Dealing with the Loss of John Cena
When John Cena makes his exit stage left from Hell in a Cell, it will be the last time fans of WWE will see the current United States Champion with a belt and in a wrestling ring until late December.
Cena’s time off from the company, coupled with injuries to both Daniel Bryan and now Randy Orton have left the company with a huge hole in its booking. Injuries and time off are part of today’s wrestling culture, but when there is no one in the bullpen to come in relief of superstars, the viewership plummets faster than candidate approval ratings in a presidential election.
So Cena goes on a two-month hiatus, WWE tries to overcome the deficiencies of self-inflicted wounds and all is not well on the professional wrestling scene.
I’m sure this is exactly how Marty McFly envisioned it in back to the future. Nowhere in the predictions of the future was any news of a collapse in the popularity of men rolling around in a squared-circle in tights.
Cena’s time off might be one of the worst things to happen to Triple H right now, but his return could be one of the biggest. For a guy who is perpetually there every night and on every tour and in the spotlight the way Cena has been, when he leaves, every wrestling fan knows it. And when he returns, every wrestling fan knows it.
Yes, it’s an epic event.
The only way this works – the only way that Cena leaving WWE in the balance – is if he comes back in such a way that fans are shocked. It won’t be the heel turn we have prayed about for the longest time, but Cena will come back to the fold, continue to put the work in, maybe reclaim the United States Championship and put over younger talent. Maybe by the time he returns (which amounts to seven weeks or so) WWE will get it head out of its ass and figure out who will be the next to lead.
‘PLEASE DO NOT GO DOWN THE PATH WITH ROMAN REIGNS.’
Maybe it will be Tyler Breeze. Maybe Vince McMahon will finally see the light and give Cesaro a chance to shine with a major title around his waist. Maybe Seth Rollins will become a face and finally challenge The Authority.
Whatever the case may be, WWE and its wrestling program (there is a separation) needs a major infusion of something it hasn’t had in a while – balls. Big balls to challenge the reality-starved fans and face up to the big bad monster known as the NFL.
The NFL is everyone’s problem, so it isn’t like anyone set a course to aim a bullet right at the business, but it is the one most affected by it. Add baseball’s playoffs and there is a real need for change in the way events are booked and television is planned. WWE cannot depend on Stone Cold Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels every week – but wouldn’t it be awesome if it could. Sorry, I guess I was thinking it was the 1990s all over again. Revisionist history does not work here anymore.
Personally, I want to see Cena leave and watch the company either implode or stand up to the bully that is known as the unknown. Can ratings, which are sinking faster than the Titanic, level off? Can someone step up and prove they are fit to lead? Will there be a major event – like a Shane McMahon sighting or better yet, the return of Daniel Bryan – to quell the fans’ changing channels on Monday night. Who knows?
But we are about to see what happens in a few short days. This is the train wreck story you have to watch, but in the end, it might become the nightmare WWE wished it had never created.