The wwe had a chance to recapture a bigger audience with the Rocks latest run in the company. I got buried last year in the forums for suggesting it, but I always enjoyed the Rock better as the heel then a face. I get it though, he was gone for a long time and mania was in his home town. Last year was good business and a big success.
Despite mania being a success. The product didn't experience a sustained ratings growth after he vanished from tv. There are many reasons but as the Rock made his return I thought the Wwe had a chance to make a big splash.
The story was teeing itself up perfectly. CM Punk turned heel by attacking the Rock over the summer. He then joined forces a few months later with Heyman. Punk wore shirts about being a Heyman guy. It was great tv. Enter bogus referee Brad Maddox. He helps Punk retain against Rybak. At that time we all assume Maddox was working for Punk and Heyman, but it's never confirmed.
Weeks later the Shield starts helping Punk and again it's never confirmed they are working for Punk. To me it was all setting up. The audience was assuming they were all working for Punk and we were just waiting for the big reveal. At this point the Wwe should have inserted the Rock. There should have been a nice lead up to the rumble with no Shield attack situations where the Rock has internal bleeding afterwards.
Vince should still have banned the Shield from ringside. It would have been important for Vince and Rock to have a few backstage interactions where Vince is supporting the Rock. The board is happy the Rock is back. Nothing too over the top.
At the rumble we have a close match. Multiple kick out of finishers and tons of near misses. In the wrap up Rock gets irritated. He loses focus and Punk gets him in the gts. The Rocks legs swing and catch the referee. Punk goes for the cover, but the ref is down. Punk takes this opportunity to ask Heyman for the belt to strike the Rock with. Punk sticks his head between the ropes and reaches out for the belt. Heyman strikes him in the head with it. The Rock rises up and scoops the stricken Punk into a rock bottom. The ref rises to count the 1 2 3.
Heyman and the Rock celebrate over the fallen Punk. The next night on raw Heyman reveals that the Rock and him had conspired against Punk from the start using the Shield and Brad Maddox to keep Punk champion until the rumble. The Rock didn't want to face an animal like Rybak who could damage the Rocks looks, vital to his acting career. So Heyman kept Punk champion and set him up to be easy pickings for the Rock. Punk was easy to fool because he was a Heyman guy. Heyman points out that he works with only big stars like Lesnar and the Rock. Not guys like Punk.
The Rock then would admit that the only reason he came back was because Vince filled his pockets and gave the Rock the freedom to continue to his acting career and make three times what the regular wrestlers make. He didn't do it for the people. He did it for the money.
Another good wrinkle is that Vince is not in support of the Rock. He realizes that he has gotten played by the Rock, but the iron clad contract he gave the Rock to come back prohibits him from taking aggressive action against the Rock under the threat of a lawsuit. So the normal Vince reaction of trying to screw over who ever screws him doesn't happen. Further moving up Rocks status and enraging the crowd.
It could have gone a lot of places from there, but the heat to kick it off would have been huge. It would have been fresh. It would have been different. It would have drawn big money on the road to wrestle mania.
Many will say the Rock couldn't go face because of his acting career, but I don't buy that. I think people old enough to see the movies he's currently in realize that it's entertainment and if they are fans of his movies they would still see them. Also the angle would wrap after Mania where he would be off tv and the heat would subside.
Others would say you can't turn a guy like the Rock. He's a legend. A permanent fan favorite. To those fans I say remember 1995 and Hogan. It's certainly doable and would have been huge. That's what makes it so good.
I guess we can all just wonder and keep enjoying those twitter trends like fruity pebbles and Twinkie tits. I can't wait for the next Rock concert.
