Why did John Cena drop the rapper gimmick?
John Cena dropped his popular rapper gimmick and transitioned into a character that made more sense in WWE programming.
The 16-time World Champion is known for his excellent in-ring performances throughout his career. He is one of the greatest stars to have stepped foot in the industry. Cena was the company's best performer for years.
However, when he first arrived in WWE, he didn't have the 'it factor' in him until the Doctor of Thuganomics came along.
Happy #ThrowbackThursday blessing your feed with The Doctor of Thuganomics @JohnCena ⛓🔓 #WordLife #TBT https://t.co/ubCdLoSGZg
The role of the Doctor of Thuganomics was to insult fellow wrestlers. The gimmick quickly grabbed attention, and the WWE Universe started rooting for Cena.
Eventually, Cena became the face of WWE thanks to his brilliant wrestling ability and enchanting personality. But as he became famous, he dropped the Doctor of Thuganomics gimmick.
One of the important reasons to give up on this gimmick was that most of his fans are young. As the rapper, John Cena had to be ruthless to entertain the adults, leaving a bad impression on younger minds.
Doctor of Thuganomics is here! #WWE #WrestleMania #Wrestlemania36 https://t.co/taCNc7143J
What happened after John Cena's gimmick change?
After Cena gave up the gimmick of The Doctor of Thuganomics, he chose to be a real-life superhero. Cena became a fan favorite and strived to overcome obstacles with 'hustle, royalty, and respect.'
But even after retiring The Doctor of Thuganomics gimmick, John Cena made rare appearances as the rapper.
One such instance came when Cena was feuding with The Rock in 2011-12. The other time was in a Firefly Funhouse match at WrestleMania 36, when he faced Bray Wyatt.
Nonetheless, the character remains among the most popular ones in WWE history. Whenever the Doctor of Thuganomics is back, the audience rejoices.
Did you like Cena's The Doctor of Thuganomics persona, or do you like his current persona? Comment your thoughts below.