WrestleMania 28: Like It or Not, What John Cena Says About the Rock Is True

Last year, this time in February, The Rock did something amazing—he came "home."

The speech was riveting, must-see television. It was the stuff of legends. And it was spoken straight from the heart.

Or so it seemed.

The Rock spoke as Dwayne Johnson. He spoke of the millions (and millions) of fans who had helped him rise amongst the ranks of the greatest of all time. He spoke of how he missed the business over the last seven years and how he wanted to come back and challenge John Cena.

The fans erupted like a simmering volcano.

And through his hosting of WrestleMania 27 and the release of "Fast Five" and other movies, it seemed as though Johnson, the man behind the movie and wrestling character, was there in spirit, but fans could forget about the mind and body part. Johnson was out rubbing elbows with the elite in Hollywood, maintaining the "Rock-like" persona that fans and movie-goers loved.

And while all this was going on, his opponent John Cena made a few movies and continued his world-wide "Hulk Hogan-like" popularity, but he remained true to his words and his fans, and he still wrestled and delivered.

The WWE title may have changed hands, and now there is a new front-runner, but Cena, a 10-time WWE champion, said he would never leave his fans and the company because of what it meant to him. In the process, he has taken abuse about his "Frooty Pebbles" attitude and vanilla exterior, but he has never wavered as a wrestler.

The Rock has taken shots at Cena for having "lady parts" and Cena's signature "You Can't See Me." At this point, it looks like the Rock is the bully in this circus.

And Cena, for everything he is and isn't, while being the most loved and revered wrestler in the history of the company, has a right to call "Dwayne" out as a man not of his word.

I'm not a true fan of either wrestler. Both are flawed in my opinion. But when it comes down to it, the show that the two put on is not even close. This is not about a wrestler leaving one promotion to go to another and coming back bigger, stronger, faster and better (Ricky Steamboat in the NWA) or someone getting into an angle with a veteran to wrestle them for a once-in-a-lifetime chance at immortality (The Rock and Hulk Hogan).

But when Cena talks about how he has still wrestled and been a lightning rod for the company, his words ring true. When The Rock talks about how he wants to come home, wrestle and be embraced by the WWE fans, it rings hollow.

The Rock built a reputation as being one of the best ever with his flare, his skill and his voice. He transcended a generation and an era. John Cena has done the same. Fans both boo and cheer him.

And while we wait 40 days for WrestleMania 28 and one of the most anticipated matches of all time, we cannot help what happens with the match. Will it live up to the hype or fall flat? We also wonder what will happen when people really see what Cena has said is true.

This match needs to end much like Rock and Hogan at SkyDome. The Rock needs to bring the crowd back to the middle. He needs to help Cena get over as one of the greatest of all time. He needs to come correct. And he needs to prove his love for the business and the fans is just as great as it was seven years ago.

If not, this entire run for the last year could be viewed as a lie. And even if he loses the match, John Cena wins the war. That is the true Hollywood story.