WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:06.960 I'm not a still told razors outs in the sales 2 00:00:07.519 --> 00:00:12.039 Sino versus the shall stop O Cogan and the la 3 00:00:12.519 --> 00:00:13.439 in the same. 4 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:16.160 Way you remember, take my place and their head. 5 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:22.559 The hass gags so much? Oh my god, what but 6 00:00:22.879 --> 00:00:23.359 not mine? 7 00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:25.760 Host do just tip seeing us get off. 8 00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:34.679 It. It will be austin' you believe. 9 00:00:34.679 --> 00:00:35.600 And they're a pole. 10 00:00:41.439 --> 00:00:44.640 Hey guys, what's going on? And welcome back to Rivalries 11 00:00:44.679 --> 00:00:49.439 on the WWE podcast on this good Friday, and happy 12 00:00:49.479 --> 00:00:52.119 Easter to all you guys. I hope you're able to 13 00:00:52.240 --> 00:00:54.520 enjoy it with it wherever you are, if maybe, if 14 00:00:54.560 --> 00:00:57.320 you're in it in an area where you're ahead of 15 00:00:57.359 --> 00:01:01.039 the curve on as far as COVID nineteen goes, and 16 00:01:01.159 --> 00:01:03.320 you guys have the vaccines and you're able to enjoy 17 00:01:03.399 --> 00:01:06.480 with your loved ones. Not so lucky up here in Quebec, 18 00:01:06.519 --> 00:01:11.000 in Canada, or all of Canada that is, as of 19 00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:14.159 COVID vaccines are kind of behind the eight ball here 20 00:01:14.280 --> 00:01:17.480 right now, And at least in my neck of the woods, 21 00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:21.159 Easter is canceled for all intents and purposes. But at 22 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:23.079 least I get to spend it with you guys, And 23 00:01:23.159 --> 00:01:25.799 today we are here to talk about one of the 24 00:01:25.959 --> 00:01:30.239 biggest rivalries of the past generation and one that I'm 25 00:01:30.280 --> 00:01:33.719 surprised that I never covered here on the ww podcast, 26 00:01:33.799 --> 00:01:37.079 and that is The Rock versus John Cena that went 27 00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:41.319 from two thousand and eleven all the way until two 28 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:46.200 thy thirteen, which really kicked off when The Rock came 29 00:01:46.359 --> 00:01:51.159 back to Monday Night Raw in two thousand eleven February. 30 00:01:51.159 --> 00:01:55.799 It was actually Valentine's Day, two thy eleven, and you know, 31 00:01:56.319 --> 00:02:00.680 by this point in WWE, it had been seven and 32 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:04.359 a half years since The Rock had really been a 33 00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:11.560 regular as a regular performer on Raw, and it really 34 00:02:11.599 --> 00:02:15.159 he started phasing out in about two thousand and two. 35 00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:19.560 Following Wrestleming eighteen versus Hall Cogan, he came back, had 36 00:02:19.599 --> 00:02:22.759 his last WWE Championship run in the summer of two 37 00:02:22.800 --> 00:02:26.240 thousand and two, lost it to Brock went Away, came 38 00:02:26.400 --> 00:02:30.080 back in February of two thousand and three, and really 39 00:02:30.120 --> 00:02:35.400 had his final run as a as a full time 40 00:02:35.479 --> 00:02:40.039 competitor leading up to WrestleMania nineteen against Stone Cold Steve 41 00:02:40.039 --> 00:02:43.919 Austin in the final match of their Trilogy of WrestleMania 42 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:47.520 contest and then following that he had the short program 43 00:02:47.560 --> 00:02:52.159 with Goldberg. That culminated at the Backlash pay per view 44 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:55.439 following WrestleMania, and that was pretty much good Night the 45 00:02:55.520 --> 00:02:58.000 Lights for the Rock. As a full time competitor in 46 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:03.159 WWE over the Core three, he came back sparingly. I 47 00:03:03.240 --> 00:03:07.719 remember he came back to help mcfoley beat up Alarizis Stance, 48 00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:11.479 or in early two thousand and four he came out 49 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:16.840 to help mcfoley go up against the Evolution, and then 50 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:19.240 they had a match at WrestleMania, the three on two 51 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:23.599 handicap match. And then in the spring and summer of 52 00:03:23.639 --> 00:03:27.199 two thousand and four, we got sporadic appearances here and there, 53 00:03:27.240 --> 00:03:30.080 like once he came out and helped the Eugene against 54 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:33.680 the Coach beat up the coach in Garrison Caid. Another 55 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:37.919 time he came out and had a confrontation with Randy Jorton. 56 00:03:38.439 --> 00:03:42.039 And then his final in ring appearance came in August 57 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:44.840 of two thousand and four. I think it was two 58 00:03:45.000 --> 00:03:49.159 raws after SummerSlam two thousand and four, where he interrupted 59 00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:54.719 the divasearch that Coach was hosting, came out, kick Coach 60 00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:57.199 out of the ring. Tyjieri came out, they had the 61 00:03:57.240 --> 00:04:00.840 pie eating contest, and then Coach came out with Larraziz, 62 00:04:00.840 --> 00:04:03.639 Steles Rhino came out to even the odds. They beat 63 00:04:03.719 --> 00:04:06.840 up on Larraziz, Styles and Coach and that was the 64 00:04:06.919 --> 00:04:09.960 last time we saw the Rock in a ring for 65 00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:13.000 quite a long time as he went off to do 66 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:17.519 his movie career, And during the time that he was 67 00:04:17.720 --> 00:04:22.319 gone was really when John Cena exploded, because by two 68 00:04:22.399 --> 00:04:25.720 thousand and four, the only pay per view and I 69 00:04:26.399 --> 00:04:29.839 think I'm pretty sure on this that the two had 70 00:04:29.959 --> 00:04:33.040 shared and both been on at the same time was 71 00:04:33.079 --> 00:04:37.759 WrestleMania twenty and that was the Rocks last match and 72 00:04:38.040 --> 00:04:44.000 final WrestleMania appearance, and that was John Cena's first WrestleMania appearance, 73 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:46.319 and he had only been in the company for what 74 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:48.920 a year and a half at that point, So you 75 00:04:49.079 --> 00:04:51.959 really had a sense in two thousand and four as 76 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:57.040 to where their respective trajectories were going. John Cena in 77 00:04:57.120 --> 00:05:00.879 the Rocks absence, really grabbed the Brass ring became the 78 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:05.000 undisputed face of the company for the succeeding five six 79 00:05:05.160 --> 00:05:09.040 seven years. Main evented how Many WrestleMania's in a Row? 80 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:13.240 Following this twenty one, twenty two, twenty three, three, WrestleManias 81 00:05:13.240 --> 00:05:15.560 in a row, and then he was in the other 82 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:19.439 quote unquote WrestleMania main events, but those weren't the ones 83 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:22.120 who closed the show. But I don't have to tell 84 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:26.439 you the amount of excess success. Rather, John Cina enjoyed 85 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:31.560 in The Rock's absence. So by twenty eleven, The Rock 86 00:05:31.720 --> 00:05:34.639 was an afterthought. And to be honest, guys, I stopped 87 00:05:34.720 --> 00:05:37.319 watching at this point, and that's well documented. I've said 88 00:05:37.399 --> 00:05:41.399 numerous times that mid to late two thousand and seven, 89 00:05:41.560 --> 00:05:44.360 all the way to twenty eleven, I really didn't watch. 90 00:05:44.759 --> 00:05:48.079 So for a lot of John Cena's meteorotic rise and 91 00:05:48.199 --> 00:05:51.519 rain at the top of WWE, I was kind of 92 00:05:51.560 --> 00:05:54.879 one foot in, one foot out. Check in for WrestleMania. Oh, 93 00:05:54.879 --> 00:05:57.720 there's an elimination chamber, a big batch maybe check in, 94 00:05:57.839 --> 00:06:00.439 But as following week to week to week, which I 95 00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:03.720 had done before and now after, it wasn't a thing. 96 00:06:04.560 --> 00:06:09.120 And that all change on February fourteenth of twenty eleven 97 00:06:09.279 --> 00:06:14.079 when The Rock came back and was revealed as the 98 00:06:14.120 --> 00:06:18.120 host for WrestleMania twenty seven. And as you guys know, 99 00:06:18.360 --> 00:06:20.639 I'm a big rock fan. Still I am a big 100 00:06:20.720 --> 00:06:23.399 Rock fan. The character not so much the guy. But 101 00:06:23.399 --> 00:06:27.040 that's another conversation for a different day, and that really 102 00:06:27.160 --> 00:06:29.639 drew me back in. But you know, you look at 103 00:06:29.639 --> 00:06:34.560 that WrestleMania card. It wasn't anything special. You know. WrestleMania 104 00:06:34.560 --> 00:06:37.959 twenty seven is one of the few WrestleMania since nineteen 105 00:06:38.040 --> 00:06:40.839 ninety nine, nineteen ninety eight that I've never really gone 106 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:44.319 back and watched because I mean, aside from Triple H 107 00:06:44.439 --> 00:06:47.160 versus the Undertaker, like, there's really not a whole lot 108 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:49.920 of great matches on that card, and you know, even 109 00:06:49.959 --> 00:06:52.399 the main event of the Miz versus John Cena for 110 00:06:52.439 --> 00:06:54.879 the Championship, like, my god, can you think of a 111 00:06:54.920 --> 00:06:59.560 worst main event than that? And it was overshadowed by 112 00:06:59.639 --> 00:07:02.639 The Row being the host and the build up to 113 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:05.639 that match of The Rock and johnsona going back and 114 00:07:05.680 --> 00:07:11.480 forth and really playing off of real life issues between 115 00:07:11.600 --> 00:07:15.240 the two. And while The Rock was gone, John Cena 116 00:07:15.319 --> 00:07:18.160 had made real life comments about him about how The 117 00:07:18.240 --> 00:07:21.879 Rock always says that WWE is his home, but he 118 00:07:21.959 --> 00:07:24.519 never comes back, so he's kind of it's all kind 119 00:07:24.519 --> 00:07:27.319 of hot air, something to that effect, which you know, 120 00:07:27.399 --> 00:07:29.800 it's kind of ironic now that John Cena did the 121 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:33.319 same thing as the Rock did, albeit it's not exactly 122 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:37.000 the same as the Rock, as John Cena invested ten 123 00:07:37.160 --> 00:07:39.959 years of his life pretty much carrying the WE on 124 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:42.480 his back as opposed to the Rock, who was in 125 00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:46.160 and out of WE inside of five years. So obviously 126 00:07:46.199 --> 00:07:48.759 Scena put in a lot more work into building his 127 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:52.120 character in WWE than the Rock did. But you know, 128 00:07:52.519 --> 00:07:56.680 result twenty seven shows up and the Rock intervenes in 129 00:07:56.720 --> 00:07:59.560 the match and hits John Cena with the Rock bottom, 130 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:05.680 which ensures the mizz keep it, retaining his WWEE championship. 131 00:08:06.040 --> 00:08:07.680 And we all knew a match. 132 00:08:07.480 --> 00:08:10.519 Was coming with Sena in Rock because the bill to 133 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:15.319 Wrestle twenty seven following the Rocks return on Valentine's Day 134 00:08:15.800 --> 00:08:18.800 was indicative of that. It was only a question of when, 135 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:22.839 as opposed to if. We knew it was coming. But 136 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:25.879 when would the Rock invest in an actual match? We 137 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:29.879 hadn't seen him in a ring at this point for 138 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:35.799 seven years, and and the Monday Night Raw following their 139 00:08:35.799 --> 00:08:40.159 wrestleminga contest, we finally got the answer to that much 140 00:08:40.440 --> 00:08:41.600 desired question. 141 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:45.960 We are completely opposite. 142 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:53.080 We looked different, we talked different, we fought different. 143 00:08:55.080 --> 00:08:56.120 What the truth is. 144 00:08:57.879 --> 00:08:59.200 We're very similar. 145 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:03.240 And that is a fact that whatever it is that 146 00:09:03.399 --> 00:09:06.000 Jump senor does, whatever it is that the Rock does, 147 00:09:06.120 --> 00:09:09.759 they want to do it the absolute best, better than 148 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:19.799 anyone period. So we're very similar. Except when we go shopping, 149 00:09:19.879 --> 00:09:23.200 the Rock shopping department stores. You optously shop at Baby Gap. 150 00:09:26.519 --> 00:09:27.000 Awesome. 151 00:09:27.000 --> 00:09:33.000 What do you know fashion advice from the tooth period? Listen, 152 00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:38.720 we've both said the time for talk is over. 153 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:40.360 You are the people's ship. 154 00:09:40.919 --> 00:09:43.120 Listen to the people. 155 00:09:55.799 --> 00:09:58.559 Hear it, hear and feel it, see it. 156 00:09:58.600 --> 00:09:59.679 There are people. 157 00:09:59.679 --> 00:10:02.519 Stay need in the ceiling, not because. 158 00:10:02.120 --> 00:10:04.600 They want us to talk, because. 159 00:10:04.399 --> 00:10:17.039 They want a match, and not just a match. 160 00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:22.559 These people know what match a match where generations collide. 161 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:25.399 Only in the WWE would you be able to see 162 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:27.679 Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. 163 00:10:27.480 --> 00:10:28.320 In their prime. 164 00:10:28.600 --> 00:10:30.879 Only in the WWE would you be able to see 165 00:10:30.919 --> 00:10:34.559 Michael Jordan the one on one with Lebron James. The 166 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:41.559 match that they want is Jean Sena versus The Rock. 167 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:57.840 It's obvious this is what we should do. So do 168 00:10:57.840 --> 00:10:59.080 you want to talk about it? 169 00:11:01.639 --> 00:11:01.759 Oh? 170 00:11:01.799 --> 00:11:02.639 Do you want to bring it? 171 00:11:08.519 --> 00:11:08.600 So? 172 00:11:08.759 --> 00:11:11.600 John Cena really you know, throws the ball on the 173 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:15.240 Rocks court here. As you know Sena at this time, 174 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:17.600 who was just such a workhorse, was going to be 175 00:11:17.639 --> 00:11:20.919 able to do this match whenever he wanted or whenever 176 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:24.240 The Rock wanted rather, And this is both character wise 177 00:11:24.519 --> 00:11:28.679 and in real life, because John Cena was there each 178 00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:32.360 and every night, Like it was crazy how much of 179 00:11:32.440 --> 00:11:36.159 programming featured John Cena at this time. And then you 180 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:39.320 have The Rock come back, who his movie career and 181 00:11:39.399 --> 00:11:42.080 his just his public career whenever you want to say, 182 00:11:42.360 --> 00:11:46.159 his career or life in general had not quite exploded 183 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:48.960 at this point. Like I think his biggest claim the 184 00:11:49.000 --> 00:11:52.480 fame Hollywood wise by twenty eleven was his role as 185 00:11:52.600 --> 00:11:56.120 Louke Cobbs in Fast and Furious. So he wasn't even 186 00:11:56.320 --> 00:11:58.679 remotely as busy as he is now. But you know, 187 00:11:58.759 --> 00:12:02.399 he was still a movie star. He was still an 188 00:12:02.440 --> 00:12:05.720 actor in all he would. So John Cena sets the 189 00:12:05.799 --> 00:12:09.559 stage here for The Rock and him. But the question 190 00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:11.960 is when we know that we're going. 191 00:12:11.960 --> 00:12:12.600 To get the match? 192 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:15.039 At this point, they wouldn't tease it to this extent, 193 00:12:15.399 --> 00:12:18.159 but it's the night following WrestleMania. Do you think maybe 194 00:12:18.159 --> 00:12:23.519 they're going to set out for SummerSlam, maybe Survivor Series. Well, No, 195 00:12:23.960 --> 00:12:53.879 these two guys had something even bigger in mind, John. 196 00:12:53.720 --> 00:12:59.600 Cenna, you have no idea what you just asked for. 197 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:05.759 Yeah, you asked the Rock to bring it. 198 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:08.080 Oh yeah, the Rock will bring it. 199 00:13:08.320 --> 00:13:11.000 You better, you can't, he asked, the Rock will bring it. 200 00:13:14.559 --> 00:13:18.200 But the Rock says we make history. The Rock says 201 00:13:18.279 --> 00:13:21.039 we do something that's never been done before. The Rock 202 00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:26.679 says we make the biggest matchup of all time on 203 00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:31.639 the grandest stage in the world, wrestle maybe A twenty 204 00:13:31.679 --> 00:14:01.120 eight John Cena press, hurrah, Let it's not just any 205 00:14:01.159 --> 00:14:01.559 match up. 206 00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:03.919 No no, no, no, no, no, not just any matchup. 207 00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:06.799 No, It's gonna be the Lock, the. 208 00:14:06.840 --> 00:14:10.960 People's champ never alone, never alone. Can't bring it all. 209 00:14:10.840 --> 00:14:13.840 Day, all night long with the millions. 210 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:19.200 What the Lock fans, wrestle Meania twenty eight, the main events, 211 00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:29.639 John Cena, the People's Champion, the big Bles WrestleMania. If 212 00:14:29.679 --> 00:14:32.879 you smell what the Rock is cooking. 213 00:14:36.519 --> 00:14:39.039 So u and watching that back, it was kind of 214 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:41.600 a flat response for the Rock not gonna lie from 215 00:14:41.639 --> 00:14:45.320 the crowd as uh, you know Mattison numerous times. But 216 00:14:45.639 --> 00:14:48.440 John Ceno was one of the few guys who really 217 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:50.440 kind of outdid the Rock on the Mic and I 218 00:14:50.519 --> 00:14:53.120 also think seam Punk did as well as I covered 219 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:56.919 that in the past. But look, one night removed from WrestleMania, 220 00:14:57.279 --> 00:15:00.879 they book the main event a full year in advance 221 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:05.960 for the following years WrestleMania. But after this match, they 222 00:15:06.120 --> 00:15:07.840 the Rock kind of went away. He came back for 223 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:11.320 his birthday in May, but for all intents and purposes, 224 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:14.720 he was gone for about six months following them agreeing 225 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:18.320 to this constant this contest rather and you know, over 226 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:21.399 the course of the summer of twenty eleven, John Cena 227 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:24.679 has the program with CM Punk and then in later 228 00:15:24.759 --> 00:15:27.960 twenty eleven he has the program with Cain the whole 229 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:32.919 Embrace the Hate garbage that was, but they actually cross 230 00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:37.720 pass leading up to Survivor Series of two thousand and 231 00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:42.559 eleven when The Rock comes back to be Johnsena's tag 232 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:46.639 team partner against the Miz and Our Truth, and that 233 00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:51.600 was the rocks first in ring contest since WrestleMania twenty 234 00:15:51.639 --> 00:15:54.759 in two thousand and four. So after seven and a 235 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:58.840 half years, the Rock comes back to be the John 236 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:02.519 cenas tag team partner against Miz and Our Truth, to 237 00:16:03.159 --> 00:16:06.159 which they win, and then the Rock goes back again 238 00:16:06.679 --> 00:16:10.360 goes away again rather and then comes the big contest 239 00:16:10.440 --> 00:16:15.679 between The Rock and John Cena, and they main evented 240 00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:18.440 Wrestling in twenty eight as a non title match, and 241 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:20.440 I and you know what, To be honest, I guess 242 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:23.320 it was deserving of so. But I mean, Wrestling twenty 243 00:16:23.320 --> 00:16:25.759 eight was a pretty stack card. You know, you had 244 00:16:25.799 --> 00:16:28.279 the end of an era contest of the Hell in 245 00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:31.120 the Cell match of Triple H and Taker with HBK 246 00:16:31.240 --> 00:16:35.159 as a special guest referee. You had CM Punk versus 247 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:40.039 versus Chris Jericho for the WWE Championship. You had Daniel 248 00:16:40.039 --> 00:16:43.559 Bryant versus Seamus for the World Heavyweight Championship. So this 249 00:16:43.720 --> 00:16:47.679 was a pretty big WrestleMania. Was it the best WrestleMania? 250 00:16:47.879 --> 00:16:48.120 Uh? 251 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:51.120 Debatable, But as far as name value, there was a 252 00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:55.240 lot of that, both current and past stars who were 253 00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:58.519 on this card. And aside from the wrestlers, you know, 254 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:02.080 Flow Rider was there, where Machine Gun Kelly was there. 255 00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:05.039 Each of them respectively opened for The Rock and John 256 00:17:05.079 --> 00:17:07.279 Cena before they made their way to the ring for 257 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:10.880 the main event. So you get The Rock versus John Cena. 258 00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:13.559 And I'm not gonna lie like I really thought John 259 00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:16.400 Cena was going to win this match because they kind 260 00:17:16.440 --> 00:17:20.359 of built it like the Rock versus Hulk Hogan, a 261 00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:24.920 match that had taken place nine ten years actually exactly 262 00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:28.400 ten years before this. But when we got to the 263 00:17:28.519 --> 00:17:30.480 end of the match and it looked like John Cena 264 00:17:30.519 --> 00:17:33.839 had it won, the Rock had something up his sleeve. 265 00:17:52.039 --> 00:17:54.119 This is right, this is awesome. 266 00:17:54.480 --> 00:18:20.839 John Cena, he. 267 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:30.200 Solified South has the right one. 268 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:35.519 So when John Cena goes to hit the People's elbow, 269 00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:37.920 the Rock gets up and hits him with the Rock 270 00:18:37.960 --> 00:18:42.160 bottom to solidify the victory. And when the Rock won 271 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:45.720 this match, I kind of knew, and I'm sure a 272 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:49.000 lot of you did that it meant that he was 273 00:18:49.240 --> 00:18:52.279 far from Don and w W E and I really 274 00:18:52.359 --> 00:18:54.319 thought that this was gonna be it. You know, he 275 00:18:54.440 --> 00:18:57.319 was gonna come back, put John Cena over and good 276 00:18:57.440 --> 00:19:01.039 night the lights for his career, and then get inducted 277 00:19:01.079 --> 00:19:04.799 into the Hall of Fame the following year in twenty thirteen. 278 00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:08.960 But quite the difference, quite the contrary, rather happened as 279 00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:13.160 the Rock wins the match and pretty much goes on 280 00:19:13.240 --> 00:19:19.160 a Undertaker type of schedule for the following year, because 281 00:19:19.559 --> 00:19:24.079 during twenty twelve and early twenty thirteen. The Rock wasn't 282 00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:27.480 there every night, but he was always kind of involved 283 00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:31.200 in the storyline, and you knew he would be coming around. 284 00:19:31.960 --> 00:19:35.240 And that's when the wheels guid started turning for me, like, 285 00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:37.680 oh my God, like is this gonna be the become 286 00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:40.599 the constant for him? And you have to remember this 287 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:44.519 was the first one on one match The Rock had 288 00:19:44.599 --> 00:19:49.440 won in nine years. The last one on one match 289 00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:52.119 he had won to this point was against Stone Cold 290 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:58.079 Steve Austin against WrestleMania nineteen, Austin's retirement match. So it 291 00:19:58.240 --> 00:20:01.839 was pretty substantial for The Rock to get the victory 292 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:07.400 on John Cena. And this marked the second consecutive year 293 00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:12.160 that John Cena had lost in the main event of WrestleMania, 294 00:20:12.279 --> 00:20:15.000 and to this point, after all the main events that 295 00:20:15.079 --> 00:20:18.279 he had been in at WrestleMania, it was the first 296 00:20:18.279 --> 00:20:21.319 time in his career that he had lost consecutive matches. 297 00:20:21.400 --> 00:20:25.440 So it was a big turning point for both their characters. 298 00:20:25.480 --> 00:20:30.799 And I gotta give ww credit here because the significance 299 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:34.640 of this match on each of the respective superstars' character 300 00:20:35.599 --> 00:20:41.200 was strung out for the succeeding twelve months, and during 301 00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:44.279 twenty twelve, you had the Rock come back at the 302 00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:48.759 Raw one thousand pay per view start his program with cmpunk. 303 00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:54.119 He comes back in late December early January, defeats cmpunk 304 00:20:54.119 --> 00:20:57.839 for the w W Championship Royal Rumble, that retains it 305 00:20:57.880 --> 00:21:01.400 at the Elimination Chamber pay per view and really has 306 00:21:01.559 --> 00:21:05.400 one of the most memorable runs of his career since 307 00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:08.039 the summer of two thousand and two, the last time 308 00:21:08.119 --> 00:21:15.160 he had become WWE champion. And then simultaneously and conversely, 309 00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:18.599 you have John Cena go on the quote unquote worst 310 00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:22.440 run and worst year of his career as twenty twelve, 311 00:21:22.519 --> 00:21:25.319 and again, correct me if I'm wrong, but to this point, 312 00:21:25.880 --> 00:21:29.960 from two thousand and five to that point, twenty twelve 313 00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:33.720 was the only year that John Cena had not held 314 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:37.119 a world championship, whether that had been the World Heavyweight 315 00:21:37.480 --> 00:21:42.319 or the WWE Championship, And that was significant for him 316 00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:46.200 because he had been I know aj styles and see 317 00:21:46.279 --> 00:21:49.359 McMahon used this cliche, but he had been the face 318 00:21:49.400 --> 00:21:53.079 that ran the plays for the preceding six, seven, eight 319 00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:56.640 years at this point, so for him to not have 320 00:21:56.839 --> 00:22:02.039 one single world championship run and it was pretty big 321 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:05.720 for that John Cena character and they really drove that 322 00:22:05.880 --> 00:22:08.559 in and you know, at the he won the money 323 00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:12.359 in the bank the briefcase. That year he had a 324 00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:15.160 failed cash and at the Raw one thousand pay per view, 325 00:22:15.559 --> 00:22:18.480 he had a triple threat match with Big Show and 326 00:22:20.440 --> 00:22:23.759 see Him Punk at SummerSlam, to which he did not succeed. 327 00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:27.079 Yet again, he had a triple threat match with Rye 328 00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:29.640 Back and see him Punk at Survivor Series, which was 329 00:22:29.640 --> 00:22:33.240 at the debut of The Shield. No success of their whatsoever. 330 00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:37.200 So you had John Cena losing a lot of big matches, 331 00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:40.799 something that we were not accustomed to at this point, 332 00:22:41.400 --> 00:22:45.000 and they were really driving this home going into the 333 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:49.200 Royal Rumble and following the Raw one thousand pay per 334 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:51.640 view when him and The Rock kind of cross pass 335 00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:54.200 and The Rock actually came out to make the save 336 00:22:54.839 --> 00:22:57.880 for him when Johnson got attacked by the Big Show. 337 00:22:58.680 --> 00:23:02.519 We weren't really seeing The Rock and Sena talk about 338 00:23:02.519 --> 00:23:05.079 one another. We hadn't seen them cross pass. They were 339 00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:08.599 really kind of going down their own separate worlds. So 340 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:11.440 the same night that The Rock wins the w w 341 00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:14.200 E Championship for the first time in seven and a 342 00:23:14.279 --> 00:23:18.799 half years, we have John Cena enter the royal rumple. 343 00:23:19.400 --> 00:23:22.880 And after a year of losing and losing and really 344 00:23:23.079 --> 00:23:27.799 unprecedented results for John Cena, he looked to turn it around. 345 00:23:33.839 --> 00:23:34.920 The counts made up. 346 00:23:37.599 --> 00:23:39.960 I was thinking, as my blesser took the one down, 347 00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:46.400 doesn't matter. 348 00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:49.200 Gotta get it up. 349 00:23:49.440 --> 00:23:51.759 The demon put the gamut be gout here, give it 350 00:23:51.880 --> 00:23:52.480 your work down. 351 00:23:52.519 --> 00:23:54.599 I mean, you still gotta get runbacks. 352 00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:56.640 Somehow, honest, see all over the top row. 353 00:23:56.720 --> 00:23:58.960 But if there's one man that could pick rye. 354 00:23:58.839 --> 00:24:01.559 Backs life, let's concass up and come over the top rope, 355 00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:02.559 it's John Cena. 356 00:24:02.680 --> 00:24:03.680 I gotta agree with you there. 357 00:24:03.880 --> 00:24:05.559 This does not look good for round. 358 00:24:05.720 --> 00:24:08.880 Cina without in human strength and John Cena wearing right 359 00:24:09.000 --> 00:24:12.400 back down. If rock Back go, Rummer's going out ters baiting, 360 00:24:12.440 --> 00:24:13.920 and if ry Back passes out. 361 00:24:13.880 --> 00:24:16.480 Paulsena's kind of too slipping that body over the top 362 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:18.079 CRY's out. 363 00:24:18.440 --> 00:24:19.240 Right back is out. 364 00:24:21.880 --> 00:24:24.880 Now John Cena with the heavy ole task because he 365 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:25.720 shoots the hat. 366 00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:28.400 I'm trying to figure out how to get right back up, 367 00:24:28.759 --> 00:24:29.960 get over the top rope. 368 00:24:30.319 --> 00:24:31.519 Look at John Cena. 369 00:24:31.880 --> 00:24:35.599 An't believable. John Cena, It's got right back back to 370 00:24:35.680 --> 00:24:36.079 his feet. 371 00:24:36.440 --> 00:24:40.160 Absolute strength by John Cena powering right back to the 372 00:24:40.279 --> 00:24:40.880 top rope. 373 00:24:43.559 --> 00:24:45.960 Whoa right back is back? 374 00:24:46.440 --> 00:24:48.920 Right Back's song You're off Halo top Brow. 375 00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:52.839 But that's Tress from the top rope passing Cena still 376 00:24:52.880 --> 00:24:54.240 in the man follow him in. 377 00:25:24.599 --> 00:25:27.759 So John Cena wins the Row Rumble, the second Row 378 00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:30.039 run of his career, as he won the first one 379 00:25:30.039 --> 00:25:33.319 in two thousand and eight, and guarantees himself a spot 380 00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:37.839 in the main event of WrestleMania twenty nine. And obviously 381 00:25:38.039 --> 00:25:41.799 before we had the Concrete Result or the Concrete match, 382 00:25:41.960 --> 00:25:46.160 rather of him versus The Rock, we had another stop 383 00:25:46.200 --> 00:25:51.160 of the Rock defending his championship against CM Punk in 384 00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:55.079 their rematch at the Elimination Chamber, to which he successfully 385 00:25:55.200 --> 00:26:00.640 does and thus officially sets up Rock Versina too. And 386 00:26:01.119 --> 00:26:04.640 I gotta I gotta say I was pretty upset when 387 00:26:04.680 --> 00:26:07.319 they announced this, Like I get why they did it, 388 00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:12.160 you know, Rock and Austin had three matches, Rock and 389 00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:15.480 Hogan had two matches, But it was just it was 390 00:26:15.640 --> 00:26:18.759 kind of it was just a bit too obvious for me. 391 00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:20.839 And I know that it doesn't always have to be 392 00:26:20.880 --> 00:26:23.960 a surprise in wrestling, and it could be obvious if 393 00:26:23.960 --> 00:26:25.920 it makes sense and in a lot of ways it 394 00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:29.279 did make sense, but the tagline to their first match 395 00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:32.559 was once in a lifetime, and twelve months later you're 396 00:26:32.599 --> 00:26:37.000 doing it again, so like you completely negated and disproved 397 00:26:37.200 --> 00:26:41.559 what you had built the first match. As so, I 398 00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:44.240 just I thought that in a lot of ways doing 399 00:26:44.359 --> 00:26:47.359 this was kind of more harm than good. But at 400 00:26:47.440 --> 00:26:52.359 the same time, I understand why they had to, because 401 00:26:52.839 --> 00:26:56.319