Who is this generations Rock?
 

Looking at the WWE's stock situation got me thinking about this. During the "attitude era", WWF had two major stars in Steve Austin and The Rock. When they saw how Austin was taking off, WWF put everything behind the man (giving him the belt, most of the air time, etc.). Rock was created, I my opinion, as other opponent for Austin, and then Rocks popularity skyrocketed, and WWF never looked back.

If we are to assume that John Cena is this generations Steve Austin (in that WWE is putting everything behind him), then who is the Rock? Who has WWE tried to build into that 2nd superstar that, if something happened to Cena, could pick up the ball and run with it? Is it Randy Orton? And if it is, would the current WWE audience continue watching Raw if Cena went down and Orton was officially the man?

It's Orton. Orton and Cena are the top two faces of this generation, hands down.

I do think Orton could step up, especially now. He is over as hell. His pops are enormous. Bigger than Cena's, easily. Orton is someone who appeals to both the Cena fans and the Cena haters. If they booked him right (and that's what it ALWAYS comes down to) he could easily continue building what he has right now into something even bigger.

what Xero said, although this just started recently

Before I even opened the thread, I was thinking Randy Orton.

Mark Henry :shifty:

No one.

There is no Rock. Cena is the biggest draw by far and no one else comes close.

Dammit Juan.

In a way, Orton isn't this generation's Rock. He is in terms of WWE having two hot top stars at the same time, but a much better comparison is Hogan/Austin in the same era. Cena is booked in a very Hogan-like manner. The do-gooder that everyone loves and is always coming out on top to appease his fans. While Orton is booked in the Austin manner where he's just kicking ass every which way and has a more adult-oriented edge to him.

Punk is this generations' Triple H (especially since he has Bats 2.0 in his stable)

Mark Henry is this generation's Mark Henry

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I guess it does come down to booking, I just wonder if the Cena fans would still tune in like they do to watch Orton. Orton does definatly get the bigger pops right now though.

You know, thinking about it, I don't know if Orton is a draw. He's over as hell, as I said, but maybe he wouldn't be able to carry it. Cena has something Orton doesn't have. An intangible.

Could Orton be Sting? Main eventer and over, but not a major draw?

People would buy tickets JUST to see Cena. I don't think they'd do that for Orton.

I don't think anyone buys tickets JUST to see Cena. They buy them because they're fans of the WWE.

nobody, hence why business is such shit right now.

And they just happen to buy Cena's merch in droves.

Actually, people were asking for and WWE was offering refunds at house shows when Cena was injured.

Edge

There is never a new "wrestler A" there is always the the first "Wrestler B." Then you want to find the next wrestler B, but there is only the first Wrestler C. Then you love C a lot and want a new wrestler C, but you get the new wrestler D.

It's like the USS Enterprise. Stop living in the past like in Star Wars and head to the Final Frontier.

MIZ IS PROBABLY THE CLOSEST ON THE MIKe but as far as the total package no one is close right now

Fuck you I'm still right. :rant:

Yeah, people need to stop this hope for the next XYZ. There can and will be similarities, and WWE will, inevitably, try to recreate the past, but in the long run, you have to look forwards, not backwards. Sideways, not diagonal. And we should always be spinning, spinning SPINNING!

AMEN! I've been saying this for so long I felt like I was the only person who understands this. Thank you Rammesteinmad I take back your neg rep about Benoit and will rep this when I am able to rep again.

Pro Wrestling fans have transformed from "Player Fans" to "Sports/Team Fans." In the era of territories the companies were less important and it was the big Star who came in from another place that gave sales a boost. Handsome Harley Race would bump up sales anywhere he went no matter what company was booking it.

Now the company itself is the brand. WrestleMania sells itself after the hard work of the wrestlers and Vince McMahon to make it a household name. The WWE will remain no matter who is in it. I will watch WrestleMania even if John Cena, Edge, Randy Orton, The Miz and whoever else won't be able to make it. WWE and WrestleMania sells itself.

Fans understand this better then pro wrestlers do. Kevin Nash keeps going off on how certain wrestlers are a draw, and how some wrestlers aren't. When he was in the main event of the WWE and WCW all he drew was flies.

Yeah, no doubt if WWE advertise John Cena at an event and he isn't there they'll always be some someone that complains about it, but I don't think these people originally booked their tickets JUST to see John Cena.

They'd have to be WWE fans to be a John Cena fan, and I don't see some ten year old telling his parents he doesn't want to go a show because Cena won't be there.

i was thinkin about this the other day..how it seems like there are certain guys they are trying to have mimmick the recent past..like i thought they were trying to bill del rio as the rock, swagger as kurt angle, and i lost my train of thought! lol but im sure u guys know a couple that look like they are modeled after recent big guys. if you put miz's mic skills, how orton is insanely over with the crowd, with zigglers ring skills, and del rios charisma, you would easily have the next "rock"

Yup... :yes::yes:

So what you're saying is: The Rock has mic skills... The Miz has mic skills... OMG they're modelling the Miz after the Rock!!! :eek:

But seriously, the comparison is there between Angle and Swagger, but I don't see them as building Swagger up as another Angle, this is just Swagger being Swagger.

How should I know? It's not like a talk to ten year olds on a regular basis.

Oddly enough, my WWE Universe in SvR made Angle and Swagger instant enemies.

There isn't one it's a split between Orton's ring presence and The Miz's skills on the mic which is probably why I happen to be a fan of both of them.

Orton is the closest but not in terms of mic and promo skills since the Rock could make any segment or feud amazing just on promos alone. Closet to him was Jericho but he wrestled the same time as the Rock while CM Punk appears to be closer to Jericho than The Rock for best current promos.

Only major difference between Orton-Cena and Rock-Stone Cold is WWE "forced" the crowd to accept Orton-Cena as the mega feud. Rock vs Stone Cold felt more natural and better built up since it started with a lower title and developed to the main title.

I'd love to see The Rock vs CM Punk

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This generations Rock is Cena... I'm just waiting for Cena to join nexus to mimick the Rock in the Corporation.

Rock was the peoples champ, Cena is the peoples champ.

Orton is AUSTIN... hands down.. I don't even know why people get Rock confused with Orton....

Rock was the company man, Austin was the rebel.

No one is anyone else. There was only one Rock, and we should be thankful for the time we had with him. Same goes for everyone else. We only had one Steve Austin, one Hulk Hogan, one Buddy Rogers, one Andre The Giant, one Miz, one Vince McMahon, one Billy Gunn, etc etc etc.

I agree with Naitch above and Xero.

The reason Austin/Rock felt so natural is becuase it progressed as both men's careers progressed. They had a fued in the mid card over the IC title already in the rear veiw mirror when their main event fued started going.

Cena and Orton, on the other hand, were just kind of thrown together becuase they represented the top guys as heels and faces.

Back to the topic...I don't think anyone is this generation's Rock. I don't think Randy Orton is even close. Two completely different typed of characters and styles. Orton's mic skills are solid, but it's his demeanor and presence that are his strong points. He cannot hold a crowd in his hands like the Rock did.

The closest person mic wise is probably either CM Punk or the Miz. They both seem to understand how to take control of a crowd and make them care about what they're saying and get them invloved in such.

Yeah The Rock is a super unique dude. His mic skills are unbelievable, and he could put on a great show in the ring.

I don't think we'll see another Rock because we've seem to put The Rock & Austin on such a high pedestal that anyone who we compare them to isn't quite good enough. Not that we shouldn't have though... they definitely are deserving of all the credit they get...

so who is this generation's Rocky? I don't think we have one....