John Cena isn't to blame for WWE's tough situation
Now that John Cena has asked for and has been granted time off by WWE following the Hell in a Cell pay per view this month, it might be time to accept the grim reality that programming that was already watered down, unable to drink at times, will now be even more unbearable. Can you imagine being a wrestling fan, celebrating the holidays without a steady diet of Cena in your face on a television screen while thousands tell him how much they love and hate him at the same time?
Things are about to get a bit chilly up in Bristol, CT for the next few months, or when The champ decides it is time to get back in the wrestling ring.
I figure sometime around the Royal Rumble, there will be plenty of requests from WWE corporate headquarters for the prodigal son to make his triumphant return and again save the company from itself or an overused Seth Rollins who will be begging for a break of his own should WWE book the current world champion on this torrid pace.
There is something to be said for Cena and his ability to juggle the many roles he takes on with WWE, whether it is in the ring as a champion, a merchandising dynamo, a marketing tool, a social media dream and of course, a champion for Make-A-Wish and Susan G. Komen and the fight against breast cancer. Honestly, who else is in the position to take on such lofty responsibilities? It’s not blowing sunshine near any part of Cena’s body when I say there isn’t a soul on the roster who could be as effective as the 15-time world champion, period. And now, he has asked for time off to handle his own business. Don’t hate on the guy for wanting a break. It comes with the business. Over 300 days a year on the road will do that to you.
There is a balancing act Cena has been performing since becoming the face of this company. Greater than anything Hulk Hogan did before him. Much different than any lead character did in the AWA or NWA or WCCW in years past. WWE now needs to weather the storm, and hope for a brighter new year with Cena still in the lead role with other wrestlers coming to the aid of the cause. Dolph Ziggler and The Miz were decent backups in the past, but because of their diminished character roles, those two options are not as viable anymore. Big Show is loved among the WWE Universe, but he doesn’t have the star power. Newcomers like Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Neville are not ready for that kind of overload, nor would they be able to get as much pop from the fan base.
Cody Rhodes would be ideal, but his character has been assassinated many times over and the effectiveness of him in a lead role is all but useless.
So, WWE is left with Cena and little else right now to continue to charge in the ring and through marketing and sales. You cannot have one with the other two in this business – the one Vince McMahon built, capitalized on and then watched fail recently. He was quick to find nuggets of brilliance in Hogan, The Rock, Steve Austin and then Cena. Now that laundry line is barren and in need of new linen to cover the WWE Universe. But until that happens, or Cena returns to the ring and to form, who knows where WWE will fall. And better yet, when it lands, will Cena or any other WWE superstar for that matter, be able to pick up what is left and carry on like nothing has ever happened?