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Post by Toilet Paper Roll on Feb 3, 2024 12:02:54 GMT -5
This is a gut punch honestly, my hope is it’s all legit and planned out and Rock is gassed two minutes in and Philly absolutely trashes it relentlessly
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UN PLOMBIER NIGHTMARE #blm
Fry's dog Seymour
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Post by UN PLOMBIER NIGHTMARE #blm on Feb 3, 2024 12:51:23 GMT -5
I hope you're right and if you are, I will gladly be wrong with a shiteating grin on my face but I don't believe for a second they'd throw up the press conference graphic and everything else. The casuals want this and it will happen. I don't think there's even a 1% chance of this happening unless they get that shook from the online reaction and they wouldn't have put THE ROCK in the Batista role of Mania. Who knows if they scoot their ass on to something decent like a dog on a carpet.
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Post by simplydurhamcalling on Feb 3, 2024 13:23:55 GMT -5
I think I'm with the OP still but a lot less confident than I was.
I'm really struggling to think of a logical way Cody rows back on outright saying he won't challenge at WM40 whilst still remaining a babyface.
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Post by dablueboy on Feb 3, 2024 17:32:28 GMT -5
I seen a fantasy booking/theory based on the fact Cody is on SD next week that was something along the lines of Rock and Roman doing a contract signing, Roman signs first with arrogant swagger and talking smack to Rock only for him to turn around and say ‘you didn’t read the contract did you?’ and out comes Cody as it turned out that Rhodes’ name was on the contract not Rock’s
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Woo
Hank Scorpio
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Post by Woo on Feb 4, 2024 0:55:24 GMT -5
Nah, it's definitely not a work. Rock will face Reigns at Mania.
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repomark
Unicron
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Post by repomark on Feb 4, 2024 14:40:32 GMT -5
I seen a fantasy booking/theory based on the fact Cody is on SD next week that was something along the lines of Rock and Roman doing a contract signing, Roman signs first with arrogant swagger and talking smack to Rock only for him to turn around and say ‘you didn’t read the contract did you?’ and out comes Cody as it turned out that Rhodes’ name was on the contract not Rock’s Why would Rock do this though? Roman acted as though he would have preferred to face Cody than Rock, so it would be an unnecessary and confusing ruse.
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Post by Ecks Ecks Ringout Ecks Ecks on Feb 4, 2024 16:10:38 GMT -5
Still haven't watched the WWE product since AEW came along, so I'm sure I'm missing a lot of context, but from an outsider perspective it does kinda look like a Russo-esque work, especially with the Rock cribbing "undeniable".
I'm not sure it makes much of a practical difference, though, as it f***s up the narrative either way. These kind of fan-outrage situations only happen because most viewers just want good kayfabe that elevates their current favorites. Whether it's worked-shooty bullshit or a legit tone-deaf move by the new owners, it would have been preferable to just ... y'know, do a good pro wrestling story, in which the babyface's journey is satisfying and makes sense.
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Post by yokohamacpfc on Feb 4, 2024 16:42:30 GMT -5
Yeah, people selling their tickets are being way too hasty. This is a boardroom struggle between HHH and his crew (HBK & Gabe Sapolsky) vs The Rock and Ari Emanuel with Cody as a puppet. Both sides want to be on top in the post-Vince era. I have faith the game knows what to do, man had better earn his politicking reputation. Nick Khan as a neutral whose loyalty can be swayed is a key factor.
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Post by Lance Uppercut on Feb 4, 2024 16:55:42 GMT -5
I’m with you on this, but I am wondering how they’d logically explain this.
Unless they go full meta and admit that the rock used his new power to take Cody out of the match and it turns into a Cody rock feud to get to mania. Or a 3 way
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Post by Finish Uncle Muffin’s Story on Feb 4, 2024 16:58:59 GMT -5
I’m with you on this, but I am wondering how they’d logically explain this. Unless they go full meta and admit that the rock used his new power to take Cody out of the match and it turns into a Cody rock feud to get to mania. Or a 3 way I said it in the Cody thread, but I think it’s probably as easy as him saying I listened to counsel, but I made a mistake and didn’t listen to the fans who got me here. I heard you, they heard you and we’re going to finish *our* story at Mania in a triple threat. I assume people would nit pick it, but that seems to be a clean way of doing it that rallies his fans.
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mo
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
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Post by mo on Feb 4, 2024 17:08:39 GMT -5
Yeah, I’m in the “I’ll believe it when I see it but 100% wouldn’t be surprised if WWE did it” mindset. I’m still not ruling out Cody and Roman happening, especially with the reception the potential Rock match is getting.
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Post by stoptheclocks on Feb 4, 2024 18:11:51 GMT -5
I seen a fantasy booking/theory based on the fact Cody is on SD next week that was something along the lines of Rock and Roman doing a contract signing, Roman signs first with arrogant swagger and talking smack to Rock only for him to turn around and say ‘you didn’t read the contract did you?’ and out comes Cody as it turned out that Rhodes’ name was on the contract not Rock’s Why would Rock do this though? Roman acted as though he would have preferred to face Cody than Rock, so it would be an unnecessary and confusing ruse. And Cody already had a title shot via winning the Rumble. Giving that up to trick his way back into the match wouldn't make any sense. Having said that, Cody voluntarily giving up his shot doesn't make any sense in the first place. So however they retcon it from here will be no worse.
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Post by Tea & Crumpets on Feb 5, 2024 15:40:52 GMT -5
Okay the way ESPN and the Independent are suddenly framing this as what the fans want, even if they don't know it yet, and blaming the backlash on a vocal toxic minority, while also a few WWE wrestlers and people like Meltzer are suddenly doing vague whataboutery about "There's more important things where's this energy for XYZ" on Twitter as if people can't care about multiple things, has me blinking. They wouldn't have actual mainstream outlets talking about toxic fans being the only critics, and bigging up Rock/Roman if there was any plan for Cody, or indeed any consideration of changing course. Thanks Rock. To think how good a prospective card looked just two weeks ago, holy shit.
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Post by The Heartbreak TWERK on Feb 5, 2024 15:44:51 GMT -5
Someone needs to hold Paul's feet to the fire and straight up ask him, "WWE has a reputation of narrative incompetence. Are you playing into that reputation?"
Just absolutely humiliate the f*** until this shit stops.
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Post by chronocross on Feb 5, 2024 15:46:08 GMT -5
It seems like it's not a lock with Rock/Roman with the wording on the ESPN show by Pat saying "seemingly" Rock vs. Roman will happen at Mania.
A small part of me is trying to be the delusional optimist and believe that there will be a swerve tonight where Seth thinks the match is a lock and Cody adds himself to the fray with Rock/Roman but it's doubtful.
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Post by HMARK Center on Feb 5, 2024 16:51:37 GMT -5
Okay the way ESPN and the Independent are suddenly framing this as what the fans want, even if they don't know it yet, and blaming the backlash on a vocal toxic minority, while also a few WWE wrestlers and people like Meltzer are suddenly doing vague whataboutery about "There's more important things where's this energy for XYZ" on Twitter as if people can't care about multiple things, has me blinking. They wouldn't have actual mainstream outlets talking about toxic fans being the only critics, and bigging up Rock/Roman if there was any plan for Cody, or indeed any consideration of changing course. Thanks Rock. To think how good a prospective card looked just two weeks ago, holy shit. I'll give a bit of room to the "whatabout-ists" on this issue: I'm guessing that people like Meltzer, who definitely spends too much time on twitter, are seeing tweet after tweet and message after message of people saying they'll sell their Mania tickets, cancel Peacock, just outright walk away from WWE...but they're seeing it in response to this instead of the Vince story, or at least they're seeing it in a much higher volume compared with the Vince story. In that regard, yeah, I'm a bit dumbfounded, too; I don't begrudge anyone having room in their heads to be angry about both stories, albeit in different ways given their vastly different levels of severity and real-life damage, but the sheer outcry of rage from a lot of voices being about a storyline instead of the horrors of abuse and the likelihood that the wider company played a role in either enabling it or turned a blind eye to it can be something that further dampens a lot of people's views on humanity. Now, if it's "whatabout-ism" for the purpose to get people to shut up entirely about this dumb story decision that deserves criticism and discussion? Different situation, of course.
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Post by simplydurhamcalling on Feb 5, 2024 17:04:38 GMT -5
Here's an easy way to pivot.
Rock comes out tonight or on Smackdown and acknowledges the response, says he wants to see Cody try to finish his story at Wrestlemania too and while he appreciates Cody's grace he can't take that opportunity away from him.
But Roman isn't off the hook and he will face him in Australia.
Then we can pretend this whole thing never happened 🤣
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Post by Munkie91087 on Feb 6, 2024 7:32:18 GMT -5
Part of me thinks if they do end up pivoting away from this, The Rock truly thought he would be treated as a conquering hero by the fans. We’d shower him with praise for “saving Wrestlemania.” I really think he’s so shielded from reality that he can’t fathom not being almost universally loved by WWE fans.
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Post by Confused Mark Wahlberg on Feb 6, 2024 7:41:05 GMT -5
I don't know why Rock wants to face Roman anyway. Did they have some kayfabe falling out?
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Post by RI Richmark on Feb 6, 2024 8:21:29 GMT -5
I don't know why Rock wants to face Roman anyway. Did they have some kayfabe falling out? He's upset that Roman's been calling himself "The Head of the Table". Now why has he waited two years to confront Roman...well he's been busy.
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