So.... Who gets the famed Rock program at WM?

[Just call me Dan]

With all the talk of Wrestlemania feuds and programs beginning to take shape, who will The Rock face at Wrestlemania 21? I think it's pretty safe to assume he'll walse in around March and get something going.

 

Speculation is wild about Taker/Angle, or Angle/HBK, HBK/Edge, HHH/Orton, etc.

 

But who do you envision feuding with the Rock?

[Guest Fook]

It depends on whether he comes back as a heel or face.

 

If heel, he'll definitely face Cena.

If face, I'm not sure. I guess he could still fight Cena, but a face Rock would easily outpop Cena and make him seem second-rate, which is something the WWE doesn't want right now.

[Guest Loss]

I think Edge would be a great choice personally, if they wanted to really give him the rub. But Rock may not work WM.

[Just call me Dan]

How many times can he come back and just lose to the next flavor of the month, though? Can you see him pinning someone at Wrestlemania, only to give the rub some other time, if only to keep everyone on thier toes and not just expecting another Rocky job?

[Hunter's Torn Quad]

Because of his current schedule, it's not thought likely he'll be at Mania, at least not to wrestle.

[Matt Young]

It's in LA though, and he almost always appears at shows in LA and Anaheim (along with Miami, of course). And if I am somehow able to secure a ticket to the show, I want to see The Rock, dammit.

 

Anyway, if they go with HHH/Batista at WrestleMania, they should have Randy Orton beat The Rock. I figured that's what they were planning on after WMXX last year since they didn't do the logical thing and have Orton pin Rock at Mania in the handicap match before beating Foley at Backlash.

 

Rock/Cena, Rock/Michaels, and Rock/Edge would be great as well.

[Guest Loss]

Is it even known for sure that HBK will be back in time for Mania?

[bob_barron]

I thought HBK was only going to be out for a couple months.

 

I was hoping he'd be the blowoff to Kurt Angle's challenge when SD! came to San Antonio

[Guest The Shadow Behind You]

Rock getting a match would be a travesty. He can be a part of the show absolutely but not as a Worker. WM is the blowoff of the year, the show that rewards the year long workers for their work. Rock waltzing in for a 3 week program and getting a Big WM paycheck and leaving again is inexcuseable. I'll have no problem with him cutting a promo for the live crowd but he doesn't deserve a program.

 

If you look at my scenario on the other thread you'd see no one meaningful is left to pair with the Rock. If the Rock were to say and work a 3 month program ala 2003 with Austin, Hurricane, Booker and Goldberg where he made all four look good only for HHH to squash it. I'd have no problems with him coming to Smackdown to work a program with Eddy, since Eddy isn't main eventing and Eddy deserves a major program. Edge could use the rub but it'd reduce to a 3 weeks of comedy and one dueling money promo from the two. I'll pass.

 

I'll rather have Foley work a WM Program then Rock at this point. At least Foley is still in the wrestling business.

[Guest The Shadow Behind You]

Is it even known for sure that HBK will be back in time for Mania?

I'm pretty sure he's penciled in to return as a surprise entry in 2005 rumble.

[Guest webmasterofwrestlegame]

That injury he had takes quite a while to come back from. A lot of footballers here in England take a year out. I know he can carry it more than those in a 'real' sport, but still if it is the same injury, a Rumble return is an ultra-quick recovery.

[SuperJerk]

I don't see him wrestling. Maybe as a ref between Orton and HHH.

[Guest scratch]

He's been punking out Coach everytime he comes back to Raw for his bi-monthly appearance. If he even gets on the show at all, I GUARANTEE it's against Coachman. No doubt.

 

--Scratch

[Guest Coffey]

I could see him facing Edge as well. Then The Rock could still come back as a face and Edge could try to get some heat.

 

I could also see The Rock Vs. Eugene after Eugene turns on Regal and admits that he was never retarded and just used it as a way to get his foot in the door.

 

--Scratch

[JoeDirt]

Meltzer has said he doesn't really think Rock will have a match at Mania this year. He said it is possible that we'll see Foley and/or Austin, however. Hell, we could see Hogan, who knows. Things change quickly in this business.

[Guest The Shadow Behind You]

Foley is the only who even makes sense at this point in a likely Ref position. Rock likely will do something screwy with the coach backstage and he'll do the roving promo deal again and maybe give Eugene and Regal a pump up speech or even be in their side.

 

Perhaps if they do my scenario where Rhyno and Tajiri turn heel on Eugene and steal the titles with Trish as their manager, Rock can be Regal and Eugene's cornerman. Which would be a comic match right there esp considering it'd be Rock chasing Trish to a big reaction and eugene getting the rock bottom on Rhyno for the title win. It's perfect. It uses Rock in a meaningful way without taking someones spot.

[Guest Brian]

I think they should turn Cena heel and have him face Rock. If they go with HBK, I think they should save it for like a last match deal. I say only go with the fresh(er) match-ups from here on out.

[Brett Favre]

I think they should turn Cena heel and have him face Rock.

I agree with this. Since fans these days seem to be a bit more smarkish, or just for the hell of it, would want to cheer the bad guy, this would be the best way to get John Cena over.

 

I like the Rock putting younger talent over, but it's going to get to the point where he just loses every big match from now and on and it won't even matter. If he's facing Cena, it should be the last young talent he puts over before winning couple of matches here and there.

[Guest netslob]

let's just hope he stays in Hollywood making his shitty B-moives.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

What has the Rock been up to these days anyway?

[Guest netslob]

didn't you hear me...making shitty B-movies.

[CanadianChick]

I'd love to see a Jericho/Rock feud. With the way things are looking, I don't think Jericho really has any angles coming up.

[Fökai]

That injury he had takes quite a while to come back from.  A lot of footballers here in England take a year out.  I know he can carry it more than those in a 'real' sport, but still if it is the same injury, a Rumble return is an ultra-quick recovery.

EDIT: HBK's injury didn't require reconstructive surgery, so the rehabilitation time for the arthroscopic operation should have him back by the Rumble at the worst.

[DrVenkman PhD]

Unless I'm mistaken Angle and Rey returned from knee injuries with artho surgery in 1-2 months.

[The Tino Standard]

I'd love to see one more match between The Rock and HHH.

 

They started off around '96 in the low midcard, moved on to be the biggest upper-midcard program of '98, became new main eventers around the same time and were headlining shows in 2000. Now, they've both basically reached the 'untouchable' phases of their careers, meaning a loss to one another really wouldn't hurt either. Maybe you could make a case that HHH shouldn't lose to a guy that's wrestled basically once in the last year or two, but I think HHH is over enough that it wouldn't be a big deal, especially considering the Rock is a 7-time champ or whatever. Add all that to the fact that Rock is an established Hollywood commodity (how BIG a commodity is your call), and HHH is very transparently trying to do the same thing. And Wrestlemania is IN Hollywood this year.

 

It seems pretty obvious this won't happen, with the HHH-Orton main event a virtual lock, but hey, maybe, maybe not. They've gotten the belt off HHH and I don't think they'd vacate the title only to put it right back on him. Maybe they've panicked a bit and think the HHH-Orton match wouldn't draw. Doubtful, but you never know with this crew.

 

At any rate, I'd much rather see the Rock face an established 'untouchable' type guy this year instead of putting over the flavor of the week.

[Guest The Shadow Behind You]

It'd be nice for these two to have a Finality but HHH isn't laying down for Rock and Rock isn't laying down for HHH. They don't like eachother and it all stems from HHH's jealousy of The Rock's success and Rock's bitterness at HHH burying all of Rock's hard work in putting Jericho and Hurricane over huge by squashing them.

[iliketurtles]

The Rock vs. Edge would be logical. I want to see Rock/HBK, though.

[Just call me Dan]

Shit, with the way things have gone for the guy over the last 4 months, Rock/SNITSKY seems like a possibility.

[Guest The Shadow Behind You]

"Do you like....Babies?"

 

I'm digging it.

[Guest theanswer1824]

i like heel cena vs. face rock. rock should go back on to "HIS" show and help out on the ratings. he's been on raw the last few times so why not change it up?