I'm sure some of you have already started your list of explanations and excuses, but it's hard to argue the fact over five million people tuned into Raw Monday. Over five million people that knew going into it Rock had beaten CM Punk for the WWE Championship and John Cena won the Royal Rumble just a night before.
WrestleMania XXIX, The Rock versus John Cena, for the WWE Championship, live from Met Life Stadium, April 7th, 2013. Get used to reading, hearing, and seeing that.
If the rematch between Rock and Punk hadn't been announced for Elimination Chamber, I'd still be holding out for a triple threat at 'Mania, but I'm no longer expecting that to happen. Punk will be placed elsewhere on the card this year and I'd imagine he'll resume his position in the "main" main-event picture after Rock is gone again.
Am I excited to see Rock/Cena II this year? Not as much as some, but certainly not as little as others online like to claim they are.
Why does the majority of the IWC seem to forget ignore the fact that John Cena is still the number one star of the company? He may even be the number two star right now, but it's not Punk that's ahead of him – it's Rock. WWE are getting the most out of both of them, together, while they have the chance.
If you think CM Punk is somehow getting the short end of the stick as a result of this scenario, I would think the sixth-longest title run in WWE history should suggest otherwise. He did his job, as a heel, and he did it well.
If you want to gripe about something, gripe about the fact Punk turned heel in the first place. I'll join you in that fight.
This year's WrestleMania headliner is NOT the problem. The Rock defending the WWE Championship against John Cena will once again sell this pay per view for the masses. The problem WWE now faces is how to make this match more compelling than it was the first year. The title is a start, but I'm not sure it's enough.
This pay per view match, as it stands, holds a very predictable outcome. I agree that's an issue, but we're really only looking at it from one side of things – who gets the victory. I would argue it's easy to guess the victor in most matches these days, so that's not the only reason we watch them.
The story being told along the way is where WWE's focus should be. If they can find a way to make THAT part less predictable, I don't think fans would mind the predictable match result as much.
That begins and ends with John Cena. His character has to evolve. Hardcore fans aren't really sick of Cena, the star or wrestler – they're sick of what he consistently represents. They're sick of the fact his gimmick hasn't remotely changed in over five years.
Some would say the same is true for Rock, but that's comparing apples to oranges. The Rock isn't around all the time, Cena is.
We need change and evolution in our entertainment, more now than ever. Our attention spans are much shorter, and our expectations are much higher. "Same old, same old" just doesn't cut it anymore.
The Rock vs Cena II is going to draw, and draw well. Last night's rating proves it. Internet fans who disagree can't argue those numbers. Of course, internet fans had nothing to do with the actual spike either. We watch every week anyway.
I'm not claiming your criticism toward this match isn't valid. It is. But I think you're arguing the wrong points.
"CM Punk should still be champion!" isn't a valid argument; it's a biased opinion because you're a fan of Punk's.
"No one wants to see John Cena vs The Rock again!" isn't a valid argument; it's simply wrong, as proven by Monday's numbers.
Your argument should come after WrestleMania 29, and only if WWE, The Rock, and John Cena fail to deliver a compelling program. They already did it once. They can very well do it again.
Give it a chance.
To do that, however, you have to give John Cena a chance. And I'm not sure some of you are capable of doing that.
