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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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#3,418 · (Edited)
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

me too
 
#3,419 · (Edited)
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

Webber: "After practice things kind of simmered down and we had come into the weight room. And they’re doing some working out and we had a big coach’s office that looked out into the weight room. And KP was in the office kicking back, and I saw Dwayne walk in there and he turned and shut the door and locked it, and looked through that glass window and smiled at me. And I said, 'Oh no, here we go.'"
Laughed at this bit :Rock
 
#3,420 · (Edited)
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

Yeah definitely a pity we never got to see the 2003 Rock-Lesnar match in Miami on dvd.

Decided to look through some old Wrestling Observer Newsletters from around that time to see if Meltzer wrote anything about the match and just found this in the March 24th issue from that year -

"Rock worked his first house show since May on 3/15 in Miami, and even got to pin Lesnar in the main event as a rematch from SummerSlam…….Rock did try and turn the crowd on him early, but when it didn’t work, just gave up and worked as a face.. Rock got out of the F-5 and got the pin after the rock bottom.. He did a 10:00 interview after the match, during which about half the crowd left, introducing his wife, brother-in-law, mother and grandmother……….as well as some players on the Dolphins (Rock often trains with the Dolphins at their facility when in town).. He thanked the crowd for cheering him, saying “I know you’re supposed to boo” and said to Lesnar he was happy not to have to take an F-5 because “that really hurts.”. Match itself was okay."

Based on that, I figure they just didn't bother releasing it on DVD since the match itself was apparently only okay, and then the fact that half the building reportedly walked out during Rock's promo probably means they wouldn't want to show the post-match stuff either. Sounds like the whole thing is probably best left to our imagination.

I'd still like to see it though coz its sounds pretty fun. Maybe if Rock and Brock have a match in 2013 or 2014, they can put it as an extra on the blu-ray.
 
#3,421 ·
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

that match was supposed to for the wwe title i heard, but the rock was not planning on staying so it became a non title match.
 
#3,422 ·
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

No chance in hell are they going to waste a Rock appearance on a B PPV and him not wrestle. It's not worth it. WM 27 was different. It was WM and they pay off is worth it. But this is some B PPV and Rock gets paid big money when he appears at PPV's.

He's wrestling. Just have a rematch with Punk. Remember Punk will have a rematch clause to trigger.
 
#3,423 ·
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/wwe..._Chamber_Rhodes_Gives_Thanks_MVP_s_Theme.html

- As noted earlier, The New Orleans Arena is advertising The Rock for February's Elimination Chamber pay-per-view in new TV commercials. The arena went ahead with advertising The Rock in hopes of boosting ticket sales when they go on sale this weekend. WWE is still not advertising The Rock for the pay-per-view on their own website .
can't blame them. New Orleans doesn't have the sellout record on their resume (except for Saints games) and need all the desperation they need to sell out EC.
 
#3,426 ·
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

WOW that's pretty conclusive that Rock's working Elimination Chamber. I agree TRS its going to be Rock/Punk II or they could swerve us and have Rock defend it against another heel if Punk's instead in the No.1 Contender Chamber Match.

I think it would be better for the PPV if it wasn't Punk again, Rock's title defense will be huge regardless even if its up against Hornswaggle, I'd rather they then pad out the Chamber with Cena, Punk, Orton etc (IMAGINE LESNAR!")
 
#3,428 ·
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

According to Pwinsider.com, The Rock will be appearing regularly with WWE starting the week before the Royal Rumble. Word is that the Rock will, "probably average every other Raw leading into WrestleMania, if not more."

This is fucking huge, i just hope the rock appears at either the first of raw of 2013 or the first raw after TLC
 
#3,429 ·
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

According to Pwinsider.com, The Rock will be appearing regularly with WWE starting the week before the Royal Rumble. Word is that the Rock will, "probably average every other Raw leading into WrestleMania, if not more."

This is fucking huge, i just hope the rock appears at either the first of raw of 2013 or the first raw after TLC
Why not RAW before TLC?I mean how are they going to build Rock VS Punk at RR if Rock is not going to appear on RAW immediately after TLC?Whom will Punk confront with on RAW after TLC?I think the Rock will/should appear on all RAW's from TLC to RR.
 
#3,432 ·
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

Could maybe see Cena winning the Rumble, Lesnar winning the Chamber and Rock holding the title to set up Rock/Cena/Lesnar for the title (obviously with Cena winning unfortunately). That's the only way I'd want to see Rock/Cena in the same match, and can you imagine Lesnar inside the chamber? :mark:

Cena/Rock/Lesnar
Punk/Taker

Not my ideal scenario but I wouldn't mind that
 
#3,433 ·
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

Awesome about Rock working every other Raw if not more if true. If he actually competed at EC, that would be epic. Would give some younger guys a shot to mix it up with Rock, even if just for a couple of minutes would be awesome for them, and could lead to some great interactions.

Of course, chances are he's not competing in the EC, but it's still a nice thought. Hopefully at least he'd be on the show in some capacity.
 
#3,435 ·
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

The Rock inside the Elimination Chamber would be AWESOME!

The Rock wins at Royal Rumble.
Lesnar wins the Rumble match itself.

Rock/Lesnar for WM29! :mark:

Best of both worlds with Punk jobbing at Rumble and Lesnar/Rock still happening. The aftermath will be a bit of a problem, though. Two part-timers and will The Rock even work Extreme Rules to drop the belt properly if that'd happen? My biggest hope is that Punk fucks off after dropping it at the Rumble and perhaps being inside the Chamber itself.
 
#3,441 ·
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

What's his appearance dates before the rumble?
so far all we know is that the rock will be appearing at the raw before rr.
 
#3,438 ·
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

Rock is not working the chamber match, that's pointless. It will be stupid for him to work a match on a hopeless B PPV anyway, but if he's working a rare match, which I can't see, then the focus should be on two people, not 6. Especially when the half of the 6 are probably random mid carders.

Rock/Mysterio at the EC, I would accept.
 
#3,448 ·
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

Rock is not working the chamber match, that's pointless. It will be stupid for him to work a match on a hopeless B PPV anyway, but if he's working a rare match, which I can't see, then the focus should be on two people, not 6. Especially when the half of the 6 are probably random mid carders.

Rock/Mysterio at the EC, I would accept.
OH YES!!!Gosh dude Rock/Mysterio never came to my mind!!!It sure is one of Rock's dream matches.He did say at the HOF 2008 and in other interviews that he always wanted to wrestle Mysterio but unfortunately he never could.Rock/Mysterio will definitely happen before Rock's retirement because that's one match Rock is desperate to do.Rock/Mysterio is a strong possibility at EC and it will be amazing.You're a genius dude.
 
#3,440 ·
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

idc wat people say, the rock can never lose at wm ever, he has lost at 4 and that is enough, idc if he faces cena, punk, lesnar, TAKER!!, he can never lose at wm. the rock should and i hope he works every single raw between TLC and wm and can go beyond, mabey appear at some smackdowns too to boost up da ratingzz
 
#3,443 ·
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

True, if they promote him as the main attraction. If they simply promote the fact that he's going to be there to watch the EC match to find out who his opponent is or something. With a segment in the middle for the live crowd, then it shouldn't be a problem. Don't see who even suggested to waste a rare Rock match on a dead 150k PPV between the two biggest shows of the year.

But like I said, if that means they're doing something like Rock/Mysterio, which is not a Rock/Lesnar WM material but still a dream match, then I can live with it.

From what I understand, they're mainly promoting a Rock appearance, if he was really wrestling, they would probably be doing what they did with SVS last year.
 
#3,444 ·
Re: Official The Rock WWE Championship Discussion

I don't think they need to promote a Rock match like they did with SVS.

1. He'll be the champion.

2. He'll be on WWE TV well before EC even happens.

The reason they promoted SVS match before they even had a storyline, was because he was only going to show up on 1 RAW before the PPV. It wont be the case this time and 3 weeks is enough time when he's there every week.
 
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