Could John Cena have ran with the old school wrestler's?

[Hollywood Naitch]

As the Doctor Of Thuganomics, no, but with that gimmick he would've been able to hang in the Attitude Era though. With the Super Cena gimmick though, yes. Cena in his current gimmick is your typical 80's big babyface, he's a role model for kids, he's PG, and his ring attire is colourful, he is exactly like Hogan or Warrior 100%, so he would've easily fit in the 80's. I don't think he would've been THE top star though, he probably would've been fourth behind Hogan, Savage, and Warrior. And he probably wouldn't be wearing the ring attire he has on now. Back then it was the Rock N' Wrestling Connection, so the hip hop look wouldn't have worked, and I'm not sure if Jorts even existed in the 80's. I imagine his look & ring attire back then would've been the one he debuted in, in 2002.

Corny look but I could see it working back in the 80's, with one of those red Cena T-Shirts he wears today. And I could totally see him putting on great feuds and great matches with the likes of Hogan & Savage, maybe not Warrior though. People say Cena is shit in the ring but the guy can put on a fantastic match when the right match/feud comes along and calls for it, like Cena vs. Punk last year.

I totally agree. Cena is not the greatest technical wrestler, but his "superman" style comebacks are exactly what was popular in the 1980s with Hogan and Warrior doing something very similar. Cena could quite easily have been on Warrior's level. He appeals to the young audience, and also has an unbelievable physique like the Warrior.

Cena is naturally charismatic and his promo style and wrestling style would have worked well with other top stars of the era. I see no reason why, if Cena had been around at that time why he wouldn't have been right up at the top of the card, just below the top spot held by Hogan.

As the 80s became the 90s, I think Cena would have had to have adapted his persona a little bit to evolve with the times, but had he remained with WWE I could quite easily have seen Vince giving him the "Narcassist" gimmick or the "USA" gimmick that Lex Luger used. Cena is a muscular, good looking guy which is what Vince loves. Had Luger not been around and Cena had been, I think he could have used a gimmick based on his physique quite easily and we have all see that he is perfectly capable of working well as a heel as well as a face.

Cena is the sort of wrestler who would be popular no matter what era is wrestled in.

 

[theBec2101]

Yes and no.

Yes. Because he had the size and the look. And also no internet and not all wrestlers needed a 40 move set in those days and could get by doing 5-10 signature moves. (Hogan did it with 3)

No. Because for the simple fact that Hogan is the type of character that Cena plays now. If no Hogan then yes or Cena is a different character.

 

[FlairFan2003]

No doubt Yes - Cena's character today basically is an 80s wrestling re do as is, his Hustle, Loyalty, Respect the modern version of say your prayers, take your vitamins, etc. If anything a lot of fans today, long weary of the cartoon Disney like Product WWE represented back then dislike Cena for that very reason - he is a total 80's redo, more appropriately, a Hogan re do. Just like what they tried to do with Hart in 93, Vince always wants that one, unbreakable hero, the one uncompromised goo guy, because kids love him and he sells merchandise. Cena may be better in the ring than Hogan and better on the mic than Hart but he's a total re make in that vintage WWE Good Guy/Super Hero Mold.

In the 80s he would have been great against villains like Jake Roberts, Rick Rude, and Savage. The only question is wether he would have been over enough to get a shot vs Hogan at some point...

That one I dont know... I do believe the John Cena of today would have excelled and thrived in The HulkaMania days in the 80s, he was built for it.