Also while Rock isn't there, he is gonna be in full "promotion mode" how many of these movie junkets etc will he be wearing the title over his shoulder? How many filmed interviews for GI Joe or Pain and Gain will ask questions about him being the WWE champ as well as the movie's star? All of them! So he is still working for WWE - even if not in the ring this week.
Actually he taped the first commercial for his new series The Hero on TNT with the WWE Championship on his shoulder, and he's apparently going to be promoted as the WWE Champion. There's a picture on the right...
So as for now, hes doing what they want him to do, promote himself, being WWE Champion, which in-turn promotes the company. He'll be doing a worldwide publicity tour for Fast Six, G.I. Joe, not to mention during that time he'll be promoting Wrestlemania itself. Hell even after that milk commercial, I guarantee there were tons of people who Googled The Rock names, clueless to him being WWE Champion and were shocked to see it.
Until all this happens though it's irrelevant to speculate, or make assumptions. Either way though, still the best guy to be the WWE Champion, off name power alone.
Lol i knew i would get Rock fanboys sobbing into there keyboards but i never thought the first post would be the blue marlin itself!
Back down dude, I don't want to get hurt by your dry sarcasm.
Heres breaking down his return:
- WM 27 - Host WM
His return alone made ESPN, Fox Sports, TMZ and E! News alone, four celebrity based mediums that don't typically touch wrestling unless something goes wrong. During that time fans also tuned back in, WrestleMania 27 drew over 1,000,000 buys, up 30% from the previous year, they did this with a pretty average card for a Wrestlemania to boot. In the build-up The Rock promoted it like gold, therefore WWE had one reason at the time to believe this guy is still the bonified draw he was ten years ago.
- WM 28 - Beats the biggest star after 10 years of not being in the ring, clean
Irrelevant in the grand scheme of things if they plan doing Rock/Cena II. If the program sees Cena defeating The Rock at WrestleMania after losing to him the year before, for the WWE Championship which John hasn't held in over a year, it means John has came over more adversity and therefore it enhances the story. On WrestleMania 28, it's the highest grossing WrestleMania ever. Of all-time. You can debate your personal opinion, you can't debate money and statistics.
WrestleMania 28 also made the New York Post, several media outlets including a majority of the ones named above, not to mention The Rock was featured on several shows abroad as in the UK and Ireland, including Sky Sports News which rarely covers wrestling orientated news. Hell The Daily Mail, which never covers wrestling covered The Rock beating Cena, because its discussion worthy news because The Rock is a figure in pop culture.
- RR - Beats the companies second biggest star, clean, in a mediocre match, looking gassed 5 minutes in
Well this confirms your a Punk mark. Being a Punk fan since his Ring of Honor days I realize the big picture here, being that if Punk were to lose the title to anybody It'd be better him losing it to the biggest name related to the company than someone whose been sitting on the roster the last couple of years. The Rock didn't look gassed at all, he came back from adversity and originally losing the match to pick up the win, therefore your view is once again irrelevant.
The Rock made ESPN again, both the website and daily television, The Examiner in England which doesn't cover wrestling, just Googling it alone I got results from USA Today, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, plus once again, after that milk commercial during the Superbowl people would have naturally Googled The Rock's name to see he was WWE Champion, another big bonus for the WWE.
- EC - Will beat Punk again
- WM 29 - Finally, loses to either Cena or Punk
Until its happened you can't comment, but just as another small statistic for you my boy on Punk/Rock related discussion, with The Rock as WWE Champion Raw drew their biggest rating since Raw 1,000 last Monday night. Without him the rating, as expected, slipped.
You can try all day and night long if you wish, stick on Living Color in the background and type your heart out until the skin begins peeling from your fingertips, you can criticize The Rock for not being the greatest in-ring performer since Bret Hart which hes never claimed to be and never has been, and you can cry about how he didn't show to Raw when you got people who experienced the Hogan era telling you not even he appeared on every show.
It doesn't change the fact hes WWE Champion, it doesn't change the fact WWE are gaining more spotlight from mainstream media, and it doesn't change the fact The Rock did off one victory what CM Punk's entire WWE Championship reign couldn't - grab peoples attention.