lose the match, it would be the kind of deed that allows this one to be decided by foul means. If Cena isn't going evil, I want the contest to end with a clean winner, no interference of any type.

How could both come off looking good? I say it happens if they have that long, tough, hard-fought contest and Cena pins Rock after both men give everything they have to give. Then, Rock sincerely congratulates Cena at the end and the two walk off as allies. Cena is further cemented as the top man in the game, while Rock goes back to the movies celebrated for his toughness, good will and sportsmanship. Maybe he comes to wrestle again in a couple of years.....and if he does, no one will hold it against him that he lost to Cena in at WM28.

That's what I'm hoping for.

 

[JaylisJayP]

As much as we'd love to see a change, Cena isn't going evil. The company is just not interested in taking that chance.

A run-in that puts down the Rock so Cena can win would make the most sense, but still paint Cena as a guy who couldn't get the job done himself.

Honestly, no idea what's going to happen. Before all this Brock stuff my feeling was Cena would win cleanly over Rock after a very hard-fought match. That could still be the case and Brock could have something to do with Taker (although I very much see that ending with HBK super kicking HHH to allow Taker to win - HBK just not letting HHH do what he couldn't...HHH comes back and says "I'm not allowing an era to end like that - NEXT YEAR - INSIDE BROCK LESNAR INSIDE A HELL IN A CELL - WITH CHEESE."

 

[d_henderson1810]

I have another way to decide a winner. Do what the WWE did at WMX7, and use it to turn the Rock's opponent heel.

If you remember, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin turned heel on the Rock at WMX7. Well, if Cena is going to be hated for beating the Rock anyway, how about having it that he turns heel on the Rock and beats him in his hometown.

Imagine the shock if John Cena finally "embraced the hate" and became a heel by beating down one of the most popular guys in WWE history, in his own hometown.

That could make Cena massive, and the WWE could have a raft of new storylines, by throwing different faces to a new heel John Cena.

Cena could say that he attacked the Rock to stick it to the fans who have said to him that "Cena sucks" for all these years. That would be freakin' awesome!

 

[JaylisJayP]

They're not turning Cena heel. And I really don't think outside of Miami that many people are going to give Cena heat JUST because he beat the Rock. Nobody really cares, and the Rock will be gone anyway.

I hate to quote George Bush, but "Read my Lips, no new Cena character" is coming from this. Yes, George Bush actually talked about John Cena in 1988. He was sick of his character then, too.

WWE needs Cena as this Cena for money reasons and that will probably forever trump story/fan reasons. Just the reality right now. Maybe when Vince is gone, if Cena is still around, HHH goes in another direction, but not anytime soon.

Believe me, I'd love to be 100% wrong about this and see a new Cena, but I don't see it happening.

 

[Fansince1992]

Perhaps for both guys to look good would be this way.

-Cena and Rock fight hard for 20+ minutes. Both men scoring close falls.
-Referee is ACCIDENTLY caught in the turnbuckle and is knocked out.
-Rock lands his Finisher and Cena is pinned for more than 3 (No ref available to count)
-Ref begins to clear his head
-Cena fights back and gets on top. AA by Cena , Rock Kicks out!
-2nd AA by Cena Rock kicks out again
-3rd AA by Cena and Rock is pinned for 3.

This is simular to how Rock v Austin ended at WM19. Rock needed to land 3 Rock Bottoms to pin Austin.

I think this way would give credibility to The Rock as he had Cena beat. Cena showed Heart to fight back and beat The Rock. This way there would be no cheating , and no outside interference.

 

[RJJ]

If they fight a long, hard, closely-contested battle and Rock wins cleanly, I think it costs Cena a great deal because after John's talking about how he's been here for 10 years, giving his all to the wrestling business, it would look bad for him to get squarely beaten by a guy who's been gone for the past 8 years and then comes in and beats WWE's top gun. At the same time, what does it gain for Rock?.....Not much, as far as I can see. He goes back to Hollywood and leaves Cena (and all of us) to ponder the result. In other words, winning does nothing for the Rock......but does great harm to Cena.

Another result could be Rock winning and Cena turning bad. Bad guys are allowed to lose, and I personally believe an evil Cena would set new attendance records for WWE. To accomplish this, there wouldn't be much sense in Cena turning bad against Justin Gabriel or Santino.....but turning bad against a legend like the Rock, on the biggest stage pro wrestling has to offer......would be huge. Huge!

Incidentally, a result in which Cena turns heel would be the only way I could stomach a dirty ending. For instance, if Eve climbs to the ring apron and shakes her ass at Cena, causing him to lose the match, it would be the kind of deed that allows this one to be decided by foul means. If Cena isn't going evil, I want the contest to end with a clean winner, no interference of any type.

How could both come off looking good? I say it happens if they have that long, tough, hard-fought contest and Cena pins Rock after both men give everything they have to give. Then, Rock sincerely congratulates Cena at the end and the two walk off as allies. Cena is further cemented as the top man in the game, while Rock goes back to the movies celebrated for his toughness, good will and sportsmanship. Maybe he comes to wrestle again in a couple of years.....and if he does, no one will hold it against him that he lost to Cena in at WM28.

That's what I'm hoping for.

But he's not just any guy. He's The Rock, arguably the greatest WWE superstar of all time and one of the true icons in this business. Again Cena does NOT need to win this match. He's been the face of the company for like 7yrs, now. He went through them all, from HHH to HBK. A win over Rock at this point won't do him any favor, actually it will make the fans even more pissed.

Other than turning heel, I see no reason for Cena to go over.

 

[Steve0904]

Yeah some of you are going way overboard on the run in thing. If we get a run in from two guys that have been gone for years (for a feud that's been built for a year) or even one of them I'll be incredibly disappointed, and I think the WWE would be monumentally stupid to script it that way. As has already been mentioned, the only way I could stomach a cheap ending would be if Cena went full blown heel and beat the crap out of the Rock with a chair or even a sledgehammer, but I highly doubt that will be happening. Other than that a clean finish is the way to go IMHO.

Also IMHO Cena has to win to look good because he's the face of the E right now, but Rock can get away with losing and still looking good which is why I think some of you are overreacting. The best I can see is if Rock has Cena beat with the ref knocked out and Cena wins in the end.

Another hot topic is the crowd reaction and the amount of hate Cena will get. Again people are going way overboard. It's Miami, not Toronto, or Chicago, or Philly or NY, and it's not going to be ONS 2006 all over again. Even if it is, Cena's used to being hated to the extreme. He's dealt with it admirably before and he'll deal with it admirably again I'm sure.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

This thread already exists in the WrestleMania 28 section, so it's a duplicate thread.

Closed.