John Cena vs The Rock
Ace: I feel like so much of this match was about the build up. I know, the build up is for the match itself, but I feel the winner of the promos and the verbal attacks is just as meaningful, if not more, than the guy who actually wins. And if I judge it by that, John Cena has already won. I know, everyone loves The Rock and loves to hate Cena, but the past few weeks have made me realize something, I really don’t like The Rock. As a wrestler, he is nothing more than an immature bully. He relies on catch phrases and blind support and actually says very little (that isn’t about his penis or his constant ‘pie’ eating). He is that dumb jock, who picks on you for liking star wars and wearing bright colors. He calls you stupid nicknames and says you have no balls. He talks about his Clydesdale and how much sex he has. Every promo he cut, I felt like I liked him less. Which, in turn meant I liked John Cena more. I get John Cena’s argument. I have been asking those questions he has for the past year. This match, I hope Cena wins. In my mind, he already has, and the outcome of the Wrestlemania match wont change that.So this is it, eh? One of the best WrestleMania cards in a very long time, topped off with a “once in a lifetime” match pitting two of the best in wrestling history, one-on-one. Make no mistake, they BOTH are two of the best. John Cena will hit the ring and the Miami crowd will boo him until their lungs give out, but I have a sneaky suspicion that during the actual match itself the Cena fans will come alive.
Ken: Finally. I said… Finally. We can be done with this and move on with our lives. And, boy, isn’t the whole world talking about this one? OK, OK, it’s too easy to poke a hole in this misguided hype balloon, so let’s focus on the positive. It has been fun to have The Rock (kinda) back. Acoustic guitar “concerts” aside he has continued to be the entertaining cyclone of promos we remembered him as. He’s still got it in the ring, still in great shape, and he’s freakin’ Roadblock, so having one more in-ring WrestleMania moment with Dwayne is at the very least going to be fun. For John Cena, the last year, particularly the last few weeks, has actually seen an interesting wrinkle added to his character. I call it Angry Cena, a cross between his Thuganomics past and Super Cena present. Whether by design or not, Angry Cena has been coming off slightly more fresh and intriguing than The Rock’s “hey, remember when I used to say stuff like this” good times highlight reel rhetoric. I actually hope Angry Cena stays around awhile. At the end of the day, though, one has to wonder if Rock-Cena is the “dream match” we’ve all been waiting for. Rock-Hogan actually had that kind of magic. But, in these times, with too many entertainment choices, a jaded fanbase, and a tempered, TV-ready WWE Universe, Rock versus Cena lacks the true watercooler interest to make this what they wanted it to be. Call your bookie and put money down on Cena winning, but the event somehow ending with The Rock posing on the ropes, hand held high in a social media victory.
I’ve been very vocal about my support for John Cena in this feud. Rock is great – he’s truly in a league of the all-time greats both in the ring and certainly on the mic. He defined the Attitude Era with Triple H and Steve Austin, there’s no doubt about it. But Cena has been here for the last seven years when, as he said, it wasn’t so “cool” to be a WWE fan. It takes a lot to stand up and entertain millions of people; it takes a lot more to do it when they’re booing you. So I’ll cheer for John Cena, and I’ll cheer for the Rock. No matter what happens, wrestling fans win. This is going to be a powerful experience – the same way Rock/Austin was, the same way Rock/Hogan was. The MegaPowers are colliding again, two decades later. And whether you’re on #TeamCena or #TeamRock (or Team Rocket?), this will be a special moment, “brother”. Ooooooh Yeeeaah! Dig it?
Prediction: Rock wins. More importantly, we all win.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Thanks so much to Ken Napzok, who you can follow on Twitter @Kozpan for a good time. And thanks to my good friend Ace Waters, whose musical project you can follow @MotiveMakesAMan – he’s currently recording the final song of a two-disc album set for release soon!
Guys, I’m really excited for tonight. If you’re in Miami, have a ton of fun experiencing the magic that is a live WrestleMania. You’re going to witness history tonight. If you’re not in Miami, grab some pizza, invite all your friends over, and get ready for a party.
In just a few short hours (or minutes, depending on when you read this), the opening package will play, “Welcome, to WrestleMania!” will sound, and the greatest wrestling event of the year will be underway.
Once in a Lifetime.
