What's With The Inconsistency (Brock Lesnar/Rock/Crowd Reactions)?

[Rampage Bentley]

For the past twelve months people have been harping on The Rock for coming back, spewing nonsense about he he "hates The WWE" and "turned his back on the business" and "he only came back for the money" etc.

And then Brock Lesnar returns... a guy who actually has gone on record to say he hates The WWE, a guy who ACTUALLY DID break his contract and turn his back on the business, and a guy who is 100% back for the money...

And no one's said a word.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Lesnar is back, and I really don't care why he is, but it bugs me that Rock was all but crucified by some and those same people haven't (at least yet) said anything about Lesnar.

WHY?

 

[LoudClearVoice]

I agree with you and I've been saying this for awhile. There are other examples too.

Take Jericho for example. He comes and goes as he pleases and when he returns, is immediately put in the title picture.

Undertaker, while still on the roster, fights one match a year.

I think what made everyone "hate" The Rock so much recently is because of the feud with Cena. Cena made a big deal about Rock being live via satelitte and himself being there every night and busting his ass. The Cena fans took that and ran with it.

I think part of it too is that so many people loved The Rock and feel like (wrongfully so) that he owed them something. When he never had an official retirement or send off and just left, people felt like Rock betrayed them in some way.

Cena portrayed Rock as a Hollywood prima donna and the Little Jimmies ran with it. That's why he got all the hate. Lesnar will get more hate as this feud goes on, you'll see.

 

[#hamler]

I'm on the opposite side here. I'm was fully on board with The Rock coming back and wrestling a one off match against the biggest draw today in John Cena. The Rock contributed massively to the WWE. As for Brock, when he returned, I marked out like every other school girl on the forums. However, I began questioning just how dedicated he really is to performing for a year straight. It seems like Brock just wants something to do. He was in the WWE all of two years before leaving; they pushed him to the top upon his arrival. After gaining a huge amount of popularity, he quits and tries to make a name elsewhere. In my opinion, that's the true definition of turning your back.

The Rock didn’t do that. The Rock actually stuck around for long enough to make a huge impact on the business; so much so that he’s became one of the top draws of all time. Brock didn’t. That’s why I didn’t have a problem with Rock returning. He was already a Hall of Famer – Brock didn’t stick around long enough to earn that moniker. When Brock returned, I noticed how small he looked compared to his previous run in the WWE; even in the UFC he looked like he took care of his body. Now, he’s lost a good amount of muscle. By that, I wonder just how dedicated he really is to performing for the WWE again.

 

[Miz_Mark]

I don't know what you've been reading or to whom you've been talking, but I absolutely *have* heard outrage expressed at Brock's return just as surely as the Rock's. Personally, the biggest difference for *me* is that the Rock only came back for a handful of appearances and 2 matches, whereas Lesnar is going to be making 30+ appearances and presumably wrestling a dozen or more matches. That definitely changes the landscape. If the Rock had come back with that deal, I'd have had no problem with it.

As for the comparisons to Jericho and Taker, I don't find that at all valued. Taker didn't leave the company to pursue another career, he's just semi-retired because he physically cannot go on a regular basis any longer.

And Jericho has never trashed WWE and said he's done (aside from a tweet to throw off people suspecting his imminent return) but has made it clear that he is a part of the WWE family but wants/needs to sometimes recharge his batteries and pursue other interests.

If either the Rock or Brock had been like "I need a year or 2 off to fight/do movies, then I'll be back full time for a 2-3 years" I doubt there would have been problems had with that.

 

[#hamler]

As for the comparisons to Jericho and Taker, I don't find that at all valued. Taker didn't leave the company to pursue another career, he's just semi-retired because he physically cannot go on a regular basis any longer.

And Jericho has never trashed WWE and said he's done (aside from a tweet to throw off people suspecting his imminent return) but has made it clear that he is a part of the WWE family but wants/needs to sometimes recharge his batteries and pursue other interests.

I agree fully with this. There really shouldn't be a comparison between Jericho/'Taker and Brock/Rock as they're two entirely different situations. Undertaker has never left the WWE and has actually earned the right to come back and work through one match a year; especially if his body isn't allowing a full time work schedule. As for Jericho, it's severely hard to stay relevant for the 13 years he's been working for the WWE. That type of schedule will fuck someone up mentally. Jericho relaxes for a while, and then returns in two years tops.

 

[Mustang Sally]

And no one's said a word.

Your point is well taken, but there have been plenty of words said on all sides. In many ways, it depends who we've listened to last. I've read plenty of animosity expressed toward Brock Lesnar for not considering a return to pro wrestling until his income source ran out in martial arts fighting. Not everyone considers him some kind of hero for coming back......and if he was set financially, I don't think he ever would have.

Conversely, millions (and millions) of people were behind the Rock in his series with WWE. I seriously doubt he did it for the money; unlike Brock after leaving UFC (or MMA, or wherever the hell he was), Rock has bucks coming in from his regular job making movies. I've never been his biggest fan but I firmly believe he came back for the benefit of the people who enjoyed him in his wrestling days. Clearly, he's a man who didn't forget where he came from.....and he proved it.

Still, what the OP says is true and there have been tons of divergent statements made about Brock and Rock. Everyone has a right to their opinion and if you're signed into a pro wrestling forum and read an opinion you don't agree with......go to the next post and you'll probably find one more to your liking.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I've read several reports in which talent has, allegedly, been grumbling backstage over the return of Brock Lesnar just as they were with The Rock.

For me, I don't really see any clear cut side as being right or wrong because there are valid points to be made. As far as some talent not being all that thrilled with Lesnar being back, I can understand that. Here are guys that bust their asses throughout the year with a tough road schedule, but here comes Lesnar in out of nowhere after an 8 year absence and becomes the most talked about & focused guy on the roster. Top all that off with Lesnar's deal, which is alleged to have a downside guarantee of $5 million, and I'm not at all surprised. Hell, it's perfectly normal for some people to be a little miffed. If everybody was happy about it or didn't have legit reasons for feeling unhappy, I'd definitely think that something was wrong.

On the other hand, bringing in Brock Lesnar & The Rock is just doing smart business. Both of them have garnered a lot of mainstream media attention and have brought it to WWE. Keeping WWE on the minds of people who might not even be wrestling fans isn't necessarily a bad thing after all as long as you don't let it get in the way, such as what we saw a lot of during the first half of the Guest Host/Star concept on Raw. At the end of the day, however, it's business. When all the fans have gone home, when the dirtsheet writers have turned off their laptops and the internet fans have to hit the sack, WWE is a business and the goal of any business is to make as much money as they can. Lesnar & Rock are two guys that will bring in big money for WWE, that's why they either have or currently are getting a good amount of focus & attention. Also, with them on the card, that probably means a few extra zeros might wind up on the pay checks of everybody else back in the locker room, including the guys who aren't overly thrilled with their presence.

For me personally, as long as Lesnar is able to bring it with interesting storylines, feuds & matches, then I really don't care. I'm a fan. Keep me entertained and I'll be happy. Might not like everything that I see or that does down, but that's just how it goes. If Lesnar can deliver then, in the end, that's all that really matters.

 

[The Perfect Max]

Funny that, isn't it. It is something I have questioned for a long time. "Biased" opinions is clearly not the answer to this. Take the Chris Jericho situation, when he returned, I pee'd my pants... OK, I didn't do that, but I sure had to hold it in. Jericho comes and goes as he pleases in many peoples views, and I agree with that, but I also agree that he has the right to. After all, he was great in WCW and in the WWE he was one of the best. When he came back in 2007, was he there to stay, who knows? But, we knew The Rock wasn't here to stay? To begin with, we were so happy. But when he gets thrown with Cena, opinions change and that is because some fans *COUGH* Cena Fans *COUGH* appreciate what Cena does every single night, and The Rock all of a sudden is in a big time feud with him. I agree with what they are saying, but like Jericho, he did everything he could.

People criticise The Rock for leaving for Hollywood, but lets all be honest with ourselves, what else had The Rock to do? If he had stayed longer, which, in all my little black heart of mine wouldn't have pissed me off one bit, I feel if he had stayed around, he would be in the Cena crisis with half boos and half cheers, because how would he develop?

My point is this, The Rock left because he had nothing to do, same with Chris Jericho. He got out of the WWE when he knew that sooner rather than later he would no longer be what he once was and what he once was is what he wanted to be remembered for. People didn't like The Rock coming back because, believe it or not, the fans of Cena deeply respect him, as they should, and the fact a "part-timer" shouldn't be facing a "over-the-top timer" is a believeable argument. Then again, with this being said, Brock Lesnar has returned and is feuding with Cena. Will half the fans turn on Lesnar? Most of the kids won't know who Brock Lesnar is, unless they watched UFC. So, we may see another division of opinions, but one thing that seperates The Rock and Brock Lesnar is this: The Rock had done it all. He had nothing else left. Brock Lesnar came and went in such a quick time and still had things to do, and we wanted to see it. That is the only possible thing, in my mind, that creates a divisional opinion. They are different because they had done different things.

*NOTE* I am not saying Brock is more popular than The Rock. Lesnar could have won 20 UFC titles, The Rock would still be more popular. I am also not saying that The Rock still isn't charasmatic, but, he hasn't changed a bit since he left, so just imagine another five years, people we love or hate him, like Cena.

 

[Davi323]

For me, it was never about how they left, or how long they were gone, it was what they said when they got back. I don't care if they left to look for greener pastures, they have a right to earn money, to do what they think is in the best interests of themselves and their families. I don't begrudge either the Rock or Brock Lesnar for that.

So far, Brock Lesnar has not tried to pander to the audience by claiming how much he loves the business, that he is never leaving, etc. He didn't feed the audience a bunch of bullshit, essentially. The Rock did. THAT is what I had the problem with, it was the way the Rock insulted the audience's intelligence. If the Rock had simply come back and said he was back to kick John Cena's ass, I would have been fine with it. But don't pretend to be something you aren't, Dwayne.

As long as Brock doesn't start telling the crowd about how much he missed them, how much he loves the WWE, how much it's in his blood etc, when we all know its a crock of shit, it's fine. If he starts to bullshit the crowd like the Rock did, you can bet I will be on his case too.

Basically,
Finally, Brock has come home = Shut the fuck up, Brock.

I'm here because Vince offered me $$$ and Diverticulitis means no UFC = Okay. At least you were honest about it. Welcome Back.

 

[2Sweet_4Life]

Well the rock had done everyhting in wwe.... so look at it this way if he was still reguarly competing in the wwe from the time he missed 2004-2012 wouldnt you be bored of him? like everyone is of cena,orton,hogan,flair guys who never go away the rock left when he was at the top, and not getting booed because he was stale like cena, and face it if you were working everynight as a wrestler or had the choice to become more famous make more money and not work as much, what would you do? exactly. cena bitches about it because he cant do it himself, all them wrestlers who hate the rock are all jealous that they cant go away for 7 years come back headline wm28 get all the crowd to love them and make a load more money.

 

[TBK]

I say this as a fan of both The Rock and Lesnar. On the subject of Brock, don't remember him specifically saying he hates WWE and shit. He left and had a few words, but none seemed like they specifically were shitting on Wrestling. I even remember him defending it and saying it was a lot harder to be a wrestler than it seems. But the biggest reason I'd say is Brock seems like he'll be on the road at least for a while. With Rocky, it was so inconsistent. He showed up at random points in the year for two matches (both which he won), then left to go do hollywood movies. At least with Brock, I have a feeling he may beat Cena, but down the line he's going to end up letting somebody get a win over him and that he'll be around for a good chunk of the year.

 

[cmedge]

I don't know what you've been reading or to whom you've been talking, but I absolutely *have* heard outrage expressed at Brock's return just as surely as the Rock's. Personally, the biggest difference for *me* is that the Rock only came back for a handful of appearances and 2 matches, whereas Lesnar is going to be making 30+ appearances and presumably wrestling a dozen or more matches. That definitely changes the landscape. If the Rock had come back with that deal, I'd have had no problem with it.

As for the comparisons to Jericho and Taker, I don't find that at all valued. Taker didn't leave the company to pursue another career, he's just semi-retired because he physically cannot go on a regular basis any longer.

And Jericho has never trashed WWE and said he's done (aside from a tweet to throw off people suspecting his imminent return) but has made it clear that he is a part of the WWE family but wants/needs to sometimes recharge his batteries and pursue other interests.

If either the Rock or Brock had been like "I need a year or 2 off to fight/do movies, then I'll be back full time for a 2-3 years" I doubt there would have been problems had with that.

You do realize that The Rock is a Hollywood leading man who sells out theatres around the world right... Brock Lesnar is a washed up UFC dude who was sent back to the WWE by Overeem and returned because of the money.

The Rock is always so busy, I was surprised he made 7 Raw apperances in a row.. Brock doesn't really have anything to do.

I don't recall hearing that The Rock is being paid 5 million bucks.. The Rock is an established legend in the company, Lesnar was only here for 2 years. Granted, I do like Lesnar and The Rock and I'm hoping to be entertained as a fan from what's going to happen.

None of us work for the WWE so we should all stop focusing on what's behind the scene's and care for what's on our televisions..

 

[Paul Bunyan's Axe]

I personally don't like Rock or Lesnar. Both for the same reason really. I do get what you're saying, the IWC are usually a huge bunch of hypocrites who go against their own word. This isn't the first case of that and it won't be the last.

I honestly can't take anything Lesnar does seriously after the trash he has talked about the WWE, but as long as he can still work as well as he did back in the day, I'll be alright with him.

 

[Cookie14]

I think one of the reasons that Brock gets less hate for returning than the Rock is simply due to time served.
The Rock was in WWE long enough to make us give a shit about him, to create a legacy. Brock came here to earn a quick buck, then leave when a better offer came in.

End of the day, Brock will always be hated for being the modern day Ultimate Warrior, for leaving when he could have given so much more. The Rock is hated for leaving when everyone knew that no-one was even close to being able to replace him (and hated for returning when there is STILL no-one able to match him)

 

[Alastor]

Because wrestling fans are idiots. But my theory is the Rock has major feuds with the precious SCSA, a wrestler many consider a god that has no wrongs. The hatred for Rock could be related to kafabe and reality being mixed up. Similar to the irrational hate for HHH and irrational love for Hardys before they finally lost the plot completely.

 

[g12solution]

For me, it was never about how they left, or how long they were gone, it was what they said when they got back. I don't care if they left to look for greener pastures, they have a right to earn money, to do what they think is in the best interests of themselves and their families. I don't begrudge either the Rock or Brock Lesnar for that.

So far, Brock Lesnar has not tried to pander to the audience by claiming how much he loves the business, that he is never leaving, etc. He didn't feed the audience a bunch of bullshit, essentially. The Rock did. THAT is what I had the problem with, it was the way the Rock insulted the audience's intelligence. If the Rock had simply come back and said he was back to kick John Cena's ass, I would have been fine with it. But don't pretend to be something you aren't, Dwayne.

As long as Brock doesn't start telling the crowd about how much he missed them, how much he loves the WWE, how much it's in his blood etc, when we all know its a crock of shit, it's fine. If he starts to bullshit the crowd like the Rock did, you can bet I will be on his case too.

Basically,
Finally, Brock has come home = Shut the fuck up, Brock.

I'm here because Vince offered me $$$ and Diverticulitis means no UFC = Okay. At least you were honest about it. Welcome Back.

Thats a really stupid post, the reason why Brock hasn't said that stuff is because he is a freaking heel. And I totally agree with the OP, though i love Brock the things that the IWC say just make me so angry, people say the Rock came back for the money while he is making millions from blockbuster movies. Then i hear people saying Brock is just "A good business man", for wanting money

 

[vampirek]

Lets be frankly honest, The Rock left to do movies at a time when there was simply nothing for him to do, he had done it all. Austin had the same problem, rather than move on, he kicked off and walked out of the company only to apologies months later. The Rock left and put over the new talent before doing so, the likes of Orton, Batista and Lesnar... who would all go on to main event Wrestlemania. He left the company in good hands, it wasn't like he was leaving a sinking ship for his own needs.

Travel forward and now WWE has a new main guy, who has the same problem as The Rock and Austin before him. They done it all with him and have nothing left for him to do. They could put the title on him but they've done that a good few times. The Rock who would always come back if it was the right sort of match is asked and there you have Rock v Cena, the two of the biggest names in pro wrestling history at Wrestlemania, good for business.

Brock Lesnar on the other hand is a different case, he walked out of the company to go play American football, turns out he sucked at that. He was banned under his terms to join another company in America, so went to Japan (which the WWE tried to stop). He didn't like it there in the end and went on to go into UFC. His career ended there due to illness and never recovering and now it's come full circle and ended up in the place he wanted to leave in the first place (Which raises the question, has he returned purely because its the only option left?). However what does it really matter, in a time when WWE is lacking star power, Lesnar is a welcomed addition. Those who complain in the back should actually take note as to why the likes of Taker, HHH, HBK, Rock, Cena, Lesnar, Austin and to an extent Jericho still are the big time players who can outperform the lot of them, get the crowd to react and generally provide a good show.

 

[Peoples_Champ]

I didn't oppose Rock coming back and I'm not now opposing Lesnar's return. I'm sympathetic to hard-working wrestlers who are losing their spot on the roster because Rock or Lesnar takes it, but the payoffs and bonuses they receive in return should more than make up for their hurt egos. Bret Hart wrote in his book that wrestlers hated how Hogan was always being pushed and on top, yet they loved the payoffs they received from bigger gates.

Its all a bit hypocritical for fans, of all people, to complain. FFS, these guys are coming back to entertain us, why should we complain? Even if Rock has departed for 6-8 months, there are plenty of wrestlers that can come in and fill the void. But then again, this is just IWC bitching for the sake of bitching.

 

[Fansince1992]

I think a good idea for The Rock especially, would have him keep himself relevant with WWE while he is away doing his movies!

I think he could manage to do more "Presentations Via Satellite" as John Cena put it. This would at least keep the Rocks fans happy knowing he is still there and is still caring about the WWE. I understand it's not ideal doing this,, as building a Storyline/Fued would prove pretty difficult. Rock could maybe do 1 a week for a 15minute time slot on Raw. It's not as good as having him in the flesh in the Arenas but seeing Rock on the screen cutting a promo is better than seeing no Rock at all. I really enjoyed Rock's "Out of Arena" Promos especially the one where he threw John Cena merchandise in the Boston Harbor. I doubt it would cost WWE much to send a filming crew to the Rocks locations each week.

With Brock Lesnar i'm so far happy with what he has shown us. The big Return, The In-Ring Brawl, The backstage chat with Josh, and the 2nd F5 to Cena (and a Kick in the knackers) have all made for great viewing. It's far better watching this than watching a boring Raw Main Event between CM Punk and Dolph Ziggler. If Brock continues like this for the year we will see him i'll be satisfied. I don't care if he is only back for the money,, as long as he is entertaining people thats the main thing. I also think with Brock coming back as heel could do the likes of Cena,Punk and Orton the world of good down the road.

 

[Azane]

I wonder if Cena's new gimmick is going to be losing to someone that has wrestled in nearly a decade every couple months.

Why did I hate The Rock's return? Because he made a big deal about how he's back and all, and he made 2 appearances in 10 months, blah blah blah, someone that inconsistant isn't doing anything for the new generation of superstars, WWE is shooting themselves in the foot by pushing The Rock and burying their entire roster under his ego.

Brock I don't hate as much, but I think it's because I never grew attached to him, he was in and out, and shit all over the WWE, but it's WWE's fault for handing him the keys to the car. Brock Michael Jordaned to another sport, with more success, and showed us another side of him, he can potentially be a bigger deal now with a legitimate ability to look like a monster. The Rock.... Dressed up as a tooth fairy for money.

So, the image from The face of WWE losing to a movie star looks bad.... I put Dwayne about 2 pegs above David Arquette with his absense from the wrestling world. Brock Lesnar beating the hell out of Cena? looks legit, he's been fighting people way more dangerous than Cena for the last decade.

 

[destruct-o-tron]

People criticise The Rock for leaving for Hollywood, but lets all be honest with ourselves, what else had The Rock to do? If he had stayed longer, which, in all my little black heart of mine wouldn't have pissed me off one bit, I feel if he had stayed around, he would be in the Cena crisis with half boos and half cheers, because how would he develop?

I'm happy to hear I'm not the only person who thinks this.

You know how you're getting tired of so much Cena? That's how I started feeling about The Rock around 2003. It's a good thing he left when he did, or he could've experienced a full burnout (Let's be honest, here. Imagine how much fonder your memories of Hogan would be if he just retired instead of going to WCW and subjected his fans to all of that "Hollywood" nonsense.)

 

[grantedisme]

As a few people have already mentioned, there is plenty of negativity geared towards Brock's return. On the plus side, his contract apparently states that he will appear more often than The Rock did during his year (not that that's saying much), but Brock has shown fairly blatantly that he has extremely little respect or love for the business. He's a phenomenal fighter, as shown by his commanding presence in the UFC, but he was a guy with potential that never saw it fully fulfilled in the WWE, and he left because he didn't like being a wrestler. He went to be a football player, and when he failed at that, he still didn't want to come back to wrestling. He decided that he would rather be legitimately beat up by actual punches, kicks, and submission moves than to join the WWE. While that's his decision, and it's a completely fair one, I feel it is also a fair reason for me to not immediately cheer for him as a superstar upon his "I need money" return.

Furthermore, I don't think he was even part of the business long enough to deserve this legendary status that so many people in this forum seem to give him, just because he was pushed to the moon faster than anyone on that side of Sheamus. I'm not necessarily against the notion of him coming back, since he isn't awful in the ring, but I hold him in the same regard as Batista.

 

[HBsam31]

i guess i am on the opposite side of this too in that I was fine with Rock coming back for one match or whatever and then leaving again. He became one of the biggest stars in the business and stayed around for a long time. He earned the right to do what he did. While I marked out for Brock big time, I did question how dedicated he would be. I mean he turned his back on WWE after he was pushed to the moon. Who's to say he won't get tired of it again fast and go through the motions his whole time back.

 

[AwesomeRko]

I was and am completely fine with the Rock's involvement, he put seven years into the WWE and helped usher in the greatest era of success in its history. He had so many fantastic matches, fueds and segements which will endure throughout time and gave back to the industry with his willingness to put people over. His speech on his love for the business in my view was copletely sincere, why else would he be back? He makes far more money in far greater security doing his movies, it was simply a case of him giving yet more back to the loyal fans who have supported him and stuck by him throughout his career both in wrestling and movies.

As far as Lesnar goes the scenario is completely different, I am glad to see him back because he is an undeniable talent and a huge name. Yet he was given possibly the biggest push from the word-go that I've ever seen alongside Goldberg, went over pretty much everyody ranging from Rock, to Hogan to Taker and left within two years after giving absolutely nothing back. Since he has derided the company and made it fairly clear that wrestling was merely a launchpad to him and his prime moitvation is making money. Haing stated my lack of respect for his personal motives I am still excited to see what he can do if fully-committed this time around, at the end of the day its a television show if he is entertaining then I am all for it.

 

[theBec2101]

Well theres no compariosn between the two, Jericho always said he would retun and he never bashed the wwe or wresling.
Undertaker never left he just cant do it like he use to. I have no problem with that he isnt holding anyone back or down.
The Rock never really bashed the WWE, I mean he left and made a whole new career. Cant knock him for that.The fued with Cena was good the wrestlemania performance was ok. Fans wanted to see him it was good.
Now Brock. I have no idea why. He trashed the wee and wrestling when he left. He is not the monster he once was. He didnt look it when be came out on raw. Still what was that thing he did when he got in the ring before he f5'd cena. I think he might be legally ******ed. I dont know why the wwe had to pay him so much, he cant do anything else. Let see, WWE was to hard and he was tired(3 years wow). Didnt make it in the NFL or the Candian football, MMA(record 5-3 not that dominating). I thought it was funny how they where hyping him up talkin about him in the UFC and they didnt mention his football careers or lack there of.