John Cena: Future IC/US Champion?

[babinko]

I just read a post on the WZ website from Disqus where a commenter said that he would actually be a fan of John Cena if he could step away from the title picture and feud with some mid-card talent, putting them over, until his final run where he would chase the WWE Title. So this got me thinking, do you think John Cena could have a successful run with the IC/US Title in the near future?

Cena is the golden boy. He puts butts in those seats and sells merchandise out the ass. I respect Cena for who he is, but just like many other posters, im sick of always seeing that character of him in these main event WWE Title matches. WWE loves to keep milking this Cash Cow of Cena and if they fix the way hes booked they still can.

Many others on here have posted that the IC/US title has lost its prestige over the years. Why not have the top face of WWE take that spot? I rather see a mid-card title have almost the same high standards the WWE Title has. If Cena can step down to the mid-card level (he still is a top guy no matter what) we can see new feuds develop, pushing mid-carders into the top ranks. Cena can still be a face, he can still continue to win, he will still sell merch, and I believe he will become more likeable by the ones who hate him because hes not sucking up all the main event time.

Its hard to say this would even work out the way we want it. I know WWE doesn't want to risk NOT putting Cena out last and I would hate to think the IC/US Title ends up being booked bigger than the WWE Title. I also know the big wigs, and maybe even Cena, don't feel the need for him to carry the IC/US belt. If they did decide to put the IC/US title on him, I think it could only just help the business without losing much of the push Cena gets.

Do you think Cena should start feuding for the IC/US Title? Will it push mid-card stars to newer heights or bury them? Will it bring back prestige to the title by having the top face hold the belt?

 

[Awesome_Miz]

The idea of Cena winning the US/IC Championship is a semi-good idea, however it won't work entirely. As you said Cena is the golden boy/poster child/the face/etc., but winning either of those titles would drop the eyes on the WWEWHC both from the common viewers and the IWC. Everyone will start trying to guess who'll step-up and beat John. There's a reason why once Hogan/Rock/Austin/Punk/Orton/etc. never have/are going after the midcard titles after being in the ME scene.

 

[babinko]

There's a reason why once Hogan/Rock/Austin/Punk/Orton/etc. never have/are going after the midcard titles after being in the ME scene.

Not to burst your bubble but does the Tag Team Titles count as a mid-card title? Hogan Rock Austin Punk and Orton have all won Tag Belts after being in the Main event scene but the same goes with Cena too. I get what your saying though, none of the real TOP dogs revert back to grabbing the IC/US Belt. A guy like Dolph Ziggler or Sheamus, yeah, but not the cream of the crop. I still believe using the top of the top on a belt like that could help it out.

 

[That One Guy]

I think Cena winning the IC or US title is a great idea, ten years from now. I would look at it the same way I looked at Flair's IC title run. Flair was a veteran of the business who no one believed posed a threat to the bigger titles anymore. He was too old for anyone to believe the WWE would put a major title on him, but the IC title was perfect. He was able to elevate that title just by wearing it. In ten years, Cena could do the same, assuming he sticks around as long as Flair did. At the moment, however, I don't believe Cena winning either the IC or US title will work. He's too big for those titles. In fact, if he won either of them, his level of celebrity would overshadow the title and that would almost devalue it.

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

Bruno Sammartino challenged Randy Savage for the Intercontinental Championship years after he retired. John Cena should follow the same logic. At this point in time, WWE is looking to give other guys a top spot and simply wait until Cena says: "I'm done!".

Until Cena does indeed say that, he will always be the number one guy as far as booking priority goes and as far as main event storylines goes. He's the biggest draw in the company, which means people care for him and if he went after the midcard championships, he would easily make them seem a bigger deal than the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, regardless of who's the champion. So... why not use John Cena to boost the credibility of the main belt? Why not use John Cena is proper individual stories against guys like Bray Wyatt, Roman Reigns, Big E., Sheamus? Then why not give Cena some title matches against the likes of Daniel Bryan, Batista, Brock Lesnar? Why not give him the title and let a guy with good heat behind him take it away and therefore giving the guy credibility?

As much as people are tired of John Cena and his antics, the truth of the matter is that you really are not. He still delivers as good or even better than the way he delivered for the past ten years. Beating him is bigger than beating and winning the championship from any other guy. So go for that route - I'm excited for Cena's future as it seems like he could do pretty much anything. I would be interested in seeing him in the tag team division, because tag teams are still a very potential market in today's business and the tag belts could always use a rub like a main event star holding them for quite sometime.

 

[MattRhys20]

I have said in the past (not on this board, but amongst my friends), that John Cena should go after the IC Title, so that he can complete the set and become a GrandSlam Champion and Triple Crown champion.

 

[Dirk]

I have said in the past (not on this board, but amongst my friends), that John Cena should go after the IC Title, so that he can complete the set and become a GrandSlam Champion and Triple Crown champion.

When Big Show won the Intercontinental Title for the first time, it was a good moment.

Cena should do the same, but it could be a long, drawn-out feud. He'll give a hell of a rub to the midcarder holding the belt and the belt itself. Cena doesn't need the strap, but it'll be a big achievement to make the grand slam. The midcarder can win back at the rematch and both the two wrestlers and the belt will be better off for it.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Will it bring back prestige to the title by having the top face hold the belt?

Yes it will, but one has to consider what boosting the secondary belt will cost on the other end; that is, John Cena is only one person.....if we have him go after a lesser title, we lose him for whatever he might be doing at the top. We might be sacrificing a match at the top of the card just to raise the prestige of the IC/US belt. It's sort of like sending in a Sherman tank to stamp out an anthill.

Of course, taking a longer view, it might be the way to go since having minor championships that are worth more might benefit the company in the future, but I don't know that it's necessary to use John Cena to accomplish it. A series of matches that revolve around a storyline between a couple of mid-card performers might sooner stimulate interest in their title confrontation. In other words, make the minor belts relevant with situational confrontations rather than just with big names. Compelling drama (Edge/Matt Hardy/Lita comes to mind) would get fans focusing on the personalities involved....and having the prize a title like IC or US could really spice up the proceedings.

 

[Dagger Dias]

This is not a bad idea for after Wrestlemania season. If anyone can help bring prestige to those titles, it's John Cena. He made the World Heavyweight Championship seem like a big deal again before the unification match with Randy Orton at TLC. Had anyone else been in Cena's position they would not have seemed like they had a chance at winning to unify the titles. Cena did, and the belt finally looked important again. If Cena held the Intercontinental or even the US Championship then those belts would almost instantly appear to be a bigger deal. This would do wonders for the prestige of the belts if the face of the federation held them. It would be a bit of a throwback in the US title's case, Cena once held it long ago.

This would be good for his challengers too. Let him have a lengthy fighting reign like he did for the WWE Championship. It would be a while before anyone dethroned him, but what a push that heel would be able to get! Edge and Orton ending Cena's long WWE Championship reigns respectively was a big deal and helped establish them in the main event scene. While ending a long midcard reign isn't as big of a deal, it would be huge for the belts and the beginning of a significant push for that wrestler. So, yes, I agree with this idea. Not until after Wrestlemania season obviously as Cena should be in an important feud there regardless of if it is for the world title or not. Maybe during the summer months have this start to play out. What's the worst that could happen? Cena hypes up matches like no other, he could get fans to care a great deal about a midcard title match.

 

[Logisticalbooker86]

This is a nice idea from a fantasy perspective, and the discussion generated from it is intelligent. However, it is never going to happen. This is WWE in 2014, where the midcard titles are rarely (if ever) spotlighted. John Cena will never be IC Champion and he was already the United States champion. Simply put, Cena is totally above that belt, which cannot seem to regain prestige no matter how many times they reboot it. Pitching Cena to win the IC title to VKM would probably be akin to asking him if he wanted a turd sandwich for lunch.

Cena may participate in "mid card" feuds in the future, but he is the cash cow until he drops.

 

[L@RISANO]

Bruno Sammartino challenged Randy Savage for the Intercontinental Championship years after he retired. John Cena should follow the same logic. At this point in time, WWE is looking to give other guys a top spot and simply wait until Cena says: "I'm done!".

Until Cena does indeed say that, he will always be the number one guy as far as booking priority goes and as far as main event storylines goes. He's the biggest draw in the company, which means people care for him and if he went after the midcard championships, he would easily make them seem a bigger deal than the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, regardless of who's the champion. So... why not use John Cena to boost the credibility of the main belt? Why not use John Cena is proper individual stories against guys like Bray Wyatt, Roman Reigns, Big E., Sheamus? Then why not give Cena some title matches against the likes of Daniel Bryan, Batista, Brock Lesnar? Why not give him the title and let a guy with good heat behind him take it away and therefore giving the guy credibility?

As much as people are tired of John Cena and his antics, the truth of the matter is that you really are not. He still delivers as good or even better than the way he delivered for the past ten years. Beating him is bigger than beating and winning the championship from any other guy. So go for that route - I'm excited for Cena's future as it seems like he could do pretty much anything. I would be interested in seeing him in the tag team division, because tag teams are still a very potential market in today's business and the tag belts could always use a rub like a main event star holding them for quite sometime.

Whilst I do agree with your post. But that is in the ideal world.


I have to say that in the WWE world, Cena winning a mid-card singles title, could mean better booking for that title, whilst the World title might well be dropped a few pegs in terms of importance. Just the way Creative seems to work.

For example, if John Cena wins the US title this coming Monday, unless Daniel Bryan gets into the World title scene, I believe more people would actually show an interest in John Cena and the US title, than they would anyone(bar Daniel Bryan) and the World title.

Just the way I see it.

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

Whilst I do agree with your post. But that is in the ideal world.


I have to say that in the WWE world, Cena winning a mid-card singles title, could mean better booking for that title, whilst the World title might well be dropped a few pegs in terms of importance. Just the way Creative seems to work.

For example, if John Cena wins the US title this coming Monday, unless Daniel Bryan gets into the World title scene, I believe more people would actually show an interest in John Cena and the US title, than they would anyone(bar Daniel Bryan) and the World title.

Just the way I see it.

But that is not a good thing - midcard championships are made for midcarders and not the top stars. There is a reason why Hogan never went after those titles after getting to the top. There is a reason why Warrior, Bret Hart, Austin and Rock never again went after those titles the second they reached the top. It's just bad business - a guy like Randy Orton is fine if he gets the IC belt for instance. He isn't that much bigger and he's not really "needed" in the main event so getting the IC belt could give us some cool moments.

John Cena getting the title could be seen as a demotion on the card, even if he does indeed get a lot of exposure and what not. It will make him look like the #2 champion and that's the message it will be passed upon and WWE wants him to be the #1 guy and you can't be the #1 guy by being the second-tier champion. Simple. It's just fantasy booking for IWC members that are tired of Cena, even though Cena is still probably the best professional wrestler in the world and the bigger draw by a landslide in WWE.

The only way he'll be a Grand Slam Champion is after he retired and WWE has already find someone to fill up his boots better than him or if he gets to be the midcard champ for a day or two. Cena after retiring full-time and even part-time to a stretch will be a special attraction more so than a big star. Sammartino went after the IC Title against Savage. Bret actually won the US belt years after he retired. There's a reason for it and I understand it.

 

[Pedigree1]

I like the idea of Cena chasing the IC/US title!! While he is still the top guy in the company,as of right now he is not going to be in the title picture at WM.. Cena has done it all a 14 time WWE/WHC Champion.. Having him go after a lesser title,would bring prestige back to the IC/US title (Assuming that the titles will be unified at some point).. I still think Cena has another 3 years in the ME scene but i wouldn't have a problem with him wrestling new faces..

New feuds with Cena IMO would bring a freshness all the way around. It would allow mid-card talent,to really shine while in the ME scene,bring new freshness to the WWE WHC championship scene without Cena there. Cena at some point will put over younger talent much like Y2J does when he comes in.. Cena is a super hype machine,this should happen in the summertime bring an all-around freshness to it! Good thread

 

[L@RISANO]

But that is not a good thing - midcard championships are made for midcarders and not the top stars. There is a reason why Hogan never went after those titles after getting to the top. There is a reason why Warrior, Bret Hart, Austin and Rock never again went after those titles the second they reached the top. It's just bad business - a guy like Randy Orton is fine if he gets the IC belt for instance. He isn't that much bigger and he's not really "needed" in the main event so getting the IC belt could give us some cool moments.

John Cena getting the title could be seen as a demotion on the card, even if he does indeed get a lot of exposure and what not. It will make him look like the #2 champion and that's the message it will be passed upon and WWE wants him to be the #1 guy and you can't be the #1 guy by being the second-tier champion. Simple. It's just fantasy booking for IWC members that are tired of Cena, even though Cena is still probably the best professional wrestler in the world and the bigger draw by a landslide in WWE.

The only way he'll be a Grand Slam Champion is after he retired and WWE has already find someone to fill up his boots better than him or if he gets to be the midcard champ for a day or two. Cena after retiring full-time and even part-time to a stretch will be a special attraction more so than a big star. Sammartino went after the IC Title against Savage. Bret actually won the US belt years after he retired. There's a reason for it and I understand it.

I agree completely. However, the OP seems to be suggesting Cena moving into the Mid-Card very soon, even though he still remains a Huge Draw for the WWE.

Let's say he is moved into the Mid-Card title scene post-Mania, then the WWE would have to place Daniel Bryan firmly in the hunt for the WWE WHC, or risk the World title losing steam whilst the Mid-Card title rises, and THAT wouldn't be good for business at all.


lMO, the easiest way to elevate the IC and US title, for instance is to build toward the unification from post-EC.

i.e.
Have the Shield Triple Threat be for the US title. Roman Reigns wins it.
Then have the guys feud for it a while longer, probably until WWE Payback or suchlike.
Keep Big E with the IC title, and have the lead-up to SummerSlam be a feud between the US(Reigns) and IC(Big E) Champs. Surely, it would gain interest and relevance for the 2 titles.
Right now, neither title has any interest because of lack of good booking.

 

[Romer318]

I wouldn't mind seeing Cena with the IC or US title, in my opinion that would mean they are trying to bring those belts back from obscurity. When it's time for him to lose them have someone with a lot of upside whose over with the fans take them off of him, the ultimate push, beating Cena for a belt.

 

[bioshock]

I like the idea of him winning one of those belts. In the idea that he does face fresh faces in the mid card, instead of some how facing guys like Orton, and Del Rio per say. But also in that the title gets some main event matches like on Raw, and on PPV, while not stealing the thunder of the WWE championship.

But even then it gets about to having a 2nd WWE championship if you have a guy like Cena winning the belt, it doesn't make it much different than him winning the WHC while Orton has the WWE championship. Tread lightly with the idea of headline guys hogging all the belts.

 

[salopstick]

The way to give cena one of these belts is too put him in a mid card feud with ambrose but don't really mention the belt and have him win without realising the belt was on the line. Then we can go with how he will bring honour etc and unify with ic

 

[lil steroid meat]

Depends on how they want the IC Title to be perceived.

If they want it to be on the same level the WHC was in it's final days (a belt for upper midcarders like Swagger, Del Rio, Ziggler, etc.), then this would be a great way to do so (and IMO, that's what it should be).

But, as already stated, you don't want the IC Title to become more important than the World Title.

I think that at some point this year, the WWE WHC should have a double championship reign. I think that Daniel Bryan - Dean Ambrose program (actually I don't really care who it is, just going off of who is currently slated to have runs with the USIC and WWEWHC Titles) with one of those guys having a long run with the WWEWHC and the USIC Title at the same time would raise the prestige of both titles.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

This is a good part of why I don't base who I'm a fan of or who I'm not a fan of based on what dirtsheet writers say or write. If I happen to share the same opinion with some of them, okay, if not, I couldn't care less. I've found that 9 times out of 10, the vast majority of them are idealistic twits playing fantasy booker that shit all over anything they don't agree with whether or not it makes any degree of sense.

I understand that some people are tired of John Cena in the main event spot, it's perfectly understandable. I accept it and, in some areas, I completely agree with it. However, WWE will not reduce John Cena to the level of a mid-carder in order to please what adds up to a handful, comparatively speaking with the rest of the WWE audience, of smarks, many of whom have spent most of the last decade griping about John Cena anyhow. You know why WWE won't reduce John Cena to a mid-carder? Because you don't knock wrestlers who've spent a decade making you serious money down to mid-carders. I read an article sometime last year, I don't remember the exact time frame I read it, but I do recall reading it on this very site. This article said that the "brand" of John Cena was worth some $100 million to WWE. You don't throw away a 9 figure fortune just because the dirtsheet writers and smarks alike want you to.

There's nothing wrong with fantasy booking in general. However, it becomes a problem when fantasy booking overrides what honestly makes good business sense, what can actually work and what makes money. I love to fantasy book as much as the next guy, but I'm also a very realistic person. I know there's a fine line between fantasy booking that has some degree of feasibility and fantasy booking that sounds like the plotline to a Saturday morning cartoon show. Is it an interesting notion to have Cena chase or even win one of the mid-card titles? Sure it is. I can honestly say that I wouldn't complain because, in my opinion, it'd be a nice and welcome change of pace. After all, the novelty of a star as big as Cena in a mid-card title picture would generate a lot of attention. But it's not something that's gonna happen realistically because, as I pointed out, John Cena is someone who makes far too much money for WWE to be demoted to being a mid-card wrestler. WWE is going to wring as every single dime of usefulness they possibly can out of John Cena, which is something I also understand.

 

[L@RISANO]

This is a good part of why I don't base who I'm a fan of or who I'm not a fan of based on what dirtsheet writers say or write. If I happen to share the same opinion with some of them, okay, if not, I couldn't care less. I've found that 9 times out of 10, the vast majority of them are idealistic twits playing fantasy booker that shit all over anything they don't agree with whether or not it makes any degree of sense.

I understand that some people are tired of John Cena in the main event spot, it's perfectly understandable. I accept it and, in some areas, I completely agree with it. However, WWE will not reduce John Cena to the level of a mid-carder in order to please what adds up to a handful, comparatively speaking with the rest of the WWE audience, of smarks, many of whom have spent most of the last decade griping about John Cena anyhow. You know why WWE won't reduce John Cena to a mid-carder? Because you don't knock wrestlers who've spent a decade making you serious money down to mid-carders. I read an article sometime last year, I don't remember the exact time frame I read it, but I do recall reading it on this very site. This article said that the "brand" of John Cena was worth some $100 million to WWE. You don't throw away a 9 figure fortune just because the dirtsheet writers and smarks alike want you to.

There's nothing wrong with fantasy booking in general. However, it becomes a problem when fantasy booking overrides what honestly makes good business sense, what can actually work and what makes money. I love to fantasy book as much as the next guy, but I'm also a very realistic person. I know there's a fine line between fantasy booking that has some degree of feasibility and fantasy booking that sounds like the plotline to a Saturday morning cartoon show. Is it an interesting notion to have Cena chase or even win one of the mid-card titles? Sure it is. I can honestly say that I wouldn't complain because, in my opinion, it'd be a nice and welcome change of pace. After all, the novelty of a star as big as Cena in a mid-card title picture would generate a lot of attention. But it's not something that's gonna happen realistically because, as I pointed out, John Cena is someone who makes far too much money for WWE to be demoted to being a mid-card wrestler. WWE is going to wring as every single dime of usefulness they possibly can out of John Cena, which is something I also understand.

Agreed.

So if John Cena were to go for the IC title next RAW and win it, then rest assured that the IC title would get an elevation within programming due to John Cena winning it.

However, as it stands currently, only Daniel Bryan can lay claim to being more popular than John Cena, and unless he is placed in the Main Title picture, expect that as a result of John Cena as IC Champion, the WWE WHC might well lose some focus because its holder is nowhere near as popular as John Cena is.

That is the problem with putting someone as popular as Cena in the Mid-Card at this point. Maybe later on when there are some other guys who have truly stepped into the spotlight, then Cena might have a run in the Mid-Card title scene.

Right now, it would be downright dumb to make such a decision as John Cena fighting for a Mid-Card title,tbh.

Note: the John Cena Brand, according to the man himself, is worth $100 million annually.
Reportedly, the John Cena brand generated $106 million in the year,2010, for the WWE.

 

[Awesome_Miz]

Not to burst your bubble but does the Tag Team Titles count as a mid-card title? Hogan Rock Austin Punk and Orton have all won Tag Belts after being in the Main event scene but the same goes with Cena too. I get what your saying though, none of the real TOP dogs revert back to grabbing the IC/US Belt. A guy like Dolph Ziggler or Sheamus, yeah, but not the cream of the crop. I still believe using the top of the top on a belt like that could help it out.

Let me see about that.

Hogan: Won the tag titles after his time past.

Rock: Won them with Mankind which I'll give you that one slightly, but even then he wasn't the #1 guy then, now, or ever of the AE era. He was passable to go for tag titles.

Austin: Never chased them after his ME stardom.

Punk: Same as Austin.

Orton: Before his ME stardom.

Cena: Has only chased them when he has been thrown in a tag team by the GM and forced to tag with his rival of the time. And once he won them, what happened? Nothing cause both time with Otunga and Miz he lost them within 5 minute mark.

You see, the tag titles can be classify as midcard titles, but as I said with the Cena scenario they are worthless. The wrestler(s)'s star power exceeds them that make those titles look worthless for their accomplishments. Having said that, it'll go the same way with either the IC/US title, if not the World Title might also look worthless if Cena wins either midcard title. Just face it, Cena's time to be midcard title holder has past a long time ago. All he can do now is be World Champ or in top feuds every single day until he retires.

 

[HBKistheHOF]

I could maybe see Cena getting a super short reign as IC Champion because he has never won that championship & he could possibly add a little more value to the title in the process.

I actually think John Cena vs. Big E for the I.C. Championship at Summerslam of some other big PPV could be a pretty awesome match if booked well.

 

[ADLegend21]

They keep talking about how prestigious the IC title is and they're starting to make it important with the booking. What they did with the WHC title which was the clear #2 world title in the company was put it on Cena just in time for the unification and putting the IC title on Cena would have the same effect. For all Cena's greatness he'll never be a triple crown champion without the IC title because the US title isn't included. They could make it that Cena has another slump and realizes his time may be coming to an end so he says there's one thing he hasn't accomplished and that's the triple crown, setting his sights on the IC belt to complete it. Done like that it would be great to see John with a mid card belt, especially because he just said it's time for the future of WWE to start stepping up.

 

[thebarber]

no, bad idea. Thise belts need to be defended and put on guys who in-ring are superior, can put on great matches to elegate guys to the next level. Used properly, secondary titles are good props, but the past 6-12 months they have been nothing more than a decoration. Reigns gaining and defending the US Title from Ambrose would be a good start, or unifying the IC-US belts in a multiman match at Wrestlemania would be even better. John Cena doesnt need any title any more to be relevant or to get over.

 

[Arsenal]

No. If they want to give the midcard belts legitimacy they need to build interesting midcard characters and compelling midcard storylines. That includes promo time for midcard guys to get over.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about from 2004 - 2 midcard guys carrying the show:

http://youtu.be/aLebTbpgv_k

It's just lazy booking/creative to need to bring main eventers like John Cena down to "bring legitimacy" to the midcard titles. It's an indictment of their failure to develop new stars.