Replace Batista with Rock or Austin

[mcstoklasa]

Same anti climatic return and immediately winning the rumble and a wrestlemania main event. Same coming back not as good (or as in ring shape) as they once were.

I know the answers obvious but would Rock or Austin have received anything like the hate Big Dave has? Yes I know they're more loved but it would be the same exact situation: past it guy in his forties comes back and is immediately in the wm main event for the title.

It is staggering and telling regarding the last decade of WWE. Batista was one of their biggest stars for years (whether fans liked it or not). And the fans hate him. I'm loving the booing by the way, it's so funny.

["Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay]

Absolutely not. Rock came back in bad ring shape and still got mega reactions anyway, he more or less did the same thing as Batista - twice.

[Deleted]

Under the exact same circumstances, Rock might be booed, given he was hardly invincible by the end of his run anyway plus he got booed being mentioned last night. Austin, I doubt it just because it'd be such an OMGWHAT?!, and Austin coming back gunning for the corporate champion at least makes some kind of sense.

Plus, here's the big thing, Batista is nowhere near the stars Austin and Rock are. Not even close. Not even in the same galaxy and yes, my word choice is intentional.

[Red Impact]

Since the Rock already came back, him returning again wouldn't be as big of a deal. But Batista wasn't Rock or Austin, he was mostly the star of the b-show during a down era, and while he was popular, he wasn't megastar during the Attitude Era popular. While him coming back was a pretty big deal, it's nowhere near Rock or Austin coming back for an extended run.

[Neo: "The One" who CLAPS]

Batista isn't in the same stratosphere as either of those two. It would be more apt to compare him to Jericho or RVD.

[Deleted]

A lot of it has to do with the environment in WWE itself becoming more and more nostalgia based and the audience wanting to see something new maybe? Hogan, Undertaker JUST returned, but give it a few weeks and people will be over it. The Rock and Austin can always come back and get a big reaction, but if they hang around too long...same thing I'd wager.

What it comes down to from my POV is that the fans basically had the ROCK, probably the biggest superstar the WWE has produced in the last 30 years, come back so anything after that is going to be not as good. Plus when the Rock did come back it wasnt' exactly the most riveting program: from him "never leaving again..." which was a shaky way to start off your return to the Cena/Rock feud which was so divisive it split the audience.

[sunnytaker]

Austin would never get that sort of reaction coming back. the crowd would be too busy yelling "WHAT!?" every five seconds to boo him.

side note- one positive of DB that i think even the DB haters can agree with. Since the start of the YES! movement the "what?" chants have become a thankfully endangered species.

[Crimson]

Feb 25, 2014 9:24:38 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Under the exact same circumstances, Rock might be booed, given he was hardly invincible by the end of his run anyway plus he got booed being mentioned last night. Austin, I doubt it just because it'd be such an OMGWHAT?!, and Austin coming back gunning for the corporate champion at least makes some kind of sense.

That and despite coming back off and on, Austin hasn't had a match in a decade. Not that I would want to see him usurp Bryan's push, but the guy would get a nostalgia pop.

[The IWC WORLD Champion]

Bret Hart in his current state would have had a better reception

[Baldobomb-22-OH-MAN!!!]

The Rock and Steve are both in such a different level than Batista is that this barely even bothers consideration. but to humour the original question, there's probably be some hate but I bet most fans would be on their side. it'd be more like "we'd prefer to see Daniel Bryan get his due, but at least the guy getting the push is a guy who we actually like and warrants the push".

['Foretold' Joker]

The thing with this is they announced Batista b4 the rumble, at least if he had just randomly entered the rumble and won, the surprise factor might have kept the audience content.

Instead it's been so orchestrated and forced that the fans are rejecting it outright, the illusion of choice wasn't even available.

[Lancers]

Rock kinda wore out his welcome already main eventing two consecutive Wrestlemanias. If Austin did what Batista did, the fans would love it seeing as that the last time he laced up them boots was 2003. Which as I typed that made me realize that's it been over a decade since Stone Cold was in an actual match. Something I never really thought about.

[Straight Edge Scrotum]

If the Rock came back and won the Rumble, getting the boos Batista did? They would have handled it the very next night on RAW with this...



And then the road to WrestleMania would have continued with the Great One headed to the main event. Period.

[flatsdomino]

Feb 25, 2014 9:45:59 GMT -5 @personman01 said:

A lot of it has to do with the environment in WWE itself becoming more and more nostalgia based and the audience wanting to see something new maybe? Hogan, Undertaker JUST returned, but give it a few weeks and people will be over it. The Rock and Austin can always come back and get a big reaction, but if they hang around too long...same thing I'd wager.

What it comes down to from my POV is that the fans basically had the ROCK, probably the biggest superstar the WWE has produced in the last 30 years, come back so anything after that is going to be not as good. Plus when the Rock did come back it wasnt' exactly the most riveting program: from him "never leaving again..." which was a shaky way to start off your return to the Cena/Rock feud which was so divisive it split the audience.

Yeah, Rock's return kinda diminished (not killed entirely, but severely diminished) his drawing power with wrestling fans. Night 1 was big; by Wrestlemania 29, he was just another guy, and now he gets the same heat he got after he first "sold out" and left. That's how bad they flubbed it.

I'd argue that Austin coming back at Royal Rumble 2014, winning it, and challenging Orton would've been huge (Austin doesn't get that "hey wait, you're only here part time" heat Rock gets once fans get over their mark-out amnesia, mainly because he's always been regarded as a "wrestling" guy while Rock went "hollywood", regardless of how fair or accurate either of those perceptions are) probably welcomed by fans (I doubt there'd be boos and "Daniel Bryan" chants at arguably the most beloved wrestler of all time) and probably not terrible, since Austin has an established character, connection with the fans and WWE, and can work the mic. Not necessarily saying it would've been "good", and DEFINITELY not saying "good for business", no matter how much money it would've made or if it would've sent the fans home happy - honestly, everyone from Steve Austin himself to the 8-Year-Old mark in me would probably be tempted by it, but still able to put nostalgia aside long enough to realize that this is Daniel Bryan's time, and that Stone Cold should step aside and let that happen.

As has been mentioned a million times, Batista isn't Austin or Rock. He's basically on Kevin Nash's level. Not even Goldberg or Brock's, certainly.

[rnrk supports BLM]

If Rock came back and won the Rumble and got booed like that, he would've grabbed a live mic and within five minutes, he'd have the crowd eating out of his hand.

[Oh Cry Me a Screwball]

Feb 25, 2014 18:34:32 GMT -5 rnrk supports BLM said:

If Rock came back and won the Rumble and got booed like that, he would've grabbed a live mic and within five minutes, he'd have the crowd eating out of his hand.

Even more so than the popularity aspect that's been discussed, that's the true difference between Rock and Austin vs. Batista.

Rock and Austin could channel something to be likeable. Batista only comes off as a whiny spoiled child and it just makes the reaction even worse.

[ASYLUMHAUSEN]

Feb 25, 2014 9:24:38 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Batista is nowhere near the stars Austin and Rock are. Not even close. Not even in the same galaxy