What "If" The Rock wins the title at Royal Rumble?

So as we all know, the Rock is scheduled to face the WWE champion at the Royal Rumble in 2013.

For all intents and purposes The Rock looks to be the Winner leaving the Rumble.

Hell the most likely possibility is that The Rock wins the title, and Cena wins the Rumble.

Unless WWE tries to throw a curve ball in there, but I highly doubt it'll be Punk in the Main Event of Wrestlemania. Nor would it be Punk vs Cena vs Rock.

Let's be honest here, The Rock is going into a title match. That's been thrown around for a while now... We have the date now so it's almost a lock for sure.

But what happens when the Rock wins the title? After the Rumble, there are ten raws to build for Wrestlemania. So with the Rock being the Champion, I still can't see him being on every Raw. He might have a rematch, but I can't see him being in the Elimination Chamber. Unless they Pay Per View after the Rumble is something different.

Of course this is all hypothetical, but even if the Rock is the Champion going into Wrestlemania... I don't have faith that we'll see him as a proper WWE Champion.

I guess there are ways to set up Punk/Cena/Rock (which in my opinion wouldn't have as much impact) but I guess, what if The Rock does lose at the Rumble, and somehow gets a rematch and wins the title at Wrestlemania.

He'll probably retire and drop the belt on the April 8th episode of Raw.

Either way I think it's a given he'll hold the title at some point, I just can't see him being a fighting champion.

quote oni_hero

You know how we see the title belt and it's champion in some way every week? Yeah you can forget that if the Rock wins. He will be a champion that pops up MAYBE every other week(thats a stretch even) and he will probably be booked around a rematch, as in a way around showing up at Elimination Chamber. Then he will most likely lose it to whoever he may face at Wrestlemania, most likely Cena.

Even WWE aren't stupid enough to book an absent champion.

If Rock wins the belt, it's because he'll have a free schedule and be hanging around until Mania time.

Either that, or he wins and gets written off TV for a while by Punk or (please God!) a John Cena heel turn, gives up the belt at Elimination Chamber, then comes back at Mania to reclaim the belt.

I think Rock losing the title match but going on to win the Rumble would be a great swerve though.

Well seeing how I don't see Rock in the Elimination Chamber.

I take back what I said about Cena winning the Rumble.

Yeah it's been done before, but I see a Number 1 Contenders match at EC in the Chamber.

Punk vs Cena vs Big Show vs Daniel Bryan, probably Kane and Idk some other random person.

Taker4ever, even if he's free.. I see him phoning it in from home.. If he even appears on all 10 episodes.

This week we have the Rock live via satellite, it's sad but true.

For some reason, I know they're both heel at the moment but I see Bryan and Punk at Mania.

Too be fair, that division was dead in WCW

It was buried in WWF when they put both titles on Xpac

The only decent reigns in my book were Jamie Nobles and Matt Hardy's, all the other ones weren't that great. Seemed more like a show filler.

quote oni_hero

quote Taker4ever

Even WWE aren't stupid enough to book an absent champion.

I mean we are talking a company that has had their United States title sitting on a comedy act for how many months now? The same company that made Khali a champion just because of his size, despite his non-existent ability to move at a decent enough pace to keep a match going. The same company that has, on the opposite side of the scale, used a midget to bury actually talented stars and put the cruiserweight title on him, effectively adding the last nail in the coffin of the division.

Santino was sooo over (still is a bit) and people on here had a discussion as to whether he should be pushed because of how over he was.

Khali was still a big figure, people amazed at his size etc and even then it was only like a 2 month reign lol.

Cruiserweight divison was dead, they were retiring it anyway.

quote RVD1000

If he wins we'll probably get Rock/Cena II at Mania, so here's to Punk winning.

Here here!

Don't want another Mania match between them. I would be fine with them doing it at another PPV but I don't think I could stand another Mania one. Also I don't really want to see Cena with the title again but I guess it will have to happen at some point.

I can just keep looking forward to the new belt coming in before that happens. I assume it will come in with CM Punk before he faces the Rock, I hope, but it will all probably lead back to Cena vs The Rock and this time Cena will win and all Cena fans will be happy again ... Woop.

I love the Rock, massive fan, I just cant stand another one with him and Cena, so If they think up of a way for him to win the title and then not lead it to him dropping it to Cena then I'm all for him winning.

quote Oxygen

Santino was sooo over (still is a bit) and people on here had a discussion as to whether he should be pushed because of how over he was.

Khali was still a big figure, people amazed at his size etc and even then it was only like a 2 month reign lol.

Cruiserweight divison was dead, they were retiring it anyway.

So what is to stop them from putting it on the Rock even if he will be an absentee champion? He's over and a big figure. Honestly, you have all valid points but it doesn't discredit any of my argument of them being foolish enough to do it. It was STILL foolish to put the title on a dwarf before canning the division, still foolish to let the title sit on a guy who isn't having his full talent show through over a comedy act that is actively killing a championship belts credit(Figuring it hasn't had a serious match or rivalry around it for how long now?) And still foolish, no matter what his size was to put the title on a guy who couldn't make a match interesting past "Oh my god look at his size, oh wait he isn't going down, oh wait he went down to a knee, ETC." The Title run tanked the title picture for a bit and a lot of people lost interest in the entire division.

Just because there is a valid backing reason doesn't mean they weren't foolish decisions.

Besides, I think an absent champion in the Rock is a much better foolish decision then all of those.

The Rock holding the title during a real run would be amazing. It would take me back to when I was a kid watching him every Monday and Thursday. But, I agree with Slacker. It shouldn't involve John Cena. Punk vs Rock would be a great feud and they could do a lot of great promo's together.