Cena Randoms

Hi Scott,
A few random ones for your post-Wrestlemania mailbag...

1. Was there ever a John Cena vs. Hulk Hogan match in the works years back?  More frightening: do you think that is STILL an option, given Hogan-Vince's penchant for money-based reconciliation?  I could totally see it if Cena wins this Sunday and declares himself the 'biggest star ever'.

2. Did Steve Austin 'refuse' to work with Brock Lesnar in 2002-03 or was it Austin's personal issues that prevented that match from happening?

3. The Rock has a history of being able to do high-profile jobs, yet cutting a promo and being right back on top.  Dude put over Lesnar in summer '02 and had the highest-profile match on Wrestlemania 19; put over Goldberg clean the next month, returned at WM20 without a hitch.  Mick Foley put over everyone under the sun and maintained his credibility.  HHH's longevity is another story entirely because of wholly unprecedented circumstances.  Is there anyone else you think fits this mold of guys who can maintain their top spot while doing high-profile jobs?  Conversely, are there guys who NEED to be handled with kid gloves in regards to jobs?

4. Do you think we will see Dave Batista in WWE again?

Eh, these are interesting questions, so we’ll do this as a pre-WM mailbag. 

1.  Never heard anything on that front.  I suppose you can never say never in wrestling, but Hogan’s hip is pretty destroyed and Vince had plenty of other opportunities to do “dream matches” with Hogan the last time he was under contract and only did a couple.  Plus, 6 years ago both Michaels and Orton had to lay down for Hogan, and there’s no fucking way John Cena is laying down for him, and nor should he.  So that would be right out. 

2.  Austin outright refused to do the job to Lesnar. 

3.  Undertaker has done a zillion jobs in recent years without losing an ounce of cred.  He’s done so many jobs without losing cred that most people don’t even think of him as someone who does jobs, which is weird.  Dude put over Great Khali, Big Show, Mr. Kennedy, CM Punk and tons of others, some of them clean as a sheet.  The guys who need kid gloves are the ones who aren’t allowed to get over on their own, which is to say everyone else.  Ziggler was looking like a main eventer in January, but he’s done job after job after job since then and now he’s already plummeting back to the midcard again.  And he gets no promo time to get himself over again.  Those are the guys you have to be the most careful with:  The ones JUST on the verge of breaking through.

4.  Yes.  But if not, he’ll make out OK.