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Rate The Rock vs. CM Punk Feud

  • Underwhelming :punk3

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  • Great :punk:rock3

    Votes: 130 34.3%

Official The Rock vs. CM Punk Discussion Thread

823K views 9K replies 1K participants last post by  Nimbus 
#1 · (Edited)
wwe.com said:
Perhaps the parade was premature. Perhaps the celebrating, the humble tweets to The People and the legions of Team Bring It, and the proclamation that FINALLY, The Rock was WWE Champion once again jumped the gun by just a bit. Maybe, just maybe, The Rock put the horse before the cart when he celebrated his latest triumph on Raw Roulette, because CM Punk is not done with The Great One by a long shot.


How could he be, either? When a Superstar holds the WWE Title — Punk’s “life’s work,” in his own words — for 434 days spread across three calendar years, he does not just simply throw up his hands and call it a good run when the prize is taken from his clutches. So it was of no surprise when, during The Rock’s celebratory address to the WWE Universe as its new champion, The Straight Edge Superstar himself declared would be evoking his rematch clause – “granting” Rock a rematch was how he earned it – at Elimination Chamber. It was also of no surprise that The Rock gladly accepted.

But once again, maybe Rock is counting his proverbial chickens too early, because for all CM Punk’s feverish boasting in his final days as champion, he was right about one thing after the Royal Rumble: Hedidpin The Rock. It was one-two-three in the middle of the ring, although it took a sneak attack by who we can only assume was The Shield to weaken The Brahma Bull enough for Punk to make the pin. And it was only after Mr. McMahon restarted the bout that The Great One found enough of a second wind to silence CM Punk and put The Straight Edge Superstar to sleep, claiming his eighth WWE Championship in the process.

So at Elimination Chamber, the most brutal pit stop on The Road to WrestleMania, The Rock will face his own personal demon yet again. And The People’s Champion will have to be very, very careful, because CM Punk does not make the same mistake twice, and he is very, very angry. The very real opinion exists — depending whom you ask — that Punk should still be WWE Champion. And with it, the very real possibility exists — should The Rock think one victory equals winning the war — that The Brahma Bull’s parade could end as soon as it began and that CM Punk will be champion again, with history in his hands for the third time.


Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson said:
Over 100 years of Heavyweight Champions.

3 generations in my blood.

New WWE Champion.

My honor. TEAM BRING IT.


wwe.com said:
Attitude Era original Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will compete in his first World Title match in more than a decade when he challenges WWE Champion CM Punk, the longest-reigning WWE Title holder of the past quarter-century, at Royal Rumble on Jan. 27.

The WWE Universe has anxiously awaited The Great One’s return to the WWE Title picture since he announced his championship opportunity on Raw 1,000 last July. Though there was no guarantee at the time whom The Rock’s opponent would be, the always-confident Punk fired an opening salvo that night, cutting down The Rock with a clothesline before knocking him out with a picture-perfect Go to Sleep. The following week, The Voice of the Voiceless defended his actions by suggesting The Great One, having been “gifted” a WWE Title match, viewed victory at the Royal Rumble as a foregone conclusion.

Whether a real or perceived slight, the implication that The Rock places himself on a higher plane than the current WWE Champion was seemingly all the motivation Punk needed to make sure he would still have the title on Jan. 27.

In the half-year since Raw 1,000, The Second City Saint stunned WWE fans by aligning with Paul Heyman and ratcheting up the vitriol of his speech. More important than either of those details, he has — by hook or by crook — maintained possession of the championship gold. Having turned back challenges by John Cena and Ryback in recent months, The Best in the World now looks ahead to testing himself against the seven-time former WWE Champion who vowed in 2012 to regain the title.

For The Rock, an A-list Hollywood action star and third-generation Superstar who has sports-entertainment coursing through his veins, the Royal Rumble title match represents the start of a potential career renaissance inside the ring. Since March 2004, The Most Electrifying Man in All of Entertainment has competed in only two sanctioned WWE matches, teaming with John Cena to shred The Awesome Truth (The Miz & R-Truth) at Survivor Series 2011 and overcoming the Cenation leader at WrestleMania XXVIII.

But by vying for the most treasured prize in sports-entertainment, The Rock is committing to more than another appearance as a “special attraction.” Rather, he is setting his eyes on again becoming WWE’s gold standard.

Hell-bent though The Rock may be on introducing a new generation of WWE fans to The People’s Champion, there is no discounting Punk’s deftness once the bell rings. Controversial endings to several high-profile title defenses may have tarnished The Second City Saint’s reputation in the eyes of some critics, but they have done nothing to change the fact the WWE Championship still sits around his waist. Before his seedier side came into focus in late summer, Punk spent much of 2012 disposing of WWE’s best and brightest, ranging from Chris Jericho and Daniel Bryan to Dolph Ziggler and Kane. How will the WWE Champion match up against one of the pillars of The Attitude Era?

As the WWE Universe excitedly counts down the days until Jan. 27, the back-and-forth between two of WWE’s most compelling talkers is bound to pick up steam. It will not be until the Royal Rumble, however, that the trash talk gives way to the gravity of a game-changing WWE Championship bout, the likes of which hasn’t seen in years. Will Royal Rumble mark the rebirth of a championship Brahma Bull, or will it only underscore what Punk has claimed all along, that he is untouchable and in a class by himself?
The Rock explains why he wants WWE Title

WWE part-time star The Rock revealed why re-capturing the WWE Title is important to him in a new interview with WWE Magazine. It's a statement that has been missing from WWE television leading up to the Royal Rumble PPV.

"It starts with recognizing what the WWE Championship represents to me," Rock said in the February 2013 issue. "Every time I hold that title over my head in victory, it not only signifies the fact that I have delivered the absolute best entertainment that I could to the WWE Universe, but that I'm taking a moment to live an experience that all the generations of wrestlers in my family strived to achieve.

Rock continued, "There is no other award that I could receive that's as deeply ingrained in my blood and history as the WWE Championship - and that's why it means so much to me."

At the same time, Rock said that after his first WWE Title reign - which came in 1998 - he decided that he would never allow his possession of or lack of the WWE Title define his career.

"After my first WWE Championship run came to an end, I made a conscious decision that night that I would work harder than any other Superstar in the locker room to become the type of WWE entertainer who, if I never had another championship run again, it would not define my career. I never wanted to rely on a title run for success."

Rock's next statement reflects his recent approach to mixing "entertainment" with "seriousness." Rock concluded, "My goal was to get to a place where I relied only on what I could bring to the table in terms of being entertaining and having a one-of-a-kind - and electrifying - connection with all of the WWE Universe."

[ FYI: Rock's interview is part of a cover-feature on Rock in the latest WWE Magazine. ]

Link - http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/WWE_News_3/article_68014.shtml














 
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#6,658 · (Edited)
The brawl was fine, and last week's promo was so hate-filled between the two men, especially on Punk's end, that they warranted a brawl. Didn't feel forced at all. However, it clearly wasn't the strongest it could've been and I think a big part of that is due to the abrupt ending. It felt like right as they were getting started and a lot of people were coming down to break it up, the show ended. They should've had more time to really go at it.

With that in mind, for the maximum result for the feud as a whole, they should've done this at the go-home show next-week on Raw or Smackdown, because now next week, what are they supposed to do to top it? Another brawl? Meh. Another "heated" chat? Eh. It feels like they reached the top they could do now before their match at Royal Rumble. Next week I don't have a clue what they'll do to keep the momentum of the feud going from the last few weeks. So yeah, it probably should've been the end of Raw next week.

How I would've done it was last night on Raw, after Rock's played a few songs and had his fill, Punk ambushes Rock from behind, hits him with the guitar or something, and hit the GTS. Then next week it would've been set up perfectly for Rock and Punk to get it on like what we saw tonight, except do it in the ring, with more time.

Edit: Oh, and lol to those thinking Punk is going to get cheered more than Rock/get Rock booed at RR. Not gonna happen, and frankly, considering Punk is the clear cut heel, they better be hoping for character alignment sake that it's not 80-20 in Rock's favor, it should be 100% in Rock's favor and 100% against Punk. Of course there will always be some people who will cheer Punk in the audience no matter what, but I'm expecting a very pro-Rock crowd RR and Punk to get booed out of the building.
 
#6,659 ·
Really enjoyed the rock concert. Vickies reactions were priceless.

The promo by Rock was great as was the one by Punk earlier. This feud is already miles ahead of Rock/Cena because of the intensity being shown by both guys. Theres no noselling, no shrugging everything off just 2 guys who have a problem with eachother who want to fight. Simple pro wrestling at its best.

The brawl I thought was decent and well done although it should have been given more time. It builds intrigue into what happens next week and im sure they have something lined up.

Rock/Foley promo was gold earlier in the show as well
 
#6,662 ·
Re: What did you think of the Rock concert and Rock/Punk brawl?

As great as Punk is, I wish we had Cena in his shoes. Dominating corporate heel (if Cena were heel, he'd be a corporate one) with a 424 day reign, having crushed everyone under his boot must now face Rocky. Oh, and I know it's scripted, but Cena's size DOES make him more threatning to Rocky as well.


It would have been that dream feud people expected Cena/Rock to be, but failed because "WE GOTTA KEEP THIS CENA FACE RUN GOING FOR AS LONG AS WE FUCKING CAN!" They forced both guys to handicap themselves on the mic, and it was BULLSHIT!
 
#6,667 ·
Re: What did you think of the Rock concert and Rock/Punk brawl?

The Rock concert didn't last that long, he didn't even take any shots at Punk, he just took some shots as Heyman and Vickie.. the Punk/Rock brawl was awesome.
 
#6,669 ·
Re: What did you think of the Rock concert and Rock/Punk brawl?

 
#6,671 ·
Re: What did you think of the Rock concert and Rock/Punk brawl?

The way Punk was last night was the way he should've been from the get go after his heel turn instead of being a cowardly heel he came across as a hell who was actually a threat last night,making Brodus tap out and taking it to The Rock,I approved.
 
#6,672 ·
Re: What did you think of the Rock concert and Rock/Punk brawl?

not as gud as last years concert but the brawl was good
 
#6,674 ·
Re: What did you think of the Rock concert and Rock/Punk brawl?

I think the rock has become a lame fuck. What the fuck happend to him ? He,s worse then Cena at this point. When the rock was going to call out punk I was like finally a little serious rock and then he starts with the jokes again like what the fuck. Punk saved the segment.
 
#6,693 ·
Re: What did you think of the Rock concert and Rock/Punk brawl?

I think the rock has become a lame fuck. What the fuck happend to him ? He,s worse then Cena at this point. When the rock was going to call out punk I was like finally a little serious rock and then he starts with the jokes again like what the fuck. Punk saved the segment.
PG fans ain't shit. LOL. Trying to compare the greatest of all time to a guy that took 5 finishers and won with ease last night. PURE comedy.
 
#6,675 ·
Re: What did you think of the Rock concert and Rock/Punk brawl?

Thought the vicky part was funny. The ending of RAW was great, with the punk/rock brawl. This is how it should be.
 
#6,680 ·
Re: What did you think of the Rock concert and Rock/Punk brawl?

apart from rock singing about vickie i think the concert sucked a lot, and the brawl was pretty unimpressive too. I don't know if it was because Rock was off his game, I don't know since he had an awesome segment with Foley backstage, but for whatever reason nothing really seemed to click last night, not just for Rock, but for everyone.
 
#6,682 ·
Re: What did you think of the Rock concert and Rock/Punk brawl?

It was O.K, but tellingly when Finaly showed up at the end I forgot everything and was like "Finally, the TRUE fighting Irish Champion has indeed come back to the WWE!"

Also Punk seemed to be getting in the majority of the offense in in the brawl which was odd.
 
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