Bad Reaction?

By Scott Keith on 24 January 2024

Let's say that a crowd favorite like Punk, Cody, Zayn, or even a popular/respected heel like Gunther has a good run in the “Rumble” (long time in the match, multiple eliminations), makes it to the end of the match… and then Rock enters at #30 and wins the whole thing.

Would the audience boo that decision? Would that dampen the enthusiasm for Rock/Reigns at “WM”?

I have to imagine that it would piss-off a lot of fans, myself included (albeit not to the level where the people complaining – again, myself included – would stop watching). As popular as Rock is, he was never really the undisputed #1 guy in wrestling: fans booed him against Austin, Foley, Brock, Hogan, and Punk; he got mixed reactions against Trips and Cena; and there have been plenty of times where the audience has turned against his 20-minute promos.

Now, I don't expect Rock to win (or even be in) the “Rumble”, but a lot of that has to with Trips being in charge; if Vince were still in charge and Rock is available, he'd absolutely book it that way, but I think that Trips would realize that it wouldn't get the desired reaction. Plus, it's not like Rock needs a big win to justify a match with Reigns, that already has plenty of baked-in history.

Thoughts?

Take care,

– Stu

Yeah I'm pretty sure the Rumble winner is going after Seth, and also they don't want to risk Rock herniating a disc in advance of Wrestlemania. I wouldn't worry about that one.