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Rate The Rock vs. CM Punk Feud

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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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#7,069 ·
Re: Backstage Update - The Rock To Win The WWE Title?

The Rock wins at both Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber and then drops it to Cena at Wrestlemania. Yes it's predictable but proper
 
#7,070 ·
Re: Backstage Update - The Rock To Win The WWE Title?

As long as i see Rocky in an EC match, i have no problem if he drops the title to Mr. Cena
 
#7,071 ·
Rock winning straight at the Rumble will be terrible.

Give Punk the biggest win of his career and later you can give the title to The Rock.
 
#7,073 ·
Re: Backstage Update - The Rock To Win The WWE Title?

lol at this "update". Cracks me up that somewhere someone gets paid to write down different outcomes and consider it behind the scene news.
 
#7,083 ·
Re: Backstage Update - The Rock To Win The WWE Title?

How about fuck Rock/Cena II and maybe do something original with the Rock instead this year?


Then who are you going to bring in because Punk vs Rock or Punk in any type of match won't draw big business? This is why the WWE doesn't book for the IWC cynics. You don't want rematches, yet the one of the biggest Wrestlemanias in history was a card full of rematches.
 
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#7,078 ·
Re: Backstage Update - The Rock To Win The WWE Title?

"swore to god"

What a load of crap.
 
#7,080 ·
Re: Backstage Update - The Rock To Win The WWE Title?

if wwe wants those big rating numbers they have to let punk win the wwe championship
me as a personal fan we love punk to retain but it won't be right for business
 
#7,081 ·
Re: Backstage Update - The Rock To Win The WWE Title?

:lol This report reminds me of the promo Cena cut when he promised the fans that he would retain his WWE title and that he couldn't lose because he made a promise to the fans. I forgot who he was feuding with. I think it was The Great Khali (I think).

Anyways, The Rock winning the WWE title has been pretty obvious to me so this seems like a pointless report. Although I would be quite surprised that they do go with Punk retaining which I wouldn't mind.
 
#7,088 ·
I love it how people say that Punk is a midcarder or he's not a star. Right, because just anybody can have a 400 day WWE Championship reign. Just anybody can even get camera time with The Rock, let alone promos, a brawl and a one on one match with him for the WWE Championship at a big four pay-per-view.

Totally not a star. All these people on this forum who say they could beat Punk in a fight, I highly doubt it.
 
#7,092 · (Edited)
I love it how people say that Punk is a midcarder or he's not a star. Right, because just anybody can have a 400 day WWE Championship reign. Just anybody can even get camera time with The Rock, let alone promos, a brawl and a one on one match with him for the WWE Championship at a big four pay-per-view.

Totally not a star. All these people on this forum who say they could beat Punk in a fight, I highly doubt it.
Dude. It's a work. What's the matter with you? His 400 day reign was selected by the McMahons. He's not a REAL champion like Floyd Mayweather or Serena Williams. HAHAHA. This is crazy!

Hopefully they do the smart thing and continue to build on Punk and not have Rock win and main event Mania again for another big buy rate.
That doesn't even make any goddamn sense. If Punk couldn't get established when it MATTERED in 2011 at his hottest, he damn sure isn't gonna turn the corner in 2013. His problems go back to Nash power bombing him every week and getting no payback. His problems go back to HHH beating him for NO REASON and then him accepting it the next night and becoming his tag partner. That's why CM Punk's reactions has never been the same and why he doesn't draw. Because all of this crazy talk about "going for the big buyrate" and all of that...let me tell you something..when Rock gets too busy at some point and they can't depend on him, CM Punk and John Cena aren't gonna cut it. They'll run to Austin..they'll run to somebody. GUARANTEED. They're lucky Raw is getting as high as rating as it's getting with this horrible show content by the week and Cena kicking out of 5 finishers in one match.
 
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#7,089 ·
Just got properly caught up with the whole Punk/Rock thing 100% and can easily say this is far more interesting that Cena/Rock. The promos between the two seem more intense and less 'cartoon like' plus, there is an actual heel in this feud, which Cena/Rock probably lacked dearly.

It would only make sense for WWE to let Punk win this thing at Rumble and establish him as the superior star of today but, WWE in recent years is known for abysmal booking decisions. Hopefully they do the smart thing and continue to build on Punk and not have Rock win and main event Mania again for another big buy rate. Sure, everyone wants to make a profit but, make a profit for one night or make a profit for the foreseeable future with Punk finally established and doing something Cena couldn't do in beating, Rock? I know what I'd choose.

Maybe 'being established' isn't the right choice of words, hopefully some know what I mean by it.
 
#7,090 ·
CM Punk is already established. I mean, the guy has held the belt for over 400 days so what more can he do? Rock has already put him over by saying how dangerous Punk is and how being the longest modern champion is a great achievement. Plus, even if Rock wins it doesn't mean Punk is completely buried. Rock is possibly the best person to win the belt because at least he will keep the credibility in the belt that Punk has restored. And if the dirtsheets are true about Punk facing Undertaker for the streak then that just shows that WWE have strong plans for Punk this year.
 
#7,094 ·
It' going to happen again like it or not because I guess Vince feels their is nothing bigger to use The Rock on for Wrestlemania as John Cena is only person in the whole company that is really a star. I agree I don't want to see it again but when WWE only really has 1 star of this generation what do you think your going to use The Rock for? Your not going use him to make new stars sadly but your going to use him to get the most buys for Wrestlemania and their are more then enough fans that will eat up Rock/Cena no matter how many times it happens.
 
#7,095 ·
So what. One guy only worked what? One match beforehand in 8 years and had a hectic schedule to accomplish? What was so good about Jericho and Punk? I was there. The match was getting cat called and you hear Jericho chants.....they were lucky they didn't get BORING chants with how everyone around me was bashing the match.

And Cena is not bigger than Undertaker. He never has been and never will be. Rock vs Undertaker or Brock is a bigger match than anything possible at Mania at 29 but they don't want to do it and it's gonna lead to trash being thrown in the ring at Cena at the end of the night. He's gonna get murdered at the Hall of Fame ceremony too. It's gonna be real bad..again
 
#7,098 ·
It's all good to me...I wont' be going to Mania to see Cena being put over. The celebration last year in Miami was beautiful though and the next night? Just as good with what happened all night with Daniel Bryan and Cena leaving the ring to "Fuck You Cena" chants like a straight up bitch made chump. Dude looked like he wanted to cry heading up that ramp. It was poetic justice. "Fuck You Cena" to their PG leader and "Thank You Rock" to a true icon. Can't get any better than that.

Well...except with NY and the fans from all the countries around the world load that ring up with trash. Got friends going...gonna need them to record that in HD for me.
 
#7,100 ·
Kayfabe or work, that is still impressive.
How? Only Cena got close to 400 days? Who gives a fuck. Was that really good? Did you enjoy that? It made 2007 unbearable. It was horrible. They ONCE AGAIN had to run to another top name to bail them out and that was Donald Trump, who was getting big ratings on television, and Stone Cold to hype up that year's Mania since nobody gave TWO FUCKS about Shawn Michaels vs Cena. Once again...Cena wasn't treated like the biggest thing at the show. Hell, the fans were more amped up for Taker vs Batista. And BTW...Taker's streak is bigger than a 400 day reign to the fans. That's what pisses the fans off when it's rumored to be broken. It never fails. It gets instant heat just like Vickie Guerrero. If they had any balls, it would be Taker vs Brock or Taker vs Cena with Rock vs Brock in the top spot. That would make this an AUTOMATIC nominee for one of the best Manias in awhile instead of settling. What's gonna happen to Punk? Make it a Triple Threat or put him against Taker and nobody buying it at all? LMAO.
 
#7,102 ·
I did not enjoy it. I got tired of Cena during 2007 myself. But Punk's reign has been better than Cena's has. He has cut great promos, put on terrific matches, his character his evolved. He has managed to stay interesting.

That's up for debate for what is bigger between Undertaker's streak and a 400 day reign. Both of them are pretty big, if you ask me. For a great deal of fans, it's the first 400 day reign they are seeing in their life.

I don't know about nobody buying CM Punk facing the Undertaker at Wrestlemania or him main eventing Wrestlemania. I think it will do a good buy rate with him in one of the big matches. I don't think Punk being in a main event match is going to convince people not to buy the show.

The Rock has put over CM Punk in a huge way. Now has been the perfect time for him to truly come into form.

Again, not just anybody gets a 400 day title reign, much less in this era where titles change so often.
 
#7,101 ·
And if the dirtsheets are true about Punk facing Undertaker for the streak then that just shows that WWE have strong plans for Punk this year.
No it doesn't. That match is actually pretty insulting to Punk, he should be in the main event after the run he's had.

The "strong plan" is that he'll get the title back later in the year for like 2 months so that Ryback can squash him.
 
#7,103 ·
Well I think if the plan as far back as a year ago was to have a Rock/Cena rematch then facing Undertaker at Wrestlemania is not a bad consolation prize because weill he isn't really a threat to end the streak that does not mean that they can't have a match that blows Lesnar/Triple H & Rock/Cena out of the water.
 
#7,106 ·
Rock/Cena or Rock/Lesnar is main eventing and closing WM. No matter who's going over. Taker didn't close when he was wrestling HHH and Cena/Miz was the main event with Rock standing tall. You're going to get an even worse reaction than Jericho/HHH for Taker/Punk which nobody buys and is one of the most predictable matches of all time. If Cena goes over and they're closing WM with trash thrown to the ring from the biggest gate they have ever done, they can only blame themselves for their stupidity. Taker should have closed the show at WM23 with Batista, that was also the original plan with the focus of the NWO tag match a month earlier all on their match.
 
#7,109 ·
I do think Punk/Undertaker match wise will blow Rock/Cena out of the water because I don't those two have great in-ring chemistry. I know many people feel the same about Punk/Undertaker but I am willing to give those guys another chance because Undertaker was not at 100% when they were feuding over the World Championship in 2009. No trash will be thrown in the ring at Wrestlemania if Cena goes over since that does not happen at WWE Events anymore but he will be booed out the building which I think both Cena and Vince kind of get off on even if they wish it did not happen.
 
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