Finally... I Saw The Rock's Promo

I know I'm a week late on this - well, more like two weeks since the footage leaked from the tapings the day after it happened. Still, I wanted to wait until I saw it the way it was meant to be viewed, which turned out to be longer than I expected it due to my work excursion to Houston. It was worth the wait though, as The Rock's Tenth Anniversary Smackdown promo was probably the best promo of the year, at least in the top 3.

Rocky didn't miss a beat. Aside from the obvious notes he put in showing his current status as a movie star, it felt like the Rock's last appearance on a WWE show cutting a promo as The Rock was five days ago, not five years. Just as it was no shock that the guy got over huge in the time that he did, it's no shock that he was able to do something that Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, Kurt Angle (lol), John Cena and a host of other wrestlers were never able to do - crossover and become an A-list actor.

I also loved that he dropped hints about hosting RAW and seemed enthusiastic about it. I was worried that his appearance at hte WWE HOF ceremony where he inducted his father and grandfather was indicative of how he felt about wrestling. Maybe it's just the mark in me that thinks some day, Rock will make a return to the ring, but I'm glad that he doesn't totally hate his roots. I'm also salivating at him being in the arena for a live WWE show. Could this mean one more match for The Great One? One can only hope.

I also loved his digs at CM Punk. That would have been a feud for the ages right there. The best heel right now against the best all-around wrestling talent of all-time. Think of the promos. Think of the matches. That's a WrestleMania-headlining feud there. Again, I must sigh.

Even if it was only the first in a limited series of appearances where Rock doesn't get in the ring, it was really, really fun to see the Rock again. In just that 10 minute span, he gave the show a spark it's been lacking and trying to fill with John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Jeff Hardy and Triple H ever since he left. Even though all four have their plusses, they're no Rocky. I miss him as a wrestler so much.