Yikes. That's really bad. I was scratching my head about the whole Cody/Rock/Rumble thing over the last few days but it makes perfect sense now after reading this thread: Punk was supposed to win and then face Seth. It's so obvious now, but I was so focused on Roman that I forgot about 'the other belt'. But he gets hurt so they call the audible. And Rock was probably always facing Roman. He's already been around the place for a few weeks sowing the seeds - it makes sense. But then Cody wins the Rumble and everyone knows he's not facing Seth. So what do they do now? So, I get it. Punk's injury fucked them & they tried to write their way out of it. Unfortunately cucking Cody was not the way.
Alright I've made my decision: I predict Mania will end with Roman cheating to beat Rock in a relatively short match, after which Cody will challenge him impromptu. Drunk on success, Roman will accept, Rock will help Cody win and that'll be that. Oh and night one will be Cody v Seth v Drew with Cody not involved in the finish.
Wait how does that work?. If "Cody was not facing Seth" then he was facing Roman. If that's the case then how can it be "Rock was probably always facing Roman"
Cody wasn't supposed to win the Rumble. Not sure if you missed that. I wonder if he might have been taking on Brock again at WM.
Seth’s injury is probably forcing a triple threat. I absolutely hate a triple threat for a world title at an event like Mania, but that’s a tough spot for WWE.
Probably 30 min before first match, but WWE has months to read the room. If they don’t read the room well enough, then Philly will absolutely eviscerate Roman vs Rock if there isn’t a logical build, and Cody is neutered. The Philly crowd that will make up a lot of Lincoln Field won’t give a fuck about the Rock returning if it means Cody gets screwed over. But we have a 2 month build thankfully.
He's not going back (at least not for several more years), but if he did, wonder how they would address the whole being written out of ever competing for the AEW title thing. Or if they would just pretend it never happened.
If this is all a work to get the grassroots groundswell for Cody then it could be genius. And all of the leaks from creative are a work too. Everyone inside the company and out demanding Cody. Dirtsheets getting worked…again
The other detail you have to buy on the audible scenario is that punk would have had to know instantly how bad his injury was. And he would have had to diagnose it in the moment and then make a call that he wouldn’t go to WM. All in real time without someone taking a look. not saying it’s impossible to know your body but it’s just as easy to be hopeful it’s a strain. He finished the match.
Someone asked about betting odds in Vegas for the Rumble… CM Punk: +120. Gunther: +185. Cody Rhodes: +250. The Rock: +750. Drew McIntyre: +1200. Jey Uso: +1600. Sami Zayn: +2500.
If this is a work, where you tell a similar story to DB back in 2014, fucking bravo. I’m fucking pissed
going back to this… pairing it with the full circle of winning the WWE title from Roman at Survivor Series in MSG where his dads situation happened. Is amazing story telling… Cody hands The Rock the Mania spot so The Rock can take all the bloodline from Roman. Roman is left alone and now having to fight off a broken family for the next few events (Jimmy, Solo) Cody wins the Heavyweight Title at Mania Goes on the challenge Roman Title v Title at Survivor Series Beats Roman clean. Cody is not only responsible for ending The Bloodline but also finishing His Story.
Super late to this conversation and I don’t watch WWE very much anymore but I watch major PPVs follow this thread and have a group chat with buddies who watch all products. The problem is they booked Roman so strong there is no payoff anymore. Cody or Sami needed to beat him at last years mania ( my preference would have been Sami) this may be a hot take because apparently people wanted Cody but he’s such a biter to me but you’ve now wasted 2 years of men’s rumbles.
Also maybe I just like to watch the world burn but have rock win the title and judgement day jump him and the night ends with judgement day standing tall all with belts.
there's still enough time that the pivots are pretty easy if they take the backlash seriously if Rock wants to stay cheered the only option is him telling Cody he won the Rumble fair and square and that he always listens to what the people want and he'll be the special guest ref or ringside enforcer to prevent a repeat of last year if Rock doesn't mind getting booed (doubtful) then just call up a legend like Stone Cold or Arn Anderson again to give Cody the pep talk of taking what he earned and not backing down etc (hopefully not Arn telling him to shoot Rock) and make it a triple threat match.
Exactly. I don't think, in this history of the Rumble, there was ever an audible finish, with the exception of 2005, but that was an accident and was rectified on the spot.
while tearing both quads even more hilarious in hindsight. I watched that Rumble at a sports bar with buddies in HS and we were in tears laughing.
By most accounts, Brock was scheduled to have a WM program with Gunther. We'll probably see how they pivot from that tomorrow during Gunther's 600 day IC reign segment.
The simplest explanation is usually the correct one. HHH and co. booked Cody to win the Rumble and likely the title at Mania. All the "finish the story" talk was clearly building to this. Rock and TKO board changed it up, and fortunately, with Punk out, there's an easy consolation prize for Cody. That's it. All the retroactive dot-connecting, trying to make all this make sense as if this was all the plan from the outset is ignoring the simple explanation. It's messy and dumb, but it makes sense. It's certainly not as convoluted as saying "the plan was always for Cody to win the Rumble, spurn Seth, say never mind on finishing his story, give up his spot to Rock, and then go back to Seth." I mean, I concede that it very well may have been the plan all along, but if so, then WWE is as stupid as ever because there are a dozen better ways to get from point-A to point-B. Also, saying this is a big elaborate work is funny, considering how much people complain itt about other companies relying on insider references and backstage stuff to make storylines.
oh and I will restate this prediction: Mania will end with Roman cheating to beat Rock in a relatively short match, after which Cody will challenge him impromptu. Drunk on success, Roman will accept, Rock will help Cody win and that'll be that. If there is going to be a pivot or a way to course-correct after the fans' revolt, that'll be it, I predict. (Mania night 1 will be Cody v Seth v Drew with Cody not involved in the finish)
if the actual crowds start to mirror the online reception, they would be foolish to run Rock vs Roman at all, even with your proposed finish, because it would risk a Brock vs Goldberg WM20 level reception from the opening bell. If they are gonna try and fix things they will need to make it clear he’s back in that match well in advance
The entitlement of the iwc that they demand the story told they way they want it… People more interested in how the sausage is made vs the end result. 0% chance Rock v Roman is dropped
Should have had Solo run over Cody with a car. I do wonder if there is some disconnect from the top TKO guys about what pulls massive social numbers (The Rock) and what the fans that actually watch the product regularly want.
I know that Rock just got on the board and whatnot, but I'm still kind of shocked that he's willing to be the face of the company for the next 2 months heading into WM after the Vince shit just came out and no one really has any clue what is going to happen or come out next. For someone that seems so calculated when it comes to his post-wrestling career, especially.
I don’t follow the comic book movie world but it seems like every move he’s made career wise the last few years has been one mistake after another