The Anti-Cena

[harrythem]

Just got the latest issue of Power Slam magazine and in their "Booking Solutions" column they added this month they had an idea that got me interested:

"In order to try to attract male adult fans who can't stick John Cena, we'd like to see TNA create a parody of the over/under-selling clown. TNA could dress the Cena send-up in gaudy merchandise (his T-Shirt could read: My wrestling sucks" on the front and, "You CAN see through my work" on the back, and bear an illustration of him falling off the top rope with a terrified expression on his face and his arms and legs flailing). In the ring, the Cena parody could perform Cena's signature moves with even less dexterity than Cena does and, at the end of each match, after his opponent has no-sold the Attitude Adjustment and the No Pressure STF and beaten him, the announcers could say that Cena should be sent back to wrestling school because he's "not good enough to wrestle for TNA"...."

Having read that I think it sounds like a genius idea. Kind of like what TNA did with Jay Lethal or Shark Boy except that they'd be able to use someone as a bumbling clown that takes a direct shot at the WWE's current golden boy, instead of names from the past.

So, my question is would you like to see TNA have this character and, if so, who would you want to play the role?

Me personally, seeing as he's there for comic relief and nothing else I could see Eric Young pulling it off. He's small enough, yet big enough (if you take my meaning) that he could get away with the piss-take, plus he makes me laugh, which would be a big part of an anti-Cena character. Only problem is EY can wrestle so I guess he'd have to forget all that while they went this route.

 

[Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra]

No, this is a ridiculous idea and doesn't really work for longer than a few months. Gillberg? TNA doesn't need a comedy gimmick taking up more of their TV time for little to no return. As for who would do it, any scrub that is looking for a paycheck will play this guy. But all and all, it's a bad idea.

 

[Vintage Nick]

Honestly, no.

Parody wrestlers that take direct shots at a "rival" company are incredibly stupid and immature. WWF tried to be cute with it, but it was wrong. WCW tried to be cute, but it sucked. If TNA starts making a Cena parody, it'll give me more of a reason to turn it off or at least skip it on the DVR. What would be the point of parodying John Cena besides taking a shot at WWE? It won't pull ratings, it won't be funny. It's a stupid idea.

 

[Ferbian]

Absolutely not. TNA doesn't need someone walking around mocking a rival promotions top guy. We've already seen them take numerous jabs at WWE, and quite honestly it's just not needed to create a better product, or for that sake to promote themselves. The only minor thing that would get interest in that is the numerous Cena haters that would laugh at it, but that's about it.

If TNA wants to do some kind of comedy, or for that sake better themselves in any way, then they'll come up with material of their own. Not mock someone who they don't even have hired.

And in the end, I actually think that it would turn more people off the product than it would draw people to watch it.

Also, one last thing.. Eric Young? If they at least wants to make it seem slightly credible then they need someone at least remotely big and build ala Matt Morgan. But he certainly has much better things to do.

 

[1_2_3 Kid]

Absolutely not. TNA doesn't need someone walking around mocking a rival promotions top guy. We've already seen them take numerous jabs at WWE, and quite honestly it's just not needed to create a better product, or for that sake to promote themselves. The only minor thing that would get interest in that is the numerous Cena haters that would laugh at it, but that's about it.

If TNA wants to do some kind of comedy, or for that sake better themselves in any way, then they'll come up with material of their own. Not mock someone who they don't even have hired.

And in the end, I actually think that it would turn more people off the product than it would draw people to watch it.

Also, one last thing.. Eric Young? If they at least wants to make it seem slightly credible then they need someone at least remotely big and build ala Matt Morgan. But he certainly has much better things to do.

Spot on as usual FerbMan ..

This is just a horrible idea. 1st off, I hated Shark Boy .. what a peice of garbage IMO. They do not need to be mocking anybody , they need to be focusing all of this ambiton to getting the boys in the back behind the promotion.

I'm sure they're all tired of being taken for a ride. Its bad enough Hogan is the biggest name on the show. They don't need a john cena rip off. Yea, might get some laughs, but those aiint good laughs.

Its kinda like that old sayiing , "they're laughing @ you , not with you". And that's bad. Especially for a company that supposed to be "making wrestling history" every 2 weeks.

Get real, tna needs to be doing things to get people talking about TNA and not the E. Just like Ferb said, it probly would turn more people away. And that's gotta be the worst buisness move you can make.

These guys really need to clean up their act fast. I know that the whole Cena thing was a hypothetical but it just goes to show where people go to in their mind when they think TNA.

A grade "A" WWE knockoff ... every chance they get.

Come on Bisch .. I know you can do better .. and fyi .. your running out of toes so id suggest you stop shooting yourself in the foot.

 

[Icedawg316]

No, this is a ridiculous idea and doesn't really work for longer than a few months. Gillberg? TNA doesn't need a comedy gimmick taking up more of their TV time for little to no return. As for who would do it, any scrub that is looking for a paycheck will play this guy. But all and all, it's a bad idea.

My thoughts exactly, TNA's past attempts to take shots at the WWE have done nothing for me personally (VKM anyone?) if this was Monday Night Wars and WCW was still running strong then sure.. but not now, not ever

 

[Genesis]

No way, TNA already has problems with "The Shore" gimmick, now why would they want to make a parody of John Cena? Colin Delaney is already doing this in Chikara but he's just copying off John Cena's finishers. TNA need to just ignore about the WWE and concentrate with their talent and product.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

HELL no. What makes the person who came up with this think that this will draw viewers? If ANYTHING it'll piss off the viewers, the majority of which are WWE fans who WILL hate this because it's a mockery of the company they support.

Hey, take shots at WWE every once in a while. Say something funny, but don't do entire gimmicks to mock the company. It's a stupid, stupid idea. I hate it.

 

[Slyfox696]

I'm going with no as well. Why? Not because I think parodying wrestlers is bad, but when you are mocking the best wrestler in the business today by saying he cannot wrestle, you just make yourself look dumb, foolish, and totally second rate. The list of good matches Cena has had is a mile long, and encompasses all sorts of variety of match styles and opponents. Despite what idiots who think wrestling is all about headlocks and flippys may think, Cena is one of the best workers around today, and is certainly the biggest draw. Why would you want to send your fans to the rival show to see how good he really is? What would be the point in that?

Furthermore, even if you don't buy that Cena is one of the best wrestlers today (which shows you know nothing about wrestling), then would not mocking Cena also lead to mocking Hogan, who is still arguably the biggest draw in your company? Cena and Hogan's in-ring styles have been compared on numerous occasions, so do you really want to mock the man who has been compared to your biggest draw in a negative fashion?

No, this writer for Power Slam magazine not only knows nothing about wrestling, he knows nothing about the wrestling business either. I suggest you quit buying that magazine, if all the writers are that stupid.

 

[harrythem]

I can see this isn't a popular idea and, having read some of the replies here, I tend to lean towards thinking it's a bad idea myself now.

However I'd rather exist in my world and "know nothing about wrestling" then be part of anything that states that Cena, apart from the numbers (which aren't that great anymore either) is one of the best wrestlers in the world today as, apart from one or two very rare exceptions, unless he's in there with a master, his matches fall apart rather easily.

 

[Davi323]

Creating a parody of the most popular wrestler in the other company would just indicate that not only is TNA in a distant second place, but that they are desperate. Gillberg was widely criticized by WCW fans, and rightly so. It was cheap, it was juvenile, it was lame. Gillberg contributed absolutely nothing to anybody, and only proved that at the time, Vince was losing to WCW. Gillberg wasn't responsible for the WWE's turnaround. Fake Diesel and Fake Razor Ramon are a little different, as Vince owned those "characters". WCW was widely criticized for Russo and Ferrara's parody of Jim Ross as well, even going after his Bells Palsy. Again, the criticism was rightly deserved...and further proved how big of a douchebag Vince Russo actually is.

Why in the blue hell would TNA want to revist that? Parody wrestlers NEVER work, and tend to piss people off. This is a horrible idea. TNA needs to officially ignore the WWE completely on its programming. Don't mention the WWE, don't mention Vince McMahon. When you feel the need to constantly take pot shots at the other company, you just look immature by comparison. Mocking Cena would be a terrible idea, not only because it would fall into that immature level, but, as Zevon mentioned, it would piss a lot of people off. Whether the true diehard TNA fans want to admit it or not, A good chunk of TNA's viewers are also WWE viewers, who don't have WWE to watch on Thursdays, so they watch TNA. Pissing off a significant chunk of your own audience, when you only have a third of the audience of the WWE has, is simply an asinine business decision. TNA needs to grow its audience, not shrink it. Stand on your own feet, TNA, don't try to survive by cutting down everyone else.

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

I can't believe that some magazine actually suggested this. I mean a logo which shows a guy falling off the top rope with legs and arms flailing? Really this will do nothing for TNA. It will just give them an f-grade company tag if anything else. This really makes some of TNA's booking look like genius.

Cena,while I do keep saying has some deficiencies in ring,he is not that bad enough to be parodied.

Also isn't it basically admitting that a guy called John Cena exists? So that someone can go and tune into WWE to see what Cena is really like? Doesn't TNA promote WWE enough?

 

[It's Damn Real!]

So it's Gillberg all over again? Thanks, but no thanks.

While I'm sure a guy like Eric Young could pull this off to a tee, this is not the type of exposure/direction the company needs [to be taking] at all.

The WWE pot shots are cute every now and then, but focusing your brand strategy around constantly clawing at your competition is petty.

 

[Kidd]

This sounds petty and immature to me.

Also why even mention another wrestler from a rival company let alone do a parody of him?

A parody of cena would just remind veiwers that ther's another brand and that TNA is taking cheap shot at it so they must feel threatened by it.

 

[kazfan401]

I like Powerslam and this would be funny, but its is just a terrible idea, it would just be a dumb cheap shot which WWE wouldn't care or take any offence to, so No!

 

[NWannabe]

Powerslam is obviously catering to Eric Young because that is all I see when I read that opening post. While I would have said 'sure' to that 1 maybe 2 years back, with TNA actually seeming to have a direction these past two weeks, I will say leave that on the shelf. I mean....it'd be like CP Munk in Chikara or whatever indy group.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

And this would be a good idea why exactly? Sure, it might appeal to the IWC in general for a while but it simply wouldn't last. Besides, how exactly would a comedy gimmick parodying John Cena do anything to help TNA increase its audience in the long term? TNA has tried taking shots at the WWE lots of times before and it's had little to no impact whatsoever.

Frankly, attempting to mock WWE is something that TNA seems to no longer do as they tend to rely more on the stars made by WWE and their accomplishments within Vince's company to help get them over in TNA. How many times has TNA lauded Jeff Hardy's accomplishments or how many times has Mickie James been referred to as a 5 time Womens World Champion since she arrived in TNA? It's kind of hard to poke fun at a company while trying to use it at the same time to get talent over with your audience because you're the one that ultimately ends up looking foolish and contradictory.

John Cena gets a lot of hate from the IWC, some of it unfairly. Sometimes he does come off as a bit corny during promos, I fully admit and agree with that. However, just because he doesn't spend his matches rolling around on the mat using headlocks or arm bars or performing flips and endless high spots like a spider monkey on PCP doesn't make him a bad wrestler.

 

[TheGamea]

from the title I thought this was a good idea but not when you explained it...when has a parody ever produced idea results...doink? hornswaggle???

Now I thought you where going to suggest them have an ANti-cena,im not gonna put much thought of it but sorta of DX in a one man type things sumone that over throws the company, isnt exactly a GOOD guy but the fans love....let just say a STONE COLD, type of guy and with the THEY angle it could work out just as well...

 

[Sting's Bat]

Considering all the flak the nightly shots that TNA were taking at the WWE during the MN 2.0 got, Im sure this idea would flop just as badly if not worse.

Really all this idea is boils down too is appealing to fanboys which would be a mistake on TNAs part due to the fact that the WWE has many more fanboys than TNA does.

Besides we already had this in a way with the Sharkboy's SCSA gimmick did that help TNA? not really.

 

[Kenny Powers]

Shark Boy and Jay Lethal had decent impressions of Austin, Savage, and Flair, but it didn't really do anything for them. The only thing that helped was that Flair was in TNA when Lethal did his impression and feuded with him. Even if Cena were in TNA, someone like Eric Young mocking him won't create viewers. I'm not a fan of Cena but I do recognize him as the the top wrestler in the world right now. I wouldn't even put Eric Young in the same category as Santino.

TNA doesn't need to take cheap jabs at WWE. The top talent in TNA is former WWE wrestlers. Hardy, Anderson, Hogan, Flair, and RVD are top sellers for TNA. If TNA could get Orton or Cena, they would in a heartbeat. Why would you make fun of the top two wrestlers in WWE right now? That is like WCW making fun of the Rock and Steve Austin. Its not going to get viewers to tune in. Just like the Billionaire Ted skits poking fun of Ted Turner, Hulk Hogan, and Randy Savage didn't get people to tune into Raw during the Monday night war.

 

[Wolfsbane]

This could just be a little revenge against the ECW thing. WWE wouldn't let TNA use ECW because it belonged to them but they don't use it no more (as far as I know) and it is where those guys came from, so personally I say they should do it in a manner that gives Vince the middle finger.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

This could just be a little revenge against the ECW thing. WWE wouldn't let TNA use ECW because it belonged to them but they don't use it no more (as far as I know) and it is where those guys came from, so personally I say they should do it in a manner that gives Vince the middle finger.

There's no better way to give Vince the finger than having an 8 years old company beat a 20+ years old company in the ratings, they're already beating him in the quality department but nobody's there to see it/refuses to see it/has Cena's balls in his wet mouth.

Angry horde of douchebags in 3...2....1...

 

[Kaelthes]

I think doing this they would upset WWE... Vince can ruin the TNA company quickly if it came to competition.... So TNA better stay low

 

[Wolfsbane]

I think doing this they would upset WWE... Vince can ruin the TNA company quickly if it came to competition.... So TNA better stay low

The worst he could do is buy them out like he did with WCW and let's all be honest here, who really thinks Hogan, Bischoff and Jeff or Dixie, depending if this actually is just a story would sell TNA out to a company that so many of it's fans have moved from for the better quality?

 

[Zeven_Zion]

The worst he could do is buy them out like he did with WCW and let's all be honest here, who really thinks Hogan, Bischoff and Jeff or Dixie, depending if this actually is just a story would sell TNA out to a company that so many of it's fans have moved from for the better quality?

Vince will never buy TNA even if he was given the chance. Why? Simple. TNA is not big enough for the wrestling world to care about. Vince buying TNA will just make the WWE Fanboys who hate TNA just because it's not WWE -- jizz. That's about it. Vince will buy the rights for a company that has done nothing. Little media exposure, little market, list goes on.

Even then I doubt that TNA's best wrestlers will wrestle for Vince. Most of these guys were doing just FINE in the indies anyway. More power to ROH.

But TNA will never be Vince's anyway. Panda Energy owns it, they bought it for a reason. They won't get any money from selling it to anybody, so if worse comes to worse, TNA will not be bought or sold, it'll just fold and die. THat's about it. But none of that is happening.

It's not WWE big but it's doing pretty good and shows no signs of dying.