When Will It End?

[S.J. Maximus]

If you want to get straight to the point then skip this paragraph, this is just full of stats and history Hulk Hogan headlined the first 8 WrestleManias (I don't count 9 he wasn't billed in the main event). Bret Hart took over for the next 2 years until HBK headlined WM11 and then they both combined for WM12. Taker/Sid took over 13 but the Austin Era gave us 2 solid WM main events and then The Rock took his momentum to headline WM 15-18. Since Then, Every main event match has either had Triple H or John Cena - which would mean that if Cena is in the main event of WM29 (which he probably will) they'd have the longest WM main event streak for any 2 people combined (Hogan and Hart combined for 10).

Now with all of these silly little stats established, my question is when do you think the Cena Era will be over? When will we see a WM without Cena in the title match? Hogan was able to put his ego aside for WM4, Rock did it for WM18, when will Cena be able to challenge someone at WrestleMania without a title being on the line?

 

[Harthan]

I believe we will see this at this year's coming WrestleMania. From the WWE's perspective, you want to build the greatest number of possible big attractions. This means that anytime you can have an epic match without attaching a title to it, you do so, since the title can be used to take pretty much any two well established guys and give them a big match. If two guys are already in a match big enough to main event the show, why attach the title to it? It doesn't help matters - that is, it won't make the match any bigger, and it robs you of the opportunity to bolster another feud that needs it. This is why the WWE took the title off of Taker at Mania 26 - there was no need for it in HBK vs Taker II, and it brought Jericho vs Edge to another level. In much the same way, WrestleMania 28 has no need of Cena vs Rock having a title associated with it. It makes much more sense for the WWE Championship match to involve two other wrestlers who will need the title to make their feud more interesting and worthy of being a big Mania match.

So, to answer the question simply - when will John Cena challenge at Mania without the title involved - my answer is probably WrestleMania 28. Cena vs Rock will most likely be a non title main event.

 

[The Perfect Max]

Cena vs Rock. That will be the first ever WrestleMania that John Cena doesn't challenge for a Championship, mostly the WWE Championship. Also, I think over the next year or two we will see younger talent coming through, joining Cena and it will be a mixture of big stars, rather than one.

Cena vs Rock will mark the end of the Cena era if Cena loses. If he wins, well, it's a damn shame.

 

[Cenation716]

@The Hardcore Kid: Exactly! When Rock originally left WWE to pursue a career in Hollywood, he dropped the title to "The Next Big Thing" Brock Lesnar. Now, Rock could've lost the title some other way (vacated?) or faced someone else like Taker, HHH or Stone Cold, but Rock put Brock over. Now, while Cena has been over for quite some time now, and has been the face of the company since 2005, Rock can still put Cena over & that will make Cena a huge WWE Superstar, one of the greatest & a sure fire Hall of Famer. If Cena loses, Rock just goes back to Hollywood & Cena won't even get a rematch. Rock is back for a reason, to make headlines & to put Cena over. I'm a huge Cena fan, yes, but from a booking standpoint, Cena should win this match. As far as titles, I for one think Cena will go into WM with the WWE title.

 

[ScruffDog]

I think this will be the last Westlmania in your "Cena Era". I think this whole CM Punk thing has pushed Punk to the next level, and puts him in prime position to take that spot. I also feel that the younger stars are getting a bigger push than ever and we will see several first time champs in the upcoming year. I think the Rock vs Cena fight will be a fitting conclusion to one of the greatest "Era's" of all time.

 

[The A]

People always saying that rock can put cena over like cena isn't already over. Like he already didn't get handed the ball by hhh years back. Like he's not today's biggest star. They just need an epic match noones putting over anyone its icon vs icon basically. But I agree that it WONT be for the title and probably WONT be the last match at wm either

 

[Thorodrew Atlas]

I honestly Believe the CM PUNK era is upon us. He is now larger on a superstar status than Orton is and his fanbase is growing rapidly possibly bigger than Cena's in the near future.

When Cena Wrestles The Rock what else is there to do for CENA. Cena i think will start becoming a storyline kind of superstar (out of the title picture with the occassional shot but still in big storylines) Kinda like Shawn Michaels toward the end of his career.

 

[chubbsisevil]

It's too early to tell whether or not Cena/Rock will be for the title. I hope it isn't, because those two fighting is about much more than the title. It's the new era vs. the old era. Not to mention the fact that it would make the match just that more predictable, but it's not outside the realms of possibility.

I could see the title matches being Punk/HHH and Orton/Bryan.

 

[Wonder]

If you asked me this about an year ago, i would say 'Taker.

We all thought we were going to see Cena and Taker at Mania sometime. If it wasn't in 2011, it would be 2012. But now, Cena vs Rock is established, and for the looks of like it, Wrestlemania XXVIII will be Taker's last Mania. Just look at him. Do you honestly think that Mark can hold on for more two years? Hmmm...

Anyway, now, the most obvious answer would be Rock. I don't think that they're match at Mania will be for the title, and i really hope it isn't. It would just take away another possible good match.

Besides from that, do i see another non title match for Cena at Mania in the near future? Maybe. By the looks of it, i don't think WWE has give up on Cena vs Orton, and i don't think they need the title at this stage. Other than that, perhaps if Angle ever returned to the promotion. I can only say that only time will tell.

 

[Dagger Dias]

It could potentially be this year because he is facing The Rock in a dream mach that does not need the title. CM Punk could easily be in the WWE Championship match if his momentum continues. It is a long time between now and Wrestlemania though so many things could change along the way. If it isn't this year that they put Cena in a non title match then it would have to be when they reach a point of having found someone else to be the face of the company. The top guy needs to be winning the top title unless he is facing a legend or is in another match that somehow is more important than the world title, that's how the business works.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

this year it won't be for the title, but Cena will still be the main event. WWE isn't stupid enough to put anything else on last. You really want the crowd to blow it's load and then you still have more?

Cena will headline Mania until he's not the most over guy in the company. Don't act like Rock and Austin did it out of the goodness of their heart, Rock quit and Austin had health problems.

Hogan didn't exactly "put his ego aside" he was still right up there with Savage in the main flexing his guns.

 

[mrfantastic111]

Rock can still put Cena over & that will make Cena a huge WWE Superstar, one of the greatest & a sure fire Hall of Famer. If Cena loses, Rock just goes back to Hollywood & Cena won't even get a rematch. Rock is back for a reason, to make headlines & to put Cena over. I'm a huge Cena fan, yes, but from a booking standpoint, Cena should win this match. As far as titles, I for one think Cena will go into WM with the WWE title.

Cena is already guaranteed into the Hall of Fame, much like Rocky is and Austin before them.

I think the WWE creative is trying to make this the BIGGEST match of the modern wrestling era. We'll see if it can live up to the hype, but I think it's pretty obvious that if Cena walks into Wrestlemania with the title, he's walking out with the title. Everyone knows that Rocky is a legend, but if he wins this match after being out of competition for over 7 years, what reason would the kids and casual fans have to watch the current roster, knowing that they're not watching the 'best wrestlers in the world'? It would be like a former Olympic Gold Medalist in sprinting who hasn't competed/practiced for 7 years, defeated the greatest sprinter of the modern day. It just wouldn't make sense.