If Cena were to face Undertaker at WM28 would he really need to go heel?

[JUSBRINGIT]

Simple everyone has said Cena needs to go heel to face Undertaker, but why? In my opinion he dosn't need to be a heel. The Cena we know at the moment dosn't come out and beat down people radomly it just dosn't fit with how he is today. It's possible but think of other Taker has faced, this year HHH vs Undertaker they are not showing HHH as a heel and before WM25 HBK came out week after week and beat down Taker and the fans still cheered, I don't think Cena needs to ho heel to face Taker at Mania. I don't mind if you say he should be why and how can WWE build up this heel Cena in a year if the match does happen?

 

[Scuba 06]

Come on man. Are you watching the same show I am ? Do you not find this Taker-HHH feud to be one of the most boring programs in either guys career. Now the match might be great but the build up has not really done anything to fuel my excitement. Sometimes I am okay with face vs face match-ups most often I think they should be avoided. Its not just this program, even his two feuds with HBK leading up to mania really werent that great, IMO.

Did HBK attack Taker, yeah, but its not like he was going all the way. When you have seen how good both HBK and HHH have been as heels and at getting heat, its hard to settle for meager attacks, non-physical interaction or animosity-lacking promos. Really do you look foward to Raw watching them give the same promos over six different times with no punches or kicks flying, I dont.

Imagine how awesome it would be if HHH & HBK came out, shook Takers hand, then attacked him from behind, leaving him beaten only to sprayed with DX over his back while Hunter and Shawn do crotch chops over him, that's TV, not the boring, I respect you crap.

Besides its time for Cena to spice up his character. Its been so long since he was heel, it will be huge when finally does turn. It will kid of be like Hollywood Hogan in 96, yes people expect it sooner or later, but they wont now when. Cena was a very good heel too and his feud with Taker back in the day was pretty good aswell. Does he have to be heel, no. It can work but really which sounds more entertaining to you ?

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I think that if you wanted this to feel like a true clash of titans at the biggest show of the year, then it'd probably be best for Cena to remain a face if such a match ever took place.

The WWE would almost certainly want to build this match up as "the best" of one generation vs. "the best" of another generation and the only way to do that to it's ultimate potential would be for Cena to be a face. John Cena is the biggest babyface and star to be produced in wrestling over the course of this past decade. For the build up of a match with The Undertaker, the WWE would almost certainly want to use that legacy. They'd use Cena's popularity along with his various titles and accomplishments, his work outside the ring with various charities, etc. and measure all that against The Undertaker's mythic character, his own titles and, of course, the streak.

The WWE's best bet to get the most bang for their buck, in my opinion, would be to bill this match as really being the only real challenge that either man seems to have left. They've done it with Triple H really and while fans have gone along with it because they know the match will great, they know that Triple H has already had his shot against Taker at WM and lost. John Cena has done everything in the WWE except beat The Undertaker. The Undertaker has defeated Hall of Famers, giants, young stars and outright legends at WM, but not John Cena. Taker & Cena did have a few matches way back in the day when Cena was doing his rap thing, Taker was doing his American Badass character and Cena just wasn't the star that he's been for the past 6 years or so. Most average fans might not even know about or remember those matches that he & Taker had the better part of a decade ago.

If the match did take place & Cena did turn heel, it'd still be an entertaining feud. But the simple truth is that every wrestler is always booked to be "weaker" as a heel than as a face. As a heel, John Cena won't be portrayed as quite the same force against Taker as he would be as a babyface.

 

[hasbeenkid]

I still cant post my own threads nor do I know how to go about it btw I would love to know how because I like getting peoples opinions anywho..I feel that since people were so concerned over seeing another streak v career match yet again..they havent seen the truth behind why trips and undertaker are facing each other. Yes this hasnt been built up like the last two undertaker matches but lets face it he was going up against "mr wrestlemania" of course wwe would build up a match between arguably two of the best in ring performers. The HBK Undertaker feud was amazing because it was built up and believable however as it pertains to the thread...the answer is NO..Simply because a good Face vs Face match is a good thing to see..Austin Rock both went in as somewhat faces and other main events have proved that you dont always have to have a heel vs face..does it work better pop wise of course but does it always work...HELL NO example HHH vs Orton one the most boring wrestlemania matches..so A Cena heel turn would be epic but Superman MR. P-G will remain Yabadooing and Playing Peak A Boo for years to come..

 

[FSWWE]

No!! John Cena shouldnt go!! For me, if the Undertaker streak match, ended at this WM, that would be perfect!!
19-0 is a great number, the last outlaw is something huge, he should give a ultimate speech and then disappear in the darkness with every wwe superstar cheer him, like they did with Flair, but instead of that, at WrestleMania, and ending with the words
"The Story will die, but The Undertaker will be forever IMORTAL!!"

OMG just thinking about this, gives me chills

 

[delval3269]

I completley agree he faced hbk twice and hbk was face in both matches and now he is facing hhh and hhh is not a heel so they don't need to to turn cena heel BUT i would definitly like to see Cena heel.

 

[ITALIAN NYC]

Well being that Rock just said he wants more matches. Id say either him or cena will face taker next year , which either one of them losing.

Maybe rock vs cena at SS , with cena heel turn , then facing taker at Mania. I dont think he needs to go heel to face taker, but i truly believe it will deff make it a much more interesting and emotional match

 

[Azane]

a well planned and well executed heel turn would turn him without us thinking it was "out of character"
although its already been said, echoing the precedents, Cena does not need to to turn heel to face Taker, HBK and HHH both faced Taker in a double face respect style match. With Cena's "Hustle Loyalty Respect" gimmick, he'd fit into that same mold.

Cena has been showing some heel tendencies to combat the Rock. Even though I'm not a huge fan of his thuganomics persona, it has been some of his better work in his recent feud, but I don't think the universe would be as receptive of his rap towards Undertaker.

 

[newc868]

I have to agree with the OP that Cena wouldn't necessarily have to go heel to face 'Taker at Mania but the problem is with all the smarks who go out there to boo Cena and all the kids cheer Cena - which is what we used to be.

I would like to think about Cena vs Taker being like Hogan vs Savage only for the modern day audience. Both guys are the two biggest names in the company. Cena has won me over with his segments with The Rock. He can hold his own on the mic and I think there's a lot more to him than the Five Moves of Doom. Cena is like Triple H, he's done pretty much everything in the business but he hasn't ended The Streak. Cena is one of the only people that the smarks and IWC could logically see being the one to end to the streak.

I don't think Cena has to be a heel but if he wants to end the streak then he'll just get booed because the smarks don't want him to win. As for how to build it up, you need to get Cena involved with 'Taker somehow. Taker is usually on SD but has predominantly been on Raw these past few weeks. You could have Cena call him out. Offer him a challenge but the route I'd prefer to see is either Cena does via the Royal Rumble OR Cena is the champion and Taker is the champion in a match to Unify the Championships.

 

[Skairipa Matrix]

as much as i wanna c john cena turn heel i honestly think if hes gonna face undertaker at next years wrestlemania he should be face unless hes not booked as a weak,cowardly heel.....because honestly John Cena vs Undertaker i quit match at wrestlemania is something ive ALWAYS wanted to see the man who "never gives up" vs the streak someone would have to say i quit something has got to give! it would make it look like cena is a legit threat to the streak but of course undertaker would win (unless supercena is there that day which would piss alot of people off 2 have cena end the streak) and FINALLY SUPERCENA WOULD GIVE UP! from there he could turn heel by saying how the cenation wasnt enough for him to beat taker and end the streak so he doesnt need them hes to good for him and how hes seen the light and its not by sucking up to these fans! personally id LOVE to see this booking!

 

[mral82]

As much as all of you are creaming in your pants at the idea of Cena vs Taker at Mania that ship has sailed. Cena has stated that he didn't want to fight the Taker at Mania in a few interviews. And if it did happen which I doubt it will at least at Mania Cena would lose to The Last Outlaw cause I hope the Streak never Ends or I will be pissed as that the one of the saving grace for the Wrestling industry. Mark Callaway has at least earned this right as I think if he wouldnt had the Streak then he woulda been gone long ago.

 

[silrock316]

God some of you I feel like don't even watch wrestling. Cena is nowhere near the legend taker is. Regardless if cena is labeled face or heel he would get boo'ed out of the WM building as rock did against hogan. The reason they didn't boo hbk the last two years is bc hbk is a legend himself. Cena is NOT even close to being a legend of likes of Austin, Rock, HHH , HBK or Taker. Cena would be a natural heel against all of them. That's why he doesn't have to turn heel for a match at WM against Taker bc the WWE universe will turn him heel that night. Anyone who doesn't see that is just a Cena mark. Simply put.

 

[MWRedskins]

Uh nope and there's an easy reason to why. Look at Undertaker's last three Mania feuds. Two in a row with Michaels and one with HHH. Now, i think WWE would want this feud at Mania, but unless Cena changes his mind, i dont see the feud happening, anyway, no they dont need to turn him heel because the Michaels/Undertaker feud was great and neither were heel and while the HHH/Undertaker feud isnt great, it's not bad in my book at all and neither is a heel.

 

[SteveNJ]

I think it would be better for the legacy of both men, the streak, and Wrestlemania. I think Cena has to go BACk to a heel. I think it would be good for the WWE and the writing. And also give some other wrestlers face time..Morrison being one of them.

 

[dd23beatlesfan1]

I actually think that the Undertaker's final Wrestlemania match should be against John Cena.

I saw someone earlier compare such a match to Hogan/Savage from Wrestlemania V, but actually I think a better comparison would be Andre the Giant vs. Hulk Hogan from Wrestlemania III.

In 1987 when they fought Andre was the Eighth Wonder of the World, billed as being undefeated for 15 years, and was that generation's version of the iconic phenom. He was also the leader of the locker room and idolized and respected more than anyone else on the roster. And Andre was in the final stages of his career, the twilight of his career.

25 years later, the Undertaker is in the same position. The Undertaker is now the legendary phenom, leader of the locker room backstage, more respected and idolized than anyone active on the roster, he's also undefeated at Wrestlemania. His undefeated streak has as much mystique and hype as Andre's billed "undefeated streak" in the WWE. And like Andre was in 1987, Taker is now towards the end of his run after over 20 years in the WWE (which is even longer than Andre was in his WWE tenure in 1987), the twilight of his career.


Hulk Hogan was the superstar, pop culture phenomeon who was the top babyface and the center of the company. The biggest draw, the biggest hero to the kids. The All-Star. The Franchise.


25 years later, John Cena is in a simliar boat. While he's not as big a pop culture icon as Hogan was in the '80s, nor is he as all around popular with the entire WWE audience as Hogan was in the '80s, still Cena is the all-star, franchise of the company, and the leader of this era.


Andre was the biggest attraction of the previous era before Hogan, just as Taker has been in the era before Cena.


If Vince hypes this right, Cena/Taker for this era could be as big as Hogan/Andre, only with a much different twist.


The biggest difference between the two is that the roles would be reversed, largely due to one thing, smarks. Whereas the audience was ready for Andre to pass the torch to Hogan, the audience will not be near as receptive to Taker passing the torch to Cena. Kids will, but teenagers, and young adults and the adults that grew up towards the end of the Hogan era and into the New Generation era and the Attitude Era will not want Taker, or most of them anyway, to end the streak by losing to Cena.


But even though it wouldn't be near as much of a clear cut evil/good battle as Andre/Hogan was, it would still be just as significant and epic. Especially if the match is billed either flat out or subtlely as Taker's final match. If that happens, with Cena being seen as becoming the official leader of the company it will seem obvious that Cena will win and the Streak will end. But will the streak really end? Thus this could be the most unpredictible WM match of Taker's career, which is perfect.


As far as will Cena need to turn heel for it? Absolutely not. Keep this dynamic. Keep Cena as the face for the kids, while still getting booed by your smarks and old school fans that don't want Taker to lose to Cena. Who would win, you could go either way. Instead of an good/evil dynamic that Hogan/Andre had, you'll have more of a babyface epic encounter ala Hogan/Warrior, Hart/HBK, or Rock/Austin, but with the significance of Hogan/Andre, aka: quite possibly the biggest matchup ever.

There's one problem though that will make this match very different from the Hogan/Andre match. Cena cannot beat Taker and become the beloved hero for doing so and ending the streak. If it was 1987, absolutely. But it's 2011. But if you want to turn Cena heel, this is how you do it.

Have him cheat to beat Taker and end the streak. Cena doesn't need to be put over clean by Taker. Cena is already the top dog and star. Taker will basically pass the torch by losing no matter how he loses. Cena could be the biggest heel ever if he cheats to beat Taker and end the streak. I can see trash being thrown in the ring and absolute digust and hatred from the fans with Cena celebrating and gloating after winning. It would be priceless. And you'll definitely have the biggest heel turn since Hogan's turn at Bash at the Beach 96.


So yeah don't turn Cena heel leading up into the match. If you want him to be heel, have him end the streak. Him winning alone will turn him into the biggest heel perhaps ever. And it will be gold.


However, that doesn't mean that's what I want to happen. I want Taker to retire with streak intact. I think he deserves it after the amazing career he's had and how much he's given to WWE and the fans. But if the streak has to end, this is the way to do it.

 

[The Ace of Knaves]

I'm sorry, but didn't John Cena himself said he doesn't ever want to face Taker at any Wrestlemania? WZ has its link, here:

http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/article/cena-says-he-never-wants-to-face-undertaker-at-wmania-126457

I also believe an article (couldn't find its link) once mentioned WWE board directors don't want Cena vs Taker at any Mania cause they're afraid Cena will get a heel reaction and lose his credibility.

And to add to it, does this match make sense to even take place?

Look at it this way, at Wrestlemania Vince never booked Taker to go against the previous face of WWE before Cena during their prime, which was:

Hulk Hogan (Golden Era)
Randy Savage (Golden Era)
Ultimate Warrior (Golden Era)
Bret Hart (New Generation Era)
Stone Cold (Attitude Era)
The Rock (Attitude Era)
Mankind (Attitude Era)
Brock Lesnar (Post War Era)
Kurt Angle (Post War Era)

Now with Cena being the face of PG Era, doesn't it make little sense for them to suddenly do Taker vs Cena but purposely leave out Taker vs Hogan, Taker vs Savage, Taker vs Warrior, Taker vs Austin, Taker vs Mankind, Taker vs Rock, Taker vs Lesnar, and Taker vs Angle at Wrestlemania? I mean, why suddenly book Taker vs Cena at Wrestlemania after not even once doing Taker vs previous Face of WWE before Cena at Wrestlemania?

 

[ThePh3nomonal1]

Yeah, face vs face just doesnt work, it worked the last 2 years because... Well... It was HBK and that everyone new how good the match would be and the build started almost 6 MONTHS before the match at the Slammys, not 2 weeks before. But to the point I personally think that on paper Cena Vs Taker face vs face would work but in reality I reckon it would turn out like this years fued between HHH and Taker.