Survivor Series is almost upon us. Months ago, The Rock cryptically hinted on Twitter that he would grace us with his presence at the 25th incarnation of the event, and little by little that proved to be true. Tomorrow, in presumably the main event of the evening, Rock teams with his nemesis and WrestleMania 28 opponent, John Cena, to take on Awesome Truth. Instantly upon hearing the news, I asked myself something: Can Rocks get rusty?
As you most likely know, it has been over seven years since “The Great One” has gone bell to bell. Since his last bout, also a tag team affair, he hadn’t even been involved in physical contact until earlier this year. Some of his tussles have gone off without a hitch, some haven’t been perfect, but all of them haven’t lasted long enough to answer the burning question of if “The Brahma Bull” can still go.
So, after seven years, could The Rock do the improbable and wrestle a full match like he hasn’t missed a step? While not common, that feat has been accomplished in the past, most notably by Shawn Michaels at SummerSlam 2002. Even so, HBK’s leave of absence wasn’t near as lengthy as Rock’s. Chris Jericho also had a period of inactivity, with little to no rust to knock off. The thing is, he was away from the ring for a shorter time than both Rock and Shawn, with some training with Lance Storm to boot. Is seven years just too long?
Hell no it’s not, at least if you ask Ricky Steamboat. I will never forget when at WrestleMania 25, after Jimmy Snuka and Roddy Piper stunk the joint out against Chris Jericho (an impossible task, I thought), “The Dragon” came in and tore the house down. He hadn’t seen the ring in 15 years, more than two times the length of Rock’s absence, yet he barely missed a beat. It was truly incredible; a long vacation may not be such a bad thing.
R
ocky has stated in interviews that he trains in the ring as part of his regular workout routine, but do those workouts include matches? He never said. And honestly, he could have been yanking our chains, just trying to get recapture the fans that hopped off his bandwagon when it sped off to Hollywood. He excessively tweets about pumping the iron, but never mentions hitting the ropes. While I hope what he said was sincere, nobody would be crazy to doubt the validity of that statement. He’s not exactly the Honest Abe when it comes to discussing pro wrestling. How many times has he told us that WWE is his home? Maybe he meant his summer home, or possibly his parents’ place.
How do I think Rock will fare in his return tomorrow? I think he’ll do okay, with the possibility of blowing us away. Under no circumstances will he completely blow it. The Rock at his best can put on a great show, and when he isn’t at his best… well expect a lot of punches. Even his punch-filled affairs aren’t that bad; the guy knows how to entertain. And if The Rock is dedicated, dead set on having a great match, there is no doubt in my mind he can do it. He’s a go-getter. That's why he succeeded in the ring and that's why he is succeeding in Hollywood. When he puts his mind to something, whether it is moving out of the shadow of his father or becoming a legitimate action star, he does it to the fullest potential. Hell, he wasn’t half bad as the Tooth Fairy.
It also doesn’t hurt that his partner, everyone’s favorite wrestler, is arguably the hardest worker in the WWE. No matter what you say about him, John Cena puts his all into every match, every night. The same can be said for both members of Awesome Truth. If The Rock mails it in, they won’t. And I have a feeling that the Rock won't be mailing anything in. The match won’t be bad.
So, if you’re investing your money into Survivor Series, sit well. John Cena and The Rock vs. The Miz and R-Truth might not be a five-star classic, but you can bet your candy ass you’ll be entertained. And who knows, maybe The Rock will pull a Steamboat.