December 3, 2025 • 56 mins
Originally Aired 9/20/2021
Anthony Di Marco returns to discuss another "What If" topic. This week we discuss the scenario in which The Rock returns, and joins The Bloodline. The second half of the show we went a bit off topic to discuss other topics such as Big E, what makes Brock Lesnar so great and who could be the one to take the Universal Championship from Roman Reigns. Don't miss this one! Find us on Twitter @Wrestling_Audio
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-wwe-podcast--2187791/support.
Anthony Di Marco returns to discuss another "What If" topic. This week we discuss the scenario in which The Rock returns, and joins The Bloodline. The second half of the show we went a bit off topic to discuss other topics such as Big E, what makes Brock Lesnar so great and who could be the one to take the Universal Championship from Roman Reigns. Don't miss this one! Find us on Twitter @Wrestling_Audio
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-wwe-podcast--2187791/support.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Speaker 2 (02:23):
Right now, It's.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Time to explore wrestlings past and potential future with your
weekly dose of a segment we call what If, only
found here on the WORWE podcast.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
It's time for what If with Anthony Debarco and tonight
we're going to discuss something that I don't think anyone
is talking about. No one to my knowledge, has ever
discussed this possibility, and that is what if the Rock
returned and joined the Bloodline. So Anthony, welcome to the show.
This is going to be an interesting conversation.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
It is, and it's something that I've low key thought
about ever since the rumblings of him returning Red Round
Survivor series came to fruition, and I think everyone is
suspecting and the most likely outcome is him coming back,
stepping up to Roman reigns and building towards a program
at WrestleMania thirty eight. It will be thirty eight this year.
(03:18):
That's nuts to think, isn't that crazy?
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (03:21):
Yep, yeah, it's just so Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Anyway, felt like twenty was yesterday. But I think that
is the most likely outcome and probably the best outcome,
because I feel like that would be like the crowning
achievement on Roman Reins's resume.
Speaker 5 (03:36):
Although beating brock Lesnar.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
And John Cena and edge on one year may already
do that, but you have to think that the Rock
is almost like the final destination on just this incredible.
Speaker 5 (03:47):
Run that Rains is gone.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
But I've also thought about what if the Rock came
back as a heel and joining the bloodline and kind
of brought back those characteristics that he had in two
thousand and three and as the whole Hollywood heal, And
I just keep thinking like, man, would it maybe be
even better?
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Well, here's the thing I thought about this. Once we
discussed this topic earlier today and we figured out what
we're going to talk about, I immediately thought to myself, well, yeah,
this would be awesome. Nobody would expect it, but why
can't we have both right? Where perhaps the Rock goes
against Roman reigns, Maybe the Rock loses and then you
think that the Rock is going to go back to
(04:27):
Hollywood and he sticks around and decides to indeed join
the Bloodline, So you could get both again.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
We don't know.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
This is all speculation, of course, with the Rock rumors
come back in just a couple of months now at
Survivor series around Survivory series, that's going to lead to
a program to Russell Mainia, We've all been We've been
talking about this for months and months now. But I mean,
you could have both, and I think that may. I mean,
while I don't think this is likely, I think, like
you said, the more likely scenario is indeed the Rock
(04:56):
coming back and doing just what we said. But yeah,
think about the Rock join joining the Bloodline. The guy
that you think is gonna come back and be the
Savior to finally dethron Roman reigns, the guy that is
the White Knight riding in to finally take down Roman reigns,
and he ends up joining the Damn Group. I mean, people,
(05:17):
I don't know if people would know what to do.
Do you think though, that if this happened, that people
would reject it outright? Or do you think that they
would go along with it and go, Okay, I want
to see what this is about, or do you think
it kind of be like an Austin Hill turn, Like, ah,
don't I don't want this?
Speaker 5 (05:33):
Well, look, I.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
Could only speak personally, but this is coming from like
the biggest rock fan there probably is.
Speaker 5 (05:40):
Here.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
I'm starting to reject his babyface character and that's because
it's not the rock anymore. And I think that's one
of the reasons why I would almost prefer this happens,
because in my mind, when the Rock has come back
the last several times, he wasn't playing the Rock. He
was playing Dwayne Johnson. So in my head, I'm saying, well,
(06:02):
there must be other people.
Speaker 5 (06:04):
Feeling this way.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
And secondly, if you're not going to play the babyface
rock that we all know and love, and you're just
gonna annoy us, then just be heal, because that's kind
of like what happened in two thousand and two, two
thousand and three when people knew that he was stepping
away to Hollywood.
Speaker 5 (06:20):
If there's more.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
People like me who sense that this isn't the typical
rock back character we came to know and love twenty
years ago, maybe bringing him back as a heel and
playing onto that hate would make more sense.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
What do you think?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Hmm?
Speaker 1 (06:35):
The Rock we all know is really good at being
a heel, and we haven't seen heal Rock in a
long time, and I think the Rock is still easily
capable of it. But like you said, are we really
talking about the Rock here as we once knew and
loved him, the one that was, you know, screwing with
the coach and doing if you smell and work them
(06:59):
with triple A? No, he is past that now and
he is and he has morphed into Dwayne. He is
just Dwayne Johnson who comes in big reaction deservedly. So
he's a massive, massive star.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
We know that.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
But he's Dwayne doing the catch phrases of a character
he no longer is. That's what you're right, That's exactly
what it feels like. It doesn't feel authentic. It just
feels like he is that the Dwayne person, the human
being of Dwayne, is more important on TV than the
Rock is. I know exactly what you're saying, and I
(07:33):
think that I think people would go along with this
if done correctly and planned out over several several months.
I don't think that this could happen all in one
fell swoop. I have my doubts, especially if they do
it immediately upon his return. We saw with Becky Lynch
and the just complete absolute flabbergasting move they made at SummerSlam,
(07:58):
where people were like what the hell and like, what
is this? Why are they turning her heel right away?
I mean the Rock coming in and immediately doing this
would be jarring and people would be like, whoa wait
a minute, why aren't we getting Roman versus the Rock?
I think people would if we don't get Roman Rock.
I think people would be pissed. I think there would
be some resentment towards the company itself, like, hey, we
(08:21):
have a perfect matchup here. Why the hell are we
not putting this on a WrestleMania Now, of course you
and I both agree this is probably not going to happen,
but how would you navigate that that complete just I
think utter hatred and frustration from a fans perspective of
The Rock just joining and not going, hey, like, we
(08:42):
have a WrestleMania match here, what are we doing?
Speaker 4 (08:47):
I think the only way you would be able to
navigate through that is giving them that match and going
the route that you suggested, right and just having you
build Postmania.
Speaker 5 (08:56):
But that's pretty much.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
Why I don't think this will ever happen, because any
way you cut it, for them to bring The Rock
back as a heel and make him joined forces with
the Bloodline, they would need him for a much longer
amount of time because obviously, if you want to do
a post WrestleMania, that involves him being around until at
least SummerSlam to give it at least a somewhat legitimate run.
(09:22):
And if you wanted to even do it instead of
a match and just build it from right away from
Survivor Series to Mania, you would need more appearances from
The Rock on TV to build this character, to explain
why he made this decision, to get actual heat behind him,
as opposed to now, if you bring him back as
the status quo, the typical babyface, he comes in one
(09:45):
every five to six weeks and he does his you know,
Rock's greatest hits and does if he can smell, and
then he walks off, there would be no need for
character development because the character is already set in stone.
It's already gravely in the mind of fans. But if
you even wanted to build him as a heel in
a four to five month span, you'd need him maybe
(10:05):
once every two weeks a minimum to really start driving
home this new type of character. So I mean, I
think the only way that they could do it is
if they did the rivalry and the one on one
match with Rains and then turning him a heel. But
for all the points I just outlined, I just don't
see it happening.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Yeah, no, I and I don't either. And I'm not
trying to negate the entire point of this show. I mean,
we're gonna go down that path in a minute, but
I do want to bring up just some logical things
that I'm sure fans are thinking, like, well, why the
hell wouldn't why wouldn't WW give us this match? But
the reason I don't think that they they probably won't
(10:44):
do this. This what we're a situation we're talking about
with the Rock joining the Bloodline is because of the
time commitment it would create for the Rock, which we
know he I mean, his movie schedule is constantly booked.
He works out like nine days a week. I mean,
the guy is just a machine.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
We know this.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
So I don't think that this will happen simply because
of a time commitment that it would take instead of
just Rock coming in. Like you said, there's no character development.
It's just the Rock as you always know him. There's
nothing really foundational you need to change or shift. If
we do see a change or a shift that tells
you that they are gonna do something more long term
with the Rock, I highly doubt it. But let's go
(11:24):
down the road. Let's have a little fun here. Let's
just say the Rock and Roman have their match at WrestleMania,
because this is the most likely scenario of this sort
of play out. We have Roman reigns beat the Rock,
as most of us assume. But I mean that's not
even a given. I've heard a lot of good theories
about why the Rocks should win at WrestleMania. But let's
say Roman beats the Rock hook or crook. I don't
(11:46):
care how he does it. He ends up beating the Rock,
the Rocks defeated sitting in the middle of the ring
next night on say RAW. I mean, I don't know
if Roman's gonna be drafted a Rock SmackDown. Let's pretend
he's on Raw. So the Monday night ra after WrestleMania.
Roman comes out and and starts gloating about how there's
nobody left and he truly is the head of his
family's table and he is the alpha male, and the
(12:07):
Rocks music hits. People think that the Rock is going
to challenge Roman Reigns once again, and instead we get
the Rock turning heel and joining the Bloodline. I think
the only way to do it would be Postmania the
Monday Night Raw after. I think that, so I guess
take it from there, right, I mean, let me know
what you think about that and how they would continue
(12:28):
to evolve it from there.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
I think that he would come in, and he would come.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
To the ring and in kind of morph himself into
an MVP type of figure in the Bloodline and really
just go down the road of the two thousand and
three Hollywood heel that we would see, and I think
having him have some tag team matches with Roman Reigns,
but more just slide into like a managerial type of
(12:55):
role and maybe have him come out in suits and
the sunglasses kind of like the look of what the
player agent he was in, what was his show ballers
kind of adopt that kind of mentality and not wrestle
as much to really put the spotlight on Roman Rains.
Because here's the thing. If you brought The Rock in
(13:15):
to the Bloodline and he was still an in ring competitor,
even if it was just on pay per views, because
we know he'd never wrestle on Monday Night raws or
on Smackdowns, but even on pay per views maybe aside
from the Big Four, I think it would be so
integral to not have him be in the ring because
then you would automatically take the spotlight off of Roman Reigns.
(13:37):
And that's no slight against Roman Reigns. But if The
Rock is wrestling and an in ring competitor, fans will
gravitate to him, even if it's just the casual fans,
because as you said earlier, the Rock is just such
a megastar that transcends wrestling. So I think the first
thing that they would have to do and make sure
to stick to is that The Rock would become more
(13:59):
of a mouse mouthpiece instead of an in ring guy.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
I mean, the Rock at this point doesn't need to
do anything regular even semi regular in the ring. He
can carry a promo and we know that we know
that the Rock is capable of telling a story without
being in the ring very well. He's got that gravitational
pull on TV, and you want to make sure, like
you said, to not make to make sure that you
don't pull that away from Roman, who is really the
(14:26):
goal here, that the goal is to help build Roman,
not build the Rock. So we do have to think
about this in terms of you know, as I said
last week, all roads lead to Roman. But in this case,
this is how this is when it makes sense to
do it, not in a forced way, but in a
way that I think would take his career even to
that next level if it's possible. So the Rock doing
(14:47):
that being the mouthpiece and not being there all the time,
but acknowledging Roman reigns and doing it in a very
kind of resistant way, but saying yeah, you know, you
really are the head the table. And then you know,
I don't know who Roman's next opponent would be. I mean,
I honestly don't know where you go after the Rock.
I don't know outside of Stone Cold coming back from retirement.
(15:10):
I mean, I really, I honestly have no idea. There's
to me, there's nobody above the Rock. Do you have
any idea. Say this happened, say the Rock joined Roman reigns,
and you know, Rock isn't there all the time. He's
more of a mouthpiece. Occasionally he'll come back and maybe
help Roman whin needed. But where the hell would they
go if Roman Rains beats the Rock, say the Rock
(15:32):
joins the bloodline, Who the f is going to face
Roman Rains past that? I mean, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
It's crazy, right, because presumably he will have gone through
at least Finn Baaler and Brock Leisner by then Johnson,
then you and John Cena and Edge and just you know,
and Daniel Brian, so you figure that there will even
be another guy between Brock and the Rock in the
Royal rumble time, and maybe that's Kevin Owens.
Speaker 5 (16:00):
Again, I have no idea, to be.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Honest with you, but like I would have said, Biggie,
I truly would have said biggie. But I think they
really fast tracked his push. Whether you think that's wrong
or right, I'm somewhere in the middle. They really kind
of pulled the rugout from under that, so he's off
the table. I guess they could try and do Drew
McIntyre again, but I have a feeling that Drew McIntyre's
(16:25):
going to be that buffer between Rock and Rock around
the Row Rumbles season. So in my head, I'm just like,
is it maybe a guy like Damian Priest, Well, Damian
Priest in like an eight to year's time be ready
for a push like that?
Speaker 5 (16:40):
Because to your.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
Point, I really just don't know anymore unless they turn
a seth rawlins baby face. But I don't think that
would really be right either, So I don't know. I
felt like Big Ye was the slam dunk option, but
ever since he got named or won the championship last
week iming a Night Raw, their options are really you
and far between.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Yeah, I mean I vented about the whole Big Ee
victory and just one small sidebar on that. I mean,
I know I haven't really heard your thoughts on it,
but big eie to me. While I understand people feel like,
oh it's overdue, he deserves it, and I understand the
tenure he's been there a long time. Well guess what
a lot of guys and gals have been there a
long time that work hard and dedicate their life to it,
(17:25):
and we don't, you know, complain about them not being
champion I mean Cesarro maybe one case, but people aren't
breaking down the walls about that.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
You know.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
I just have a problem with the character of Biggie,
just as I've had the problem with Kobe Kingston, even
more so with the characters. So to me, it's not
about Biggie as as in a work ethic. It's not
about Biggie being there long enough or even skipping the
line ahead of too many people. It's just his flat
out his character that I can't stand that I have
a problem with. It was no real build either. It
(17:53):
was just kind of like, hey, I'm cashing in. I'm
gonna cash in.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
I'm gonna cash in any cashes in, so that anyway,
that is a deep dark hole for me that I
have gone down on many shows so far this week.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
But yeah, I don't know where they go beyond the Rock.
If he loses, if the Rock loses and then semi
joins the bloodline, or even if he just went away.
I think that it has to be somebody in house.
It can't be another legend, because it shouldn't be another
legend now that I'm thinking about it. Number One, there's
no more legends to really pick from. Austin's not coming
(18:22):
out of retirement. I mean, Hulk Cogan of course, isn't
coming out of retirement at seventy five years old. I'm
just thinking of the biggest names possible, and they're just
not there. They're not there, So I think you do
have to go with somebody in house. I think Drew McIntyre.
If The Rock is not going to be at WrestleMania,
they go with Drew McIntyre versus Roman Reigns at WrestleMania.
(18:43):
That has been talked about as a main event for
WrestleMania for a couple of years now, so that, to me,
would be probably the guy to do it would be
Drew McIntyre. He's hiding under the radar right now. Drew
is just kind of spinning his wheels, and I think
that's okay. I want Drew to take time away from
the spotlight and feel like he's not there on a
weekly basis, So that's cool. I'm fine with it, and
(19:05):
it's much needed. So honestly, if you're gonna put a
gun in my head, I would say Drew McIntyre is
probably your guy to do it.
Speaker 4 (19:14):
If The Rock did come back and agree to do
first the build with Roman Reigns relating to a one
on one match and then later on joining the Bloodline.
Do you think you would need at least like a
year and a half of him doing somewhat regular appearances.
Would you be able to just go on a touch
(19:34):
and go basis and just take it by ear? How
much time do you think it would require if The
Rock were to agree to do the Bloodline storyline.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
It would take a lot, a lot of time and effort.
They would have to really believe that the Rock joining
the blood Line is a better option than the Rock
coming back as the Rock slash Dwayne Johnson and doing
his stick and doing his his catchphrases and doing rock
bottom of people's elbow and maybe winning a match here
and there. They would have to believe that this is
(20:05):
going to be a more profitable, better story to help
build Roman Reigns than the probably ninety nine percent chance
of the other option that's going to happen. And I
think that again, we'd have to look at the Rock schedule.
That would be He's going to look at the Rock schedule.
Is the Rock willing to commit that amount of time?
I think it would take many months and the Rock
wouldn't have to be there every week. But even if
(20:26):
he's there famously via satellite during the John Cena program
about a decade ago, now, I mean he could still
join via satellites and and messages from his phone, be
there maybe once a month or every other month. Even
he could still be attached without actually having to physically
be in the arena.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
And I think that's probably how they'd have to do it.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
But if they were going to do it, yeah, they'd
have to do it semi regularly, minimum once every two weeks,
ideally every week in some capacity satellite, video message FaceTime.
I don't care. They would have to because this is
something that would be a There was a seismic shift
in how we view The Rock, who has not been
hel in like fifteen years.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
And the other thing is is that you bring up
when he was doing his promos via satellite with John Cena,
that is Taylor made.
Speaker 5 (21:17):
For a heel.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
I just feel like who The Rock has become now
has made his character better suited to be a heel
because he could use the Oh you know, I'm too
busy to come to ex town. You guys aren't worth
my time, or I'll record like a pre recorded interview
and send it to you guys, because I have a
big Hollywood meet and I just think that there's so
(21:39):
many more interesting angles you could go down if he's
a heel backing the biggest heel in the company, and
you know, really legitimizing that faction is one of the
best ever. And I think that him joining the Bloodline
would almost be having like Rick Flair being a part
of evolution, just really finally legitimizing this group with a
(22:00):
stamp of the proofal of a legend. And the other
thing is is that I feel like then you could
have more options for the Rock to go against at
future pay per views, like now that he's a heel,
Like imagine you could branch off and do I don't know,
like the Rock versus Drew MacIntyre or the Rock.
Speaker 5 (22:17):
Versus Edge that we had never seen.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
Don't you think that if he would come back and
turn heel and join the Bloodline, it could make for
some more impact matches down the line, as opposed to
if he was just staying babyface.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
Yeah, I mean you have Randy Orton on mon Net Rock,
so you have aj styles. I mean, for God's sakes,
You've got a whole lineup of guys that he has
not worked with.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
And you know, again.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
While I don't believe that this is in the in
the future for the Rock, it would open up a
whole lot more options for him to work with, I mean,
individuals to work with, and I think ultimately it would
help not just of coursew get more viewership, which the
Rock absolutely does. He's an needle mover, there's no question,
but it help build that newer talent. That's what the
(23:02):
Rocks goal should be. In WWE's goal should be. And
sure the Rock will win a match or two, as
he should. He's not gonna come in and do a
job to everybody, even as a heel, but he should
come in with the golden mind of hey, let's use
the Rock while we can to help build as much
talent as possible. You're seeing it right now with Edge
in a babyface capacity, but it's still working well and
(23:24):
Seth Rollins right now is doing career work. I mean,
I think Seth Rollins an Edge like it's a absolute
highlight that I can't wait to see their third match,
whenever that may be. So that should be the Rocks
roll very limited in terms of in ring, but the
goal would be to work with several different talent, perhaps
over a year. I mean they would have to dedicate
at least a year to this project.
Speaker 5 (23:48):
I got to.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
Ask you something that's still Rock related, but not exactly
with this topic, and it'll just be a quick question
because I don't want to veer off as usual. But
I was watching the WWE's tribute to that nine to
eleven episode of SmackDown where they did it the tribute to,
you know, just you know, paying homage to everyone who
lost their lives, and I remember The Rock standing at
(24:11):
the front of the line with Vince McMahon, and I
think back to wrestling at that time in Rock, you know,
being the guy to put Brock over at SummerSlam and
The Rock going one on one with Hulk.
Speaker 5 (24:23):
Hogan at wrestleming eighteen.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
Do you think for that brief period from mid two
thousand and one to Austin's lockout, the Rock kind of
became the face of the company over Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Oh, definitely. I mean, I think that was Vince's goal.
He knew that he had at least one big start,
and I remember famously the Rock saying, speaking to Stone
Cold after he quote unquote took his ball and went home,
that if you don't want to be here, then you
get the f out also, and pun intended to when
they took the f out of WWF and became WWE.
(24:55):
So the Rock still told Stone Cold to take your
ball and go home. I mean, so I think, yes,
that was at that very moment. I don't know what
raw that was or when it happened. I'm assuming in
famously in two thousand and two when Austin walked out
in Atlanta, Georgia with brock Lesner versus Austin and the qualifier,
it had been the mon night raw after somewhere close.
(25:17):
So yeah, that was the message being sent there. And
I think that WWE had to lean on the Rock.
I mean, who else were they going to lean on.
Brock Lester was a rising star, no doubt, but he
wasn't at that level yet, So the Rock was a shoeing.
He was the guy that the company was putting all
their weight on, which I mean he had one foot
out of the door too, looking into Hollywood as we
all know. But yes, definitely the Rock was the really
(25:40):
the next guy in line.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
I guess as we closed it out here and we
shifted back more towards the Rock, and if you were
to join the blood line, I think this is almost
a program he owes the fans. And maybe I'm talking
more specifically like hardcore fans like myself, but I think
we've seen for far too long now since he originally
returned in twenty eleven, so over a decade removed of
(26:07):
just the same thing. You come back, you do your
greatest hits, you feud and or cut a promo with
wrestler X, and then you go on your way. And
I feel like, yeah, a Rock return would be cool here,
but I think we need to see one more creative Rock,
not just the stereotypical stick that we've been accustomed to
(26:27):
for the last ten years. Do you not think that
it would put an even bigger stamp on the Rocks
character if he came back, added a new wrinkle to
his character, got back some of that comedic relief that
he was oh so good at as the Hollywood heel
in two thousand and three, and really captivated fans just
one more time in an original way.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
Yes, and it's funny you mentioned the comedic part of
the Rock as a heel because I am there were
some really really funny times and I will YouTube it
once in a while. And the Rock can be funny
as a heel, which sounds like an oxymoron, right, Like
we don't want heels to be cool.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
They shouldn't be funny. You should just flat out hate them.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
But the Rock, in his effort to be a heel
and get the crowd against him, can inadvertently be hilarious.
And what I mean by that is one example I'm
thinking of. I think they might have been in Toronto,
I think, and he was either he was making fun
of the fans, but because he had mentioned their town
and he was just saying we you know, the Rock
(27:27):
said my town and like he was mocking the fans
for cheering just because he mentioned their city, and it
was hilarious. I think it was Toronto. It might not be,
but I know he also did something with the Canada,
the O Canada. He did something with Toronto Maple Leaves.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
I think.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
So he can be hilarious, but not intentionally. So yeah,
I would love to see that part of the Rock
in a babyface role. He has had some of the
most iconic hilarious promos of all time. I remember right
before Armour GEDD in two thousand when he imitated every
single one of his opponents, from the Undertaker to Stone
(28:05):
Cold to Triple H. I mean it was hilarious and
I remember that very well, and so yeah, definitely.
Speaker 4 (28:14):
Yeah, I just I think The Rock still us so
much more to give. And don't get it wrong, the
nostalgic act where he comes back and does the Rock's
greatest hits will never get old in some capacity.
Speaker 5 (28:27):
I will always, you know, have time for.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
The classic rock act. But at the same time, you
know how talented of a guy he is, you know
how charismatic of a guy he is. How would it
be if he just, for one last time let the
chains off a bit?
Speaker 5 (28:43):
And I just think how it would help Roman reigns,
Like can't you see The Rock.
Speaker 4 (28:47):
Being in a MVP type of role to Bobby Lashley,
but obviously on such a more gigantic scale, because you know,
it's The Rock and not MVP. And I just feel
as though, like even like I put put a lot
of parallels between Rick Flair and Triple H and evolution,
like Triple H only really got cemented as an overwhelming
(29:10):
elite level talent once he got to Evolution, at least
in my opinion, and he was affiliated with one of
the best of all time. Don't you think that it
would do a lot for Roman reigns. And this isn't
him me even saying that Roman Rains isn't already at
that level, But do you not feel like you would
just further cement him as just a top level superstar
(29:32):
in the history of the company with a guy like
The Rock by side in a faction.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
I will say this, if they decide to bring the
Rock back, can convince him to do this just as
we or similarly to what we just said about The
Rock coming back, maybe facing Roman losing a WrestleMania and
then joining for a year and trying to get Roman
over more as a heel. That will send a such
a message to fans that they are not just all
(30:00):
they I mean they are. They're going in on a
superstar like they've never gone in before to bring back
one of the greatest of all time to be second fiddle.
And I don't mean that disrespectfully. I don't mean it
that they demean the Rock, but really on kind of
a two man power trip with backup. I mean, unless
Brock and Roman do that, which I think actually is
a little more likely that Brock and Roman eventually do
(30:22):
joined forces, because Brock's actually there now and it'd be
fun as hell to watch. But I think that you
would have a message sent fromwe like we are two
thousand percent in on this guy being the biggest star
of all time, to bring back one of the biggest
stars of all time, to have a multi month into
(30:45):
maybe a multi year plan of building this guy as
the biggest star ever. I mean, it would be it
would be like I can't even people don't understand like
how much this would really just say to fans that
this this, this is the guy that we are gonna
put our hat on and lean on for the next
five to ten years. I mean, they're already doing that
(31:06):
now and Roman has put ww on its back on
his back for the last year and change now. But
it would I don't think people understand the monumental, uh
really consequence of this.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
Well, a quick rumor coming down the pike here, and
who knows if there's any legitimacy to do this, but
I'm seeing on the sports aer right now that Wressel
votes is reporting that if this week what Raw generates
a lot of higher ratings, it may result to WW
opening up the box to showcase more main stars on
(31:42):
both brands. So well, I mean, are we going to
see another wildcard rule coming in?
Speaker 1 (31:48):
I you know, I've already ranted about this on Twitter,
and I know the Draft is two weeks away, and
I know that they have very rarely, if ever, stuck
to I meant you and I have talked about this,
stuck to the damn rules of the draft, which I
think would behoove them instead of just willy nilly not
following your own rules. Wild Card Quarterly Invitational showing up
(32:09):
in no explanation. I mean that they have constantly just
bastardized their rules, and I really hate it when they
do that with no explanation, as if we're just supposed
to accept it. That's the worst part. And Roman reigns
on this week's RAW. To your point and the poll
that you're looking at, I think is while I'm fine
with Romans showing up on RAW, if there's an explanation,
(32:31):
I also understand the purpose of it. Of it's kind
of a litmus test to see how much Roman reigns
moves the needle on the ratings. I think they're going
to very very closely look at the ratings from Monon
at raw and compare them to the last several weeks
to see if indeed people do want to see this
and the numbers don't lie. And I think this is
(32:51):
absolutely a test to see what happens there. And I'm
fine with it if there's an explanation for it, Like
any champion can float beat between brands as they wish. Okay, fine,
just tell me that, but don't tell me that there's
a hard split and then have people willing nearly show
up that I don't like.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
If they want to do that rule that champions can
float between between.
Speaker 5 (33:15):
Brands, I wouldn't be opposed to it.
Speaker 4 (33:17):
But then you got to get rid of I guess,
the Universal Championship, right, Like you're not gonna get rid
of the WWE Championship. You're gonna have to get rid
of one of the women's championships. You're gonna have to
get rid of one of the tag team championships, like, and.
Speaker 5 (33:31):
You know that's the thing.
Speaker 4 (33:32):
I'm not even against it, but you can't have two
world champions, two women's champions two tag team champions if
everyone's floating between.
Speaker 5 (33:40):
Shows, Like look, I've been rewatching.
Speaker 4 (33:43):
Some episodes of SmackDown from late two thousand and two
early two thousand and three, and they were so strict
with the brand rule and the brand split that it
made sense that you had one world champion on each
so and each felt equally as legitimate datto for the
tag team titles.
Speaker 6 (34:00):
But that's because it was such a big deal between
of not crossing over to brands, Like do you remember
when Goldberg got arrested for attacking brock lesnar at No
Way Out two thousand and four, and how big of
a deal it felt like.
Speaker 4 (34:13):
I remember him walking in through the tunnel with security
around him because he wasn't supposed to be there. He
got the front road ticket from Austin, So if you
want to go down that road, I think it's actually better.
I love it when there's a hard brand split and
it doesn't even bother me that there are two world champions,
because it feels that special. But as soon as you
make them cross pass, one of them feels inferior. And
(34:36):
I watched the opening ten minutes of Raw and Biggie
and Roman reigns did his stare down both holding their championships.
I'm just like, yo, you guys may think this is,
you know, Austin looking at the Rock, each holding a
world title, but it's so clearly that Biggie is the
secondary champion.
Speaker 6 (34:52):
Or then even take a guy like Bobby Lashley.
Speaker 4 (34:54):
Don't get me wrong, Like, I love Bobby Lashley as champion,
but you put him face to face with Roman Reigns,
you know that Roman Reigns is gonna feel like the
actual world champion.
Speaker 5 (35:05):
You know.
Speaker 4 (35:05):
Heck, when people compare WWE to ae W, they always
compare Roman Reigns to Kenny Omegan. It's never Bobby Lashley.
So I mean, when you make a hard split and
there's no crossover, I'm all on board with it. But
as soon as there's a bit of you know, muddying
of the waters, it just all feels diluted.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
Well, I didn't see the opening segment of Raw, but
that doesn't surprise me, which is fine because it's the
same thing that happened on SmackDown. They just wins and
repeat on that one, and I just I don't know,
I don't understand how Big Ee is on Monday Net Raw.
It doesn't make sense. Nor do I understand how Roman
reins is on money at raw. We're just supposed to
(35:45):
accept it as it's okay. They're both here, they're both stars.
But yeah, Biggie does not feel like a real champion.
I'm sorry he doesn't. I just I do not believe
it from a character perspective. I think also his finisher
is just god awful. I mean, it's it's just a
belly flop. It's awful, you know, just so many things.
But nonetheless to your point, yeah, no, like this Roman
(36:07):
reigns or as far as the brand split goes, I
think that this if they're going to do this, like
you said, fine, do a hard split. But the problem
is we've seen them time and again. Tell us it's
a hard split, and then just just go well, not really.
We're gonna implement these just discretionary rules at our will,
and we'll enforce them as the storylined dictates, not all
the time, but when we need to, will enforce them.
(36:30):
Otherwise we're just gonna have people show up with no explanation,
not talk about it and hope the fans don't care.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
And we've seen it.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
We see it all the time, and there's only two
damn weeks, and they can't wait two weeks to just decide, Okay,
hey we're going to start fresh. They can't wait two
weeks to do that whatever, So I think they're less
championships always means more. I would cut all championships in Havel,
get rid of the tag team championships, one of them again,
women's championship, get rid of one of them, only one
(36:57):
world champion. Even if they were going to do a
brand split, you could still minimize the championships and have
the toes those mean more. Then the problem, though becomes,
I know what someone's gonna say, Well, then that could
leave one brand with no championships. That's called that's the
balancing act.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
Though.
Speaker 1 (37:12):
You gotta have like try to split it as best
you can with the storylines so that you have roughly
half of those championships on any brand at any given time.
So that's what I would do. I don't like more
championships to me, they always mean less. They're not going
to do this, but that's how I would do it.
Speaker 4 (37:29):
But what about in the Ruthless Aggression era where each
brand had five championships but it was an actual hard
split to the point that each brand had their own
exclusive pay per views.
Speaker 5 (37:40):
The concept I really liked. Did it still bother you?
Then the more championships, well.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
I think that the brands having your own pay per views,
they they found out fairly quickly that the ratings and
their buy rates at that time were not as good
because you have a lot of talent on say raw
or SmackDown.
Speaker 2 (37:56):
That the fans were like, oh, well, it's.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Kind of it feels it feels half important, right because
it's it's only half the roster. It doesn't feel like
it's something I have to tune into and invest my
money in. Now this is a different era. People aren't
buying pay per views as much, although you still can't.
I don't know who is, but you can and and
I think that having brand specific championships is fine. But
(38:22):
to me, it's one or the other. You can't be
half pregnant. You need to pick a road in a
lane and stick to it. You gotta pick either a
brand split with championships that that can't float, or a
brand split with champions that can float. If they don't
want to eliminate championships, fine, And if we're gonna stick
with a brand split. Fine, I don't think they're going
(38:43):
to merge the rosters, and I don't want them to
because there's too much talent that need the spotlight, and
you would, really, I think you'd sacrifice that. We even
talked about that probably a month or two ago, about
you know, getting rid of the brand split. I don't
think that's a good idea. So with those two options,
you got to pick one. You can't say you're gonna
do one and then talk out on the other side
of your mouth you doing the other.
Speaker 4 (39:03):
Thing and the other thing, like could you imagine them
having to abolish the Universal Championship again, is because if
they you know, like that's what they would have to do, right.
Speaker 1 (39:13):
Or merge them right, Like do you have a merger match?
Like I think was it Johnson and Randy Orton had one?
I think yeah. I mean like you'd have to merge
them into the universal WWE Championship. I mean, I don't
know what you would do. And again, Roman Reigns has
done such a great job with the Universal Championship and
has added arguably more value than the WWE Championship over
(39:36):
the last year that maybe it's not even arguable that
the Universal championship, a championship that came out of thin
air because of the brand split. It was just created
out of dust, and it feels more important than a
championship that has one hundred times the lineage around the
shoulder of Big Ee. That's a credit to creative, that's
a credit to WW themselves. That's a credit to Roman
(39:57):
Reigns and Paul Hayman and everyone involved. You can create
a championship out a thinner and it feels more important
than one with a massive bottle lineage.
Speaker 4 (40:05):
Yeah, And I mean, like you said, that would be
Roman Reigns is doing. And you'd have to think that
if The Rock eventually did join the bloodline, he would
only add to that. But you only you just have
to hope, right that he will decide to give more
time than just the classic, you know, three four month
long run of the Rock's greatest hits. Maybe we'll get
some more depth this type around, but we can only hope.
Speaker 1 (40:27):
Yeah, no, exactly, And I guess let me ask you
last question, So what is your what is your real thought?
Not if not this, not what if? But rather what
do you really think? If you're gonna be put on
the spot, how do they deal with the Rocks. Hey,
he does come in around Survivor series. Do you think
it's just going to be the standard Survivor series to
Mania Rock loses.
Speaker 4 (40:47):
Yeah, I think so, because at the end of the day,
I feel like The Rock is going to give them
a handful of dates ten if they're lucky, and if
that's the case, they don't really have the time to
build anything more complex than what we're ultimately thinking.
Speaker 5 (41:03):
The Rock's going to come back.
Speaker 4 (41:05):
He's going to congratulate Roman at the front at the
beginning of it, and then it's going to turn to
a bit of criticism. Roman's gonna blast him from the back,
and then we're just gonna slowly build until WrestleMania. You know,
Like I said, if they had more time, maybe they
would take more of a curbed approach and more you know,
prolonged to run at it. But I just think that
(41:26):
with the amount of time the Rocks and be able
to give them, it's just not going to give them
a whole lot of options to do anything more than
the straightforward, predictable outcome that I think we're all expecting.
Speaker 5 (41:37):
Now.
Speaker 4 (41:37):
If the Rocks somehow says, hey, I got six months
or I can give you, you know, an appearance bi weekly.
I think this all changes, but I'm just my best
guess here is that they're going to only get a
strict amount of dates and it's not going to give
them too much room for playing.
Speaker 2 (41:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:56):
I hate to be boring about this, but the thing
is being boring and predictable.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
We all still want to see it.
Speaker 1 (42:02):
I know that, you know, we're creating a scenario that
sounds like, oh, well, it's just going to be this
and this, but we all still will be on the
edge of our seats with this.
Speaker 2 (42:08):
We all want to see the Rock.
Speaker 1 (42:10):
Go face to face with Roman and then see the
promos between the two and then ultimately build for five
six months to WrestleMania thirty eight in Dallas. That is
still even if it's predictable, is fine. Predictability is not
always the worst thing in the world. If it's the
right thing to do, and if they're going to play
the safe route and Rock has limited dates, then sure,
(42:31):
let's just take this ride and have some fun promos
and have some great you know, headshots and pictures that
are going to be swirling around social media like wildfire,
and have ww get spiked in ratings for a while
and they'll be the talk of the town with the
Rock return.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
But that is most likely.
Speaker 1 (42:50):
I'd give it like a ninety percent chance, you know,
maybe higher that that is probably going to be the outcome,
as fun as our conversation is about the Rock, you know,
losing and then turning heel and joining the blae boodline,
which is a very very small chance. I do think
like you, this is going to ultimately be just the
kind of standard, predictable storyline, which is not a bad thing.
Speaker 4 (43:10):
If the Rock hypothetically gave them kind of like an
eighteen month long window, like he gives them a lot
more time than they could have ever expected, do you
think it changes a lot of things?
Speaker 2 (43:22):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (43:22):
God, yeah, I think that they're doing the most they
can with a small amount of time that presumably he's
giving w WA, like you said, probably ten dates from
November to April. Is that sounds right to me? Maybe
even overdone. I mean, we saw how little he was
there on Raw between John Cena and Rock in their program,
he was barely there. It was very frustrating as a
Rock fan, and I think that if indeed he somehow
(43:46):
has an open schedule, which it doesn't seem likely. But
if he did, this whole thing changes on a dime.
What I think would happen. Then the Rock wins. I
think the Rock wins at WrestleMania, and the Rock goes
on a several month rain as Universe Champion on SmackDown.
Fox would be wetting their pants over that, and I
mean they they would lose it. And then you have
(44:08):
a Rock consistently on SmackDown for several months defending his
championship and still limited I think it should be still
limited to only wrestling on pay per views, and yeah,
that that could be a fun deal because then, yeah,
I think The Rock would be the one to dethrow
in Roman reigns.
Speaker 2 (44:25):
What do you think?
Speaker 4 (44:27):
Yeah, honestly, now that you say it, let's say he
gave them until WrestleMania thirty nine, like an almost eighteenth
eighteenth month long run. You could have him win the championship,
prolong the build and then maybe drop it around SummerSlam
and then make him join the Bloodline, so then you
get a six month run as him as a babyface
(44:48):
or even longer than that, and then a final run
of him with the Bloodline that could build to a match,
let's say, against Drew McIntyre and your broccol.
Speaker 5 (44:58):
Oh my god, I imagine Rock.
Speaker 2 (45:00):
I've been talking about that for like six years. Yeah,
I know. I'd actually rather see Rock Brock than Rock Roman.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
Honestly, if I was to choose as great as a
storyline that would be, I still would want to see
Rock Brock because it has been what since two thousand
and two, It's been nearly twenty years.
Speaker 2 (45:19):
I mean, I would love to see that. I think
it's more of a headline.
Speaker 4 (45:23):
Okay, while we're on the topic here, could we quickly
just squash the whole narrative that Brock is like an
unliked worker.
Speaker 5 (45:30):
I love the guy. I don't know about you.
Speaker 2 (45:33):
He's a what.
Speaker 5 (45:34):
Worker, like like a bad worker.
Speaker 2 (45:37):
Oh oh, I don't.
Speaker 1 (45:39):
Know where this is coming from. I honestly don't know.
People are saying, oh, he's so one dimensional, he's like Goldberg.
I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, no, he is not Goldberg.
Have you seen his matches? Like, have you watched anything
that he does. He's a lot safer, he's a lot
more athletic, he has a better gas tank. I think
he is just flat out more athletic in the ring.
(45:59):
The guy is an absolute monster. He knows actually how
to wrestle like amateur wrestling that he can put into there.
I don't know where the hell people are coming up
with that narrative. I've heard it too.
Speaker 4 (46:10):
I've said this a lot recently, aside from Austin Rock
and Hogan, I don't think that there's ever been a
bigger draw in WWE than brock Lesner, or I guess
maybe Johnsen as well.
Speaker 1 (46:22):
I think, well, yeah, the thing is, I think I
think brock burned hotter than John, but John burned longer,
and I think that's probably you know, if you're looking
at the totality of the money drawn by John, it's
obviously more than brock Lesner. But brock Lesner, I think
is a bigger name than John Cena, even as much
as John has done in Hollywood, and you know, give
him kudos, and he's definitely making a name for himself
(46:44):
quickly following the path of the Rock that he blazed
for him. I think certainly that brock Lesner is still
a bigger household name, even as a guy sitting on
his farm in you know, to wherever the hell he
is in Canada, Right, Like, brock Lester, unbelievably not doing
anything for eighteen months, is still a bigger name than
ninety five percent of the guys on the roster.
Speaker 4 (47:05):
I think it's because he's a legitimate Like you saw
what he did in UFC, you saw what he did
an amateur wrestling. You saw him, you know, at least
get a lengthy look with the Minnesota Vikings. I think
people just know that he is a legitimate badass. And
I remember when he came back in twenty twelve, it
got a lot of eyes on the ww product because
(47:25):
he was just coming off of his mega run with
the UFC.
Speaker 1 (47:29):
Yeah, no, I do remember that, Like, yeah, that's exactly right.
I know that Goldberg had a brief stint in football.
I understand that. I know that Goldberg is he's got
his jiu jitsu or whatever the hell he does.
Speaker 2 (47:40):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (47:40):
I mean, he's incredible shape for his age. But brock
Lesner has all the credentials of an actual athlete and
two time NCAA champion. Could have been if he pursued it,
could have been an Olympic gold gold medalist just in
the right you know, following in the suit of Kurt Angle.
He just didn't pursue it, you know, he did. He
was the last guy cut from the Vikings practice squad
(48:02):
before the season started in two thousand and five, so
or two thousand and four, So I think that, yeah,
people look at that obviously did with UFC what he
did in the as Pat mcafe says, the broctagon because
they can't say octagon for whatever reason, They've just decided
that's saying UFC or whatever is you know, cross promotion.
I don't know, but that is something that people. I
(48:23):
don't know where this is coming from, and it's to me,
it's just lazy analysis.
Speaker 2 (48:27):
It's just what are you talking about? Like, show me
a brock Lesner match that sucks?
Speaker 4 (48:32):
Yeah, No, I love brock Lesner and I know we
kind of went off track here, but I just wanted
to get that in what was on my mind.
Speaker 2 (48:39):
No, this is I hear you, and that's what happens here.
Speaker 1 (48:41):
And the people are like, wait a minute, is supposed
to be about the Rock joining the blood Line. But
I mean, this is just I have no excuses for this.
It's just and I love it because it's it's fun
to talk about things that are actually somewhat possible in
an environment with crowds back. This is what you can
talk about and fantasize about for things that are not
off the radar.
Speaker 2 (49:01):
Rock Brock Rock maybe.
Speaker 1 (49:03):
Going for an extended run, maybe being the one of
he thrown Roman reigns, Maybe he joins the bloodline, or
maybe it's just the quote unquote boring road of him
losing to Roman and going back to Hollywood. It could
be all three of those or one of those three,
And it's fun to talk about the possibilities, especially with
Brock lesnar kind of floating around and what he's going
to do over the next you know, apparently eighteen months
(49:25):
was his contract, so Brock Lenser is going to be
there for quite some time too.
Speaker 4 (49:29):
Which is good to see. And I'm really looking forward
to what else they do with Brock. You have to
think Bobby Lashley's on the horizon. Maybe a rematch with
Drew McIntyre. But and especially now that they changed his character.
You know, as much as I've liked Brock over the years,
like there was something a little stale about his character,
I just didn't mind it because I truly felt that
(49:51):
that's who he was like, in my opinion, brock Lesner
is the most authentic character in the history of the company.
So that's why it didn't bother me too much because
I literally would say myself, like, Okay, he's just playing
Brocklesner the human. But the fact that he has changed
his look, he's obviously changed his character. I would assume
he's kind of a babyface now, you know, coming off
(50:12):
like he's just you know, finished, like rallying up a
herd of goats on a farm or whatever. I think
it really has given his character a breath of fresh air.
Speaker 5 (50:22):
What do you think?
Speaker 1 (50:23):
Oh yeah, and now that he's babyface And people also say,
and I've admittedly said this too, I'm not going to
pretend I didn't that Bronck is not good on promos,
and he's not good in the traditional sense of what
we think of a good wrestling promo being. But as
I kind of thought about it, I'm I don't know
if Brock's bad on it or he's just really good
at the way he delivers his promos because he has
(50:44):
he's good on the microphone to the extent that he
is just as you said, authentic. He just says what
he feels and doesn't come off sometimes polished or smooth
or acute tagline at the end like a typical wrestling
promo would. But maybe that's what makes Brock really good.
He's just so full of energy and so intense all
the time that it's fun to hear Brock Lesser speak
(51:07):
on his own without the help of Paul Hayman right now.
Speaker 4 (51:10):
So yeah, yeah, well that's exactly it. And I to
your point, I think you said it perfectly. He's not
a stereotypical good promo, but it's because you really think
that that's him, and I think that's his best quality
is that he feels like he's just being himself. And
even though he maybe comes off of it bland or
(51:31):
his voice doesn't really match his body, but when you
hear him speak, at least in my opinion, it really
just feels like it's he himself speaking and that makes
me like want to I don't know, know, I don't know,
just be invested in his character.
Speaker 1 (51:47):
Yeah, Brock doesn't feel It almost feels like Brock doesn't
want to be there anyway, which I know he actually
probably doesn't, And that's it's weird to think that I
appreciate that. It's because of the authenticism of his character.
That's what it all boils down to. That people gravitate to,
even if it's not a like an admirable trait, that
(52:07):
you're getting paid millions of dollars to be somewhere that
you don't want to be, and I know he doesn't.
Speaker 2 (52:11):
He wants nothing to do with this.
Speaker 1 (52:13):
He'd rather be sitting on his farm and milking his
cows and you said, hurting goats and just sitting in
a barn or working out like that just is apparently
what Brock just wants to do. And you know by
his attitude, because he's so authentic that he wants he
just doesn't want ton fing be here and he's simply
here for the money. And that's that makes it hilarious
to me, because he can come in and be better
(52:33):
than anyone on the roster by just being himself and
not even really trying. That's what is so damn good
about Brock. And Brock is so good in the ring
that you know that speaks for itself too. So yeah,
I know this this wasn't supposed to be about Brock Lessner,
but it somehow did morph into it. And imagine the
paycheck that brock Lester is getting. A guy that hates
people legitimately hates crowds in terms of not maybe in
(52:56):
the arena, but hates traveling just he doesn't want to
see or talk to hear it, like from anybody to
go to Saudi Arabia in October and face Roman reigns.
Just imagine that paycheck that brock Leser is getting. How
many zeros are on that one.
Speaker 4 (53:13):
But that's what makes it awesome, because you know, he
doesn't want to be there, Like I always had a
joke that he probably just showed up in his jet
five minute minutes before the match start, did his match,
and then as he was walking through Gorilla, he was
already given the keys to like his rental car. And
that makes it really cool in my opinion, because he's
a guy that's just so good at what he does.
(53:35):
He just gets whatever he wants by the company, and
we could all hate him for that, but at least
in my mind, he's easily one of the characters I
lived the most vicariously through.
Speaker 1 (53:44):
Oh God, And I love Pat McAfee's description of him.
How if aliens came down to Earth and we had
to choose one human to fight him, it would be
brock Lesner. I mean, it's so true, like Brock would
be that guy. There's even a clip of brock Lesner.
I don't know what WrestleMania was from. I know that
it was one that brock Lester retained the championship, and
it was a clip of him going backstage and the
(54:08):
crowd was not with this match, honest.
Speaker 2 (54:10):
I don't know if it was with Roman. It probably
was with Roman Reigns Romano.
Speaker 1 (54:14):
Yeah, and he went backstage, threw the championship at Vince
and Gorilla and said here a hole, and then or
said something. He say, cursed at Vince McMahon who's sitting
there with his headset on, and then Vince like said
something back to him. And just the audacity, it's it's
so it doesn't get any more defiant then a guy
that's paying you millions to be there, you come backstage
(54:36):
throw your championship in disrespect to the boss. I mean,
this is unscripted stuff. So, I mean, I don't do
you know what clip I'm talking about. It's like a
six second ten second clip of this whatever.
Speaker 4 (54:46):
No, I know exactly what you're talking about it was
following his match against bro against Roman Reigns the resume
at thirty four, and I think it's because the crowd
turned on it, and if I'm to understand correctly, it's
because Vince witched the match to Brock going over at
the eleventh hour because of the sense that the crowd
would freak out if Roman retained. And then I remember
(55:09):
like Roman was bloodied mounted to come back and then
kind of of nowhere, Brock hit him with the F
five retained the championship. It was a very rejected main event,
if memory serves me correctly, and Brock felt that and
clearly wasn't appreciative of how they booked the match.
Speaker 2 (55:24):
Yeah, okay, there you go.
Speaker 1 (55:25):
There's the explanation, and that's exactly what Brock did. And
I love that attitude from Brock that even backstage, he's
like the same guy he's out in the ring.
Speaker 2 (55:33):
It's it's hilarious.
Speaker 1 (55:35):
I find Brock just really funny at times, and just
because he's just who he is and he's not trying
to play a wrestler.
Speaker 2 (55:43):
He doesn't just he does.
Speaker 1 (55:44):
He's not a character, he's just Brock Lesner and it's amazing.
How that just works with him. So all right, well
let's let's close this out here. I mean, we're now
in just I don't know where the hell we are
in terms of topics now, it's just it's great. But
all right, Anthony, before you go, just let everyone know,
of course, where they can find you on social media.
Speaker 4 (56:02):
You can find me at a to mark of twenty
five on Twitter and the same handle on Instagram. If
you guys want to see pictures of my upply face,
I'm just very good.
Speaker 1 (56:12):
Yeah, no, I hear you, and go follow guys. You
of course can check out Anthony and his rivalries every
single week on Fridays right here on the ww podcast.
So Anthony, so much fun. Way off topic, but we
did We did at least cover what we were supposed to.
We just added more. How about that We gave everyone
more than they expected. That's how I'll look at it.
Speaker 4 (56:33):
Yeah, we'll look at it as a little bonus part
of our episode, as that's the best explanation we could
give when we go off the rail.
Speaker 1 (56:40):
Yeah, you guys got bonus content. So you're the benefactors
of this. It's not that we screwed up. You guys
got more content than you expected and it's bonus. Yes,
that's how we'll that's how we'll sell it. So all right, well,
thanks so much man, and we'll be chatting next week.
Speaker 5 (56:55):
Yeah, man, looking forward to it, all right.
Speaker 2 (56:57):
See letter
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Speaker 2 (02:23):
Right now, It's.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Time to explore wrestlings past and potential future with your
weekly dose of a segment we call what If, only
found here on the WORWE podcast.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
It's time for what If with Anthony Debarco and tonight
we're going to discuss something that I don't think anyone
is talking about. No one to my knowledge, has ever
discussed this possibility, and that is what if the Rock
returned and joined the Bloodline. So Anthony, welcome to the show.
This is going to be an interesting conversation.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
It is, and it's something that I've low key thought
about ever since the rumblings of him returning Red Round
Survivor series came to fruition, and I think everyone is
suspecting and the most likely outcome is him coming back,
stepping up to Roman reigns and building towards a program
at WrestleMania thirty eight. It will be thirty eight this year.
(03:18):
That's nuts to think, isn't that crazy?
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (03:21):
Yep, yeah, it's just so Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Anyway, felt like twenty was yesterday. But I think that
is the most likely outcome and probably the best outcome,
because I feel like that would be like the crowning
achievement on Roman Reins's resume.
Speaker 5 (03:36):
Although beating brock Lesnar.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
And John Cena and edge on one year may already
do that, but you have to think that the Rock
is almost like the final destination on just this incredible.
Speaker 5 (03:47):
Run that Rains is gone.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
But I've also thought about what if the Rock came
back as a heel and joining the bloodline and kind
of brought back those characteristics that he had in two
thousand and three and as the whole Hollywood heal, And
I just keep thinking like, man, would it maybe be
even better?
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Well, here's the thing I thought about this. Once we
discussed this topic earlier today and we figured out what
we're going to talk about, I immediately thought to myself, well, yeah,
this would be awesome. Nobody would expect it, but why
can't we have both right? Where perhaps the Rock goes
against Roman reigns, Maybe the Rock loses and then you
think that the Rock is going to go back to
(04:27):
Hollywood and he sticks around and decides to indeed join
the Bloodline, So you could get both again.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
We don't know.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
This is all speculation, of course, with the Rock rumors
come back in just a couple of months now at
Survivor series around Survivory series, that's going to lead to
a program to Russell Mainia, We've all been We've been
talking about this for months and months now. But I mean,
you could have both, and I think that may. I mean,
while I don't think this is likely, I think, like
you said, the more likely scenario is indeed the Rock
(04:56):
coming back and doing just what we said. But yeah,
think about the Rock join joining the Bloodline. The guy
that you think is gonna come back and be the
Savior to finally dethron Roman reigns, the guy that is
the White Knight riding in to finally take down Roman reigns,
and he ends up joining the Damn Group. I mean, people,
(05:17):
I don't know if people would know what to do.
Do you think though, that if this happened, that people
would reject it outright? Or do you think that they
would go along with it and go, Okay, I want
to see what this is about, or do you think
it kind of be like an Austin Hill turn, Like, ah,
don't I don't want this?
Speaker 5 (05:33):
Well, look, I.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
Could only speak personally, but this is coming from like
the biggest rock fan there probably is.
Speaker 5 (05:40):
Here.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
I'm starting to reject his babyface character and that's because
it's not the rock anymore. And I think that's one
of the reasons why I would almost prefer this happens,
because in my mind, when the Rock has come back
the last several times, he wasn't playing the Rock. He
was playing Dwayne Johnson. So in my head, I'm saying, well,
(06:02):
there must be other people.
Speaker 5 (06:04):
Feeling this way.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
And secondly, if you're not going to play the babyface
rock that we all know and love, and you're just
gonna annoy us, then just be heal, because that's kind
of like what happened in two thousand and two, two
thousand and three when people knew that he was stepping
away to Hollywood.
Speaker 5 (06:20):
If there's more.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
People like me who sense that this isn't the typical
rock back character we came to know and love twenty
years ago, maybe bringing him back as a heel and
playing onto that hate would make more sense.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
What do you think?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Hmm?
Speaker 1 (06:35):
The Rock we all know is really good at being
a heel, and we haven't seen heal Rock in a
long time, and I think the Rock is still easily
capable of it. But like you said, are we really
talking about the Rock here as we once knew and
loved him, the one that was, you know, screwing with
the coach and doing if you smell and work them
(06:59):
with triple A? No, he is past that now and
he is and he has morphed into Dwayne. He is
just Dwayne Johnson who comes in big reaction deservedly. So
he's a massive, massive star.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
We know that.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
But he's Dwayne doing the catch phrases of a character
he no longer is. That's what you're right, That's exactly
what it feels like. It doesn't feel authentic. It just
feels like he is that the Dwayne person, the human
being of Dwayne, is more important on TV than the
Rock is. I know exactly what you're saying, and I
(07:33):
think that I think people would go along with this
if done correctly and planned out over several several months.
I don't think that this could happen all in one
fell swoop. I have my doubts, especially if they do
it immediately upon his return. We saw with Becky Lynch
and the just complete absolute flabbergasting move they made at SummerSlam,
(07:58):
where people were like what the hell and like, what
is this? Why are they turning her heel right away?
I mean the Rock coming in and immediately doing this
would be jarring and people would be like, whoa wait
a minute, why aren't we getting Roman versus the Rock?
I think people would if we don't get Roman Rock.
I think people would be pissed. I think there would
be some resentment towards the company itself, like, hey, we
(08:21):
have a perfect matchup here. Why the hell are we
not putting this on a WrestleMania Now, of course you
and I both agree this is probably not going to happen,
but how would you navigate that that complete just I
think utter hatred and frustration from a fans perspective of
The Rock just joining and not going, hey, like, we
(08:42):
have a WrestleMania match here, what are we doing?
Speaker 4 (08:47):
I think the only way you would be able to
navigate through that is giving them that match and going
the route that you suggested, right and just having you
build Postmania.
Speaker 5 (08:56):
But that's pretty much.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
Why I don't think this will ever happen, because any
way you cut it, for them to bring The Rock
back as a heel and make him joined forces with
the Bloodline, they would need him for a much longer
amount of time because obviously, if you want to do
a post WrestleMania, that involves him being around until at
least SummerSlam to give it at least a somewhat legitimate run.
(09:22):
And if you wanted to even do it instead of
a match and just build it from right away from
Survivor Series to Mania, you would need more appearances from
The Rock on TV to build this character, to explain
why he made this decision, to get actual heat behind him,
as opposed to now, if you bring him back as
the status quo, the typical babyface, he comes in one
(09:45):
every five to six weeks and he does his you know,
Rock's greatest hits and does if he can smell, and
then he walks off, there would be no need for
character development because the character is already set in stone.
It's already gravely in the mind of fans. But if
you even wanted to build him as a heel in
a four to five month span, you'd need him maybe
(10:05):
once every two weeks a minimum to really start driving
home this new type of character. So I mean, I
think the only way that they could do it is
if they did the rivalry and the one on one
match with Rains and then turning him a heel. But
for all the points I just outlined, I just don't
see it happening.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Yeah, no, I and I don't either. And I'm not
trying to negate the entire point of this show. I mean,
we're gonna go down that path in a minute, but
I do want to bring up just some logical things
that I'm sure fans are thinking, like, well, why the
hell wouldn't why wouldn't WW give us this match? But
the reason I don't think that they they probably won't
(10:44):
do this. This what we're a situation we're talking about
with the Rock joining the Bloodline is because of the
time commitment it would create for the Rock, which we
know he I mean, his movie schedule is constantly booked.
He works out like nine days a week. I mean,
the guy is just a machine.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
We know this.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
So I don't think that this will happen simply because
of a time commitment that it would take instead of
just Rock coming in. Like you said, there's no character development.
It's just the Rock as you always know him. There's
nothing really foundational you need to change or shift. If
we do see a change or a shift that tells
you that they are gonna do something more long term
with the Rock, I highly doubt it. But let's go
(11:24):
down the road. Let's have a little fun here. Let's
just say the Rock and Roman have their match at WrestleMania,
because this is the most likely scenario of this sort
of play out. We have Roman reigns beat the Rock,
as most of us assume. But I mean that's not
even a given. I've heard a lot of good theories
about why the Rocks should win at WrestleMania. But let's
say Roman beats the Rock hook or crook. I don't
(11:46):
care how he does it. He ends up beating the Rock,
the Rocks defeated sitting in the middle of the ring
next night on say RAW. I mean, I don't know
if Roman's gonna be drafted a Rock SmackDown. Let's pretend
he's on Raw. So the Monday night ra after WrestleMania.
Roman comes out and and starts gloating about how there's
nobody left and he truly is the head of his
family's table and he is the alpha male, and the
(12:07):
Rocks music hits. People think that the Rock is going
to challenge Roman Reigns once again, and instead we get
the Rock turning heel and joining the Bloodline. I think
the only way to do it would be Postmania the
Monday Night Raw after. I think that, so I guess
take it from there, right, I mean, let me know
what you think about that and how they would continue
(12:28):
to evolve it from there.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
I think that he would come in, and he would come.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
To the ring and in kind of morph himself into
an MVP type of figure in the Bloodline and really
just go down the road of the two thousand and
three Hollywood heel that we would see, and I think
having him have some tag team matches with Roman Reigns,
but more just slide into like a managerial type of
(12:55):
role and maybe have him come out in suits and
the sunglasses kind of like the look of what the
player agent he was in, what was his show ballers
kind of adopt that kind of mentality and not wrestle
as much to really put the spotlight on Roman Rains.
Because here's the thing. If you brought The Rock in
(13:15):
to the Bloodline and he was still an in ring competitor,
even if it was just on pay per views, because
we know he'd never wrestle on Monday Night raws or
on Smackdowns, but even on pay per views maybe aside
from the Big Four, I think it would be so
integral to not have him be in the ring because
then you would automatically take the spotlight off of Roman Reigns.
(13:37):
And that's no slight against Roman Reigns. But if The
Rock is wrestling and an in ring competitor, fans will
gravitate to him, even if it's just the casual fans,
because as you said earlier, the Rock is just such
a megastar that transcends wrestling. So I think the first
thing that they would have to do and make sure
to stick to is that The Rock would become more
(13:59):
of a mouse mouthpiece instead of an in ring guy.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
I mean, the Rock at this point doesn't need to
do anything regular even semi regular in the ring. He
can carry a promo and we know that we know
that the Rock is capable of telling a story without
being in the ring very well. He's got that gravitational
pull on TV, and you want to make sure, like
you said, to not make to make sure that you
don't pull that away from Roman, who is really the
(14:26):
goal here, that the goal is to help build Roman,
not build the Rock. So we do have to think
about this in terms of you know, as I said
last week, all roads lead to Roman. But in this case,
this is how this is when it makes sense to
do it, not in a forced way, but in a
way that I think would take his career even to
that next level if it's possible. So the Rock doing
(14:47):
that being the mouthpiece and not being there all the time,
but acknowledging Roman reigns and doing it in a very
kind of resistant way, but saying yeah, you know, you
really are the head the table. And then you know,
I don't know who Roman's next opponent would be. I mean,
I honestly don't know where you go after the Rock.
I don't know outside of Stone Cold coming back from retirement.
(15:10):
I mean, I really, I honestly have no idea. There's
to me, there's nobody above the Rock. Do you have
any idea. Say this happened, say the Rock joined Roman reigns,
and you know, Rock isn't there all the time. He's
more of a mouthpiece. Occasionally he'll come back and maybe
help Roman whin needed. But where the hell would they
go if Roman Rains beats the Rock, say the Rock
(15:32):
joins the bloodline, Who the f is going to face
Roman Rains past that? I mean, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
It's crazy, right, because presumably he will have gone through
at least Finn Baaler and Brock Leisner by then Johnson,
then you and John Cena and Edge and just you know,
and Daniel Brian, so you figure that there will even
be another guy between Brock and the Rock in the
Royal rumble time, and maybe that's Kevin Owens.
Speaker 5 (16:00):
Again, I have no idea, to be.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Honest with you, but like I would have said, Biggie,
I truly would have said biggie. But I think they
really fast tracked his push. Whether you think that's wrong
or right, I'm somewhere in the middle. They really kind
of pulled the rugout from under that, so he's off
the table. I guess they could try and do Drew
McIntyre again, but I have a feeling that Drew McIntyre's
(16:25):
going to be that buffer between Rock and Rock around
the Row Rumbles season. So in my head, I'm just like,
is it maybe a guy like Damian Priest, Well, Damian
Priest in like an eight to year's time be ready
for a push like that?
Speaker 5 (16:40):
Because to your.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
Point, I really just don't know anymore unless they turn
a seth rawlins baby face. But I don't think that
would really be right either, So I don't know. I
felt like Big Ye was the slam dunk option, but
ever since he got named or won the championship last
week iming a Night Raw, their options are really you
and far between.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Yeah, I mean I vented about the whole Big Ee
victory and just one small sidebar on that. I mean,
I know I haven't really heard your thoughts on it,
but big eie to me. While I understand people feel like,
oh it's overdue, he deserves it, and I understand the
tenure he's been there a long time. Well guess what
a lot of guys and gals have been there a
long time that work hard and dedicate their life to it,
(17:25):
and we don't, you know, complain about them not being
champion I mean Cesarro maybe one case, but people aren't
breaking down the walls about that.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
You know.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
I just have a problem with the character of Biggie,
just as I've had the problem with Kobe Kingston, even
more so with the characters. So to me, it's not
about Biggie as as in a work ethic. It's not
about Biggie being there long enough or even skipping the
line ahead of too many people. It's just his flat
out his character that I can't stand that I have
a problem with. It was no real build either. It
(17:53):
was just kind of like, hey, I'm cashing in. I'm
gonna cash in.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
I'm gonna cash in any cashes in, so that anyway,
that is a deep dark hole for me that I
have gone down on many shows so far this week.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
But yeah, I don't know where they go beyond the Rock.
If he loses, if the Rock loses and then semi
joins the bloodline, or even if he just went away.
I think that it has to be somebody in house.
It can't be another legend, because it shouldn't be another
legend now that I'm thinking about it. Number One, there's
no more legends to really pick from. Austin's not coming
(18:22):
out of retirement. I mean, Hulk Cogan of course, isn't
coming out of retirement at seventy five years old. I'm
just thinking of the biggest names possible, and they're just
not there. They're not there, So I think you do
have to go with somebody in house. I think Drew McIntyre.
If The Rock is not going to be at WrestleMania,
they go with Drew McIntyre versus Roman Reigns at WrestleMania.
(18:43):
That has been talked about as a main event for
WrestleMania for a couple of years now, so that, to me,
would be probably the guy to do it would be
Drew McIntyre. He's hiding under the radar right now. Drew
is just kind of spinning his wheels, and I think
that's okay. I want Drew to take time away from
the spotlight and feel like he's not there on a
weekly basis, So that's cool. I'm fine with it, and
(19:05):
it's much needed. So honestly, if you're gonna put a
gun in my head, I would say Drew McIntyre is
probably your guy to do it.
Speaker 4 (19:14):
If The Rock did come back and agree to do
first the build with Roman Reigns relating to a one
on one match and then later on joining the Bloodline.
Do you think you would need at least like a
year and a half of him doing somewhat regular appearances.
Would you be able to just go on a touch
(19:34):
and go basis and just take it by ear? How
much time do you think it would require if The
Rock were to agree to do the Bloodline storyline.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
It would take a lot, a lot of time and effort.
They would have to really believe that the Rock joining
the blood Line is a better option than the Rock
coming back as the Rock slash Dwayne Johnson and doing
his stick and doing his his catchphrases and doing rock
bottom of people's elbow and maybe winning a match here
and there. They would have to believe that this is
(20:05):
going to be a more profitable, better story to help
build Roman Reigns than the probably ninety nine percent chance
of the other option that's going to happen. And I
think that again, we'd have to look at the Rock schedule.
That would be He's going to look at the Rock schedule.
Is the Rock willing to commit that amount of time?
I think it would take many months and the Rock
wouldn't have to be there every week. But even if
(20:26):
he's there famously via satellite during the John Cena program
about a decade ago, now, I mean he could still
join via satellites and and messages from his phone, be
there maybe once a month or every other month. Even
he could still be attached without actually having to physically
be in the arena.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
And I think that's probably how they'd have to do it.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
But if they were going to do it, yeah, they'd
have to do it semi regularly, minimum once every two weeks,
ideally every week in some capacity satellite, video message FaceTime.
I don't care. They would have to because this is
something that would be a There was a seismic shift
in how we view The Rock, who has not been
hel in like fifteen years.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
And the other thing is is that you bring up
when he was doing his promos via satellite with John Cena,
that is Taylor made.
Speaker 5 (21:17):
For a heel.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
I just feel like who The Rock has become now
has made his character better suited to be a heel
because he could use the Oh you know, I'm too
busy to come to ex town. You guys aren't worth
my time, or I'll record like a pre recorded interview
and send it to you guys, because I have a
big Hollywood meet and I just think that there's so
(21:39):
many more interesting angles you could go down if he's
a heel backing the biggest heel in the company, and
you know, really legitimizing that faction is one of the
best ever. And I think that him joining the Bloodline
would almost be having like Rick Flair being a part
of evolution, just really finally legitimizing this group with a
(22:00):
stamp of the proofal of a legend. And the other
thing is is that I feel like then you could
have more options for the Rock to go against at
future pay per views, like now that he's a heel,
Like imagine you could branch off and do I don't know,
like the Rock versus Drew MacIntyre or the Rock.
Speaker 5 (22:17):
Versus Edge that we had never seen.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
Don't you think that if he would come back and
turn heel and join the Bloodline, it could make for
some more impact matches down the line, as opposed to
if he was just staying babyface.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
Yeah, I mean you have Randy Orton on mon Net Rock,
so you have aj styles. I mean, for God's sakes,
You've got a whole lineup of guys that he has
not worked with.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
And you know, again.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
While I don't believe that this is in the in
the future for the Rock, it would open up a
whole lot more options for him to work with, I mean,
individuals to work with, and I think ultimately it would
help not just of coursew get more viewership, which the
Rock absolutely does. He's an needle mover, there's no question,
but it help build that newer talent. That's what the
(23:02):
Rocks goal should be. In WWE's goal should be. And
sure the Rock will win a match or two, as
he should. He's not gonna come in and do a
job to everybody, even as a heel, but he should
come in with the golden mind of hey, let's use
the Rock while we can to help build as much
talent as possible. You're seeing it right now with Edge
in a babyface capacity, but it's still working well and
(23:24):
Seth Rollins right now is doing career work. I mean,
I think Seth Rollins an Edge like it's a absolute
highlight that I can't wait to see their third match,
whenever that may be. So that should be the Rocks
roll very limited in terms of in ring, but the
goal would be to work with several different talent, perhaps
over a year. I mean they would have to dedicate
at least a year to this project.
Speaker 5 (23:48):
I got to.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
Ask you something that's still Rock related, but not exactly
with this topic, and it'll just be a quick question
because I don't want to veer off as usual. But
I was watching the WWE's tribute to that nine to
eleven episode of SmackDown where they did it the tribute to,
you know, just you know, paying homage to everyone who
lost their lives, and I remember The Rock standing at
(24:11):
the front of the line with Vince McMahon, and I
think back to wrestling at that time in Rock, you know,
being the guy to put Brock over at SummerSlam and
The Rock going one on one with Hulk.
Speaker 5 (24:23):
Hogan at wrestleming eighteen.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
Do you think for that brief period from mid two
thousand and one to Austin's lockout, the Rock kind of
became the face of the company over Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Oh, definitely. I mean, I think that was Vince's goal.
He knew that he had at least one big start,
and I remember famously the Rock saying, speaking to Stone
Cold after he quote unquote took his ball and went home,
that if you don't want to be here, then you
get the f out also, and pun intended to when
they took the f out of WWF and became WWE.
(24:55):
So the Rock still told Stone Cold to take your
ball and go home. I mean, so I think, yes,
that was at that very moment. I don't know what
raw that was or when it happened. I'm assuming in
famously in two thousand and two when Austin walked out
in Atlanta, Georgia with brock Lesner versus Austin and the qualifier,
it had been the mon night raw after somewhere close.
(25:17):
So yeah, that was the message being sent there. And
I think that WWE had to lean on the Rock.
I mean, who else were they going to lean on.
Brock Lester was a rising star, no doubt, but he
wasn't at that level yet, So the Rock was a shoeing.
He was the guy that the company was putting all
their weight on, which I mean he had one foot
out of the door too, looking into Hollywood as we
all know. But yes, definitely the Rock was the really
(25:40):
the next guy in line.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
I guess as we closed it out here and we
shifted back more towards the Rock, and if you were
to join the blood line, I think this is almost
a program he owes the fans. And maybe I'm talking
more specifically like hardcore fans like myself, but I think
we've seen for far too long now since he originally
returned in twenty eleven, so over a decade removed of
(26:07):
just the same thing. You come back, you do your
greatest hits, you feud and or cut a promo with
wrestler X, and then you go on your way. And
I feel like, yeah, a Rock return would be cool here,
but I think we need to see one more creative Rock,
not just the stereotypical stick that we've been accustomed to
(26:27):
for the last ten years. Do you not think that
it would put an even bigger stamp on the Rocks
character if he came back, added a new wrinkle to
his character, got back some of that comedic relief that
he was oh so good at as the Hollywood heel
in two thousand and three, and really captivated fans just
one more time in an original way.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
Yes, and it's funny you mentioned the comedic part of
the Rock as a heel because I am there were
some really really funny times and I will YouTube it
once in a while. And the Rock can be funny
as a heel, which sounds like an oxymoron, right, Like
we don't want heels to be cool.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
They shouldn't be funny. You should just flat out hate them.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
But the Rock, in his effort to be a heel
and get the crowd against him, can inadvertently be hilarious.
And what I mean by that is one example I'm
thinking of. I think they might have been in Toronto,
I think, and he was either he was making fun
of the fans, but because he had mentioned their town
and he was just saying we you know, the Rock
(27:27):
said my town and like he was mocking the fans
for cheering just because he mentioned their city, and it
was hilarious. I think it was Toronto. It might not be,
but I know he also did something with the Canada,
the O Canada. He did something with Toronto Maple Leaves.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
I think.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
So he can be hilarious, but not intentionally. So yeah,
I would love to see that part of the Rock
in a babyface role. He has had some of the
most iconic hilarious promos of all time. I remember right
before Armour GEDD in two thousand when he imitated every
single one of his opponents, from the Undertaker to Stone
(28:05):
Cold to Triple H. I mean it was hilarious and
I remember that very well, and so yeah, definitely.
Speaker 4 (28:14):
Yeah, I just I think The Rock still us so
much more to give. And don't get it wrong, the
nostalgic act where he comes back and does the Rock's
greatest hits will never get old in some capacity.
Speaker 5 (28:27):
I will always, you know, have time for.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
The classic rock act. But at the same time, you
know how talented of a guy he is, you know
how charismatic of a guy he is. How would it
be if he just, for one last time let the
chains off a bit?
Speaker 5 (28:43):
And I just think how it would help Roman reigns,
Like can't you see The Rock.
Speaker 4 (28:47):
Being in a MVP type of role to Bobby Lashley,
but obviously on such a more gigantic scale, because you know,
it's The Rock and not MVP. And I just feel
as though, like even like I put put a lot
of parallels between Rick Flair and Triple H and evolution,
like Triple H only really got cemented as an overwhelming
(29:10):
elite level talent once he got to Evolution, at least
in my opinion, and he was affiliated with one of
the best of all time. Don't you think that it
would do a lot for Roman reigns. And this isn't
him me even saying that Roman Rains isn't already at
that level, But do you not feel like you would
just further cement him as just a top level superstar
(29:32):
in the history of the company with a guy like
The Rock by side in a faction.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
I will say this, if they decide to bring the
Rock back, can convince him to do this just as
we or similarly to what we just said about The
Rock coming back, maybe facing Roman losing a WrestleMania and
then joining for a year and trying to get Roman
over more as a heel. That will send a such
a message to fans that they are not just all
(30:00):
they I mean they are. They're going in on a
superstar like they've never gone in before to bring back
one of the greatest of all time to be second fiddle.
And I don't mean that disrespectfully. I don't mean it
that they demean the Rock, but really on kind of
a two man power trip with backup. I mean, unless
Brock and Roman do that, which I think actually is
a little more likely that Brock and Roman eventually do
(30:22):
joined forces, because Brock's actually there now and it'd be
fun as hell to watch. But I think that you
would have a message sent fromwe like we are two
thousand percent in on this guy being the biggest star
of all time, to bring back one of the biggest
stars of all time, to have a multi month into
(30:45):
maybe a multi year plan of building this guy as
the biggest star ever. I mean, it would be it
would be like I can't even people don't understand like
how much this would really just say to fans that
this this, this is the guy that we are gonna
put our hat on and lean on for the next
five to ten years. I mean, they're already doing that
(31:06):
now and Roman has put ww on its back on
his back for the last year and change now. But
it would I don't think people understand the monumental, uh
really consequence of this.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
Well, a quick rumor coming down the pike here, and
who knows if there's any legitimacy to do this, but
I'm seeing on the sports aer right now that Wressel
votes is reporting that if this week what Raw generates
a lot of higher ratings, it may result to WW
opening up the box to showcase more main stars on
(31:42):
both brands. So well, I mean, are we going to
see another wildcard rule coming in?
Speaker 1 (31:48):
I you know, I've already ranted about this on Twitter,
and I know the Draft is two weeks away, and
I know that they have very rarely, if ever, stuck
to I meant you and I have talked about this,
stuck to the damn rules of the draft, which I
think would behoove them instead of just willy nilly not
following your own rules. Wild Card Quarterly Invitational showing up
(32:09):
in no explanation. I mean that they have constantly just
bastardized their rules, and I really hate it when they
do that with no explanation, as if we're just supposed
to accept it. That's the worst part. And Roman reigns
on this week's RAW. To your point and the poll
that you're looking at, I think is while I'm fine
with Romans showing up on RAW, if there's an explanation,
(32:31):
I also understand the purpose of it. Of it's kind
of a litmus test to see how much Roman reigns
moves the needle on the ratings. I think they're going
to very very closely look at the ratings from Monon
at raw and compare them to the last several weeks
to see if indeed people do want to see this
and the numbers don't lie. And I think this is
(32:51):
absolutely a test to see what happens there. And I'm
fine with it if there's an explanation for it, Like
any champion can float beat between brands as they wish. Okay, fine,
just tell me that, but don't tell me that there's
a hard split and then have people willing nearly show
up that I don't like.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
If they want to do that rule that champions can
float between between.
Speaker 5 (33:15):
Brands, I wouldn't be opposed to it.
Speaker 4 (33:17):
But then you got to get rid of I guess,
the Universal Championship, right, Like you're not gonna get rid
of the WWE Championship. You're gonna have to get rid
of one of the women's championships. You're gonna have to
get rid of one of the tag team championships, like, and.
Speaker 5 (33:31):
You know that's the thing.
Speaker 4 (33:32):
I'm not even against it, but you can't have two
world champions, two women's champions two tag team champions if
everyone's floating between.
Speaker 5 (33:40):
Shows, Like look, I've been rewatching.
Speaker 4 (33:43):
Some episodes of SmackDown from late two thousand and two
early two thousand and three, and they were so strict
with the brand rule and the brand split that it
made sense that you had one world champion on each
so and each felt equally as legitimate datto for the
tag team titles.
Speaker 6 (34:00):
But that's because it was such a big deal between
of not crossing over to brands, Like do you remember
when Goldberg got arrested for attacking brock lesnar at No
Way Out two thousand and four, and how big of
a deal it felt like.
Speaker 4 (34:13):
I remember him walking in through the tunnel with security
around him because he wasn't supposed to be there. He
got the front road ticket from Austin, So if you
want to go down that road, I think it's actually better.
I love it when there's a hard brand split and
it doesn't even bother me that there are two world champions,
because it feels that special. But as soon as you
make them cross pass, one of them feels inferior. And
(34:36):
I watched the opening ten minutes of Raw and Biggie
and Roman reigns did his stare down both holding their championships.
I'm just like, yo, you guys may think this is,
you know, Austin looking at the Rock, each holding a
world title, but it's so clearly that Biggie is the
secondary champion.
Speaker 6 (34:52):
Or then even take a guy like Bobby Lashley.
Speaker 4 (34:54):
Don't get me wrong, Like, I love Bobby Lashley as champion,
but you put him face to face with Roman Reigns,
you know that Roman Reigns is gonna feel like the
actual world champion.
Speaker 5 (35:05):
You know.
Speaker 4 (35:05):
Heck, when people compare WWE to ae W, they always
compare Roman Reigns to Kenny Omegan. It's never Bobby Lashley.
So I mean, when you make a hard split and
there's no crossover, I'm all on board with it. But
as soon as there's a bit of you know, muddying
of the waters, it just all feels diluted.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
Well, I didn't see the opening segment of Raw, but
that doesn't surprise me, which is fine because it's the
same thing that happened on SmackDown. They just wins and
repeat on that one, and I just I don't know,
I don't understand how Big Ee is on Monday Net Raw.
It doesn't make sense. Nor do I understand how Roman
reins is on money at raw. We're just supposed to
(35:45):
accept it as it's okay. They're both here, they're both stars.
But yeah, Biggie does not feel like a real champion.
I'm sorry he doesn't. I just I do not believe
it from a character perspective. I think also his finisher
is just god awful. I mean, it's it's just a
belly flop. It's awful, you know, just so many things.
But nonetheless to your point, yeah, no, like this Roman
(36:07):
reigns or as far as the brand split goes, I
think that this if they're going to do this, like
you said, fine, do a hard split. But the problem
is we've seen them time and again. Tell us it's
a hard split, and then just just go well, not really.
We're gonna implement these just discretionary rules at our will,
and we'll enforce them as the storylined dictates, not all
the time, but when we need to, will enforce them.
(36:30):
Otherwise we're just gonna have people show up with no explanation,
not talk about it and hope the fans don't care.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
And we've seen it.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
We see it all the time, and there's only two
damn weeks, and they can't wait two weeks to just decide, Okay,
hey we're going to start fresh. They can't wait two
weeks to do that whatever, So I think they're less
championships always means more. I would cut all championships in Havel,
get rid of the tag team championships, one of them again,
women's championship, get rid of one of them, only one
(36:57):
world champion. Even if they were going to do a
brand split, you could still minimize the championships and have
the toes those mean more. Then the problem, though becomes,
I know what someone's gonna say, Well, then that could
leave one brand with no championships. That's called that's the
balancing act.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
Though.
Speaker 1 (37:12):
You gotta have like try to split it as best
you can with the storylines so that you have roughly
half of those championships on any brand at any given time.
So that's what I would do. I don't like more
championships to me, they always mean less. They're not going
to do this, but that's how I would do it.
Speaker 4 (37:29):
But what about in the Ruthless Aggression era where each
brand had five championships but it was an actual hard
split to the point that each brand had their own
exclusive pay per views.
Speaker 5 (37:40):
The concept I really liked. Did it still bother you?
Then the more championships, well.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
I think that the brands having your own pay per views,
they they found out fairly quickly that the ratings and
their buy rates at that time were not as good
because you have a lot of talent on say raw
or SmackDown.
Speaker 2 (37:56):
That the fans were like, oh, well, it's.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Kind of it feels it feels half important, right because
it's it's only half the roster. It doesn't feel like
it's something I have to tune into and invest my
money in. Now this is a different era. People aren't
buying pay per views as much, although you still can't.
I don't know who is, but you can and and
I think that having brand specific championships is fine. But
(38:22):
to me, it's one or the other. You can't be
half pregnant. You need to pick a road in a
lane and stick to it. You gotta pick either a
brand split with championships that that can't float, or a
brand split with champions that can float. If they don't
want to eliminate championships, fine, And if we're gonna stick
with a brand split. Fine, I don't think they're going
(38:43):
to merge the rosters, and I don't want them to
because there's too much talent that need the spotlight, and
you would, really, I think you'd sacrifice that. We even
talked about that probably a month or two ago, about
you know, getting rid of the brand split. I don't
think that's a good idea. So with those two options,
you got to pick one. You can't say you're gonna
do one and then talk out on the other side
of your mouth you doing the other.
Speaker 4 (39:03):
Thing and the other thing, like could you imagine them
having to abolish the Universal Championship again, is because if
they you know, like that's what they would have to do, right.
Speaker 1 (39:13):
Or merge them right, Like do you have a merger match?
Like I think was it Johnson and Randy Orton had one?
I think yeah. I mean like you'd have to merge
them into the universal WWE Championship. I mean, I don't
know what you would do. And again, Roman Reigns has
done such a great job with the Universal Championship and
has added arguably more value than the WWE Championship over
(39:36):
the last year that maybe it's not even arguable that
the Universal championship, a championship that came out of thin
air because of the brand split. It was just created
out of dust, and it feels more important than a
championship that has one hundred times the lineage around the
shoulder of Big Ee. That's a credit to creative, that's
a credit to WW themselves. That's a credit to Roman
(39:57):
Reigns and Paul Hayman and everyone involved. You can create
a championship out a thinner and it feels more important
than one with a massive bottle lineage.
Speaker 4 (40:05):
Yeah, And I mean, like you said, that would be
Roman Reigns is doing. And you'd have to think that
if The Rock eventually did join the bloodline, he would
only add to that. But you only you just have
to hope, right that he will decide to give more
time than just the classic, you know, three four month
long run of the Rock's greatest hits. Maybe we'll get
some more depth this type around, but we can only hope.
Speaker 1 (40:27):
Yeah, no, exactly, And I guess let me ask you
last question, So what is your what is your real thought?
Not if not this, not what if? But rather what
do you really think? If you're gonna be put on
the spot, how do they deal with the Rocks. Hey,
he does come in around Survivor series. Do you think
it's just going to be the standard Survivor series to
Mania Rock loses.
Speaker 4 (40:47):
Yeah, I think so, because at the end of the day,
I feel like The Rock is going to give them
a handful of dates ten if they're lucky, and if
that's the case, they don't really have the time to
build anything more complex than what we're ultimately thinking.
Speaker 5 (41:03):
The Rock's going to come back.
Speaker 4 (41:05):
He's going to congratulate Roman at the front at the
beginning of it, and then it's going to turn to
a bit of criticism. Roman's gonna blast him from the back,
and then we're just gonna slowly build until WrestleMania. You know,
Like I said, if they had more time, maybe they
would take more of a curbed approach and more you know,
prolonged to run at it. But I just think that
(41:26):
with the amount of time the Rocks and be able
to give them, it's just not going to give them
a whole lot of options to do anything more than
the straightforward, predictable outcome that I think we're all expecting.
Speaker 5 (41:37):
Now.
Speaker 4 (41:37):
If the Rocks somehow says, hey, I got six months
or I can give you, you know, an appearance bi weekly.
I think this all changes, but I'm just my best
guess here is that they're going to only get a
strict amount of dates and it's not going to give
them too much room for playing.
Speaker 2 (41:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:56):
I hate to be boring about this, but the thing
is being boring and predictable.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
We all still want to see it.
Speaker 1 (42:02):
I know that, you know, we're creating a scenario that
sounds like, oh, well, it's just going to be this
and this, but we all still will be on the
edge of our seats with this.
Speaker 2 (42:08):
We all want to see the Rock.
Speaker 1 (42:10):
Go face to face with Roman and then see the
promos between the two and then ultimately build for five
six months to WrestleMania thirty eight in Dallas. That is
still even if it's predictable, is fine. Predictability is not
always the worst thing in the world. If it's the
right thing to do, and if they're going to play
the safe route and Rock has limited dates, then sure,
(42:31):
let's just take this ride and have some fun promos
and have some great you know, headshots and pictures that
are going to be swirling around social media like wildfire,
and have ww get spiked in ratings for a while
and they'll be the talk of the town with the
Rock return.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
But that is most likely.
Speaker 1 (42:50):
I'd give it like a ninety percent chance, you know,
maybe higher that that is probably going to be the outcome,
as fun as our conversation is about the Rock, you know,
losing and then turning heel and joining the blae boodline,
which is a very very small chance. I do think
like you, this is going to ultimately be just the
kind of standard, predictable storyline, which is not a bad thing.
Speaker 4 (43:10):
If the Rock hypothetically gave them kind of like an
eighteen month long window, like he gives them a lot
more time than they could have ever expected, do you
think it changes a lot of things?
Speaker 2 (43:22):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (43:22):
God, yeah, I think that they're doing the most they
can with a small amount of time that presumably he's
giving w WA, like you said, probably ten dates from
November to April. Is that sounds right to me? Maybe
even overdone. I mean, we saw how little he was
there on Raw between John Cena and Rock in their program,
he was barely there. It was very frustrating as a
Rock fan, and I think that if indeed he somehow
(43:46):
has an open schedule, which it doesn't seem likely. But
if he did, this whole thing changes on a dime.
What I think would happen. Then the Rock wins. I
think the Rock wins at WrestleMania, and the Rock goes
on a several month rain as Universe Champion on SmackDown.
Fox would be wetting their pants over that, and I
mean they they would lose it. And then you have
(44:08):
a Rock consistently on SmackDown for several months defending his
championship and still limited I think it should be still
limited to only wrestling on pay per views, and yeah,
that that could be a fun deal because then, yeah,
I think The Rock would be the one to dethrow
in Roman reigns.
Speaker 2 (44:25):
What do you think?
Speaker 4 (44:27):
Yeah, honestly, now that you say it, let's say he
gave them until WrestleMania thirty nine, like an almost eighteenth
eighteenth month long run. You could have him win the championship,
prolong the build and then maybe drop it around SummerSlam
and then make him join the Bloodline, so then you
get a six month run as him as a babyface
(44:48):
or even longer than that, and then a final run
of him with the Bloodline that could build to a match,
let's say, against Drew McIntyre and your broccol.
Speaker 5 (44:58):
Oh my god, I imagine Rock.
Speaker 2 (45:00):
I've been talking about that for like six years. Yeah,
I know. I'd actually rather see Rock Brock than Rock Roman.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
Honestly, if I was to choose as great as a
storyline that would be, I still would want to see
Rock Brock because it has been what since two thousand
and two, It's been nearly twenty years.
Speaker 2 (45:19):
I mean, I would love to see that. I think
it's more of a headline.
Speaker 4 (45:23):
Okay, while we're on the topic here, could we quickly
just squash the whole narrative that Brock is like an
unliked worker.
Speaker 5 (45:30):
I love the guy. I don't know about you.
Speaker 2 (45:33):
He's a what.
Speaker 5 (45:34):
Worker, like like a bad worker.
Speaker 2 (45:37):
Oh oh, I don't.
Speaker 1 (45:39):
Know where this is coming from. I honestly don't know.
People are saying, oh, he's so one dimensional, he's like Goldberg.
I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, no, he is not Goldberg.
Have you seen his matches? Like, have you watched anything
that he does. He's a lot safer, he's a lot
more athletic, he has a better gas tank. I think
he is just flat out more athletic in the ring.
(45:59):
The guy is an absolute monster. He knows actually how
to wrestle like amateur wrestling that he can put into there.
I don't know where the hell people are coming up
with that narrative. I've heard it too.
Speaker 4 (46:10):
I've said this a lot recently, aside from Austin Rock
and Hogan, I don't think that there's ever been a
bigger draw in WWE than brock Lesner, or I guess
maybe Johnsen as well.
Speaker 1 (46:22):
I think, well, yeah, the thing is, I think I
think brock burned hotter than John, but John burned longer,
and I think that's probably you know, if you're looking
at the totality of the money drawn by John, it's
obviously more than brock Lesner. But brock Lesner, I think
is a bigger name than John Cena, even as much
as John has done in Hollywood, and you know, give
him kudos, and he's definitely making a name for himself
(46:44):
quickly following the path of the Rock that he blazed
for him. I think certainly that brock Lesner is still
a bigger household name, even as a guy sitting on
his farm in you know, to wherever the hell he
is in Canada, Right, Like, brock Lester, unbelievably not doing
anything for eighteen months, is still a bigger name than
ninety five percent of the guys on the roster.
Speaker 4 (47:05):
I think it's because he's a legitimate Like you saw
what he did in UFC, you saw what he did
an amateur wrestling. You saw him, you know, at least
get a lengthy look with the Minnesota Vikings. I think
people just know that he is a legitimate badass. And
I remember when he came back in twenty twelve, it
got a lot of eyes on the ww product because
(47:25):
he was just coming off of his mega run with
the UFC.
Speaker 1 (47:29):
Yeah, no, I do remember that, Like, yeah, that's exactly right.
I know that Goldberg had a brief stint in football.
I understand that. I know that Goldberg is he's got
his jiu jitsu or whatever the hell he does.
Speaker 2 (47:40):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (47:40):
I mean, he's incredible shape for his age. But brock
Lesner has all the credentials of an actual athlete and
two time NCAA champion. Could have been if he pursued it,
could have been an Olympic gold gold medalist just in
the right you know, following in the suit of Kurt Angle.
He just didn't pursue it, you know, he did. He
was the last guy cut from the Vikings practice squad
(48:02):
before the season started in two thousand and five, so
or two thousand and four, So I think that, yeah,
people look at that obviously did with UFC what he
did in the as Pat mcafe says, the broctagon because
they can't say octagon for whatever reason, They've just decided
that's saying UFC or whatever is you know, cross promotion.
I don't know, but that is something that people. I
(48:23):
don't know where this is coming from, and it's to me,
it's just lazy analysis.
Speaker 2 (48:27):
It's just what are you talking about? Like, show me
a brock Lesner match that sucks?
Speaker 4 (48:32):
Yeah, No, I love brock Lesner and I know we
kind of went off track here, but I just wanted
to get that in what was on my mind.
Speaker 2 (48:39):
No, this is I hear you, and that's what happens here.
Speaker 1 (48:41):
And the people are like, wait a minute, is supposed
to be about the Rock joining the blood Line. But
I mean, this is just I have no excuses for this.
It's just and I love it because it's it's fun
to talk about things that are actually somewhat possible in
an environment with crowds back. This is what you can
talk about and fantasize about for things that are not
off the radar.
Speaker 2 (49:01):
Rock Brock Rock maybe.
Speaker 1 (49:03):
Going for an extended run, maybe being the one of
he thrown Roman reigns, Maybe he joins the bloodline, or
maybe it's just the quote unquote boring road of him
losing to Roman and going back to Hollywood. It could
be all three of those or one of those three,
And it's fun to talk about the possibilities, especially with
Brock lesnar kind of floating around and what he's going
to do over the next you know, apparently eighteen months
(49:25):
was his contract, so Brock Lenser is going to be
there for quite some time too.
Speaker 4 (49:29):
Which is good to see. And I'm really looking forward
to what else they do with Brock. You have to
think Bobby Lashley's on the horizon. Maybe a rematch with
Drew McIntyre. But and especially now that they changed his character.
You know, as much as I've liked Brock over the years,
like there was something a little stale about his character,
I just didn't mind it because I truly felt that
(49:51):
that's who he was like, in my opinion, brock Lesner
is the most authentic character in the history of the company.
So that's why it didn't bother me too much because
I literally would say myself, like, Okay, he's just playing
Brocklesner the human. But the fact that he has changed
his look, he's obviously changed his character. I would assume
he's kind of a babyface now, you know, coming off
(50:12):
like he's just you know, finished, like rallying up a
herd of goats on a farm or whatever. I think
it really has given his character a breath of fresh air.
Speaker 5 (50:22):
What do you think?
Speaker 1 (50:23):
Oh yeah, and now that he's babyface And people also say,
and I've admittedly said this too, I'm not going to
pretend I didn't that Bronck is not good on promos,
and he's not good in the traditional sense of what
we think of a good wrestling promo being. But as
I kind of thought about it, I'm I don't know
if Brock's bad on it or he's just really good
at the way he delivers his promos because he has
(50:44):
he's good on the microphone to the extent that he
is just as you said, authentic. He just says what
he feels and doesn't come off sometimes polished or smooth
or acute tagline at the end like a typical wrestling
promo would. But maybe that's what makes Brock really good.
He's just so full of energy and so intense all
the time that it's fun to hear Brock Lesser speak
(51:07):
on his own without the help of Paul Hayman right now.
Speaker 4 (51:10):
So yeah, yeah, well that's exactly it. And I to
your point, I think you said it perfectly. He's not
a stereotypical good promo, but it's because you really think
that that's him, and I think that's his best quality
is that he feels like he's just being himself. And
even though he maybe comes off of it bland or
(51:31):
his voice doesn't really match his body, but when you
hear him speak, at least in my opinion, it really
just feels like it's he himself speaking and that makes
me like want to I don't know, know, I don't know,
just be invested in his character.
Speaker 1 (51:47):
Yeah, Brock doesn't feel It almost feels like Brock doesn't
want to be there anyway, which I know he actually
probably doesn't, And that's it's weird to think that I
appreciate that. It's because of the authenticism of his character.
That's what it all boils down to. That people gravitate to,
even if it's not a like an admirable trait, that
(52:07):
you're getting paid millions of dollars to be somewhere that
you don't want to be, and I know he doesn't.
Speaker 2 (52:11):
He wants nothing to do with this.
Speaker 1 (52:13):
He'd rather be sitting on his farm and milking his
cows and you said, hurting goats and just sitting in
a barn or working out like that just is apparently
what Brock just wants to do. And you know by
his attitude, because he's so authentic that he wants he
just doesn't want ton fing be here and he's simply
here for the money. And that's that makes it hilarious
to me, because he can come in and be better
(52:33):
than anyone on the roster by just being himself and
not even really trying. That's what is so damn good
about Brock. And Brock is so good in the ring
that you know that speaks for itself too. So yeah,
I know this this wasn't supposed to be about Brock Lessner,
but it somehow did morph into it. And imagine the
paycheck that brock Lester is getting. A guy that hates
people legitimately hates crowds in terms of not maybe in
(52:56):
the arena, but hates traveling just he doesn't want to
see or talk to hear it, like from anybody to
go to Saudi Arabia in October and face Roman reigns.
Just imagine that paycheck that brock Leser is getting. How
many zeros are on that one.
Speaker 4 (53:13):
But that's what makes it awesome, because you know, he
doesn't want to be there, Like I always had a
joke that he probably just showed up in his jet
five minute minutes before the match start, did his match,
and then as he was walking through Gorilla, he was
already given the keys to like his rental car. And
that makes it really cool in my opinion, because he's
a guy that's just so good at what he does.
(53:35):
He just gets whatever he wants by the company, and
we could all hate him for that, but at least
in my mind, he's easily one of the characters I
lived the most vicariously through.
Speaker 1 (53:44):
Oh God, And I love Pat McAfee's description of him.
How if aliens came down to Earth and we had
to choose one human to fight him, it would be
brock Lesner. I mean, it's so true, like Brock would
be that guy. There's even a clip of brock Lesner.
I don't know what WrestleMania was from. I know that
it was one that brock Lester retained the championship, and
it was a clip of him going backstage and the
(54:08):
crowd was not with this match, honest.
Speaker 2 (54:10):
I don't know if it was with Roman. It probably
was with Roman Reigns Romano.
Speaker 1 (54:14):
Yeah, and he went backstage, threw the championship at Vince
and Gorilla and said here a hole, and then or
said something. He say, cursed at Vince McMahon who's sitting
there with his headset on, and then Vince like said
something back to him. And just the audacity, it's it's
so it doesn't get any more defiant then a guy
that's paying you millions to be there, you come backstage
(54:36):
throw your championship in disrespect to the boss. I mean,
this is unscripted stuff. So, I mean, I don't do
you know what clip I'm talking about. It's like a
six second ten second clip of this whatever.
Speaker 4 (54:46):
No, I know exactly what you're talking about it was
following his match against bro against Roman Reigns the resume
at thirty four, and I think it's because the crowd
turned on it, and if I'm to understand correctly, it's
because Vince witched the match to Brock going over at
the eleventh hour because of the sense that the crowd
would freak out if Roman retained. And then I remember
(55:09):
like Roman was bloodied mounted to come back and then
kind of of nowhere, Brock hit him with the F
five retained the championship. It was a very rejected main event,
if memory serves me correctly, and Brock felt that and
clearly wasn't appreciative of how they booked the match.
Speaker 2 (55:24):
Yeah, okay, there you go.
Speaker 1 (55:25):
There's the explanation, and that's exactly what Brock did. And
I love that attitude from Brock that even backstage, he's
like the same guy he's out in the ring.
Speaker 2 (55:33):
It's it's hilarious.
Speaker 1 (55:35):
I find Brock just really funny at times, and just
because he's just who he is and he's not trying
to play a wrestler.
Speaker 2 (55:43):
He doesn't just he does.
Speaker 1 (55:44):
He's not a character, he's just Brock Lesner and it's amazing.
How that just works with him. So all right, well
let's let's close this out here. I mean, we're now
in just I don't know where the hell we are
in terms of topics now, it's just it's great. But
all right, Anthony, before you go, just let everyone know,
of course, where they can find you on social media.
Speaker 4 (56:02):
You can find me at a to mark of twenty
five on Twitter and the same handle on Instagram. If
you guys want to see pictures of my upply face,
I'm just very good.
Speaker 1 (56:12):
Yeah, no, I hear you, and go follow guys. You
of course can check out Anthony and his rivalries every
single week on Fridays right here on the ww podcast.
So Anthony, so much fun. Way off topic, but we
did We did at least cover what we were supposed to.
We just added more. How about that We gave everyone
more than they expected. That's how I'll look at it.
Speaker 4 (56:33):
Yeah, we'll look at it as a little bonus part
of our episode, as that's the best explanation we could
give when we go off the rail.
Speaker 1 (56:40):
Yeah, you guys got bonus content. So you're the benefactors
of this. It's not that we screwed up. You guys
got more content than you expected and it's bonus. Yes,
that's how we'll that's how we'll sell it. So all right, well,
thanks so much man, and we'll be chatting next week.
Speaker 5 (56:55):
Yeah, man, looking forward to it, all right.
Speaker 2 (56:57):
See letter
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