Cena becoming a slightly better wrestler?

[TheOrtonRevolution]

In recent weeks, I've seen Cena threw in a couple of moves/attempt at moves I thought were slightly better than his usual arsenal: Dropkick (I think it was Michael Cole who noted that), Attempted a Diving Leg Drop Bulldog (Haven't seen him do that in a while, and it's not a real bulldog; look it up), Using his legs to perform a headlock/neckhold ( about 3 weeks - a month ago), AA from the top turnbuckle (I know it's not that impressive, but hey it's different.) Do you think Cena is starting to get it? Or at least trying to make an effort to improve his wrestling abilities? Share your opinion.

 

[GCoh]

Maybe, I don't know if the dropkick was a one time thing we'll see from Cena ,but he is definitely improving, that drop kick was impressive IMO. I'll be more impressed once we stop seeing his patented back to back shoulder blocks, followed by a missed punch into a backdrop/5 knuckle shuffle, I'm sick of that

 

[TheOrtonRevolution]

Maybe, I don't know if the dropkick was a one time thing we'll see from Cena ,but he is definitely improving, that drop kick was impressive IMO. I'll be more impressed once we stop seeing his patented back to back shoulder blocks, followed by a missed punch into a backdrop/5 knuckle shuffle, I'm sick of that

A lot of people are. I don't think he will get rid of that anytime soon. But if he can change the way he wrestles be4 that "ritual", I think he'll be more interesting.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

How does using a dropkick make him a better wrestler? Also, he's been using the diving leg drop bulldog or whatever it's called for a while now. Cena is still the same good wrestler he's always been and there isn't much he needs to change. He could work on his selling a little bit but it doesn't take away from the match as it used to which was one of his earlier criticisms.

 

[TheOrtonRevolution]

How does using a dropkick make him a better wrestler? Also, he's been using the diving leg drop bulldog or whatever it's called for a while now. Cena is still the same good wrestler he's always been and there isn't much he needs to change. He could work on his selling a little bit but it doesn't take away from the match as it used to which was one of his earlier criticisms.

But have you seen him do the diving bulldog recently? I don't think so. Just watch his matches within the past, I don't know, past 3 months. You don't see him do it. I don't think I've seen him go up to the turnbuckle for the past 6 months IMO. But yeah, he can get the match to work with the crowd.

 

[Dzone]

I thnik Cena is actually a decent wrestler but him sticking to 5 moves gives less for the kids to remember and in turn gives more pops */money... for Vince...* from the younger audience who look up to the guy's 5 moves. Him only knowing 5 moves really does emphasize each move even more and I really think he will stick to this untill *if...* he turns heel.

My reason for believing this is Cena isn't as big of a star and looked up to by everyone than someone like The Undertaker (kids and adults admire him), this means people will know his moves without him worrying about loosing money for Vince or loosing support/pops from the crowd.

 

[The Raven's Epitaph]

Has everybody forgotten what he used to be like when he first debuted? He used different moves against Kurt Angle that he doesn't use now. On subject, yes, he has been using some new moves, but it's nothing we haven't seen from him before. It's creative that won't let him use anything but his five-wanking-hand.

 

[Thesage1989]

I remember recently(7 or so years ago) that Cena had a more oves then he displays he used spin busters sidewalk slams and other power moves. If you see if first match with kurt angle kurt considered wrestling him again so i think he has a lot more to give than he gives because of is gimmick.

 

[antvision]

I agree w/ 90s kid. I actually remember watching his debut match, and thinking "this guy is gonna be awesome." The decision to keep the 5 moves of death, is purely intentional. Creative has a lot of pull as to which moves wrestlers can or cannot use. The dropkick (he used @ NOC as well as Raw, btw) was done on purpose. This was made evident by cole's over the top reaction. If cena were to ever turn heal, you would see a different moveset, almost guaranteed.

 

[Rampage Bentley]

I thnik Cena is actually a decent wrestler but him sticking to 5 moves gives less for the kids to remember and in turn gives more pops */money... for Vince...* from the younger audience who look up to the guy's 5 moves. Him only knowing 5 moves really does emphasize each move even more and I really think he will stick to this untill *if...* he turns heel.

My reason for believing this is Cena isn't as big of a star and looked up to by everyone than someone like The Undertaker (kids and adults admire him), this means people will know his moves without him worrying about loosing money for Vince or loosing support/pops from the crowd.

How does him using less moves make more money for Vince? I understand having your trademark moves stand out and really using them to play up your character, but this is kind of a Southpark underwear gnome sort of argument, you're essentially saying; Few Moves + ...... = Money

You may have a point in there, I'm just not seeing it

 

[CrazyBeastKing]

The problem isn't that he cant wrestle it's that creative or Vinny Mac wont allow him to wrestle. He can wrestle better than half of the roster now if creative would allow him to. Dont believe me? Look up Cena's debut match against Angle. Yea I see what your getting at, but the reason why he does the "get the crap beaten out of him half the match >> sudden boost of energy >> 5 moves of doom" formula is because kids these days have a limited amount of memory. The less moves a wrestler uses, the better theyll be able to memorize them and give that much of a pop if he uses them. Yea I was surprised when he first used the dropkick again at NOC, but unless Vinny Mac decides to actually let Cena wrestle, you wont be seeing many other moves.

 

[#hamler]

For anyone saying Cena has only five moves...STOP IT. So does Triple H, so does Randy Orton, and so does Sheamus. Cena is a great Entertainer and can put on five star matches each day of the week if need be. Cena is fine the way he is. Adding a drop kick doesn’t make him a better wrestler. It's drop kick for fuck's sake. Cena is great in and out of the ring and each and every one of us has to respect him. Cena CAN wrestle. He can mat wrestle and entertain us all with his abilities. John Cena does not hold back and he is a fine wrestler.

As for the sudden boost of energy after all the punishment, look at Shawn Michaels...Shawn would get the living shit kicked out of him and all of a sudden hit that flying forearm, knip-up, atomic drop, elbow, tune up the band, Sweet Chin Music. It's the same with Cena.

 

[Montague]

Most of those moves are ones he used in his early career as the prototype
go and watch Cena back in OVW he was really impressive
Cena isnt really learning new hes reviving old, as for getting better i would say yes

 

[MrEdgeFan]

Okay, honestly, I despise of Cena. But I have to admit, he's entertaining. I agree with Hamler. He's always been good. And a few good moves just for a night or two doesn't mean he has a whole new arsenal of moves. A dropkick is nothing more than a dropkick. Orton does it, Kane does it, Edge does it, Rhodes does it. It just a basic move. And Orton does the same thing as Cena. Looks crazy, backcracker, body slam, looks crazy again, pounds fist on mat, RKO. It's the same thing. It's their pump up, you can say.

 

[Vintage]

I might be bored to death by Cena but the one thing I won't take away from him is that he can wrestle. Even with 5 (so bad even the announcers had to mention it on tv) moves he's more entertaining (in regards to in ring performing) than Hogan in his prime.. he has a better 5 move set than Hogan ever used. He's not allowed to do what he can due to his character but when he first debuted I saw that he had some skills in the ring. I hope to see more of this in the coming weeks with a hopefully long needed heel turn to freshen up his act a bit so he can cut loose. It won't make me watch Raw or anything like that, there is far more wrong with it, but it's definitely a step in the right direction towards making me want to DVR it..

 

[giblet55]

I think a lot of people forget that John Cena is like the Hulk Hogan of our time. His in-ring ability and skills are limited because the WWE scripts it that way. If you research him a bit, or you remember his days in UPW and OVW as the Prototype...he actually has skills.

As a matter of fact, I remember watching a show called Inside Pro Wrestling Schools where John Cena was shown in his early days as the Prototype. He executed his moves with a lot more finesse and style. Unfortunately, like Hogan was, he's written in WWE story lines as a brawler and his move-set is limited.

If you're not sure what I'm talking about with Hogan, look up some of his matches in Japan and you'll notice how different his abilities were there compared to America at the same time in WWE (Hogan also did a dropkick in quite a few matches in Japan). Cena is like that, so I'm sure if he went to Japan for a year people would be amazed at how well he can actually wrestle.

 

[Jaims]

Cena has not improved his wrestling skills in the slightest.

First of all, he has not even come close to putting a dent into his biggest weakness: his ability to SELL. He is still abysmal at selling an injury, and after every long and grueling PPV match that he has, he's jumping around the ring acting like an ass, flexing his muscles and pumping his fist as if he didn't just go through hell. For this reason alone, he is still one of the worst wrestlers currently gracing the ring.

But second of all, he has not updated his moveset at all. Head scissors as a rest hold? You think that is impressive? ALL OF US could do that. The guy threw one of his first dropkicks at NOC and everyone is going nuts. Don't you see how pathetic this guy is when it comes to wrestling? He can't even dropkick! And it looked horrible on top of that! An AA off the top rope isn't "expanding" your moveset, by the way. That's just a variation on the same thing he does over and over again (I understand it's his finisher and that he's supposed to do it repeatedly every match, but you cannot say that doing a very basic variation of your finisher is being innovative). And worst of all, he STILL delivers the worst, god awful, pathetic, disgusting, embarassing fisherman's suplex I have ever seen in the past two decades.

Cena has enthusiasm. He's a hard worker. He's a company man. He'll do anything Vince says. He's OK on the mic when he's not saying stupid things like "I'm happy for Randy" when Cena just lost a title match. Cena has many upsides as a superstar. But once he gets in the ring, he is a mediocre performer and I don't see how that won't always be his greatest weakness. Until he decides to actually TRAIN and LEARN new moves and better his ring skills, Cena will always be a lackluster star between the ropes, in my eyes.

 

[SpoodBeest]

Is he getting any better at wrestling? What kind of silly little question is that? John Cena has been great at what he does for years now, people truly don't cut the man enough slack. John Cena is one of very few men on the roster who you can always expect a good match out of and when the time calls for it he can deliver a truly great match too. So with that being said wouldn't he already be a good wrestler? So what he added a dropkick, he could add an Olympic Slam to his repertoire and he'd still be as good. It's just called adding a move to the move list my friends. Cena is great at what he does, so just because he adds a move or two, or even three doesn't mean he's getting better at wrestling because he has already been good for a long while now if only people could see through their own blind hate. *sigh*

 

[Rayne]

Watch footage from every WWE main eventer's early days. They all reduce their moveset; it is intentional, it is planned as part of their progression from developing star into main event player.

Audiences like to see stuff they recognize. No one likes to have it put that way, but it's true. This is why commercial radio plays the same fifteen songs all day and why kids think Jimi Hendrix recorded only four songs. Edge doing a front somersault over the top rope onto a guy's shoulders is cool, but in the WWE, a spear will get a bigger cheer every time. I swear the WWE audience must sleep through half the match and wake up when they see a wrestler spin in a familiar direction, because the "5 Moves of Doom" label could be applied to a lot more people in the WWE than Cena.

Having a smaller moveset also reduces (but obviously doesn't eliminate) the possibility for injury, and you don't want to have your top tier guys hurt.

As far as if he's becoming a slightly better wrestler- who cares? He's the top star for the top professional wrestling company in the world, and in the craft of professional wrestling, learning how to add a few fake moves to your repertoire isn't going to make you any more over.

 

[fenfool]

Pretty much every WWE star only uses 5 moves...that is the WWE style. You get your first move in, let your opponent get a couple of their own, then finish off with the rest of yours, then the bout ends. It's a bit better on PPVs, but that is the pretty standard TV formula.

Of course, at this point the IWC hates Cena so much, he could go through Dean Malenko's entire handbook and still be called a poser...

 

[Negrodamus]

It's funny how you guys cant get past Cena's 5 moves, lets go through all the great Champions in WWE:

Austin: I dont think he even had 5 moves, just kicks stomps and finger wagging oh i forgot his lou thesz press.

The Rock: Peoples elbow, samoan drop, bulldog and the rock bottom

HHH: Pedigree, his knee lift

Hogan: Leg Drop big boot

These Champions made the biggest money and had the best ratings

Lets see the champions with skillsets

Shawn Michaels: WWE almost went out of business because nobody cared

Brett Hart: same as Michaels

None of the heavyweight champions have a large moveset so please people stop complaining because your past heroes were Cena before Cena got there its just creative had better storylines and they had better promos, you felt the tension between the 2 and couldnt wait until they fought.

That is what Cena needs to do, is stop doing the joke promo when he is suppose to hate someone. his best promos was when he fought Orton because the 2 made you feel like they really hated each other

 

[Mr_billy]

All wrestlers have just about 5 moves of doom, it's just what creative lets them do to build up to their moves. Cena does what he is scripted to do. Even Benoit and angle had their build up moves. Honestly, the Cena bashing is getting lame. Hell every Flair match for the most part has been pretty much the same win or lose for 30 years.

 

[Rampage Bentley]

I understand that the "five moves" thing is not exclusive to Cena, I realize all of these other people aforementioned in other posts also have a set of trademark moves.

The problem with Cena is that these "five moves" should be used to turn the tide of a match, to really get the momentum on his side and above all they should be used once a match, in extremely rare cases twice, the problem is with Cena, often times they're his go to moves. As limited as Steve Austins repetiore was, when he hit the Lou Thesz Press, most of the time you didn't see it coming. Cena's matches are so formulaic you can sit there and call what he's going to do and when he's going to do it (my wife gets a kick out of that)

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

Jeese, Cena uses a couple of basic moves and a thread is made speculating if he's getting better as a wrestler? What a world.

No he's not getting better as a 'wrestler'. He's just a sports entertainer. Kurt Angle, Daniel Bryan, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe - those guys can wrestle.

A few people have brought up his first match against Angle and how he put on a decent display. I see there is also a thread about if/should Lashley returns to the WWE just now which gave me an idea;
if WWE did take Lashley back, would a feud with Cena maybe FORCE Cena to revert back to a wrestling style? Lashley is a similar size and had some pretty good mat skills, is this the only way we'll see Cena wrestle again?

 

[Slyfox696]

John Cena has been the best wrestler in the WWE for the past several years. It's funny though it takes him doing a few different moves for people to think of him the way he should have been thought of years ago.

The number of moves a person makes has nothing to do with how good of a wrestler one is. Cena is a great worker, has been for years, but it has nothing to do with the number of moves he may or may not use.

Jeese, Cena uses a couple of basic moves and a thread is made speculating if he's getting better as a wrestler? What a world.

No he's not getting better as a 'wrestler'. He's just a sports entertainer. Kurt Angle, Daniel Bryan, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe - those guys can wrestle.

Daniel Bryan is a mediocre wrestler. Samoa Joe is a terrible wrestler. The fact you think those guys can wrestle show you're just another wrestling mark. You've bought into the theory that a "wrestler" is someone who does holds and locks, which is the image wrestling promotes. You've been worked.