That was the worst Smackdown in a long while, topped off with a bizarre 25 minute Rock/Cody segment
Sounds like the show was rewritten after Dwayne mentioned he was going to be there.
Very confusing segment between Rhodes & Dwayne. Guessing they have left it very open, because they are making it up on the fly.
Exact how i saw it as well.
Was an absolute cluster, comes out as a face announcing 'maina to be in New Orleans next year then becomes a heel by telling them to not join in with his singing. No idea what he was saying to Cody and i'm not interested in finding out.
Loving Solo telling Jacob that he loves him, a smooth transition.
“Here’s a picture of our mothers hugging each other at Wrestlemania”
I’ve no issue with the lines being blurred, but it’s just a bit too nonsensical that all of a sudden they’re great friends….just because.
Pieces together information from various sources. I think Dwayne threw his toys out the pram before the Netflix show and just went off piece and turned baby face. Rumours were he wanted to win the title off Rhodes. Thus they are trying to put back together a story without the Vince Macmahon trick of just pretending it didn’t happen.
Biggest issue is that it devalues the Chamber match because it overshadows it. Hope they don’t take the title of Rhodes because he’s the first baby face champion title reign which doesn’t feel boring.
Smackdown as a whole has been poor for a while now.
The Rumble to Chamber period feels like the period between Christmas and New Year. Not much is happening.
I think it’s because they are keeping everyone guessing with who will win the Chamber. You can definitely make a case for at least 3 of the winners in the men’s match. Imagine the mania card will pick up very quickly straight after the chamber.
At least 10 years later than it should have been, but Heel Corporate Cena aligned with Heel Corporate Rock is going to be fucking amazing IMO.
Where does this leave CM Punk and his favour with Heyman? Where does Roman fit in? Seth Vs Punk looks like one program but it's not for any stakes and they ran that on the Netflix debut anyway.
Drew Vs Priest as well, it's not that compelling a story, Drew screwing himself over and blaming others gets boring after a while
It’s on the level of Hulk Hogan joining the nWo. Maybe even bigger. Definitely one of those moments that will be replayed regularly in decades from now.
And only last week many, myself included, were thinking that they were just making this all up on the fly. Now I’m starting to think they had this planned all along - but it was so shocking that nobody could really conceive it as a plan.
Either way - it was done brilliantly. Top tier wrestling moment.
That was jaw dropping. I don’t think anyone saw that coming.
Undertaker losing the streak level of shock.
Jesus.
When the chamber started before the Rock segment, I thought something big would happen. Personally would have preferred to understand the why first. For example, losing the chamber match and turning to the rock guaranteed him a main event.
Shocking and will make a huge build to mania, but feel they pulled the trigger to quickly.
I was hoping Cena would get pinned at Mania and would turn heel then.
That was jaw dropping. I don’t think anyone saw that coming.
Undertaker losing the streak level of shock.
Jesus.
When the chamber started before the Rock segment, I thought something big would happen. Personally would have preferred to understand the why first. For example, losing the chamber match and turning to the rock guaranteed him a main event.
Shocking and will make a huge build to mania, but feel they pulled the trigger to quickly
But if he loses the match you then don’t get John Cena in the Wrestlemania main event against Cody Rhodes which in the space of one segment went from being “it’s two massive names” to something so much bigger.
If you pull the trigger on the John Cena heel turn then it absolutely has to play into the Wrestlemania main event storyline.
We will get the “why” - but not having it immediately shouldn’t detract from the quality of the moment IMO.
It also makes Cena look strong anyway as he won the Chamber, and that gives credence to why he was still there for the Cody decision. If he lost the chamber it would be weird for him to be out there still afterwards, and it left it as a surprise.
The camera shot of Cena's face changing as he hugs Cody, and the cut to The Rock doing the throat slit gesture hit very hard for the TV audience, and I'm glad the crowd could see what was happening as well, as you heard them swell with emotion just before he kicked him in the nuts
When Cena was still in the ring when Rock came down I started to think something was definitely going to happen but I genuinely didn't think Cena would go heel.
I just hope now they really commit to it and he isn't going to get some sort of conflicted anti-hero/double agent story. If he's finally broken bad, let him be bad.
Cena will be bad til Summerslam at least, he'll win the title at Wrestlemania, defend it a couple of times, drop it at Summerslam then probably turn on The Rock and become a babyface again for the final few months
I'm late to the party here, and as great as heel turn it was it is nowhere near Bash At The Beach '96 level IMO. That had people launching rubbish into the ring and returning Hogan merchandise. I agree Cena's facial expressions and Rock's hand gestures were incredible, you can see why those two have had such success in Hollywood. No random rapper at Daytona either! The turn also gave WCW a gap lead on the ratings which as proven recently is an incredible feat.
May just be me though, as I hold the Ruthless Aggressive Era in a really low regard and Cena was the face of that time. I thought they should have turned him back then as I couldn't stand the cheesie 80s era face, as you may have noticed with my view on Cody! It was also absolutely clear that Cena had the ability to be a great heel and perhaps turn back to a face later on like The Rock, and recently Roman. I then found out his merch sales and his Make A Wish work, which puts him in the hall of fame of great people and fully understood why a heel turn wasn't to be. Do wonder where the turn leaves Make A Wish?
My wrestling Mount Rushmore is Flair, Hogan, Austin and The Rock. If Cena was in a different era perhaps he would be there instead, hopefully at Hogan's expense!
The strange thing is as a part-timer he's was finally getting the cheers he deserves! I think as a full timer he was averaging over 300 matches a year, then you factor in the media work and charity work. The bloke's a machine. I guess that helped with the shock factor with turning him heel this time, it was less expected and Cody's been getting a mixed reaction.
The turn makes Cody V Cena a lot more interesting, but not the turn isn't Hogan level IMO.
Last year's 'mania was one of the best ever. There's a genuine chance they top it!
Also, the "unsanctioned" match was fantastic in its own right, you have to feel a bit bad for Owens/Zayn that they put their bodies through that and absolutely no one is talking about it because of the main event.
Which yes is the nature of the business but still...
Also, the "unsanctioned" match was fantastic in its own right, you have to feel a bit bad for Owens/Zayn that they put their bodies through that and absolutely no one is talking about it because of the main event.
Which yes is the nature of the business but still...
Owens vs Zayn was fantastic but spare a thought for Randy Orton...
Your big comeback is completely forgotten because of a huge ending to a PLE..... Again!
Comments
Wtf is he on about?
Are they trying to run a corporate sell out angle like Mr McMahon and SCSA?
Was an absolute cluster, comes out as a face announcing 'maina to be in New Orleans next year then becomes a heel by telling them to not join in with his singing. No idea what he was saying to Cody and i'm not interested in finding out.
Loving Solo telling Jacob that he loves him, a smooth transition.
I’ve no issue with the lines being blurred, but it’s just a bit too nonsensical that all of a sudden they’re great friends….just because.
Biggest issue is that it devalues the Chamber match because it overshadows it. Hope they don’t take the title of Rhodes because he’s the first baby face champion title reign which doesn’t feel boring.
Whoever sanctioned that needs serious questioning and should be removed from creative, even if it was Triple H or The Rock. Fucking ridiculous.
Where does this leave CM Punk and his favour with Heyman? Where does Roman fit in? Seth Vs Punk looks like one program but it's not for any stakes and they ran that on the Netflix debut anyway.
Drew Vs Priest as well, it's not that compelling a story, Drew screwing himself over and blaming others gets boring after a while
He had 0 business being in that ring. Added absolutely nothing to it, and it's got a fair bit of negative attention.
The biggest storyline line ever didn't need to be ruined by some shit mumble rapper being there.
Luckily there's some really good images without that clown and hopefully he won't be in the picture ever again.
Shocking and will make a huge build to mania, but feel they pulled the trigger to quickly.
I was hoping Cena would get pinned at Mania and would turn heel then.
We will get the “why” - but not having it immediately shouldn’t detract from the quality of the moment IMO.
The camera shot of Cena's face changing as he hugs Cody, and the cut to The Rock doing the throat slit gesture hit very hard for the TV audience, and I'm glad the crowd could see what was happening as well, as you heard them swell with emotion just before he kicked him in the nuts
Same energy:
I just hope now they really commit to it and he isn't going to get some sort of conflicted anti-hero/double agent story. If he's finally broken bad, let him be bad.
May just be me though, as I hold the Ruthless Aggressive Era in a really low regard and Cena was the face of that time. I thought they should have turned him back then as I couldn't stand the cheesie 80s era face, as you may have noticed with my view on Cody! It was also absolutely clear that Cena had the ability to be a great heel and perhaps turn back to a face later on like The Rock, and recently Roman. I then found out his merch sales and his Make A Wish work, which puts him in the hall of fame of great people and fully understood why a heel turn wasn't to be. Do wonder where the turn leaves Make A Wish?
My wrestling Mount Rushmore is Flair, Hogan, Austin and The Rock. If Cena was in a different era perhaps he would be there instead, hopefully at Hogan's expense!
The strange thing is as a part-timer he's was finally getting the cheers he deserves! I think as a full timer he was averaging over 300 matches a year, then you factor in the media work and charity work. The bloke's a machine. I guess that helped with the shock factor with turning him heel this time, it was less expected and Cody's been getting a mixed reaction.
The turn makes Cody V Cena a lot more interesting, but not the turn isn't Hogan level IMO.
Last year's 'mania was one of the best ever. There's a genuine chance they top it!
Which yes is the nature of the business but still...
Your big comeback is completely forgotten because of a huge ending to a PLE..... Again!