War of words takes new tone

With Monday’s Raw SuperShow airing live from the home of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, Ohio, it is only fitting that The Rock and John Cena go musical – and old school – with their war of words.

It will be The “Rock Concert" versus Cena’s rap, the Most Electrifying Man in Entertainment’s insta-trending insults against the Cenation leader’s home-spun rhymes. Weeks away from their once in a lifetime confrontation at WrestleMania, The Rock and Cena will tear into each other on the mic, and based on what they’ve said so far, there’s no telling how far they’ll go.

With that in mind, WWE.com revisits two previous Rock Concerts, plus several of Cena’s finest freestyles. (PHOTOS)

"The Rock's Way"

With the lights dimmed and a bottle of Pellegrino sitting nearby, The Rock broke out his six-string and hosted the inaugural Rock Concert in March 2003. Ahead of his WrestleMania XIX clash with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, The Great One bounced between dissing the Raw host city of Sacramento and crooning insults Austin’s way.

In denigrating The Texas Rattlesnake, The Brahma Bull put his unmistakable print on classics by Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson and Frank Sinatra, including a sterling rendition of “The Rock’s Way.”

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson performs his first ever "Rock Concert"

Cena comes correct

Standing across the ring from Rey Mysterio during a November 2003 SmackDown, a brash, young Cena dissed the lucha legend’s diminutive size and accused the masked Master of the 619 of being a “midget dominatrix.” Will this irreverent Cena reappear to dress down The Rock Monday?

John Cena freestyles on Rey Mysterio - November 6, 2003

Rock-appella

Although The Great One had his trusty guitar on hand for this April 2003 edition of Raw in Atlanta, it ended up being all for naught as The Rock delivered his golden-voiced girds – this time, toward Goldberg – without instrumentation. During the set, The Rock not only targeted Atlanta resident Goldberg, but he did so by channeling a Georgia son, Ray Charles. Who will The Rock pay tribute to when Raw rolls into Cleveland?

Believe the hype

In a December 2003 battle rap against Big Show, the swaggering Cena called The World’s Largest Athlete the “white Fat Albert.” More than a few Superstars have verbally slammed Big Show while standing a comfortable ramp’s length away from the fearsome 500-pounder; Cena did it while in swinging range of the giant.

Watch an epic rap battle between John Cena and Big Show.

The Great One’s return has awakened Cena’s inner trash-talker, reminding at least some of the “Cena Sucks” chanters what it was that made the “private school thug” stand out in the first place. Cena, meanwhile, contends that he’s gotten under the skin of the normally unflappable Rock.  Which brash Superstar will get the upper hand Monday? (PHOTOS)