Is John Cena not a great wrestler? WWE veteran sets the record straight!
A former WWE manager set the record straight on why he believes John Cena isn't a great wrestler and what makes him legendary in the business.
The WWE manager in question is Dutch Mantell. The Leader of Cenation recently broke his silence on the Vince McMahon lawsuit, stating he loves his former boss and would stand by him irrespective of the serious allegations.
About a week ago, Mantell criticized The Leader of Cenation's stance on taking responsibility and pointed out that the 16-time World Champion preached accountability while still expressing affection for Mr. McMahon, whom the WWE veteran views negatively.
This led to massive backlash from wrestling fans who believe Dutch Mantell allegedly mentioned that John Cena isn't a great wrestler. On the latest episode of the Story Time with Dutch Mantell, the 74-year-old legend addressed the issue and set the record straight.
The former manager explained that John Cena's undeniable ability to captivate audiences on an emotional level and sell tickets made him a valuable asset to WWE, earning him legendary status, even if his in-ring skills weren't top-tier:
"It's not how a great a wrestler you are that considers you great or an immortal or you are a candidate for the Mount Rushmore, Hall of Fame, its how much money you drew and (John) Cena drew a lot of money, he sold a lot of tickets, he sold a lot of merchandise, therefore the company made a lot of money and he made a lot of money. Now, is he a technician like Bryan Danielson? No, he never intended to be, but he was over with the people," Mantell said. (From 35:27 to 36:15)
WWE veteran added:
"But he wasn't a great technician in the ring, but he was great on interviews, and the people he connected with, that's what gave him his term great." (From 36:32 to 36:45)
Check out the full episode below:
Dutch Mantell names other big WWE Superstars who aren't great wrestlers like John Cena
During the same conversation, the former WWE manager mentioned a few names who weren't the best from the wrestling perspective but are The Greatest of All Time because of being a fan favorite, just like John Cena.
Mantell shared that the WWE Hall of Famers, The Undertaker, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and Hulk Hogan are legends in the pro wrestling business due to their ability to draw money rather than their in-ring skills. He continued:
"And I can name you a few: Was Hulk Hogan a great wrestler? No, he wasn't. Was Stone Cold Steve Austin a great wrestler? No.....The Undertaker wasn't a great wrestler in the ring but he played the character and drew a lot of money, so that's what I mean." (From 36:46 to 37:21)
The 74-year-old veteran has now debunked the wrestling world's assumption on his comments about John Cena and clarified that he is indeed The Greatest of All Time but for different reasons.
Do you think John Cena is a great wrestler? Sound off in the comments section below.
If you use the quotes from this article, please credit Story Time with Dutch Mantell and add an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.