FINALLY………
FINALLY! The Rock! Has come back! To WRESTLEMANIA!!! This post is going to be quite out of the ordinary for most, but quite ordinary for me, and that’s honestly all that matters.
Dwayne, “The Tooth Fairy,” Johnson, has finally, FINALLY, returned home to the WWE in an attempt to solidify his title as most electrifying man in all of sports entertainment, and he did just that.
For those of you who don’t know, like all of you nerds who like real television or sports more than wrestling – I haven’t quite figured you guys out yet, I’m getting better though – Wrestlemania is the largest and most anticipated event of the year for professional wrestling; the Superbowl of wrestling, if you will.
Usually, lots of hype goes into these events, and the WWE, for lack of a better cliché, pulls out all the stops in assuring a successful and high rated Pay Per View event. Usually, this means bringing people like Stone Cold Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels and Rick Flair back for the nostalgic hopefuls who hold on for one more glimpse of their favorite icons, but until a year ago, nobody thought The Rock would lace up a pair of boots and layeth the smackdown on all the jabroni sonbithces left in the WWE ever again. But the third generation WWE Superstar had other intentions, and who knows how much of his statements were true, and how much was scripted, but what I do know for sure: The Rock has still got it.
Introduced by Flo Rida, or as Heath Slater was calling him Sunday night, Florida, from the moment the Rock’s voice screamed, “If ya smell! What the Rock, is cookin’!” and that 90’s electric guitar started shredding in the background, the People – and I capitalize People for a reason – went nuts.
Finally, the Millions had something to cheer about again.
9-and-a-half years since The Rock had been in a singles matchup, 9-and-a-half long years, but it looked more like 9-and-a-half days the way The People’s Champ performed on Sunday night.
Some credit The Undertaker as one of the best strikers of all time, but anyone who saw The Rock in action on Sunday should have a slightly different opinion on who can still sell a good strike and who cannot.
The Rock was spot on in nearly all of his moves, and in my opinion, he sold that match in the first 30 seconds better than anyone had all night. The Rock came back to Wrestlemania 28, in better shape than he has ever been in, huger than he has ever been and most importantly, to prove that he is still the most electrifying man in all of sports entertainment.
Many people expected The Rock to fight a glorious battle, but in the end fall short to The Champ, John Cena. Cena has, after all, been with the company when The Rock decided to become The Scorpion King, and give Hollywood his best shot. Cena has been in movies, but he has never let that come between himself and his wrestling fans, something that was pointed out countless times over this last year, and that, a lot of people thought would tip the scales in Cena’s favor, however cockiness got the best of Cena, a characteristic that looks unnatural on Cena but radiates out of The Rock and feeds his persona.
Cena had The Rock down and instead of finishing him like he has finished almost every person he has ever fought, he decided to do a little pie eating himself by dropping the People’s Elbow on The People’s Champ. He even ripped that headband wrapped around his bicep just like Rocky would have pulled his armband off.
But as soon as Cena crossed over The Rock’s motionless body and was ready to bounce himself off the ropes, The Rock exploded up, grabbed Cena by the throat, and delivered a thundering Rock Bottom that ended Cena, just like it had ended Stone Cold Steve Austin and Rick Flair in previous Wrestlemanias. The People’s Champ beat The Champ at Wrestlemania, and the crowd. Was louder. Than ever.
END OF AN ERA
In what is projected as The Undertaker’s last match of all time, he came out on the winning side of a grueling match with Triple H. If he doesn’t go down as the greatest wrestler of all time, it won’t be for his record, that’s for sure.
Nobody in WWE history has ever come close to reaching Taker’s perfect 20-0 record at Wrestlemania, and in my opinion, nobody will, at least not for another 20 years.
The Phenom has been there through it all. He has fought the greats of almost every generation, and if it was at Wrestlemania, he has crossed their arms over their chest and laid them to rest.
He was the man that ended perhaps the greatest wrestler of all time, Shawn Michaels’ career, and he may have very well ended the Heartbreak Kid’s best friend, HHH’s career as well – although I doubt that very much.
Taker will clearly be a hall of famer before it’s too long, and if anyone in that company deserves it at the present time, it is that man.
OTHER NEWS
The Rated R Superstar, Edge was inducted into the 2012 WWE Hall of Fame after doctors refused to clear him for competition anymore. He could be seen in the middle of all of his fellow inductees with tears streaming down his face. I always loved to hate Edge, the best heel for the last 10 years I think. Never a tear would have rolled down the Rated R Superstar’s face while in character, but the Edge who stood before the thousands in attendance in Miami for Wrestlemania was a much different Edge. The long hair and cocky swagger was gone. All that was left was a handsome man with a tight haircut looking sad that his career ended so suddenly and so soon.
Rumor has it that Brock Lesnar was in Miami Sunday, the night of Wrestlemani. Rumor also has it that the UFC has cleared Lesnar to compete or perform wherever he wishes. Rumor also, also has it that Lesnar has been in talks with the WWE about making a comeback, so we will have to wait and see how that plays out.
FINAL ASSESMENT
Overall, I was quite pleased with the way Wrestlemania unfolded, I even enjoyed the 5-second match via Bro Kick from Sheamus, however I can’t give it my 100% stamp of approval. It just feel like something was missing. Oh yeah, that’s because there was. GOLDDUST. He’ll be back ladies and gentleman, he will be back. Mark my words, the bizarre one will be back.
