Is the Attitude Era the reason why so many people hate John Cena?

[theBusiness]

Before the Attitude Era, wrestling was almost cartoonish with practically every single wrestler having some sort of gimmick, whether it was a cowboy, a dentist, or a hockey player. Then came along the trash-talking, edgy tv that was produced by this change in wrestling. I think since we have already experienced this form of wrestling, most people hate John Cena current gimmick. If John Cena debuted after Hogan left (93-95), I think people would idolize him as much as people idolize Bret Hart today. Since people have already experienced such edgy characters in wrestling like Stone Cold and the Rock, John Cena seems too cartoonish now, very similar to Hogan in the 80's. But if John had come before these guys, he would be just as popular. Wrestlers like Stone Cold and the Rock set the bar of expectations to a new level. And not only skill-wise, but gimmick-wise as well.

 

[mena707]

i agree i think since most of us watched and grew up with the attitude era we set the bar to stone cold and the rocks dgaf say whatever gimmicks. now since wwe is more pg john cena is going back to the modern day "eat your vitamins, say your prayers' hustle loyalty and respect. maybe if he debuted in the attitude era where his gimmick can be more modernized and less conservative people now a days would like him but you dont know that he would be just as popular his gimmick couldve been a flob being in the shadow of the rock and all the other main eventers back then
leave me alone

 

[theBusiness]

i don't care what haters say, john cena could have been a main eventer in the attitude era. most people like to say he wouldn't have made it then but i disagree. john cena has everything to have been successful then..I also think if wwe was not pg, cena would be wayyy more popular because he would be allowed to cuss, not say lame ass jokes, and truly be himself.

 

[mena707]

he wouldnt be a main eventer with his weak ass gimmick now maybe think he wouldve been more successful as a rapper/heel in the attitude era. that people couldve ate up. cuz it was around the time eminem debuted so he would be a white rapper pissing everyone off

 

[Kashagi]

Yeah I agree, but not whole heartedly..

If Cena was his main event self in the Attitude Era, chances are we would not have seen such a clean change from the 'Word Life' character, Cena would probably be more edgy in that sense.

However, while it is true that Cena is unpopular to many due to his character, it is also because of his success rate. You all saw how people got tired of him and his year long reign, you see how there are people who get sick of his superman comebacks.

Cena, like Hogan, would still be unpopular if he kept the superman elements his main even character has, as I believe this is generally a bigger reason why he is unpopular then his PG character.

 

[theBusiness]

Yeah I agree, but not whole heartedly..

If Cena was his main event self in the Attitude Era, chances are we would not have seen such a clean change from the 'Word Life' character, Cena would probably be more edgy in that sense.

However, while it is true that Cena is unpopular to many due to his character, it is also because of his success rate. You all saw how people got tired of him and his year long reign, you see how there are people who get sick of his superman comebacks.

Cena, like Hogan, would still be unpopular if he kept the superman elements his main even character has, as I believe this is generally a bigger reason why he is unpopular then his PG character.

I agree that is a major part of why people hate him.

i also should have stated i think he couldve succeeded with a slightly different gimmick, taking away the whole "superman" concept of it. Because if he had that in the attitude era, people would hate him, including probably a younger me.

 

[Dagger Dias]

It wouldn't surprise me if that was one of the reasons. People who liked the controversies of the Attitude Era are more likely to like more edgy characters. They were used to anti-heroes, rather than a mega-face like Cena. His rapper character would have been successful in the Attitude Era, whereas his current self would have been more popular before the Attitude Era because wrestlers having cheesier gimmicks (and true faces rather than anti-heroes) was so much more common back then.

 

[Tougie]

I've been watching wrestling since I was like two, never hated anyone more than I hate Cena. I dont believe its because of the attitude era though. I mean Cena was cool in 03-05 ending after Judgement Day for me. I think just for the fact that they turned him into Superman and basically forced him against the fans much like they did with HHH, HBK, and other dominant champs. Big difference is the other guys were much better in every way IMO. And the fact he sucks at wrestling except for the psycology of it.

 

[Miko]

It's gotta be that, people became accustomed to faces that were essentially heels but were likeable. When I hear peoples reasons for hating John Cena I have to chuckle as for the most part wrestlers who these people love are guilty of exactly the same thing. "He does the same thing every match" and Kurt Angle doesnt? "He doesnt do technical moves" Since when did doing a shit load of technical moves make you a great wrestler? Austin and Rock never did them, people love them.

It's because Cena's character is essentially a good person who can kick arse, that seems to be too much for some people to handle.