MR. TITO: WWE Fans Should be ASHAMED for Reaction to Rock vs. Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania 40
For years now since Roman Reigns turned heel and formed the Bloodline, we’ve heard nothing but “Rock vs. Roman must happen”, “Rock vs. Roman must happen now!!!” and then sudden disappointment before each Wrestlemania when it didn’t happen. IN FACT, many of YOU WWE fans were bashing the booking idea of Cody vs. Roman for Wrestlemania 39 as a replacement match. Furthermore, many of YOU were upset that Rock vs. Roman would be pushed back to Wrestlemania 41 for 2025 instead of this year’s show.
Then, suddenly at Smackdown this Friday (2/2/2024), the WWE delivered YOU exactly what you’ve always wanted. The Rock vs. Roman Reigns is officially happening at Wrestlemania 40. When that was announced, ALL OF YOU b*tch and complain about it, some of you are melting down.
First of all, FINGER OF SHAME to all of you fans bashing the WWE right now for actually giving them what they’ve always wanted in a Rock vs. Roman Wrestlemania match. WWE delivered on it, but you somehow hate it anyway.
Sure, Cody Rhodes won the Rumble Match at the 2024 Royal Royal PLE… Sure, it seems that wrestling an injured Seth Rollins seems like a downgrade (I’ll explain later). However, when the Rock wants to wrestle, YOU LET HIM WRESTLE. WWE only has one good shot at a great Roman Reigns match, especially because at Rock’s age, as he’s not physically up to being a wrestler any longer. I guarantee that Rock is hitting the gym, as we speak, just to have some reasonable cardio for his match at Wrestlemania 40.
And as I said before… Everyone puts Wrestlemania on a pedestal. Yes, it’s the top drawing show, but major moments have happened at other shows too. CM Punk always talks about “not headlining Wrestlemania” as if he hasn’t achieved squat in his life. WRONG… That WWE Money in the Bank 2011 match is one of the MOST IMPORTANT WWE matches of all time and it happened on a non-Wrestlemania and a non-Big 3 event. People remember MITB 2011 because of John Cena vs. CM Punk, and most fans know exactly where they were when they watched it. Some of the biggest WWE matches and moments have happened on other shows, while Wrestlemania itself is often a letdown. Cody can “finish his story” later, as his chase is every bit worth as much, if not more, than actually winning the World Title.
But let’s dig into the Cody Rhodes situation…
TWO important points that I want to make… Actually, two important points to prove when bitter and spoiled WWE fans are proven to be utter hypocrites:
(1) Newly created World Heavyweight Championship. Last year, I wrote a column entitled “The New WWE World Heavyweight Title is Just Another Triple H Blunder on April 28, 2023 (proof that I rip into WWE and Triple H, by the way) and many of you attacked me for this column. I posted it right after the RAW reveal of this new World Title, specifically because Roman had both the RAW and Smackdown titles. Many of you ripped me for even thinking this way, suggesting that the new WHC Title on RAW would be great and every bit as credible as Roman’s combined titles.
OK – So BE CONSISTENT! If you believed that Seth Rollins holding this “new great belt” is as credible as “Part-Time Roman” barely defending his title, then why are you UP IN ARMS about Cody choosing to wrestle Seth Rollins instead of Roman Reigns? Exactly… I just used your own ignorant argument against you. YOU CANNOT complain about Cody wrestling Seth for the WHC title and praise the idea of the WHC title being created. Complete hypocrisy.
(2) Post-Wrestlemania RAW complaints about Brock Lesnar. Wasn’t there a public meltdown, too, about Cody Rhodes getting attacked by Brock Lesnar after Wrestlemania 39 last year? This was on top of Cody getting screwed out of beating Roman to “finish his story”, but the nuclear meltdown occurred when Brock Lesnar attacked him on the RAW following Wrestlemania 39. YET, look what Triple H’s Creative Team did for Cody… Cody won 2 out of 3 matches with Brock Lesnar, with the SummerSlam REALLY putting over Cody Rhodes with Lesnar breaking script and honoring Cody in the ring with a handshake which he has NEVER done with any of his opponents since his 2012 return.
You were WRONG on the Brock Lesnar feud, while you once praised the re-creation of the World Heavyweight Champion, but now it’s a “downgrade” because Cody is wrestling for it?
Let me make this very clear and I am trying not to mince words here… YOU HATE PRO WRESTLING IF YOU DON’T WANT THIS ROCK VS. ROMAN REIGNS MATCH.
You are a self-hating pro wrestling fan who doesn’t want to enjoy pro wrestling. You’re getting the biggest DREAM MATCH left during THIS YEAR, and somehow, you act like spoiled brats by acting like you don’t want it.
Cody has 12 PLE events, per year, to “finish his story”… You can only get Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson for 1 event, per year if that, because of his movie schedule. The guy has insurance policies on his acting career, folks…
Furthermore, The Rock took public accountability for rebooking Wrestlemania 40’s matches. He’s a new TKO board member, and made the request because after all, he’s the one wrestling the damn match. Additionally, he’s doing so because “CM Punk was injured, it changes plans”, but he’s really doing this to help the WWE. They are getting destroyed in the media thanks to the Vince McMahon allegations, so hence this is truly a “look over here” moment by Rock. How do you tire out old bad news? You push forward GREAT new news (love the Kelce brothers) to focus attention away from the past. In addition, Rock has all of you bitter wrestling fans mad at him and maybe starting to forget how mad you are at Vince. See how that works?
You bunch of spoiled little brats…
Rock vs. Roman Reigns is going to HUGE and is guaranteed to pull in many casual wrestling fans that could join you as loyal wrestling fans. THAT is what matters. Until you understand the BUSINESS part of the “wrestling business” phrase, you’ll forever be a miserable wrestling fan who won’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
And here’s the point that I have been making in my columns…
Everything is going to be OK… While I have been very critical of Triple H booking in the past, as I felt he was too inexperienced to run Creative and Talent during the 2010s, I do believe he is experienced now and the Attendance, Viewership, and Merchandise growth validates that. Plus, he’s been overseeing the booking for the past year and a half… What has preceded the MAJOR new television deals with CW for NXT, $1.4 million for Smackdown on USA Network over 5 years, and $5 billion for 5 years on Network for RAW? Oh yeah, Triple H doing creative and many wrestlers are having legitimate resurgences in their careers such as Samy Zayn or LA Knight, while Cody Rhodes is thriving under Triple H too. See the Brock Lesnar feud that I just mention.
For many of those folks hammering the Rock, Triple H, and the WWE for this Wrestlemania 40 sudden booking change, can you show SOME faith in Triple H to figure it out? Many of the same critics of this WM 40 line-up change are also ones who have praised Triple H for replacing Vince McMahon on Creative. Can’t you have a little faith in HHH?
Triple H is doing a GREAT JOB managing a vast roster of talented WWE performers and the quality of WWE shows, particularly the PLEs and the shorter Smackdown shows, has gone way up under his creative role. Furthermore, Triple H delegates authority, thus empowering others backstage to come up with ideas. WWE is collectively stronger now than it was before June 2022 when it was Vince McMahon micro-managing everything.
Have faith in Triple H… AFTER ALL, he made your boy Cody Rhodes look great and STRONGER by the end of the Brock Lesnar feud.
And if Cody Rhodes is AS GOOD as all of you say he truly is, then Cody will get with Seth Rollins to construct a Wrestlemania 40 match that will BLOW THE DOORS off of Rock vs. Roman. Both Seth and Cody should be HIGHLY motivated to put on the best match possible to headline Night #1 of Wrestlemania and to make it not seem like a secondary match. Hopefully, both guys are on the phone right now discussing what they could do with this match.
If Cody wins the World Heavyweight Championship title from Seth at Wrestlemania 40, then he can challenge the winner of Roman Reigns vs. Rock to combine the damn titles. Then, he could either get the win over Roman or he could beat the Rock.
You angry online wrestling fans need to CHILL OUT… Have faith in Triple H‘s booking, but also have faith in the Rock. He said, on Pat McAfee’s show, that he wants something to benefit the entire WWE roster. Rock has a vested interest in the WWE now that he’s a board member and has major incentive as a board member for WWE to grow.
Just trust in Triple H and the Rock to give us one of the biggest Wrestlemanias ever and then giving us many great stories afterward. Hasn’t Triple H done enough to earn your trust for the past year and a half? I think he has…
RELAX, WWE marks… Things will be OK. You’re getting a GREAT Wrestlemania 40. You’ll be fine.
My only worries, which I stated in a column before Wrestlemania 39, is when Cody “finishes his story”, what is there left for him to do? Sure, he can have great matches with others, but what is keeping him popular is the CHASE itself and he’s had a ton of booking dependencies to keep him strong at the top. Big Wrestlemania 38 return, won the 2023 Royal Rumble, beat Brock Lesnar twice, and won the 2024 Royal Rumble. Jesus, isn’t that enough? He had Roman Reigns beat at Wrestlemania 39, too…
That’s my opinion on Cody… He’s good, but I don’t know if he’s top drawing champion great. He had his opportunities in the past with WWE, but nothing was drawing hence the Stardust stuff. He had 3 years in AEW and it wasn’t that impressive. In fact, his time in AEW was actually disappointing and he had the power to make things better.
I’m 100% OK with the Rock, once in a lifetime talent, taking the spot against Roman Reigns. Rock isn’t getting any younger, and Roman Reigns may be seeking things outside of the WWE soon (such as more acting roles).
Cody “story” is what is drawing, not Cody finishing it… Keep the chase alive and I trust Triple H to make the finishing of the story be impressive. The real booking test for Triple H would be to make Cody a strong champion and I’ll be really impressed if Cody pulls that off.
EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OK… Plenty of opportunities for Cody to win a World Title in the WWE, as there are 2 belts to win to accomplish that goal (well, 3… I still say Roman is holding 2 of them). Welcome to the Brand Split where anyone can be champion.
The CHASE should be put on the pedestal, not actually winning a “World Title” in the inflated brand split world. Ask if winning the World Title helped Jack Swagger, Miz, Jinder Mahal, and others who weren’t quite ready to be champion (including CM Punk’s first 2 title reigns).
Have faith in Triple H. The guy has done miracle work to rebuild Sami Zayn and LA Knight, while he made Cody’s feud with Brock Lesnar become quite satisfying.
AND TRUST ME, Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson won’t forget this favor that Cody Rhodes just gave him, and neither will Triple H. They’ll make this worth Cody’s while…
Gotta have faith, faith, faith… I trust in Triple H to figure it out, and so should you. This is a DIFFERENT WWE that benefits everyone and doesn’t play petty burying games. Rock and Triple H owe Cody, bigtime for being a team player. Neither man is a compulsive liar like Vince McMahon.
Downvote something all you want, but many of you “wrestling fans” are going to be proven wrong and have egg all over your faces. Cody will be just fine because he’s in a newer WWE environment and now HHH/Rock owe him a big moment.
What Cody did was “best for business”, and with new management in place, that business is going to reward him for his sacrifice. Thank you, Cody.
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