Kayfabe Gimmick Grudge Match #1: "Word-Life" John Cena vs. John “Super” Cena

[D-Man]

I was doing some thinking yesterday and I came up with a pretty interesting thread concept. We've all had thoughts about our dream matches: Sting vs. The Rock, Triple H versus Randy Savage, etc. But these matches always consist of a wrestler of one time period or organization versus a completely different wrestler from another time period or organization. Interesting concept nonetheless, but a bit played out and boring, if you ask me.

However, let's spice things up. What if we took a wrestler who's had multiple, successful gimmicks over their career, and we put the gimmicks in a match against each other?? Oooooohhhhhhhhh... sounds like fun. I think I'll call it the "Kayfabe Gimmick Grudge Match".

Over time, we'll even go back over the same matches, except we'll use different stipulations!!

As far as I can see, this thread concept should last a long, long time...

So let's begin with John Cena.

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(Please read and follow ALL RULES AND MATCH STIPULATIONS below and at the bottom of the page prior to voting!!!)

*DING* *DING* *DING*

"This contest is scheduled for one fall with no time limit.
It is a ONE-ON-ONE MATCH for the title of
GIMMICK SUPREMACY!"

Vs.

​

​

People either love-to-hate or they hate-to-love John Cena. During live events, any audience members under the age of 15 incessantly cheer Cena while the adults boo the living shit out of him. The WWE Universe, as a collective unit, cannot seem to decide whether they love or hate John Cena.

But, I'll tell you one thing they agree on... the majority of them LOVED the "rapper" version of John Cena. I won't lie to you... I was one of them. I still wish that one day, the WWE would wake up and change his gimmick back to "Word-Life" Cena in the same way that Triple H and HBK reverted back to their roots by reforming DX. However, judging by his mainstream popularity, merchandise sales, contributions to charities and sporting events, and overall likeness, this isn't going to happen anytime soon. But I digress...

You know what?? These two need to duke it out!! Let's find out who is TRULY superior in their own pro-wrestling legacy.

May the best gimmick prevail!!!

Rules
1. This is a KAYFABE matchup, so treat it as such. That means, it can't be about who you "like more" or who "DUZ MORS THENZ FIV MUVS". If these guys were seperate entities and actually had to face off against each other, where popularity didn't matter and it was all about the match itself, who would win?

2. This WILL NOT be a complaint thread. Do not use this as an excuse to complain about a wrestler. Remember, this is a match, not a popularity contest. Besides, we already have threads dedicated to bitching and moaning. Go cry somewhere else.

3. All Wrestlezone thread rules apply here. This is a NON-SPAM FORUM. All stances must be explained and good reasoning must be given, otherwise you will be infracted.

4. Do not vote unless you give an EXPLANATION! Voting without posting is a waste. We want to discuss this stuff, people!

 

[Theo Mays]

Quick question? Is it what gimmick is better or who would win if Rapper Cena fought Super Cena?

If it is which is the better gimmick then I think it is clearly Rapper Cena. Rapper Cena was innovative and something we never witnessed before. It fit the culture too, as rap was become more and more popular. Cena was over with the people and one of those heels that everyone enjoyed. He cut/rapped some really solid promos.

If they battled it out however I think Super Cena would win. Rapper Cena was used to get Cena over and elevate him to the top and it did just that. Now Cena is more or less a superhero in the WWE. He can come back no matter how badly he is beaten and will give you the fight of his life in each fight.

I'll hold off from voting until I know whether it is voting for Best Gimmick or who would win if the gimmicks had an actual match.

Oh wow, maybe I should put my glasses on haha. SuperCena wins as I clearly missed the first rule.

 

[Monkey_Mania]

Good question.

"Word Life" John Cena usually got by on breaking the rules. 9 Times out of 10 he would end the match by grabbing the chain and padlock around his neck and blast his opponent with it. "Superman" John Cena overcomes all the odds. You really have to be on your toes and have SuperCena make a mistake. Something he rarely does. While "Word Life" Cena would constantly make them, he was easy to fluster leaving him vulnerable, one Attitude Adjustment into a STF later you have SuperCena with the win.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

I have to go with Super Cena with this one. World Life Cena was good and defeated some great superstars but he was prone to making mistakes as evidenced in matches with Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker. I believe Super Cena will capitalize on a mistake and pick up the win.

 

[PsychoWard]

First off this would be an Epic match to watch! It would be like the Red River Rivalry. Two power houses going at it. Not a bad first grudge match!

First off the crowd of fans coming together to watch this battle would look like something out of Brave Hart.

This would be a hard fought battle. Using my imagination I could see this leaving the ring going into the stands. It wouldn't be like fighting in a sea of people, but the crowd would create a ring around the two watching every blow and counter blow.

As much as super Cena talks about his drive and never backing down never stopping until he wins attitude. I think Word life Cena has those same characteristic, the difference being Super Cena because of his character is required to deliver that message may not always believe it, where as W.L Cena still is green and willing to do whatever it takes to become the mega star he will eventually become.

In terms of wrestling skills its not like watching Angle vs Angle it wont be pretty. But they both are as polished as they come. Using way more than 5 moves, breaking out their whole arsenal that they learn in developmental , but W.L Cena won't be caring about tearing a rotator cuff or what regulation Vince has him under.

I'm envisioning a Doomsday vs Superman grudge match. The thing is W.L Cena eventually wins this one. Because with everything Super Cena throws at him, W.L keeps evolving, keeps beating the system that Super Cena lives by. Eventually this battle has to end, and Super Cena being the veteran in this match eventually put W.L Cena over and lets himself be pinned because he knows this kid has earned it.

* There you have my take. I hope this covers the criteria of the thread, since I have never posted on this type of topic before* Thanks for the opportunity to convey my vision!

 

[jmt225]

"Word-Life" Cena was by far and large the more entertaining character, but in a kayfabe match against today's Cena, he'd get his ass kick quickly.

Proof? Watch "Word-Life" Cena vs. Kurt Angle at No Mercy 2003, and see how Angle pretty much controlled the entire match. He defeated Cena, and did so decisively. Now, fast-forward to their feud in late 2005 and after, Cena won the majority of his matches against Angle in pretty dominating fashion. That alone shows how much tougher John "Super" Cena is than "Word-Life" Cena.

So, yeah... this isn't even close for me. "Word-Life" Cena put up some good FIGHTS, but that's all he was: A Street Fighter. The John Cena of today is a fantastic WRESTLER, and he still knows how to get down and dirty if the situation calls for it.

 

[ZeroVX]

In terms of kayfabe, SuperCena would definitely win. Considering how many dominating victories he's had over just about everyone he's faced, it goes without saying that a cheating heel like Word Life Cena would eventually lose. The best way to show this would be The Miz/Cena feud that popped up recently. Word Life Cena would dominate in the promos, and do well in the match, but SuperCena would still crush him.

 

[TLC]

While I think Word Life John Cena is by far the more entertaining character, he would get beaten by Super Cena. Word Life Cena normally got the win by hitting his opponent with the chain and then F-U them unlike Super Cena who gets in honourably and comes out of no where to hit them with the F-U or STFU. Word Life Cena is tough but Super Cena is tougher. I think it would be a pretty even with WL Cena being in control for the most part until he gets cocky or makes a mistake where Cena with drop toe hold him and STFU him for the tap out and the win.

 

[The Doctor]

In a kayfabe match, "Super" Cena would easily win. Rapper Cena fought, but current Cena wins. It's as simple as that. "Super" Cena can dominate after getting beaten down for an entire match. He always seems to win in the end, whether by doing the five knuckle shuffle and AA sequence, or by slapping in the STF.

Something interesting to consider, though, if this weren't strictly kayfabe, is that Word Life Cena was used to get Cena over, and "Super" Cena has been known to put rising stars over. Hmm...

 

[Miko]

Super Cena, it's a Main Eventer fighting a Mid-Carder, rapper Cena's getting better but he's still coming up short against your Kurt Angle's and Brock Lesnar's. Today's Cena is as good as and arguably better than both those guys.

The Miz sort of reminds me of rapper Cena, US Champ, a heel that gets booed yet people still chant along to his catch phrases. Likes to start fights with World Champions and then get's beaten for his trouble. Rapper Cena vs Super Cena would be kinda like Miz vs Cena in my opinion, the mid-carder has a surprisingly good showing, but the sheer dominance and experience of the Main Eventer comes through and gets him the win.

 

[Dagger Dias]

"Super" Cena would win easily. I understand a lot of you found the "Word-Life" Cena more entertaining.... but he was (kayfabe) a midcarder for most of the time that character was around. "Super" Cena has been main eventing and winning world titles ever since his character was created. Since we are treating this as a kayfabe'd match, then it would be "Super" Cena who wins the actual match because he is (kayfabe) a far stronger and determined character, compared to his rapper self who was edgier but did not have near as much success when you look at it from a kayfabe perspective. I liked that rapper gimmick too and sometimes look up youtube clips of those days when I'm feeling nostalgic.... but "Super" Cena would destroy "Word-Life" Cena in a match since he is booked to be such a stronger character.

If some sort of dimensional distortion were to take place where either today's Cena can travel back in time 5 years and face his rapper self, or if the rapper character somehow was able to travel 5 years into the future to face his current self.... Here is what I think would happen. Something similar to the feud between Cena and Miz from this summer. The Rapper would begin calling out "Super" Cena and making fun of him using his rap promos. "Super" Cena would eventually come out to the ring and the two go on to have an EPIC promo where rapper Cena is doing funny raps that make fun of "Super" Cena until "Super" Cena's ruthless aggression side takes over and he puts himself over, not going to give up, this match will be awesome, etc.... like he usually does once he gets serious and begins yelling.

Then on PPV we would have the match itself. I think that "Word-Life" Cena would lose because he was a midcard US Champion who often challenged upper card guys and main eventers, but didn't always win.... whereas "Super" Cena is booked to be one of the toughest guys on the roster for anyone to beat and a multi-time world champion. The two would mirror each other's moves for a while, with "Super" Cena hitting the Attitude Adjuster and winning the match then he'd shake his other self's hand out of respect.