WWE TV: Cena or Shield

[No Count Pup]

If WWE had to withstand a three month injury to John Cena or the entire Shield, which would be most disruptive to WWE programming? What arguments could be made for either Cena or the entire Shield?

I personally feel that the Shield has stolen the show at three of the last four pay-per-views, and their television matches are of very high quality. That has to count for something. Tough call, what does the WrestleZone universe think?

 

[ianrapleyuk]

The shield no doubt only because i feel they have really stepped up recently all 3 of them even though i feel seth rollins has up'd his game so much and the way they are being booked in a high profile feud has given them credibility. people also knock HHH a lot but he has done agreat job trying to elevate the shied

as for cena err how do i say this to me it feels like bray has carried this feud on his own basically and cena is just there (if that makes sense) cena main eventing raw and being there just does seem stale to me and there really is no feud that would make me hink he would be better there over the shield

 

[Septumus]

Without Bryan for the next PPV at least, The Shield is easily in the main storyline against Evolution. Cena-Wyatt while a marquee match up and heavily promoted is lower on the storyline hierarchy. If Cena was gone Wyatt would be floundering without a story sure. Without the Shield nothing for Batista, Orton and Triple H to do who are the bigger draw over Wyatt.

The Shield missing right now would hurt much more than Cena.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Depending on how long Bryan will be out of action, The Shield are three guys that I don't think the company can do without at this period of time without leaving a huge gap. Their match at Extreme Rules stole the show and they've definitely been made the primary focus in Bryan's absence. Don't get me wrong when it comes to Cena. In spite of whatever hate Cena gets from various smarks, don't let that fool you into think that Cena isn't popular with a healthy majority of WWE's audience. If Cena didn't draw or generate money, he wouldn't be in the spot he has. However, despite his popularity, you have to get the feeling that people are also just downright burned out when it comes to John Cena. He's been on top for such a long time, he's been strongly booked with more consistency than any wrestler in WWE since Hulk Hogan and his ultimate good guy character has had very little growth for close to a decade that people can't help but be a little tired of him.

One reason why fans have gravitated to Bryan and The Shield is because they're still extremely fresh. It also helps that they're consistently putting on high quality matches and aren't booked to look like indestructible supermen embodying the term juggernaut. Cena being out for a while could very well deliver a blow to WWE's numbers for the short term but, frankly, I do think that Vince puts even more faith in John Cena than even Cena's worth. WWE survived when Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, Bret Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock all left; they'll be able to get by just fine in the long run if Cena winds up being put on the shelf for a while. I also think they'd get by without The Shield as well but, as I said, The Shield are fresh in most people's eyes whereas a lot of people are bored with Cena. WWE'd get by without The Shield, but it'd be a lot more boring for a while.

 

[OYDK]

Definitely, losing The Shield would hurt more at this point in their careers. These guys are just beginning to take that next step as fully established guys and a 3-month injury wouldn't necessarily halt that momentum, but it would be a huge blow to future WWE plans and the product would take a hit seeing as these 3 are the hottest thing going right now. John Cena can get hurt for three months and I doubt many people would even bat an eyelash or care all that much because we've seen him so damn much over the past decade. Plus seeing as this should be the final match between Wyatt and Cena and possibly The Shield-Evolution, the Shield are much more important when it comes to building storylines around this year, in preparation for next years Mania. Cena can leave for a few months, come back, and be thrown in a program with literally anybody.

 

[TheOneAndOnlyGOAT]

The Shield.

They're having the best run of their careers, feuding with Evolution.

I'm more interested in seeing Shield vs Evolution than Wyatt-Cena recently.

 

[CrucifiedRaven]

I think it could actually benefit John Cena to go away for a little while between Payback and SummerSlam. I'd have Bray and the Wyatt's destroy him at Payback and "put him out of action" for a couple months. This assumes Bryan is healthy enough to be back on TV for a while, because they'll need him as their top babyface. But I think it will freshen Cena up a bit and really help to put over Bray.

The Shield need to be on TV as much as possible now. And I'd like to see some evolution (no pun intended) in their current storyline. Either move on after Payback or something that puts a little bit of conflict inbetween the three members of the group.

 

[No Count Pup]

Many great points so far. I am not surprised that most posters would say the Shield's absence would be most disruptive. The arguments are very persuasive. But it is always fun to play devil's advocate. I question whether the pressure that would normally be placed on the Shield is lessened because Cena is also at the top of the card in his feud with Wyatt. If numbers were to drop with the Shield and Cena in the marquee, pundits could say it's part of the yearly cycle. But if the Shield failed alone, pundits could blame the Shield.

 

[No Count Pup]

I am on the fence with this issue. With Daniel Bryan absent, WWE is thin on main event talent. Triple H is a part timer, Batista is going on hiatus, Randy Orton's recent world title run was unspectacular, and WWE has never put much stock in Kane. Sheamus is occupied with the US Title, and neither Wyatt, Barrett, or Reigns are ready for a world title run. That leaves Cena as the one true standard-bearer at the moment.

Granted, the Shield has been on a role. In many ways, I feel like they are the glue that holds Raw and Smackdown together. But I question what value they will bring as a three-on-three main event force once they are done with Evolution.

The world title picture is a very important part of a wrestling promotion. It needs top shelf talent. The Shield are headliners, but Cena may be the only true world championship main eventer at the moment. That issue may trump this critical phase for the Shield. I'm wary, but I guess I'd say Cena is more important at the moment by a razor slim margin.

 

[Kidpolean]

Cena and I dont think its even close. The Shield are great but they are a midcard stable with no true leader. With No shield around, the wwe could use HHH, Batista, and Orton in the title chase and could probably come up with something pretty good. The wyatts could easily take the Shields place in any storylines heading forward.

Now take Cena out. Who does the Shield feud with? Evolution for three more months? The Wyatts again? and who challenges for the wwe title? The main event would be a huge question mark and some youngster would be forced into the main event...probably Bray Wyatt.

IMO a main eventer leaving will always hurt more than a midcarder/midcard stable. Shield can be replaced...Cena really cant

 

[J~P]

Without John Cena who is the IWC going to make the super heel? Who's going to make the kids come to buy his merch and cheer him, and who's going to be our ultimate villain. Lets face it the mass majority love to see Cena lose. Who's tuning into Payback just for the sheer hope that Bray Wyatt destroys Cena and takes his place as the top dog? The Shield is entertaining yes, but we'll always have other people such as Bray, Daniel, Cesaro, Barrett to cheer on. But when it comes to someone we tune in just to see lose.. well Cena takes the cake. No one comes even close to that.

 

[L@RISANO]

With Daniel Bryan out, No CM Punk in the WWE, it is pretty clear that the Main Babyfaces are the SHIELD who have the crowd firmly behind them.

Yes, the character of John Cena is essentially a Face character. However, even in a feud with a "heel" Bray Wyatt and his family, Cena is still a 50-50 character as he doesn't have the crowd backing him.


With the question being on programming itself for the next THREE MONTHS;

Simply put, the SHIELD is arguably the most over Babyface characters with D-Bry not there, and are carrying the show as the Main Babyfaces fighting the Authority(Evolution) in a feud which might have a bit of change going forward but will still pair the guys taking part in it together(Shield & Evolution/Authority) for the next 3 or so months in any case.

So clearly, the SHIELD leaving would be a huge loss, as there isn't any other Over Babyface available who can take over with Daniel Bryan already out and CM Punk gone.

Now if the question was: if the SHIELD or John Cena leave until say, Mania 31, or forever....then obviously, based on their credentials, Cena would be a bigger loss.

 

[GeneralKarim]

WWE can do just fine without John Cena. They are milking him cause they dont know how to build stars anymore and now they are trying, desperately.

The Shield being out for a few months wouldn't hurt the WWE big time but it would leave a huge gap since The Shield has been of the best things to happen to the WWE. For the past year and so CM Punk/Daniel Bryan/Shield and to some extent Wyatt have been THE reason I watch wrestling.

CM Punk is gone.

So we have DB/Shield/wyatts as the reason to watch. Cesaro was a reason also but only because of his matches. But now with how he is booked I'm starting to get sick of him, I just hate this paul heyman guy angle so much. And his fucking theme song....

DB is on the shelf atm. So that leaves Shield and Wyatts as the most interesting men on the roster. WWE don't have much in terms of star power. This is all they got and they better treat them right and do what is best.

Shield being absent for a few months would definitely hurt the product. Maybe not in a big way but, I mean they have mainevented almost every RAW and Smackdown ( and when they didn't it still felt like they did ) with 3on3 matches and all of them having very good 1on1 matches also.

Cena on the other hand? Sure he is over, lets not kid ourselves. But besides children, does anybody really want to see him and would get upset if they didnt? I don't think so.