John Cena’s candid interview about resentment for The Rock’s loyalty to the wrestling business provided a creative backdrop for their WrestleMania 27 storyline.
As they worked through that storyline–and then built to a match at WrestleMania 28–Cena’s character often referenced the fact that Rock, now an accomplished, high-profile movie actor, did not seem fully committed to WWE.
Though Cena’s attitude was exaggerated for storyline, sources say some WWE wrestlers actually shared in his character’s philosophy. Even though The Rock was bringing more eyeballs and dollars to the WWE product–and thus creating a bigger opportunity–there was reportedly a lockerroom complaint about a “part-timer” receiving such prominent positioning on WWE’s cards.
But with Cena’s WrestleMania 29 rematch against The Rock just days away, any feelings of bitterness or resentment have faded away.
In an interview with ESPN, Cena explained why such resentment is no longer appropriate:
I really thought he was coming back for maybe a yearlong campaign to remind people, ‘Hey guys, I have some new movies coming out,’ and he wanted to let the WWE fan base know that he was still around. But he came back, he stayed back, and he’s competing. Even if he’s not on every Monday Night Raw, you have to understand, this guy is the most driven individual I know. The fact that he can do what he can do and still compete in the ring — go film a commercial, go film five movies, go film a TV show and then come back and not leave WWE on the back burner, but still be the champion — it’s admirable. He’s doing more for WWE by trying to do both those things at once and being on Raw some of the time, than focusing on WWE and being there 100 percent of the time. Just like I have my critics, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has critics, and I was one of the biggest “Hey man, you’re never here” guys around, but not anymore. He’s completely committed to WWE.
