John Cena: A Retrospective...

[asiatic7]

First, I would like to start this thread by saying that I am not a mark for John Cena. In fact, I could go either way when it comes to his on-screen character. This thread is basically asking the question: How will John Cena be remembered, from this point on, until he's years into retirement?

Sometimes I think fans and the IWC are a little too hard on Cena. So hard in fact, that people boo him because its the cool thing to do. Do you think "Cena Hater" fan (the cool black guy that's always in the front row with the 'We Hate Cena' shirt) really despises Cena? John does give that guy a lot of shine right? I know sometimes Cena's character can be over-bearing, with his over the top promos and lame color tees, but his ringwork at a second glance is very impressive. The guy hardly has a bad match. I know his character is geared towards little children, but most of you forget that you were once kids who fell in love with wrestling (if you grew up in the 80's like I did) and a certain "Real American".

When it's all said and done, how will you remember John Cena? Will you remember his incredible workrate and "Never Give Up" attitude? Will you remember and appreciate all of his storied rivalries with HBK, HHH, Randy Orton, Batista (this rivalry really upped both guys overall game IMO), Cm Punk,The Rock etc... Those rivalries brought us some classic matches and Cena hung in there with all these seasoned vets.

Or will it take the WWE to go through some rough patches with average peformers to realize "Hey, Cena wasn't that bad afterall." Remember, Rock and Austin weren't great technical wrestlers either, but they didn't have to endure "You Can't Wrestle" chants.

So, when its time to induct Cena into the HOF (it's gonna happen) will he still get the "Boo's" even then, or will he get the "One More Match" and "Thank You Cena" chants? Your thoughts...

 

[GrandSword]

How will Cena be remembered? Probably as one of the top stars of all time because memories are a wonderful thing, usually the good is rememberd and the bad isn't. Look at Stone Cold. Does anyone remember him being a wife basher?

Cena has been put on top of the world by Vince McMahon for almost a decade now, even though he gets very mixed repsonses from the fans. He has a very strong fan base and is indeed a cartoon character and every bit of what the Rock called him in his promos leading up to WM28.

I think it is irrelevant what I think of Cena, because at the end of the day he will be in the WWE's Hall of Fame. Your question about from tis point in time till his retirement, ithink it is time he starts giving back and building stars. I think it is now that time in his career, that he begins doing for others what Angle, Jericho, HHH, Batista, HBK, Big Show and just about every superstar on the roster did for him. And thats start puting people over and building up stars.

I think it is time he allows guys like Barrett, Daniel Bryan, CM Punk to beat him clean and use that to move to the next level and secure the future of the WWE for the next decade.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Sometimes I think fans and the IWC are a little too hard on Cena

Of course, a person is free to "hate" him if they want to, but those booing Cena make me wonder whether they're doing it because they truly dislike him......or whether they think it's the cool thing to do. Personally, I think people would throw themselves off skyscrapers to their deaths if they thought it was in "in" thing to do. Well, some of them, anyway.

I think Cena is the greatest; a guy who's ring persona is his own.....he doesn't even have a nickname because he doesn't need one. More than cartoon characters like Hulk Hogan or the Undertaker, Cena seems like the guy any of us could get together with over beers and he would prove to be just like we are. If he isn't really that way, I'd have to commend him for doing the best imitation of a regular person I've ever seen.

Remember, Rock and Austin weren't great technical wrestlers either, but they didn't have to endure "You Can't Wrestle" chants.

That's an important point. Times have changed and it seems incongruous that people boo Cena for being a poor ring technician while Rock and Stone Cold never had that thrown at them. I mean.....what for? Cena works as hard as anyone I've ever seen, he has improved his ring repertoire, he sells like crazy for everyone he works with......and, most significantly, he loses cleanly on occasion, even though he's the top man in the company. That match with the Rock was significant in that Cena consented to losing to a returning legend. Yes, you could tell me management invoked his contract and ordered him to do it, but I think Cena agreed to do it.....and if he chose not to, WWE would have some serious thinking to do about whether to alienate their top draw. Of course, we don't know what really goes on behind the scenes, but my feeling is that Cena is a company man through and through.... willingly recognizing that working in the best interests of the company will provide the greatest benefit to him.

To put it another way, could you imagine the Hulk Hogan of 1986 willingly being pinned by Bruno Sammartino?

How will he be remembered? Keep in mind that "everyone" isn't booing Cena; he's still far and away the company's biggest attraction. He's cool enough to embrace the folks who claim to hate him, even posing with that guy with the "I Hate Cena" t-shirt who sits at ringside. (Can you imagine Hogan doing that?)

After Cena retires, he'll be treated as the legend he is......and he'll always be popular, even after he's long done performing in the ring. I can see a 75-year-old Cena still attracting audiences with that personality and charisma of his.

 

[Trance Metaphor]

I think it is time he allows guys like Barrett, Daniel Bryan, CM Punk to beat him clean and use that to move to the next level and secure the future of the WWE for the next decade.

I'm sure he will sometime in the near future. He's still young, so maybe in two years he'll start putting others over. He has pretty much accomplished everything. He just needs to beat The Rock and he's pretty much ready to put others over since he's beaten everyone.

Like I've said multiple times before, I have tremendous amount of respect for John Cena for his work ethic. The guy is where he is because he earned it. I cannot see any other current superstar as the face of the WWE, because everything that is expected of someone that can carry the company is embodied by him.

I will remember John Cena as the ruthless aggression rookie that ultimately had the most unlikely transition into a breakout star. Step by step, he defeated the likes of Chris Jericho, Undertaker, Rob Van Dam, Kurt Angle, Randy Orton, CM Punk, Edge, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Batista, Brock Lesnar. It's very impressive. It's pretty much what I wanted to see him do, because there's no better way to establish a top face. Say what you want to say about him, but he belongs in the Hall of Fame with all the others.

I'll always remember his bloody match against JBL and his feud with Edge. Those were just awesome times. I also enjoy his ruthless aggression style matches where he relentlessly beats his opponent (ex. match against Carlito's bodyguard Jesus).

Overall, he is the epitome of a WWE performer much like Shawn Michaels and Triple H were...although not as good in terms of performance, but just as good or even better in terms of everything else.

I don't care if he's getting mixed reactions and other negative feedback from the marks. In the end of the day, none of that changes what John Cena has been able to accomplish and show. He's not gonna be forgotten after he retires and I'm sure he'll get the 'one more match' chants.

 

[The Ghost of Benoit]

First, I would like to start this thread by saying that I am not a mark for John Cena. In fact, I could go either way when it comes to his on-screen character. This thread is basically asking the question: How will John Cena be remembered, from this point on, until he's years into retirement?

Sometimes I think fans and the IWC are a little too hard on Cena. So hard in fact, that people boo him because its the cool thing to do. Do you think "Cena Hater" fan (the cool black guy that's always in the front row with the 'We Hate Cena' shirt) really despises Cena? John does give that guy a lot of shine right? I know sometimes Cena's character can be over-bearing, with his over the top promos and lame color tees, but his ringwork at a second glance is very impressive. The guy hardly has a bad match. I know his character is geared towards little children, but most of you forget that you were once kids who fell in love with wrestling (if you grew up in the 80's like I did) and a certain "Real American".

When it's all said and done, how will you remember John Cena? Will you remember his incredible workrate and "Never Give Up" attitude? Will you remember and appreciate all of his storied rivalries with HBK, HHH, Randy Orton, Batista (this rivalry really upped both guys overall game IMO), Cm Punk,The Rock etc... Those rivalries brought us some classic matches and Cena hung in there with all these seasoned vets.

Or will it take the WWE to go through some rough patches with average peformers to realize "Hey, Cena wasn't that bad afterall." Remember, Rock and Austin weren't great technical wrestlers either, but they didn't have to endure "You Can't Wrestle" chants.

So, when its time to induct Cena into the HOF (it's gonna happen) will he still get the "Boo's" even then, or will he get the "One More Match" and "Thank You Cena" chants? Your thoughts...

What? He has bad matches quite often. He gets his ass kicked for most of the match, hits his 5 moves of doom and wins. Its that what you call a good match?

And for those who are wondering why Cena gets You Cant Wrestle chants and Rock/Austin didnt. Rock and Austin still knew had to tell a story inside the ring and Cena doesnt know how to do that. Cena is just a better version of Hulk Hogan. The reason why Hogan was so popular (despite being one of the worst wrestlers ever) was because in the 80s most wrestling fans were marks. Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels came along and raised the bar for technical wrestling and better matches.

Along comes Cena in 2005, wins the WWE title and he beats Jericho and Angle (2 of the greatest in ring performers ever) with Hogan's Superhero gimmick and fans are supposed to buy it? Come on.

I will remember Cena for being a hard worker and his charity work, I never liked his on screen character. I will gain a lot of respect for Cena if he starts putting over younger talent as his career winds down. Something Hogan never did.

 

[GrandSword]

I will remember John Cena as the ruthless aggression rookie that ultimately had the most unlikely transition into a breakout star. Step by step, he defeated the likes of Chris Jericho, Undertaker, Rob Van Dam, Kurt Angle, Randy Orton, CM Punk, Edge, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Batista, Brock Lesnar. It's very impressive. It's pretty much what I wanted to see him do, because there's no better way to establish a top face. Say what you want to say about him, but he belongs in the Hall of Fame with all the others.

.

This is the thing with someone like Cena... the way he is booked statements like this one are thorown out there, but in reality,

Cena has never beaten the Undertaker.. I don't think he has beaten Rob Van Dam either... But because of him being booked at the top, people just assume he has which is not the case. He hadn't defeated Lesnar until the Extreme Rules ppv last month with a chain shot...

 

[The Ghost of Benoit]

I will remember John Cena as the ruthless aggression rookie that ultimately had the most unlikely transition into a breakout star. Step by step, he defeated the likes of Chris Jericho, Undertaker, Rob Van Dam, Kurt Angle, Randy Orton, CM Punk, Edge, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Batista, Brock Lesnar. It's very impressive. It's pretty much what I wanted to see him do, because there's no better way to establish a top face. Say what you want to say about him, but he belongs in the Hall of Fame with all the others.

Beating all the top stars isnt a very good way to establish a top face. Its seems that WWE thought they could get Cena over with his haters by constantly winning. From 2005-2007 he held the WWE title for basically 2 straight years and the only reason he lost the title is because he tore his pectoral muscle. Not even Rock, Austin, Taker, or Michaels held a title for that long, and thats a good reason for the mixed reactions.

Also on your point about him getting into the hall of fame. The WWE hall of fame isnt an actual true hall of fame like the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Pretty much everyone is guaranteed to be in, so yeah of course Cena will get in lol. Its more for one night to celebrate one's career. Like you can make an argument that Jack Swagger or The Miz will be in the hall because they have both won World titles, and people like Junkyard Dog or Jesse Ventura havent even won the IC title. And of course the Celebrity wing is a complete joke.

 

[DetectiveZelix]

I dont understand why people say its 'Cool' to hate Cena. I mean I hate the character and boo the hell out of him but that doesnt make me cool. Hell, watching wrestling is terribly uncool. Not in my opinion but compared to other sports and entertainment Wrestling is considered for kids and lame as fuck. I havent liked Cena since his thuganomic rapper days, after that he was a flop for me. I stopped enjoying him because he didnt appeal to me so for me I will remember Cena primarily for being Hulk Hogan 2.0 that I hated yet being a great person in real life and extremely charitable which the only thing I can respect him for. And secondly I will remember him being funny and entertaining as fuck during his rapper days. So all in all great superstar for thd business. Horrible wrestler amd lame gimmick but a Legend one day mainly for the controversial and polarizing feedback he gets from the crowd. So yes at the HoF there will be 'Lets go Cena/ Cena Sucks' simply because the novelty will never fade and us fans will always disagree with one another regarding Cena

 

[jacdnwarrior]

I'm not a fan of a number of people who the wrestling world would consider to be great.
I'm not a fan of Cena. My major problem is his in-ring work. Some of his matches are far too predictable and many of the things he does in the ring look very sloppy. He has had some great matches, but a lot of times, I turn the tv away, because I just can't stand the way he does his moves in the ring. The other problems aren't necessarily him but how the company markets and books him. He is too much in your face, dominates the time on the tv programs, ppvs etc. He's being forced down your throat, it's like WWE is saying, you're gonna like him or not. Until recently he was pushed as a champion for a damn eternity to the point where people were begging for any one (even the Brooklyn Brawler) to take him out of the main event. His stay at the top were often too long and in many cases boring as hell.

Now to his credit, he is a huge merchandise seller, he is a headliner, he brings in ratings and is adored by kids. No one can deny he is dedicated and passionate about his career and representing the WWE. He really carried the ball after Austin, Rock, Angle among others, left and Triple H lessend his schedule to concentrate on behind the scenes work. He is their biggest star if not in the top five they have right now. In the end, as long as he and Vince remain on good terms, HoF is a sure bet. After Austin, Rock, Angle among others left, WWE was looking for a star to carry the company and they found it in Cena. That says a lot. While he wasn't my favourite, he did a remarkable job, never complained or took the criticism about him badly. Very few, (if any would) have handled the responsibility as well as he did. SO just for that his place is secure as the person who carried the company in very uncertain times.

 

[Trance Metaphor]

This is the thing with someone like Cena... the way he is booked statements like this one are thorown out there, but in reality,

Cena has never beaten the Undertaker.. I don't think he has beaten Rob Van Dam either... But because of him being booked at the top, people just assume he has which is not the case. He hadn't defeated Lesnar until the Extreme Rules ppv last month with a chain shot...

John Cena defeats Undertaker



John Cena defeats Undertaker again after the FU



John Cena defeats Rob Van Dam




I'm not pulling shit out of my ass.

And John Cena has beaten Brock Lesnar at Extreme Rules. As recent as that was, it's now in the past so yeah, Cena has beaten Lesnar.