In his weekend blog post, Jim Ross talked a whole lot about WrestleMania 28, from the rumored PPV set and this coming week of WrestleMania hype to the matches themselves. JR also addressed the Tim Tebow trade to the NY Jets that took the sports world by storm, Ric Flair at the WWE Hall of Fame, and more:
Jim Ross on Rock-Cena TV Special and their WrestleMania 28 match: WWE friends who have seen the Cena/Rock TV special in its entirety that airs on many the NBC Universal platforms next week have raved about the one hour broadcast. I’ve been privileged to see several snippets of the show and I, too, was impressed. WWE has their ‘A Production Team’ working on this personal look at both @JohnCena and @TheRock with the overwhelming bulk of the footage being behind the scenes. From what I have seen, this is a must see for all WWE fans and those who follow the business in any manner. It airs just before RAW this Monday night and then throughout the week on various NBC-U networks. I’d assume that WWE.com will have a listing of the air times.
Assuming that it’s Cena vs. Rock closing the show at WM28. as many expect, it will be a former collegiate football Offensive Lineman (Cena) vs. a former Defensive Lineman (Rock) in a battle inside the squared circle that may, at times, resemble the line of scrimmage in a heated, rivalry football game. The low man wins or so the old football adage goes.
When approximately 75,000 fans are primed and ready for the main event at a four hour event such as WM28 and two, former main stream athletes are preparing to perform, the performance aspect of the process is often times lost in the world of oneupsmanshp and athletic prowess. I can see that happening in just over a week, Sunday April 1, in the Rock’s hometown of Miami between two men that our Talent Relations team signed many years ago.
I know better than most what motivates both Cena and Rock and being perceived as second best at anything isn’t in the conversation.
Looking at the outcome as objectively as possible in the Rock vs. Cena match, no matter who wins this main event, controversy will follow. Mark my words.
Jim Ross on Taker-Triple H, Hell In A Cell: The match that I personally have the most emotional investment in is the “End of an Era Match’ between two future WWE Hall of Famers, HHH and The Undertaker, inside the most infamous structure ever erected in the business, Hell in a Cell.
For me, I hate to see either man lose but losing is inevitable in the HIAC. Will HHH further immortalize his amazing career by being the man who breaks ‘the Streak’ or will the Undertaker, who hasn’t had a single bout since last year at WrestleMania where he was carried out after snatching a victory from the jaws of defeat with Hell’s Gate, be able to prevail?
As an added caveat, what role will Shawn Michaels play in this scenario as the special referee? HBK’s decisions will be final as I understand it but the question looms large as to where Shawn stands going into this bout. Even if HBK were totally neutral going into this assignment, and I don’t think that he is, can Michaels help himself from trying to steal the show from two of WWE’s most respected competitors ever?
In my professional lifetime, I can’t think of three men that I have more respect for than the men who will be locked inside Hell in a Cell at WM28. It is highly unlikely that any of us will ever see the three of them even remotely close to being in this environment ever again.
Jim Ross on CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho: On another personal note, the journeys that @CMPunk and @IAmJericho have taken in their respective careers to get to where they professionally are today have earned my respect tenfold. Neither man exactly ‘fit the mold’ the industry set for its superstars but both men have successfully defied that line of thinking to ascend to the top of their vocation.
Without question, Punk and Jericho will do all that they are physically and mentally able to do to ‘steal the show’ at WM28 for the coveted WWE Title in a bout with a strong, personal issue being underscored.
Jim Ross on the actual WrestleMania 28 PPV Set: A WWE person who would know told me this week that the stage being designed for WM28 which will serve as the entrance area, etc is breathtaking. Hundreds of hours of preparation time will go into making Sun Life Stadium look amazing for the Sunday April 1 spectacular as the staging, pyro, etc at this event seems to get better each year.
Jim Ross on Tim Tebow to the Jets, Ric Flair at the WWE Hall of Fame, and WrestleMania surprises: Yes, I said that Tim Tebow joining the New York Jets was akin to an Apostle buying a condo in Hell and trying to change the neighborhood.
Rumors have it, don’t we all love rumors and a little ‘dirt,’ that there will be several surprising, distinguished guests attending WrestleMania this year.
Q…What’s the latest on Ric Flair attending the WWE HOF Induction Ceremony with the Horsemen? Status quo as best that I know. Ric’s planning on attending as he has said he was going to do. Because Ric appears on TNA this matter has been blown out of proportion in my opinion. I see it as a win/win for all involved but specifically for the fans which should always come first.
You can check out JR’s full blog entry here.
