"They were not somebody" - CM Punk and Bryan Danielson were not on John Cena's level, says WWE veteran (Exclusive)
Vince Russo believes CM Punk and Bryan Danielson did not possess the same star power as John Cena during their respective primes in WWE.
The former WWE writer cited an old Subway commercial featuring John Cena from 2007, back when the Cenation Leader was just starting to cement himself as a permanent fixture in the main event scene.
Russo said that Cena had the physical presence to attract the attention of casual fans, something that he felt both CM Punk and Bryan Danielson lacked.
While Cena's charisma and looks instantly caught the eye of fans, Vince Russo said Punk and Danielson would have failed to get the same reaction had they been in the Subway commercial.
Despite being two of the most successful WWE world champions of the past decade, Russo explained why Cena was on a different level as a performer, as you can view below in this week's Legion of RAW:
"John Cena did a Subway commercial. Okay? So, if you did not know who John Cena was, with Cena's presence and Cena's look, number one, you knew he was somebody. And number two, you were asking the question, who is this guy? Put CM Punk in a Subway commercial. Put Bryan Danielson in that Subway commercial; you would think they were actors. You would think they were somebody hired for the commercial. They were not somebody. And that's the test. When you see Cena, you know Cena is somebody. That's the test." [44:30 – 46:10]
Will John Cena return at WrestleMania 39?
The 16-time world champion has a tight schedule due to his Hollywood commitments, but still makes it a point to return for a few special appearances.
Cena has been a true workhorse for the company, having wrestled a match every year since beginning his career in 1999. However, his 21-year streak could finally come to an end as John is currently not slated to make an in-ring return in 2022.
The Franchise Player might be one of the busiest personalities in Hollywood, but WWE reportedly still expects him to be available for WrestleMania 39, where he is widely rumored to take on Austin Theory.
Is the reported matchup WWE's best option for Cena at WrestleMania? Sound off in the comments section below.
Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.