Write Cena Off TV Til Wrestlemania

[edgehead113]

9 weeks. That's how much time WWE has between the Rumble and Wrestlemania. John Cena needs to be off TV for those 9 weeks.

Roman Reigns is going to win the Rumble. Whether he's ready or not, whether the fans are ready for him or not, he's going to main event Wrestlemania.

WWE has 9 weeks to make Reigns a credible threat to Brock Lesnar. They're grooming Reigns to take Cena's spot. Cena needs to be off TV and Reigns needs to be built as the clear cut #1 babyface hero for those 9 weeks.

WWE doesn't need Cena to have a main event level match at Wrestlemania this year. They've got plenty of big singles matches that will/can sell.

Lesnar vs. Regins
HHH vs. Sting
Rollins vs. Orton (face)
Wyatt vs. Undertaker (?)

The presumed Cena WM feud is Rusev. But the 4 matches listed above leave Dean Ambrose out of the mix, which seems like a waste. Ambrose needs to be in one of the 5 biggest matches on the card.

Have Ambrose be the man to challenge Rusev at WM. Ambrose is a former US champ who lost it in that huge battle royal when the Shield was feuding with Evolution. He can challenge Rusev for the Title. He could even do the Patriot thing, although I don't think the feud would need it.

There's 5 excellent singles matchups. Throw in a Divas match, a Tag match, and the Andre the Giant Battle Royale (which should be won by Dolph Ziggler, who should then be pushed next summer as the ultimate survivor after his Survivor Series+ATGBR victories.)

They can sell Wrestlemania wthout Cena. If they want Reigns to draw, and Reigns to get over as a credible threat to Lesnar, they need Reigns to take Cena's spot.

Have Cena get kayfabe concussed by Lesnar at the Rumble. Have him "break his arm." Whatever. Get Cena off TV. Freshen it up.

WWE can still have Cena at Mania. The storyline that I'd prefer is the HHH vs. Sting match to be for "control of the WWE" and have Cena as the special guest referee (I can already hear the "I'm the only man who can give the power back to HHH, and I'm coming to Wrestlemania as the special guest ref" promo.)

Cena could either keep up his shtick and call it right down the middle (Sting wins) or he could have his Bash at the Beach moment and finally turn heel and help HHH win, completing the storyline where only he can put the Authority back in power.)

That's a way more interesting way to use Cena than to feed Rusev to him, or to pair him with just about anyone in a singles match, in my opinion.

Write him off for 9 weeks, and the upside is immense. Reigns gets 9 weeks to prove he's "The Man." If he does, he beats Lesnar, Cena turns heel (Cena/Sting WM 32???) and the WWE sells more damn Network subscriptions than they ever dreamed.

This is all a best case scenario analysis, and there's no way WWE has the balls to do it, but this is my dream WM scenario.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

In all honesty, I have absolutely no idea why people believe that keeping the most consistent, long term, big draw WWE has had since the days of the Attitude Era off television for weeks or months at a time makes sound business sense.

I've said lots of times that Vince protects John Cena to such a degree that it's really a detriment. I believe that Vince McMahon should want to work on building up someone or more than one person to eventually take John Cena's place. At the same time, you don't go through the most profitable time period of the year without your biggest star if you can help it and you certainly don't put him in some piddly, pitiful, pissant role like being a special guest referee.

Can they sell WrestleMania without John Cena? I think they have the potential to do it, though I'd personally feel MUCH more secure in them attempting to do so if Vince McMahon wasn't the one making the final creative decisions. I don't think that Vince could give us roughly 4 months of consistently solid, strong booking without John Cena, especially during WrestleMania season where he's often known to change his mind even more so than he usually does. Vince has relied on Cena for too long and to such a degree that I'm actually wondering if he simply can't imagine anyone else in Cena's spot except for John Cena. Anything that even seems to resemble having John Cena look weak, at least in Vince's eyes, puts the fear of God into Vince; it makes him paranoid as all hell. After SummerSlam, for instance, Vince started worrying that fans might stop "believing" in Cena because he suffered such a huge, lopsided loss against Brock Lesnar. Vince McMahon believes that a "true hero" has to look a certain way and has to be able to overcome damn near anything put in front of him no matter the because the notion of fans preferring & liking flawed, fallible and vulnerable heroes is something he either can't or doesn't want to wrap his head around.

 

[Softcore Holly]

I don't see the drawback of having Cena around during WM season. Last WN Cena was nowhere near the main event, hell after RR it looked like he stopped caring about the title in general which was good since it left Orton, DB and Batista to focus on it. It was clear that DB was the #1 babyface despite Cena being around, granted Reigns might have a harder time since he won't have nearly as good of a story. Assuming Cena isn't put into the main event his presence shouldn't affect Reigns at all, besides if Reigns can't stand out as the #1 babyface despite Cena having a midcard feud like the Rusev idea then he is even less worth the spot than his doubters think he is.

 

[Mudlup50]

Well the simplest way to write him off screen would be Lesnar, but the way I would prefer is Seth Rollins curb stomping Cena into the briefcase or cinderblocks(whatever the WWE wants). Do it on the Raw before Royal Rumble. Make it seem like Cena can't compete and then, plot twist...he doesn't. Lesnar comes out, we wait for Cena, he doesn't come out. Heyman cuts a promo saying that Cena finally broke down and was too afraid to take on Lesnar again. Let the fans wait for Cena again. Cue Orton's music! Obviously Orton will lose but it will help bolster Lesnar's opponent list.

Then the Rumble comes and set up some crazy crap to go down for #30. Make you think it will be Cena, but it isn't...anyway


I agree that Cena shouldn't be taken off TV for Wrestlemania season, my preference is for him to feud with Daniel Bryan. Fast Lane could be an intergender tag match between Cena/Nikki and Bryan/Brie, consider we're assuming this feud isn't over. This match would be the actual passing of the torch match.

 

[Navi]

There is no way in hell that McMahon will keep Cena off TV for nine weeks if he's healthy. Especially during the run up to Mania.

Like JH said, McMahon seems to be be paranoid if the face of the WWE isn't around for him to rely on. God forbid Cena actually did get injured and couldn't be in the ring for a couple of months. You know that's probably one of the best things that could happen but not before Mania.

It would be nice if Reigns could get this push without the spectre of John Cena hanging over him, but unfortunately, no one will be able to escape it until Cena retires. Even then we'll get 200 threads a day asking when Cena is coming back and who he will face at Wrestlemania 45.

 

[kadroan]

In all honesty, I have absolutely no idea why people believe that keeping the most consistent, long term, big draw WWE has had since the days of the Attitude Era off television for weeks or months at a time makes sound business sense.

I've said lots of times that Vince protects John Cena to such a degree that it's really a detriment. I believe that Vince McMahon should want to work on building up someone or more than one person to eventually take John Cena's place. At the same time, you don't go through the most profitable time period of the year without your biggest star if you can help it and you certainly don't put him in some piddly, pitiful, pissant role like being a special guest referee.

Can they sell WrestleMania without John Cena? I think they have the potential to do it, though I'd personally feel MUCH more secure in them attempting to do so if Vince McMahon wasn't the one making the final creative decisions. I don't think that Vince could give us roughly 4 months of consistently solid, strong booking without John Cena, especially during WrestleMania season where he's often known to change his mind even more so than he usually does. Vince has relied on Cena for too long and to such a degree that I'm actually wondering if he simply can't imagine anyone else in Cena's spot except for John Cena. Anything that even seems to resemble having John Cena look weak, at least in Vince's eyes, puts the fear of God into Vince; it makes him paranoid as all hell. After SummerSlam, for instance, Vince started worrying that fans might stop "believing" in Cena because he suffered such a huge, lopsided loss against Brock Lesnar. Vince McMahon believes that a "true hero" has to look a certain way and has to be able to overcome damn near anything put in front of him no matter the because the notion of fans preferring & liking flawed, fallible and vulnerable heroes is something he either can't or doesn't want to wrap his head around.

Yeah I agree that isn't good business sense to leave Cena out. People thought the lack of depth in the roster was bad this fall with Ambrose/Orton being in and out, Reigns/Bryan being hurt, I could only imagine how much worse it'd be trying to make storylines important without him. Brock is on a limited schedule. There's no Authority to bail the WWE programming out like they did from NoC until now. Show would be like a Smackdown

 

[Mustang Sally]

Contrary to what many believe, John Cena doesn't hold people back ......rather, he helps them get over. I would wager every person on the roster would love to be written into a program with John Cena; he seems to bring out the best in everyone with whom he's involved. Rather than having him sit on the sidelines until WM31, I would think WWE could make better use of Cena by involving him in programs with the top bad guys and forcing folks to sit up and take notice.

Alternatively, I still wish they'd turn Cena bad, and don't understand their reluctance to do so. Some folks are saying "his merchandise sales would suffer," but I think there would be such an explosion of new merchandise inspired by Cena's heel turn that the company would be sorry they didn't do this sooner. Plus, turning him bad would be a surefire way to augment the pushes of good guys like Reigns and Ambrose. Even Daniel Bryan, when/if he comes back, would benefit from this.

But whether we're turning him bad or leaving him good, I can't see taking the #1 powerhouse performer and making him sit until the biggest show of the year. If you've got the top horse in the race.....run him.

 

[A11oftheLights]

If the WWE wanted to build Reigns up, they'd have him face Cena at Fast Lane and have Reigns dominate him. But Cena will either be in the middle of a new program or be about to start one.

 

[rmp0012002]

As much as I dislike his goofy rap gimmick Cena is Vince's money maker. Vince is so paranoid over the network not meeting its expectations and stock shares that when they dip he jumps back into creative and puts Cena out in front.
No way does Cena disappear prior to WM. They already have their champion never be on tv so also not having his opponent around is not the way to promote your biggest event.

 

[That N Word]

I agree with pretty much everyone in someway here. I do think Cena should take some time off to let Reigns step into that position. However, it would make more sense after Mania. Like someone said on here, if Reigns can't stand out as the #1 guy with Cena there then he shouldn't be "the guy." But at the same time I do think it is time for a Cena heel turn. Whether this year helping Triple H in some way or next year cheating in a match against Roman Reigns to win title #16. It is time!!! The merchandise would explode,just like with the nWo gear. I can guran damn tee that if Triple H had the final say he would tell John "it's time!" A way to do it would be have Heyman ask Cena to put it all on the line because this is shot #2. If you lose,you will never get a world title shot. He say's that includes if you can't make it to Royal Rumble as well. So every week have Rollins attempt to take out Cena and fail. Then have Brock occasionally and everytime be stopped by refs before he can finish the job. So the final Raw before RR, Cena is written off TV until Fast Lane. Randy Orton steps up at RR and makes his return to challenge Brock and is setting up for the punt...is attacked and curb stomped by Rollins. He goes to stomp out Brock and get's taken out by Roman Reigns with a superman punch and spear. Roman then spears Brock and does Brock's title taunt. Roman wins the RR. At Fast Lane you have Roman and Randy vs Seth and Brock. Cena returns the next night on Raw and say's he has been informed he may never be world champion again. Triple H returns and tells Cena that he know's how he can make this all go away. He say's if Cena gives Triple H power back,he can have all the title shots he want. Cena looks like he is considering. Sting makes his way down and tell Cena don't trust Triple H and then both argue in his face. He pushes Sting down and then as Triple H smiles he pushes him too and walks away. Cena can be on the RTWM w/o competing at Mania. He can turn heel during Triple H vs. Sting by giving Sting a DQ win by attacking him. He can then drop him with an AA. The next night give HHH power back and then be written off TV saying the Universe "has to earn a John Cena return." As for Rusev, he can face Ryback (If they can stretch that feud that long." Ambrose can face a heel Jericho amd Bryan can face Wyatt (If Taker doesn't return to compete.)

 

[L@RISANO]

If the WWE wanted to build Reigns up, they'd have him face Cena at Fast Lane and have Reigns dominate him. But Cena will either be in the middle of a new program or be about to start one.

That wouldn't make sense, as I am sure, that IF Reigns goes onto beat Lesnar at Mania, one of his challengers, possibly at Mania 32, perhaps, will be John Cena.

It would be a huge waste to feed Cena to Reigns as a mere transitional opponent at a low level PPV.

 

[MartialHorror]

The only time Cena should've been written off TV was when he got trashed by Lesnar at Summerslam. Otherwise, WWE needs Cena right now more than ever. The starpower is too thin and Cena is still the most over person on the roster.

Yes...even more over than Ambrose or Reigns. When people chant "Let's go Cena, Cena sucks" during a tag team match when Ambrose is the one fighting, it shows that whether you like or hate him, you're paying more attention to him even when he's just standing there, waiting to be tagged in.

 

[WhiplashUnited]

never because he gets a reaction no matter what, he's also the leader and face of the company

 

[WrestlingSmonster]

I respect what every wrestler that has done for the sport I live wether I liked em or hates em. But the time has come Wrestlemania 31!!! Kane especially Kane, Orton,Big Show,Kingston & Miz them both have gone and been used as far as they can go. But these I mention need a be written off. As far Cena goes he is still the Face and bringing in the ppl. I don't see him slowing down till after Wrestlemania 32 when he passes torch to who ever it may be "Reigns" expected. And just to mention I hope HHH SETS OUT THIS WRESTLEMANIA we are loosing Undertaker Wrestlemania 32 going need be huge an HHH making a in ring return at WM32 after absence could only add to it.