Mike Choida Says Cena Was Apprehensive To Do The Job At WM28

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLsYOLiBIFR

Interesting but frankly speaking it was a match with no real stakes outside of a fantasy matchup. Yes, you carried the torch but Rocky wasn't coming back to take your spot

And while he may not have known it at the time, he still got the win back the next year in a very disappointing rematch

Kinda makes sense in how he got that W over Brock on his return. He wasn't jobbing twice to people who "left the company" but that's just me throwing my two cents in 

[Susan "Poison" Candy]

Boo Hoo Cena

[GuyOfOwnage]

They already knew he'd be getting his win back the following year, so I'm not sure I understand the apprehension in that respect.

[fw91]

So twice in a lifetime wasn't the plan the whole time?

[Deleted]

I can see where he's coming from on some level but really it was a completely meaningless match in front of a crowd that was going to be entirely behind Rock no matter what so who cares.

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Feb 24, 2021 19:01:20 GMT -5 fw91 said:

So twice in a lifetime wasn't the plan the whole time?

I assume it was or it was tentatively planned assuming something didn't come up on The Rock but didn't Rock say after he beat Cena he was going for the WWE title or that didn't happen until RAW 1000

Once he said he was going after the title, that set the rematch in stone for me

[GuyOfOwnage]

Feb 24, 2021 19:05:04 GMT -5 Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) said:

Feb 24, 2021 19:01:20 GMT -5 fw91 said:

So twice in a lifetime wasn't the plan the whole time?

I assume it was or it was tentatively planned assuming something didn't come up on The Rock but didn't Rock say after he beat Cena he was going for the WWE title or that didn't happen until RAW 1000

Once he said he was going after the title, that set the rematch in stone for me

He said he was going for the title literally the next night on Raw. So my guess is they already knew the rematch was happening before the first one even happened.

[Deleted]

Wonder if that factored any into the decision to have Cena beat Lesnar.

Which I do think was the right booking move to be fair - Cena needed to regain some momentum, Brock still looked like a total monster in the match, and it gave Brock a sense of direction in rampaging afterward that he otherwise wouldn't have had coming off of it.

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Feb 24, 2021 19:06:36 GMT -5 GuyOfOwnage said:

Feb 24, 2021 19:05:04 GMT -5 Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) said:

I assume it was or it was tentatively planned assuming something didn't come up on The Rock but didn't Rock say after he beat Cena he was going for the WWE title or that didn't happen until RAW 1000

Once he said he was going after the title, that set the rematch in stone for me

He said he was going for the title literally the next night on Raw. So my guess is they already knew the rematch was happening before the first one even happened.

Okay so I wasn't mistaken 

So yeah, that rematch was def planned as i'm sure Rock had no problem returning the favor regardless. Unless Choida speaking out his ass, I don't know why Cena felt that way knowing he was getting the bigger W back and the passing of the torch 

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Feb 24, 2021 19:09:29 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Wonder if that factored any into the decision to have Cena beat Lesnar.

Which I do think was the right booking move to be fair - Cena needed to regain some momentum, Brock still looked like a total monster in the match, and it gave Brock a sense of direction in rampaging afterward that he otherwise wouldn't have had coming off of it.

Yea, that's kinda my speculation as well 

I would assume Cena put his foot down and said nah i'm not losing. It would made more sense to further the later storyline of "Cena's worst year" but taking those two L's to their past guys and he's the current guy wasn't going sit right with him i'm sure which I kinda can't blame him 

You have to be a little selfish at some points when it makes sense so Brock situation I can agree with 

[Chiral]

"They call me Big Match John not LOSES MATCH JOHN."

[Deleted]

The biggest missed opportunity in wrestling.

Not turning Cena heel in The Rocks hometown.

Since this match happened, Cena hasn't really done much of anything. A heel turn could've had the potential to usher in a new boom period. And they blew it.

[bob]

cry me a river Cena

he steamrolled the entire roster a trillion times over by that point and was getting the win back at 29

[Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story]

I know everybody says "he knew he was getting the win back," but let's not forget HBK/Hogan was originally a three match series. Top guys have changed their minds before. Rock could have ended up with a movie gig or something else could have come up, too.

[Oh Cry Me a Screwball]

Feb 24, 2021 19:09:29 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Wonder if that factored any into the decision to have Cena beat Lesnar.

Which I do think was the right booking move to be fair - Cena needed to regain some momentum, Brock still looked like a total monster in the match, and it gave Brock a sense of direction in rampaging afterward that he otherwise wouldn't have had coming off of it.

In retrospect, damn near everything ended up working out in the long run. Crowd got to go home happy in Miami. Whatever damage was done to Lesnar was instantly undone the second he pinned Undertaker at WrestleMania. Brock would also eventually get that win back in dominant fashion as well. The rematch with Rock the next year ended up being a total box office success in spite of being a critical failure.

Everyone involved ended up winning in the long run. Well, except CM Punk, who carried that entire year when the part-timers weren't there, only to not main event any WrestleManias and ended up with a staph infection to show for it.

[FinalGwen]

Honestly, of all the jobs Cena refused to take, this would have been the one that made the most sense if he did it.

[Starshine]

Feb 24, 2021 19:35:52 GMT -5 Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story said:

I know everybody says "he knew he was getting the win back," but let's not forget HBK/Hogan was originally a three match series. Top guys have changed their minds before. Rock could have ended up with a movie gig or something else could have come up, too.

Sure, but Rock's word has a whole lot more weight and credibility than Hogans ever did.

[Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story]

Feb 24, 2021 19:52:03 GMT -5 Starshine said:

Feb 24, 2021 19:35:52 GMT -5 Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story said:

I know everybody says "he knew he was getting the win back," but let's not forget HBK/Hogan was originally a three match series. Top guys have changed their minds before. Rock could have ended up with a movie gig or something else could have come up, too.

Sure, but Rock's word has a whole lot more weight and credibility than Hogans ever did.

Right, but money talks. I'm not saying Cena is completely in the right, but this kind of feels like a quote pulled out of context and regardless of his tenure at the company I don't know that I'd necessarily trust Chioda's account of things.

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Feb 24, 2021 19:52:03 GMT -5 Starshine said:

Feb 24, 2021 19:35:52 GMT -5 Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story said:

I know everybody says "he knew he was getting the win back," but let's not forget HBK/Hogan was originally a three match series. Top guys have changed their minds before. Rock could have ended up with a movie gig or something else could have come up, too.

Sure, but Rock's word has a whole lot more weight and credibility than Hogans ever did.

Yea, and even if a movie shoot got in the way I think he would returned the favor to Cena at some point but it seemed like he made a point to do it anyway which cost him because I believe he suffered a injury and they had to delay filming on Hercules 

[Mozenrath]

Feb 24, 2021 19:52:03 GMT -5 Starshine said:

Feb 24, 2021 19:35:52 GMT -5 Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story said:

I know everybody says "he knew he was getting the win back," but let's not forget HBK/Hogan was originally a three match series. Top guys have changed their minds before. Rock could have ended up with a movie gig or something else could have come up, too.

Sure, but Rock's word has a whole lot more weight and credibility than Hogans ever did.

It does, but it doesn't have to be a lie, either. Rock could easily just get hurt, and then Cena is just f***ed.