Clean Victory Over Cena - What Does It Mean?

[Dave]

I was perusing the main page a while ago and happened upon an article about John Cena and his win / loss record. As it, seemingly, transpires, John Cena hasn't been pinned on an episode of Smackdown since 2003. In that instance, it was a loss to the future Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar. It's probably worth saying that Cena wasn't quite the legacy that he is now in the WWE but, regardless, Lesnar was the last person to pin Cena clean on an episode of Smackdown.

That is, of course, until Dean Ambrose...

This past Tuesday, Dean Ambrose was able to do the seemingly impossible when he pinned John Cena in the middle of the ring with no outside interference or any foul play. I remember seeing it at the time and thinking that it was a massive moment in the career of both Cena and Ambrose. Perhaps it was totally meant but it seemed like a watershed moment for everyone involved.

Now, the real question persists. What does this result mean for everyone involved?

When it comes to Cena, it must be a hard pill to swallow. He hasn't been pinned clean on any TV show for 7 whole years and, with that, probably comes a sense of immortality. Cena has always talked about the future of wrestling and he must surely know that his time at the top is swiftly running out. He has stayed at the top of the WWE for a long time but, perhaps, now is the time for the WWE to get serious about really putting people over. He is, after all, a living legend in the wrestling business. The WWE would do well, and are doing well, by utilising that as best they can to give people the best possible start.

As for Ambrose, this win cannot be understated. We have recently seen just how well a win over Cena can be used by AJ Styles. AJ took the win and made it mean something. Ambrose needs to do the same and make it count. If the WWE is serious about Ambrose, and it seems as though they are, then this needs to be the start of something. I implore the WWE to take Ambrose seriously and build on this ballsy move. The question remains, how serious are the WWE about pushing Ambrose after an understated and underwhelming championship reign.

Another question I would like to pose, is what this means for everyone else? Does two losses for Cena mean that he is there for the taking? Can we fully expect others to go over Cena in the next few months?

 

[enviousdominous]

It would have been a bigger moment if it occurred while John was still on a hot streak of title wins and shady title losses.

I think that the pin happened because we're at a point where John has to play the role of a guy who's lost his mojo, which for me kind of diminishes the glory of it. Add to that the fact that Dean got a roll-up pin. While that's embarrassing for a veteran like John Cena, it's still not the decisive beat-down victory that would really make Dean look like a force to be reckoned with.

Dean's image improves slightly because he was able to get a sneaky win against one of the biggest names in the WWE, but for me it doesn't translate into Dean being indicative of a guy who could just beat John Cena on any given day.

It's tv, so I'm not saying that it should have been played up like a PPV quality match. I'm saying that -- while John is obviously about to take a sabbatical -- it wasn't the kind of win that strikes me as enough of a boost to Dean or enough of a drop for Cena to make me think any differently of either guy.

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

They are clearly building the "John Cena isn't the same as once was" angle, so this loss to Ambrose just made sense in that regard. I see that result actually as something better for Cena than it is for Ambrose, as it paves the way for the redemption story we're all expecting and in my case, actually interested in seeing.

AJ Styles win meant a lot more because it was on a bigger stage and it was in one of the best matches that SummerSlam has seen. Ambrose's win was a roll-up, in less than 10 minutes, in the same show where The Miz and Ziggler had a better match. What I want to say is that, circumstances matter on this one. But like everything, the ball is in WWE's hand.

So far the backlash of that match is making people talk about John Cena and not Dean Ambrose, but that can all change if WWE hypes the meaning of Dean's victory. However that could also fail if WWE keeps on cutting Ambrose's legs or Ambrose fails to give entertaining and solid performances as he's been really criticized a lot for. Let's hope he can step up and continue on having good matches with different opponents. Wouldn't mind an Ambrose vs. Corbin feud after he gets taken from the title picture.

 

[Isaac Kaye]

I briefly skimmed the reports and knew Dean won by pinfall but I didn't know the finish so it came as a bit of a surprise. Obviously a loss for Cena isn't as damaging as it would be for Dean - who needs all the momentum he can get after dropping the belt. But I think this is just a way of making Dean look strong heading into a PPV he's not going to win, in my opinion.

One thing has struck me of particular note... what has Cena done to deserve a shot at the title, when he's lost twice in a row on PPV (once clean), and then to Ambrose on TV? Are we supposed to believe that Cena deserves this chance purely on his previous merits? It comes back to this concept of wins and losses and how important they are made in the face of the audience. There does seem to be a bit more emphasis on this recently, but in the end, the audience will forget quickly, and in the end it's Cena, the 15 time World Champ, and a couple of losses aren't gonna erase that aura.

I don't actually think they are serious about Dean at all, in fact I think they're looking for a good way of phasing him out of the title picture without damaging him too much. I've changed my view on Dean, I don't think he's ready, and I fully expect him to drop back down the midcard until he makes a few adjustments. As for Cena, I can't see how they can keep using him to put heels over clean. Eventually that will stop having an effect if they do that with too many guys. Cena will have a resurgence - he's still very important and I expect him to have that 16th title run again in the next year when he's 'overcome his troubles'.

 

[MoRtAnDaD]

Everyone that beats Cena clean its either a Legend already or a future (very near future) champion.

Off the top of my head, Bryan, Owens, Aj, the shield, all champions already. HBK, Rock, Lensar, Batista, all of them megastars or legends.

Cena its basically the seal of approval WWE puts on the rest of the talents.

 

[ShinChan]

This was infact a shocker for me.

Cena losing wasn't as much shocking as the person he lost to being Dean Ambrose. I didn't expect Ambrose to get a clean pinfall on Cena be it via a roll-up.

Styles went over Cena first via interference. In next match, he executed two consecutive finishers on him to pin him. But in this match, Ambrose just won via a roll-up.

Still it doesn't seem like a fluke victory. After all It's Cena.

If the reports of both Ambrose and Cena going on hiatus are true, then Styles has only Orton and maybe Bray Wyatt left as challengers.

Plus Ambrose gets Styles in a title rematch on upcoming Smackdown in his hometown where I guess that Styles retains his title and does it again at No Mercy.

 

[Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.]

It means, that you instantly become a red hot commodity for the company. That's also why, not everyone should have it, but the guys the company has faith in to carry the brand for the next decade.

Also it means that you are a bonafied main eventer.

That Ambrose victory however was kinda shocking. It came out of nowhere. And on live TV! The last time Cena was pinned on TV was 7 years ago, and 13 years ago on Smackdown!

Cena will get his 16th title reign down the line, eventually. But in the meantime, and after that, he will have the HBK treatment apparently. Well, maybe not in the same degree, because HBK was losing a lot, but we'll see a more fragile John Cena. Plus, an Ambrose vs Cena programm right now, will do wonders for Dean. This whole deal reminds me of Jeff vs Taker in 2008.

 

[Greg4WWE]

One of 3 things they can do with this.

1. Just admit Cena is a part timer and here to get people over like Jericho. No, not likely. Not at this point.

2. Have Cena lose more and build his frustration to an eventual snap and heel turn. This would be cool, but again, probably not likely.

3. Have Cena lose more until his epic comeback and 16th title reign. This is most likely.

I would like to see number 2 though. Just for something fresh. He can still win 16th title that way. Just something different though.

 

[TDFG]

Other than when the statistic was brought up, did anyone else actually know this fact about John Cena?

WWE never mentioned how long it had been since he was cleanly pinned on weekly TV, so I don't think it has as much rub as it would if Ambrose was to defeat Brock Lesnar.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

There is clearly only one reasonable explanation for what is going on here:

HEEL TURN!!!!!!!

No, I'm wrong? He's too busy with his mainstream appeal and charity to go full Hollywood on us. OK, my bad. I just feel like his best fans that grew up on him have abandoned WWE as they entered their teens and adulthood and this may be a way to bring them back for a bit. But I know I'm wrong. The heat he would produce taking Flair's name off the record books and retiring UT at Mania wouldn't be worth it. Or would It? No, alright I'll stop.

AJ took most of Cena's mojo at Summerslam. Now wins over him don't have the value they once had. They're not meaningless but they will now be more expected and therefore not have the same cache. Just like toward the end of his US Title Challenge run didn't have the meaning it did when Sami Zayn took him to the limit.

 

[rmp0012002]

I think Cena is starting to bring an end to his full time wrestling as he has other projects. He's still so over that wins and losses don't effect his popularity and his losses have been putting over the younger guys.

 

[stingray11214]

Come on, get real! Ambrose beating Cena is not a big deal. Ambrose is near the top of the card, so beating Cena clean should not be a surprise. Where a clean victory will matter is if it is done by a mid-carder at a MAJOR PPV: Rumble/SS and Mania. You really want to turn Cena? Let him lose to someone like Neville or Apollo Crews at Mania. THAT is when beating Cena "Clean" will matter in the grand scheme of things.