DAMN iNATOR |
07-05-2015 02:58 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by hb2k
(Post 4660986)
We did indeed, although it was mentioned that it came against the backdrop of "Rocky Sucks". Quite an interesting point actually - Survivor Series came off as a complete success for where they wanted to go with him as a cheesy babyface, complete with chants. The IC Title was more accidentally beneficial - the quick rejection of him in this form above a certain level led to great things down the line.
At the time I was actually believing they were pushing him so hard he might win the Rumble.
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Yeah, I mean on the one hand you have Rocky Maivia as the new guy at Survivor Series. He doesn't even have time to be flung from the frying pan into the fire -- it's his official debut at the 4th biggest event of the year at that point, behind of course, WrestleMania, SummerSlam and the Rumble. Everybody thinks SummerSlam is 2nd, but I kind of think since the "winner of RR match gets a title shot @ WM" stip became an annual thing that RR is #2 of them all. Anyway, back on-topic. So Maivia is the last guy standing in the 4-on-4 tag team elimination match, and he has to do the seemingly impossible and somehow get Crush and Goldust eliminated to win, and he does, and as he celebrates we hear Jim Ross putting him over as a real blue chipper with a bright future ahead of him in the WWF, or something very very similar.
On the other hand, you've got the IC title match with this guy Triple H, the Connecticut BlueBlood as he was called in those days, who had held the belt for so long, that Honky Tonk Man, who had commentary on the Thursday RAW Thursday match, even expected Triple H to decimate the cocky young kid from Miami, Florida. Surely Triple H would retain and maybe have even broken Honky's record, something that he didn't seem like he'd be too upset by. But yet again, Rock shows his resiliency, battling through hell and high water until finally Helmsley is pinned to the shock and dismay of Honky and the delight of the crowd.
I kind of think the one thing that could be argued that maybe kind of tarnished his first IC run was his father, Rocky Johnson showing up at WWF WrestleMania 13 either during or after his IC defense v, The Sultan. Fortunately for him it never happened again and the man who's name was later shortened in the ring to The Rock, and he wasn't bound to have his father always around and casting an ever growing shadoe for him to step out of.
I think for the reason I just pointed out, I'd say personally, Survivor Series 1996 was his more crucial success to his long-term WWF/WWE career.
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