This whole Kane re-invention isn’t working…yet. I like the fact that the WWE decided to better utilize Kane as the indestructible monster he should be. But is it too late? The Kane character has been around for a long time and his history is not easily forgettable. Just because he returns with a mask and has some anger issues, doesn’t necessarily mean that his history is erased.
I will say this, the Kane character works sooooooo much better as a literal monster heel and with the mask. The gimmick needs to be mysterious. There should be little known facts about who he is, where he’s from, and what sets off his rage. Remember “Parts Unknown”? THAT ‘S where he should come from! The last variation of Kane with the bald head and fully exposed face did nothing to strike fear into a competitor – no matter how ugly he really was. Now looking at it from a merchandising stand point, kids would rather play with a masked action figure rather than a bland one whose face looks like Rocky Dennis.
The other problem is, what does this do for John Cena? It’s a senseless feud no matter how you look at it. This is where the flaw with booking The Rock vs. Cena a year in advance comes into play. Creative doesn’t have enough to work with…or shall I say, they don’t have enough creativity to fill the gaps for that long of a time period. These senseless filler feuds do nothing to advance Cena’s program with The Rock. Rather than make this about “embracing the rage” – it should have been more about crippling Cena to the point where fans will question whether or not he’ll make it to Wrestlemania. There is more drama in the jeopardy of the main event than there is from some idiot coming up from underneath the ring. That’s a nice mid-card gimmick, but doesn’t do much to help here.
As of right now, the Rock vs. Cena feud has lost steam. The Rock has not had a presence on WWE TV since the Survivor Series, where he laid out Cena and then disappeared to make more movies. Cena forgot about Dwayne to goof off with Zack Ryder and play fright night with Kane. But of course in the WWE Universe, this will ALL come to an end once Cena betas Kane at the Royal Rumble and then resets his sights on The Rock. Two words for ya: HORRIBLE BOOKING!
Since the end of Survivor Series, Cena should have been pulled off TV. His stock has plummeted with the poor booking scenarios he’s been thrown into. After The Rock’s attack, the only time we should have been seeing Cena was on pre-recorded videos of him training for his match against The Rock. Every now and then, Cena would make an appearance on RAW, do a little in-ring work with a tune up squash match and then go back to training. Let the fans think this is REALLY a fight for the ages. Book this UFC style! Hardcore ground and pound training as a lead in for the big fight. Have videos of Cena and The Rock in the gym, sparring, working on new moves, and getting advice from legends who recall some of their greatest matches and how they prepared for it. Let the fans see these athletes lkike they have never seen them before, just like HBO does with their 24/7 series leading into a boxing event. Cast doubt in the minds of fans as to who will win. Let the questions fly. Let the debates begin. Let the analysts do their comparisons. THIS is how you build and sell a PPV. Basically, the WWE dropped the ball with The Rock vs. John Cena, and it is nothing but a glorified video game match.
This post is sponsored in part by Glen Cove Homes For Sale & Bay Club Bayside
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