Welcome to… Roy….Is…Wrestling!!! My name is Roy Hudson. I dig crazy chicks, I’m absolutely perfect, and when it comes to wrestling journalism, I’m truly the King of Kings. This is my State of Wrestling Address. Follow me on Twitter @pwfaninsight. Now, with introductions aside, let’s get into the wrestling.
There is a definitive answer to the question: “Who is the most polarizing figure in the history of professional wrestling?”
That answer is (dramatic pause) *drum roll* (tepid, obligatory gasp)… John Cena!!! John Cena commands a huge reaction from nearly every crowd he is in front of; however that reaction is definitively split. Certain crowds are more favourable towards the commander-in-chief of the CeNation, whereas others show WWE’s resident Superman very little love.
Generally speaking, women, a minority of casual fans and children are fans of John Cena. Members of the IWC (Internet Wrestling Community) and male fans make up the majority of Cena’s detractors. This love/hate relationship is what demonstrates how well John Cena elicits emotion from each and every fan he performs for.
Many of the reasons people cite for disliking Cena are fair and valid, but many are generic and unfair criticisms.
For example, I’d like to cite some valid criticisms pertaining to John Cena. One fair critique of Cena is his stale character. Cena’s character hasn’t changed or adjusted for the last several years of his career. His promos often seem childish and can get on the nerves of the mature audience. The most frustrating fact is that he’s shown he can deliver very intense, realistic promos.
Another fair condemnation of Cena is the “Superman” booking pattern that has plagued him for ages. Between holding the WWE Championship what seems like twice a year every year (new and current World Heavyweight Champion) and losing cleanly only 8 times on PPV since becoming Super Cena, the complaints about his ridiculous booking are valid. Another pet peeve of my own is Cena’s unbelievable resilience in terms of kicking out of finishers. It devalues his opponent’s finisher and feuds because they immediately become less realistic.
However, many points of disparagement aimed at Cena are unjustified. Cena has often been jeered for his “five moves of doom” (Shoulder Block, Shoulder Block, Falling Power Slam, Five Knuckle Shuffle, Attitude Adjustment). Cena has demonstrated, especially more recently, that he has expanded his repertoire of moves. The “five moves of doom” is also a staple of wrestling as a sequence that precedes finishers. Many other wrestlers, including Randy Orton (Clothesline, Clothesline, Powerslam, Middle Rope Hung DDT, RKO), utilize the same classic staple of wrestling.
Another unfair knock on Cena is that he is a poor wrestler. While he may not have the most-polished ring work, he is still a talented wrestler and more than capable of putting on entertaining, hard-fought matches. Cena has made clear additions to his move-set and should be commended for his ring work, often in spite of injuries.
Among hardcore fans, Cena is the ultimate symbol of the PG Era, and is perhaps the most hated part of the WWE product. Although it may not be popular opinion, I enjoy Cena’s ring work and I think despite his flaws, he’s a fantastic performer. When Cena is intense, his promos make for absolutely gripping TV.
Cena is still in desperate need of a character change, whether it’s making him a more intense face with a new edge, or even a proposed heel turn. Realistically, I don’t see the WWE taking the gamble of turning him heel, but if they do make that jump, he would instantly become more interesting. And if handled correctly, he could win over casual and hardcore fans alike as a heel with massive heat.
John Cena does not receive nearly enough credit for the work he does in WWE. He is called out relentlessly for minor flaws because of his persona that Vince McMahon determines for him and the way he is booked, which is also beyond his control. However, Cena not only excels in that role but does his best to bring intensity to the vanilla character when fitting and put on the best matches he possibly can in the ring. Cena also devotes much of his time to charity and community outreach, which is admirable and not often commended.
Regardless, Cena remains to be a staple of WWE programming and an essential part of WWE’s on-screen product. Love him or hate him, he’s here to stay.
Thanks for checking out my article everyone. Check me out on Twitter @pwfaninsight. And don’t forget to keep reading: Roy Hudson’s State of Wrestling Address.
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