WM 29: The Rock (c) vs. John Cena [WWE Title]

[Rocky84]

Thank god Punk burried the Rock vs Cena rematch...now everyone can Stfu with it. Its pathetic as a fan to sit there and stick up for the money making aspect of it when you are the ones paying. I can't understand how people agree with it like their name is Vince McMahon and they are benefitting from the profits. Bottom line, the match would have been predictable, boring, and redundant. The fued leading up to it would be so repetitive. I'm happy the few who wanted it just to see Cena win one on one with the Rock, won't get their wish.

Punk being thrown in makes a lot of sense, and its fresh. There haven't been many triple threats in mania history, but in terms of star power, this is definitely the biggest. Plus we have a legit heel and he can spice it up by making things dirty and violent. This is great news. Punk bashing the match, pretty much sealed the deal...now look for some kind of controversy next Monday in their match which of course will lead to the triple threat.

 

[I Heart Cena]

I'm pretty sure it will be a triple threat. But unfortunately, we all know who will be going over. I don't think I'll be able to stomach it. I'll probably watch up until the 3 count, and only stay if they're booing him to high heaven. If the boos aren't powerful enough, I might just turn it off.

 

[The Eighties]

So this is now officially official, I have zero interest in it but will be curious to read the results as I'm wondering if they'll pull a swerve or if Cena is just going to win, shake hands with Rock and then go on another long run as face champion.

 

[bioshock]

I don't know what I fear more. Weeks and weeks of Rock & Cena promos or this rematch that means nothing for either guy. Cena doesn't need to beat the Rock no matter how much Cole and Cena will claim he needs to prove something. 10 time champion, he has nothing to prove. I don't see what these 2 guys will pull off in the match that we didn't see in their near 25+ minute match last year.

Considering we know this:
1- Cena isn't turning heel
2- Rock isn't turning heel
3- No screw job of any kind is possible
4- We know Rocks long gone following the match at least until Summerslam
5- They already wrestled in a good long match, they have nothing to prove

IMO and this might only be my opinion, the only way this match could make me interested, was if they booked it as a 60 minute Iron Man match, I don't see that remotely possible though. Wrestlemania is long overdue for a good Iron Man match. Anything like last years 18 second World title match, with 8 matches on the card, 4hr show, its possible.

Now besides that the fact we wont see Rock wrestle again until Wrestlemania, and all the "I'm going to kick your ass" and "fruity pebble" jokes we'll have to hear. Should be LAME.

 

[The Fabulous Rougeau's]

The only thing that scares me about this match is Cena making Rock tap. He did it to HHH and Shawn and I really don't want to see Rock tap to Cena. Besides that this match does have the oppertunity to amaze if we get some sort of twist or turn in the story either leading up to the match or during the match itself. I really hope that we do see something like that happen because a straight Cena victory will be very anti climactic.

 

[Underfaker]

4- We know Rocks long gone following the match at least until Summerslam

Isn't Rock advertised for Extreme Rules?

Anyway...

I think Cena proved last night on Raw that he can go with the best in the big matches. I think it's up to the rock to help Cena put on a great match together. I personally think Rocky is a little too big at the moment. If he toned down his ridiculous muscles and improved the stamina slightly this match will improve on last years!

Either way, this is the biggest match of the year ... Again. And I for one am looking forward to it!

 

[Rocky84]

Guess I look like a fool now after my last post lol. I have no idea what Vince/Creative Team is thinking with 3 top matches all being 100% predictable.

Rock vs Cena rematch=Cena wins
HHH vs Lesnar rematch= HHH wins
Taker vs Punk= Taker wins

Like wtf?

Thank God me and my buddies didn't buy tickets to Mania like we planned since its in my home town. I went to Mania last year since I live in South Florida, and it was epic. This year...I'd want a refund if I did buy them...no joke. And it's not just because the Rock and Cena..but all three of the above matches....un-frikin-believable.

I'm not even going to buy the shit..I'll stream it online after it finishes.

I was really hoping for Rock vs Cena vs Punk & Brock vs Taker & HHH/DX vs Shield....whatev.

Btw...wtf is going on with Sheamus? Is he fueding with Barrett or Shield? The creative team is garbage. Now my rant is done lol...

 

[ebolton84]

I used to have a lot of faith in Vince and his creative team to change the way WWE was going but a repeat of of last years mania match. BLAH! Oh wow a championship is now involved. As someone posted earlier, neither guy has anything to prove. This is really a waste of a match on the biggest stage. I also feel they should put Punk in the match and have an outstanding Triple Threat.

Let Punk win and he can go on to brag about beating the Rock and Cena, then Brock Lesnar comes out and destroys Punk. Feud of the Heyman guys.

Vince needs to do better on!

 

[jrush1978]

Everything thats been said. Its been a while imo since the main event was this predictable. Maybe Cena-Batista which I had no desire to watch nor did I watch that WM live. Last year was kinda cool, the once in a lifetime thing. And I guess looking back it surprises me that I read so many of you completely shocked that Rock won. I honestly wasn't sure. To me it was about 50/50 on whether Rock would come back and hype a year return in his hometown and lose or whether the full timer would get the nod. WWE should pull a shock just to prove us all wrong. Have Rock shock the world and retain the title. He's booked for the following nights Raw. Have Cena come out to star tthe show and ask for 1 last chance to beat the Rock and win the title. I mean heck better to have a predictable outcome on Raw than the grandest stage of them all.

 

[BretHitmanHart92]

You know what I would love to happen during this match? Cena to go heel. And for them to use the same angle they used at WrestleMania 17 when Stone Cold went heel.

If I was booking from now until WrestleMania I would have Cena emphasize that he's willing to do anything to get his win back over The Rock and walk out the champion. Cena NEEDS this more than The Rock does. Just like Austin back in 2001. Make their match a no DQ match. Then during their match at some point Paul Heyman would make his way down to ringside and stand there. The announcers would wonder why he's out there. At some point the ref goes down and Paul Heyman hands Cena a chair and he uses it on The Rock. Cena wins, hugs Heyman. Cena turns heel but he also gets his win over The Rock and walks out champion.

The next night on RAW begins an epic heel run for Cena. He comes out and cuts an amazing promo finally bashing all the people who have booed him for years and turning his back on the kids. The Rock comes out and demands a rematch that night. Also, at some point during the night CM Punk confronts Heyman and asks him why he wasn't in on this with Heyman and Cena. Anyways, the rematch takes place. Lesnar comes out looking like he's going to turn on Heyman only he ends up joining Heyman and Cena and taking out The Rock. Punk comes down and instead of joining Heyman, Cena and Lesnar he tries to help The Rock but he gets taken out as well. Now you have Heyman managing both Cena and Lesnar similar to the Two Man Power Trip. Build to a huge tag team match at SummerSlam when CM Punk and The Rock finally return to take them on. In the mean time they could have Ryback, Sheamus, Randy Orton, etc. feud with a heel Cena.

 

[Bland]

^ that's exactly what I just thought of as I'm finishing watching WM X-7.

Current Cena storyline is a mirror of Austin in 2001 that he HAS to win. Cena heel turn would be perfect and quoting Paul heyman commentary from Mania X-7, "What won't Austin do to win...", replace Austin with Cena and it would be the perfect commentary quote for Mainia this year for Michael Cole.

I also believe your Paul heyman bit is really believable to. Both Paul Heyman guys can lose to HHH & taker earlier in the night & heyman can then say he wanted to be associated with a winner & not losers.

Sheamus & Ryback are becoming huge faces so this would be perfect & would make Wrestlemania the less predictable. It would also increase buy rates in DVD/blu ray & re run sales to see the huge turn.

Furthermore it can then lead to a huge match III at mania XXX in which we see face rock vs heel Cena.

 

[The Fabulous Rougeau's]

While I have little faith that the WWE would turn Cena, I am on board with the idea. I have said that I need something different for this match and having the title involved is not what I had in mind.

This would allow for alot of new fueds and stories as Cena could now work new wrestlers, and the possibility for a face Orton v heel Cena would be interesting as they have had so many battles with the roles reversed.

 

[Mustang Sally]

While I have little faith that the WWE would turn Cena, I am on board with the idea.

Agreed. I've been expecting a heel turn by Cena for a long time and don't know if Creative is truly afraid to launch it because they're worried about how the kiddies will respond. Even Hulk Hogan turned bad and found his career rejuvenated because of it. And, like Hogan, there would be a return to purity for Cena down the line.

Bu face it, the company is surely mindful of all the inane booing Cena receives and might succumb to the temptation of tossing it back in the faces of the naysayers, saying: "You want to boo him? We'll give you something to boo about."

I think a heel turn would be huge....and if they're going to do it, there's no better time than when he's going up against the biggest face of all....at Wrestlemania, no less. That Cena is taking back the title is a foregone conclusion, no?

The other alternative is to keep Cena good and have him cleanly beat the Rock, who then extends the hand of friendship and rides off into the sunset, his efforts at pro wrestling finally over.

I like either alternative; there's some great theater in store for us, whichever scenario is chosen.

 

[Rocky84]

Everything thats been said. Its been a while imo since the main event was this predictable. Maybe Cena-Batista which I had no desire to watch nor did I watch that WM live. Last year was kinda cool, the once in a lifetime thing. And I guess looking back it surprises me that I read so many of you completely shocked that Rock won. I honestly wasn't sure. To me it was about 50/50 on whether Rock would come back and hype a year return in his hometown and lose or whether the full timer would get the nod. WWE should pull a shock just to prove us all wrong. Have Rock shock the world and retain the title. He's booked for the following nights Raw. Have Cena come out to star tthe show and ask for 1 last chance to beat the Rock and win the title. I mean heck better to have a predictable outcome on Raw than the grandest stage of them all.

I totally agree. I would definitely go that route if I absolutely had to make this match again. Having such a predictable ending is so anti climactic. I'd make Rock win again, the same way Austin beat him twice in a row. Then give it to Cena the next night or at the next PPV which Rock is scheduled for.

 

[LoudClearVoice]

While I have little faith that the WWE would turn Cena, I am on board with the idea

I think this is the perfect opportunity for WWE to do a Cena heel turn. Near the end of the match, have the ref get "knocked out" and then have Cena go get a chair and hit Rock a bunch of times, or even better, after Cena wins the belt and he's in the ring celebrating with The Rock, after they shake hands, have Cena get a chair and start smashing Rock with it. Can you imagine if that's how Wrestlemania ended?

 

[Daniel]

No heel turn. No interference. No surprise victory. Just let this match be everything the first one wasn't.

The whole "Cena's failures and setbacks" has been the main story of the year. He hasn't touched gold for 18 months, he's been beaten by John Laurinaitis, he cashed in MITB and lost, and he's always found himself bested by CM Punk. The perfect end to this story is the thing WWE are promoting: Cena's redemption. The stage is set for a fairytale ending. Just let it be that.

 

[The Crock]

Yeah, there's no way Cena should lose this match. He had to face the reality of failing when he lost to The Rock at the last WrestleMania -- it's time he finally comes full circle. The IWC love to overcomplicate stuff, but people are going to pay to see Cena beat The Rock; better yet, people are going to want Cena to beat The Rock. Let it happen. There's nothing wrong with straightforward and uncomplicated booked. This match will be just as good, if not better than the first, and we get the payoff that the WWE has dangled in front of us for 2 years.

The whole point is to see if Cena really can beat Rocky, if he really is better, and he'll validate that if he wins -- that's been the point all along. What's the payoff to The Rock winning again? What's the payoff to Cena cheating to beat Rock? Nothing. Nothing at all. Wrestling fans can never just be content with the obvious decision, even if it clearly is the right one to make. John Cena will beat The Rock for the WWE Championship, just as he should. I can't wait -- the build-up, the match, and the moment should be spectacular.

 

[Kodo Sawaki]

There is absolytely no way that Cena is turning heel. He is at the top of the world right now. He won Royal Rumble match, won everything he can do from New Year to Wrestlemania(except that Shield match) and won against one man he couldnt beat over the years(Punk). Eventhough it would be nice twist, never gona happen. Could see it last year but nand with all his failures(lost WM, lost MitB title shot and all and that he would perhaps snap at one point) but not this one. He will win this, and he would do it cleanly.

 

[Harthan]

Well, this will be interesting. The last time we did this, the build up was weird. Frankly, they used all their best material on the way to WrestleMania 27, so the buildup to "Once in a Lifetime" was kind of lukewarm. It had its moments, but it also had an abysmal Rock Concert. I distinctly remember the Rock tending to ramble incoherently, and not in a fun way, and for Cena to rarely reach that rather nice place when he acts badass and I can take him seriously. Still, the two years aggregated were enough to sell it, big time, and it was a hell of a main event. Rock's win was one for the ages and I, of course, thought it would mean big, important things. It didn't, really, in the end, other than this rematch. Which is kind of nice, I suppose.

There's a lot they can do to sell this right and get me into it. Particularly, if Cena returns to the "must win" mentality and maybe actually shows some vulnerability for once in his life, I'd probably get on his side in this one. If he can't manage that, then, well, I guess it'll mostly be on the Rock to be average Rock. Which he's been pretty good at with Punk, so I don't worry too much.

The quality of the match worries me somewhat. Rock's first match with Punk was shit, though they came back quite strong at Elimination Chamber. I worry about how much last year's contest was given a large pass because of the sheer spectacle. I mean, I called it an even **** and I'm still happy with that. But can they do it again? I think they can. Cena is very good at what he does, and he can walk the Rock through a tango. It won't be easy, but I have confidence they can make it happen.

It seems obvious that Cena will win this one. All the stars align for it. I know they'll keep me intrigued during the match, and I'll probably hang on all the nearfalls, because as I said, Cena's quite good at this, but nonetheless, we all know who walks away with the gold at the end of this one.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

This is Cena's redemption match for losing last year. He's going to win the WWE Championship. It's easier to say this in hindsight, but Rock needed the win more than Cena last year, because Rock NEEDED to prove he could still be the man. He needed to show everyone that he could walk into the main event of Wrestlemania, and beat WWE's #1 guy with the pressure of main eventing a Mania in his backyard.

There's no point in Rock retaining the title at Mania. We all know he won't be around a regular basis, and WWE has been playing up Cena's drought without a world title since his MITB win. Mania 29 will be Cena's moment to hoist the WWE Championship, and it's the perfect set up for Cena to regain his redemption from losing the "biggest match in his life" last year.

Also, last year I was rooting for Rock to win, because I was hoping his victory would irritate the more whiny and arrogant Cena fans. This year, I'm rooting for Cena to win the WWE Championship, because his victory should send the "he only knows five moves" jackasses into a serious tailspin.

 

[Da Solo]

Here's my thing with Cena winning the title at the main event of WM: Everyone is so sure it's going to happen, and 9 times out of ten, WWE will swerve that just to make you wrong. Anyone who's observed Vince's career will know that he is NEVER that open-and-shut about booking big time angles; sometimes this convolution works (Rock vs. Austin WMX7, Team Hell No, etc.) and sometimes it doesn't (Nash Text, The Nexus, etc.), but the buildup is always compelling TV.That is what gives the Rock win/Cena turn a chance.

But what throws a kink in this is the anomaly that is John Cena. Cena has always been the exception to this rule, as his constant defying of the odds made his feuds practically formulaic. Everything involving Cena is open-and-shut: The Nexus, The AJ angle, The Batista Heel Turn, The attempt to make Cena/Randy the new Rock/Austin, and most recently the end (for now) of the Cena/Punk series with his recent one. The only person/feud who managed to elude this was The Rock, and it looks like they are about to shut this case closed with a Cena title win.

So personally, it's up in the air for me. While I would understand a Cena win, he'd be booed out of the building regardless, so I'm begging for this turn. I know this has been said hundreds of times, but if there ever were a time to do it, it'd be now.

 

[rerun406]

"Wrestling fans can never just be content with the obvious decision, even if it clearly is the right one to make. John Cena will beat The Rock for the WWE Championship, just as he should."

and who are you to say Cena beating Rock at Mania this year is the RIGHT decision to make? What makes it so clear?

Cena cut a pretty good promo against Rock tonight, but John highlighted a great point

he's done practically everything in his career, and admitted to accomplishing all of his goals: Multi time world/WWE champ, tag champ, 2x Royal Rumble and so on and so forth

so beating The Rock, and Cena's officially completed all his goals, and done it all. What is their left for him to do? Hold onto the title for 700 days?

predictability aside, I wouldn't mind The Rock pulling out the victory. As it would be pretty lame for him to lose the belt after one successful title defense

I wouldn't mind a good swerve, people were thinking Rock-Cena 2 for the belt right after Wrestlemania 28 and it built up to a T

from #1. Rock announcing he'd challenge Punk for the title at Rumble

to #2. Rock winning the title at Rumble. #3. Cena winning the Royal Rumble match, and choosing to challenge for the title

granted it's been quite some time since Cena's been a WWE champ, but just because the build up to this rematch has been relatively formulaic and predictable ... doesn't mean the actual match has to be (obvious Cena victory)


**I lurked on here a lot last year and from what I read a good 85% plus thought Cena would get the win at WM28. Yet he didn't and it caused quite an uproar from some .. even as going as far as calling it the WRONG decision

but IMO Rock winning last year was the best thing about the match. Who would have called Rock getting a pin on Cena clean?

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

Are people seriously crying about predictability? Did you not see the first fifteen or so WrestleMania's? Sacrificing quality and logic for an unpredictable outcome is foolish. Good thing WWE doesn't listen to smarks.

I'm a much bigger fan of Rocky than I am Cena, but Rocky has to lose this match. No, the world won't crash and burn if Rocky wins again, and neither will Cena's career, but logical booking points to the current top guy getting revenge on the old top guy. It's just how it should happen.

Enjoy a major star like Rock coming back. Enjoy it, and stop whining.

 

[rerun406]

who says you have to sacrifice quality and logic for an unpredictable outcome?

Provided Cena does beat Rock, him getting booed out of the arena isn't going to make an iconic WM moment

but as it stands Cena's on a 2 match WM losing streak. So it's not just "Rock has to lose" but Cena needs to win it and yes I'd go as far as saying that.

you can't have the biggest star in the company losing 3 consecutive main Event matches (with 2 of those being for the WWE belt)

**complaining/whining aside, my biggest fear is that a Cena win here leads to Rock-Cena III at WM 30, which might be lazy booking, but who wouldn't put it past em to see WWE have Rock-Cena yet again

first was once in a lifetime

then it was redemption

and now all tied at 1, who's really better? Rock or John Cena?

 

[steven87gill]

Cena cheating to win doesn't necessarily equal a heel turn, In the same way that CM Punks GTS to The Rock last year didn't actually turn him heel, but rather turned him tweener, mostly thanks to how Punk sold it the following week. Now, as it happens he ended up turning heel but they could've easily kept him tweener for the long haul if they'd wanted.

What happens the night after WM is all down to how WWE markets it to the younger fans the next night.

Imagine, after beating the rock in some dusty fashion, we cut to the next night on Raw - Cena stresses that he NEEDED to right the wrong and said he would do anything to do it and he did just that. It leads to a final encounter between Rock-Cena at Extreme Rules in a Last Man Standing match where either Cena solidifies this new tougher tweener persona, or turns full heel by aligning with Paul Heyman.

By explaining his actions to the younger crowd and justifying them, he doesn't turn full heel, he just shows a different side to them, a desperate side, a more vulnerable, aggressive side. Back when I was 12, if Austin had come out the night after wrestlemania 17 and actually justified his actions in a babyface way, I'd have believed him, because I was a younger, more easily manipulated/emotionally invested fan back then, who would've hung off his every word, I know the mentality of the younger marks and how easy it would be for John Cena to keep them onside.

Now, do the above and you'll have tricked the older fans into thinking Cena has actually turned heel, and they perhaps start cheering for him (don't count on this though, smarks want to boo cena, they'd probably just oblige, rather that cheer for him just to be smart asses) and you'll have also succeded in keeping the younger fans on side.