The OtherArena

[Rian]

Cena/Rock vs Corre is the next battle, why do you think they were thrown out there at the end?

[corrado]

I dunno about that. The Corre were treated as geeks with a comical attack that went awry. They might have a match next pay per view or down the road but I cant see them pissing the Rocks return on a possible squash like that.

Unless they're going to do a setup ala Michaels/Hogan with tag team matches only to have Cena swerve ala Michaels.

[jdw]

It's kind of an interesting concept:

Nothing Cena does between now and then matters, because the Big Match is with Rock next Mania

I'm not sure they're thinking of it in those terms. Arguably a great group of storywriters can come up with stuff for Cena to do to occupy that time... and fill the product. But they're kind of hit and miss on that stuff.

I'm not exactly against trying to make a crapload of money on Mania next year with that match. But I'm wondering what advantage there is in announcing it *now*. Is there hope that Rock is going to talk about it in every interview between now and then?

I'd really be interested in knowing how much cash they're tossing at Rock. Given his movie career, he really don't need a $1M or two.

John

[kjh]

It's pretty clear he's not doing it for the money, but because performing in front of a live crowd again has given him the itch to do another match. You could see at Mania, he was loving having such a huge live crowd in the palm of his hand while cutting a basic promo.

[Steve Yohe]

Cena is either going to get hurt or they will job him all year to set up mania...like they did with Taker.---Yohe

[Rian]

Corre vs Rock/Cena at Summer Slam or more likely Survivor Series. Like John said, nothing that Cena does now means anything because of the match already announced. Rock and Cena both need to show that they can trust each other, other than a blow-off little mini battle...before the actual buildup to Entertainmania which would occur after the tag match in which one of them beats the crap out of the other (Cena over Rock IMO) to drive home the "I don't like you but I do respect you" angle again.

[JAG]

Rock/Cena tag match is the perfect way to do it.

It's how they set up Hogan-Savage and Hogan-Warrior two years in a row.

Of course those drew 11-plus rating for The Main Event and a SNME, so the impact will be far less on a PPV drawing 300,000 or so buys.

I'm far more annoyed about them setting up a HHH/Taker rematch for no goddamn reason.

Jagdip

[DalyCityTrain]

Since they've already announced Rock vs. Cena for next year's Mania, they could build up the prestige by having Cena put up his match against The Rock in PPV matches against HHH and Taker, and have Cena go over those two, establishing him as a real #1 going into the big match at Mania. Sort of the opposite tact from jobbing him before the big win. I mean, since they're already treating The Rock as bigger than their biggest stars, might as well push this as Cena's elevation to legend status. Get some residual benefit for your supposed franchise guy.

I know using a potential match like a title to be contested sounds a little silly, but they've done it with MitB and Rumble winners in the past.

[Jeremy Billones]

The interesting thing about naming Rock-Cena a year in advance is that it actually affects four matches:

Who will be in the WWE title match? Not Cena.

Who will be in the World title match? Not Cena.

Who will wrestle the Undertaker for 20-0? Not Cena.

Obviously the WWE has a year to come up with the 5 names to fill these slots. (Trip probably has his eye on the last one.) But still.

[jdw]

Going backwards from one of the things Jeremy mentioned:

Who will win the Royal Rumble? Not Cena.

That is if the Rumble is for a title shot.

John

[Kronos]

[corrado]

Honestly I rather see Punk feud with Austin. Yeah I know that sounds ridiclous, but Austin was hinting at a possble "one last match" in various interviews. Not to mention he was at his most physical in years on RAW with Riley. Perhaps he does have one last match in him, and I would like to see him put over Punk. Mainly because that would be a killer feud and something that'll bring out the best in Punk due to their obvious differences regarding alcohol.

But that is a problem though. Next year's mania has Rock/Cena already. And probably Trips/Taker. if Austin somehow returns, the main events if they're not about the championships, are already filled. There's very little room for main events. Which is why I'll never get the decision to overdo MITB at a separate PPV and move it from Mania where it wouldve put over perhaps a new face or two.

[Rian]

[jdw]

It's Rock vs Cena at Mania, so it can't be:

* Cena wins Rumble for shot at title at Mania

* Rock vs Cena at Mania for a shot at the title TBD

Just doesn't add up.

John

[Bob Morris]

The bigger problem I see is that, if Austin does return for one more match, it's a WM basically being anchored by four guys whose peak period dates back to the Attitude Era... or if you prefer, the Monday Night Wars era and the year the InVasion angle took place.

Rock, Taker and HHH are already penciled in. Now you add Austin?

I know we've reached the point where the WWE name and the Wrestlemania name sell themselves, but who have they got to anchor the company besides Cena, who may have peaked out by this point?

WWE better figure out who they want to build the company around. The Attitude Era top guys have reached the end of what they have to give... Rock being the exception, both because he's younger and he didn't stick around as much as the others did.

Regardless, the company can't just keep clinging to their Attitude Era guys.