Which Side Are You On After SS?

After the match last night, I think that many people may have decided whose side they are on for Wrestlemania 28. So, which side are you on? Have you changed over to Team Cena, or are you still on Team Bring It?

It should be team cool vs team nerd, I'm struggling to see the logic in highlighting how cringeworthy Cena is, he is Vinces go to guy, they're feeding him to the wolves

I think gaffer is right. At the beginning of this angle, they were portrayed as equals and I actually think Cena might have actually beaten The Rock in their original first mic battles, but since then John Cena has been made to look completely inferior to The Rock in every way, Survivor Series being the final part of this by showing that even after 8 years, The Rock is even better than Cena in the ring. It's illogical.

I feel for Cena.

Reminds me of the position Rock was in after dropping the belt to Angle at No Mercy in 2000 and how Rock was being booed all the way to Mania 17 where they tried turning Austin heel in Texas of all places. When Rock then faced Hogan at WM18 and was getting heat then and at Summerslam against Lesnar. When he did come back in 2003 as heel it was like 2 years too late. Vinca has this thing with Cena like with Hogan in the 80's, and 1990 where he is too scared to make him heel in case t-shirt sales plummet. Cena is becoming so old character wise so fast and he is only young which is sad to see.

legendkillar wrote:I feel for Cena.

Reminds me of the position Rock was in after dropping the belt to Angle at No Mercy in 2000 and how Rock was being booed all the way to Mania 17 where they tried turning Austin heel in Texas of all places. When Rock then faced Hogan at WM18 and was getting heat then and at Summerslam against Lesnar. When he did come back in 2003 as heel it was like 2 years too late. Vinca has this thing with Cena like with Hogan in the 80's, and 1990 where he is too scared to make him heel in case t-shirt sales plummet. Cena is becoming so old character wise so fast and he is only young which is sad to see.

I also feel for Cena.

It cannot be questioned that he is one of the hardest working guys around and has been since 2003 but the fans don't accept him anymore because of what he has been turned into. If he didn't come out to his theme song you would never know that he originally had a rapper gimmick that everyone ended up loving, but Vince has turned him into a poster boy that gets told what to say.

He needs to be given freedom in his promo's to say some things about how hypocritical the fans are that boo him but cheer for The Rock. The same fans that booed The Rock in 01 & 02 because he left to make movies.

nasisillmatic wrote:He needs to be given freedom in his promo's to say some things about how hypocritical the fans are that boo him but cheer for The Rock. The same fans that booed The Rock in 01 & 02 because he left to make movies.

Do you not think this is where they're going with Cena in the long run though? It seems pretty easy to work the crowd to boo him, so he can turn on the crowd and go heel.

Statto00 wrote:

nasisillmatic wrote:He needs to be given freedom in his promo's to say some things about how hypocritical the fans are that boo him but cheer for The Rock. The same fans that booed The Rock in 01 & 02 because he left to make movies.

Do you not think this is where they're going with Cena in the long run though? It seems pretty easy to work the crowd to boo him, so he can turn on the crowd and go heel.

I don't think he will go full on heel if he did. He could still stay loyal to me & the little Jimmy's who have stuck by him but turn on the boo boys.

The way he was booked at the end of Survivor Series was a joke.

I just want him to be able cut a decent promo about The Rock saying what he feels (The Rock clearly has that freedom).

nasisillmatic wrote:

Statto00 wrote:

nasisillmatic wrote:He needs to be given freedom in his promo's to say some things about how hypocritical the fans are that boo him but cheer for The Rock. The same fans that booed The Rock in 01 & 02 because he left to make movies.

Do you not think this is where they're going with Cena in the long run though? It seems pretty easy to work the crowd to boo him, so he can turn on the crowd and go heel.

I don't think he will go full on heel if he did. He could still stay loyal to me & the little Jimmy's who have stuck by him but turn on the boo boys.

The way he was booked at the end of Survivor Series was a joke.

I just want him to be able cut a decent promo about The Rock saying what he feels (The Rock clearly has that freedom).

In Kayfabe terms, Cena has been the effective heel from the get go, so anything Rock does to him is just payback.

Rock's humiliation of Cena is also just adding fuel to the Cena Heel Turn fire.

Don Caboose wrote:

nasisillmatic wrote:

Statto00 wrote:

nasisillmatic wrote:He needs to be given freedom in his promo's to say some things about how hypocritical the fans are that boo him but cheer for The Rock. The same fans that booed The Rock in 01 & 02 because he left to make movies.

Do you not think this is where they're going with Cena in the long run though? It seems pretty easy to work the crowd to boo him, so he can turn on the crowd and go heel.

I don't think he will go full on heel if he did. He could still stay loyal to me & the little Jimmy's who have stuck by him but turn on the boo boys.

The way he was booked at the end of Survivor Series was a joke.

I just want him to be able cut a decent promo about The Rock saying what he feels (The Rock clearly has that freedom).

In Kayfabe terms, Cena has been the effective heel from the get go, so anything Rock does to him is just payback.

Rock's humiliation of Cena is also just adding fuel to the Cena Heel Turn fire.

I really hope Vince is thinking the same thing. I have lost so much faith over the last few years though that I will not believe this until it happens. I still think no matter what Cena is going over Mania.

invincibleILeak (CL-6WF) wrote:John Cena has been made to look completely inferior to The Rock in every way

Don't you think that might be a bit of a play on things though?

Cena is made to look increasingly inferior to the Rock so that if he takes him clean at WM it's a more impressive result?

I'm really not sure. I can't see him taking him clean because it has Cena heel turn written all over it. The Rock in his home town, returning to the "grandest stage of them all" to face the WWE's poster boy. The build up so far has only served to highlight how loved the Rock is comapred to how hated Cena is (The SS ending is the perfect proof of that.)

You have to feel sorry for Cena. He has done what was asked of him, nothing more and nothing less. I genuinely believe him when he says he doesn't care if people are cheering or booing. As long as people are reacting to him it proves he is still provoking some form of passionate response. But he's being hung out to dry. People resent him for the whole "Superman" Cena thing...but that is how the company have chosen to portray him.

It is pretty shocking when the top guy in your company regularly gets much more heat than your biggest heel.

Cena wont take Rock clean at Mania, no chance, he might win but it wont be as black and white as a clean win

Oh I know...I certainly hope it doesn't happen.

But if they keep portraying Cena as being so inferior to Rock it will add credibility to any win he can get...clean or otherwise.

I think it is only right that Cena goes over cleanly. Hogan did it for Rock.

It's not like The Rock will stick around on a full time basis after Mania anyway.

nasisillmatic wrote:I think it is only right that Cena goes over cleanly. Hogan did it for Rock.

It's not like The Rock will stick around on a full time basis after Mania anyway.

I think you'll find Rikishi did it for The Rock

nasisillmatic wrote:I think it is only right that Cena goes over cleanly. Hogan did it for Rock.

It's not like The Rock will stick around on a full time basis after Mania anyway.

Hogan didn't really do it for the Rock, lets get this clear, in 2002 Rock was the biggest name in the business, he was also getting plenty of main stream exposure, Hogan was lucky at that stage in his career to get such a big match, it helped that Rocky was a Hogan mark, Rock helped Hogan than night, he made an old man relavant again, it wasn't like when he put Warrior over in 1990

Hogan also got a title reign later
That year as part of the deal iirc.

It wasn't really part of the deal, Vince just saw how he could still work a crowd and thought it wouln't hurt to get the belt on him for a month and get an nostalgic pop as well as shift a new ton of Hogan merch

Maybe but then again maybe this way promised to hogan if he brought his a game.

Either way hogan was hanging around an got a lot out of letting rock go over, not sure who wins at wm, really with all the attention rock is drawing cena should turn heel and a load of lower upper card/midcard should be booked strongly to make new stars.

the-gaffer wrote:

nasisillmatic wrote:I think it is only right that Cena goes over cleanly. Hogan did it for Rock.

It's not like The Rock will stick around on a full time basis after Mania anyway.

Hogan didn't really do it for the Rock, lets get this clear, in 2002 Rock was the biggest name in the business, he was also getting plenty of main stream exposure, Hogan was lucky at that stage in his career to get such a big match, it helped that Rocky was a Hogan mark, Rock helped Hogan than night, he made an old man relavant again, it wasn't like when he put Warrior over in 1990

Rock may have been the present but Hogan showed him how to work a crowd that night & indeed he was the master

Hogan didn't let Rock go over, Hogan was lucky enough to get a major spot despite his age and the fact he was nowhere near important enough at that time, he accepted the match and duly knew his role, this wasn't some passing of the torch, that was long gone, it wasn't like 1990

Brady12 wrote:

the-gaffer wrote:

nasisillmatic wrote:I think it is only right that Cena goes over cleanly. Hogan did it for Rock.

It's not like The Rock will stick around on a full time basis after Mania anyway.

Hogan didn't really do it for the Rock, lets get this clear, in 2002 Rock was the biggest name in the business, he was also getting plenty of main stream exposure, Hogan was lucky at that stage in his career to get such a big match, it helped that Rocky was a Hogan mark, Rock helped Hogan than night, he made an old man relavant again, it wasn't like when he put Warrior over in 1990

Rock may have been the present but Hogan showed him how to work a crowd that night & indeed he was the master

I don't really agree with that, Rock had been controlling crowds for the best part of four years by that point, four of it's most over exposed years at that, all Hogan did was show him that he could still do it just as well if not better, I doubt Rock learned anything that night other than Wrestling fans are probably the most nostalgic fans around

Well it was a completely unique match that transcended professional wrestling. It proves you don't need two great wrestlers to have a great match.... I remember watching as a Rock fan but being a Hulkamania from my childhood I found the present colliding with my past & ultimately I returned to my warm cosy protected youth baying for a Hogan victory..... I still think the wrong guy went over in the match

A bit like the wrong guy went over at Summerslam 2005 and Summerslam 2006. Michaels and Orton should both have gone over Hogan.

Regarding the match with Orton, i always find this an interesting statement from Hogan:

In regards to the public reaction to Summerslam, and his treatment as an employee, he said:

“ Last year at SummerSlam, I fought Randy Orton—and me and Vince had some problems with the money. Before SummerSlam, I was a little worried because instead of being a main event match I was on fourth against Randy Orton. When I heard about the first three matches at the Fleet Center in Boston and it sounded like a funeral. And when I listened to the crowd reactions to those matches, it did sound like a funeral. Then, when my music came on it was like the old days people were stood up. It was electric. Randy is a great hard working wrestler and we fought an old school style match. That was the most exciting match I've ever had in the Fleet Centre. I wrestled Steve Borden in a cage, which was a great match in my opinion at least, but this one was better as after second-guessing I was like 'Oh my god, it still works'. Then Vince went out with his son and wrestled Triple H and Shawn Michaels and it was dead again. Cena went on for the main event, and people started leaving. ”

He also spoke extensively on his payment, and his concerns of not being a top priority to Vince McMahon, despite the fact that he felt he was the company's biggest draw:

“ I felt bad when the night ended, as they should have put me on later, but it was the money that really got to me. I swore I would never talk about the money again with Vince because that's what we always argue about. But when I saw the amount, it I was like that like one of my driver's paychecks, so I had to say something. He replied, 'Well you're not the only big guy any more, there are now 12 big guys.' I said, 'Well if that's the case let me explain something to you, I heard the first three matches and nothing. I wrestled and I heard what happened. And then I heard your match Vince and nothing. And I saw Cena, and people were leaving. I had a hard time getting out the building because of all the people marching through. 'So who are the other 11 big guys you're splitting my money with?'

Hogan, the biggest draw in the WWE in 2006? Get real.

He sounds deluded doesn't he.

He's confusing a nostalgic pop, probably from older fans who never expected to see him live again with actual drawing power

the-gaffer wrote:He's confusing a nostalgic pop, probably from older fans who never expected to see him live again with actual drawing power

Maybe Summerslam 06 but I don't think there's any doubt Hogan was the main draw at Mania 18. I remember being at Uni & my house mate saying 'I don't get what you see in this wrestling but if there's one match I've ever wanted to see its Hogan vs The Rock'

Brady12 wrote:

the-gaffer wrote:He's confusing a nostalgic pop, probably from older fans who never expected to see him live again with actual drawing power

Maybe Summerslam 06 but I don't think there's any doubt Hogan was the main draw at Mania 18. I remember being at Uni & my house mate saying 'I don't get what you see in this wrestling but if there's one match I've ever wanted to see its Hogan vs The Rock'

I absolutley agree. Back in 2002 Hogan was a big enough draw because he had been away from the WWE for so long, the NWO return was given a massive push.

Back to my point though, I do believe Cena should go over Rocky clean. I honestly think we will only see these 2 square off against eachother at Mania 28 so surely with Cena being a permanent member of the roster it makes sense.

Does anyone truly believe The Rock will work a proper schedule after Mania?

Rock if he wins the title might work a 3/4 week schedule until he drops it again

No way will Cena win clean though in my opinion, nor do I think it should be, great chance he will win but no way will it be straight up clean, this feud will have a re-match so a clean win will kill that

So if a re-match were to happen do you think Cena would injure The Rock at Mania thus giving him a reason to have time off until the lead up to Summerslam?

I also think making this match for the title would be a bad move. It does not need it.

I detest that saying

Any match that does need the World Title to make it bigger simply doesn't deserve it.

I fully believe the biggest Wrestling matches should involve the biggest prize in Wrestling

Agree with gaffer. The rock and Cena is going to be by far the biggest match on that card, why not make it for the biggest prize in the business

Plus if they do have a title match before this it kinda belittles what that title actually means when it is upstaged by one match

the-gaffer wrote:I detest that saying

Any match that does need the World Title to make it bigger simply doesn't deserve it.

I fully believe the biggest Wrestling matches should involve the biggest prize in Wrestling

It's all well and good havin the title on the line but The Rock will not be around full time after Mania so that only leaves 1 outcome - Cena wins.

I think with no belt on the line it makes the match more open. Would you really want to take the belt off Punk and give it to Cena just so it's a Championship match?

How do you know Rock wont be around after WrestlMania???? He definitely wouldn't come back full time but it's impossible to say he wouldn't work a 3/4 week schedule until the following PPV

As for Punk, would I take the title off him? Well he wouldn't have had the title for me, Punk wouldn't have lost it at SummerSlam and he would have held it until TLC where he'd then have been screwed out of it

It'd be hard to take the title off Punk now but I'd have no worries doing it at Elimination Chamber, the only reason this is an issue is because it's CM Punk, you have to take personal feeling out of th equation because otherwise wepd end up booking WrestleMania with Punk opening up the show, calling out Taker, ending the streak, beating Triple H for the title then showing up at the end and kicking Rock and Cena's asses

the-gaffer wrote:How do you know Rock wont be around after WrestlMania???? He definitely wouldn't come back full time but it's impossible to say he wouldn't work a 3/4 week schedule until the following PPV

As for Punk, would I take the title off him? Well he wouldn't have had the title for me, Punk wouldn't have lost it at SummerSlam and he would have held it until TLC where he'd then have been screwed out of it

It'd be hard to take the title off Punk now but I'd have no worries doing it at Elimination Chamber, the only reason this is an issue is because it's CM Punk, you have to take personal feeling out of th equation because otherwise wepd end up booking WrestleMania with Punk opening up the show, calling out Taker, ending the streak, beating Triple H for the title then showing up at the end and kicking Rock and Cena's asses

Ha sounds like a great Mania. I am a fan of Punk but I deffo don't think he is the 2nd coming of christ like some do. I just think that this rivalry goes beyond the title and the belt can be put to better use.

I also don't see why The Rock should get a Championship match when he has only made a handful of appearences since February. Can it be defended via satellite ha.

I agree with you that Rock will actually have to merit his title shot, you're completely right that he shouldn't just command at World Title shot but big names get special treatment in every walk of life, look at Brock Lesnar, how many fights did he have in UFC before he was given a World Title match?

I'm really not a fan of 'the title could be put to better use' talk like the other 'match doesn't need it'

The World Title for me is the most important single entity or at least it should be and with that it should be the focal point of the biggest feud at the biggest event

the-gaffer wrote:

The World Title for me is the most important single entity or at least it should be and with that it should be the focal point of the biggest feud at the biggest event

You know its a Poopie state of affairs when the Match doesnt need the title, but the title needs the match.

I don't think the title needs the match to be honest, I just feel at WrestleMania it should all come together

Wrestlemania is the biggest stage of them all. The WWE title is the biggest prize of them all. The Rock v John Cena is the biggest match of them all (upto now). So they should put them all together I think.

BTW which side am I on? John Cena.

Didn't Cena sa, when he last won the belt, he was going to do everything he could to keep the title between now & then? That line was forgotten very quickly he was congratulating Punk this week on Raw & didnt for one minute suggest he wanted it back

I hated that promo from Cena, he sounds like a presenter rather than a guy cutting a promo

the-gaffer wrote:I hated that promo from Cena, he sounds like a presenter rather than a guy cutting a promo

I find that alot with Cena's promos, the intensity he use to have hardly ever comes out these days and he just sounds cringeworthy. Hopefully this changes soon because The Rock will only up his promo's even more leading up to Mania.

I've got to say I agree with nasisillmatic, in that Cena-Rock shouldn't be for the title. While I see what some are saying in that the main title should be in the main event, the main focus of the title match should still be the title, and I for one would certainly rather have a situation where the title match isn't the main event but the title is still the focal point of the feud in which it is involved, than the title be in the main event, but be relegated to being an afterthought.

Team Bring It! im captain after all

BloscarPit09-ASK_HIM wrote:I've got to say I agree with nasisillmatic, in that Cena-Rock shouldn't be for the title. While I see what some are saying in that the main title should be in the main event, the main focus of the title match should still be the title, and I for one would certainly rather have a situation where the title match isn't the main event but the title is still the focal point of the feud in which it is involved, than the title be in the main event, but be relegated to being an afterthought.

I'd agree with that. The WWE Championship match should be two people fighting for the title, not two people who were going to fight anyway with the title parachuted in at a later date.