Three Reasons for John Cena's Recent Status Change in the WWE

John Cena is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time and there is no valid argument against that in my opinion. Many, including myself, have said that he is the Hulk Hogan of the modern age, and rightfully so. He has held the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships on numerous occasions and has been the star player in WWE for nearly eight years. For those eight years he has been the top babyface of the company, always serving as a role model for kids with his “Never Give Up” and “Rise Above Hate” slogans much like Hogan did with his “Eat Your Vitamins and Say Your Prayers” slogans. Also, much like Hogan, Cena has had rivalries with countless superstars over the years. You name a major superstar in the WWE, or recently retired from the WWE, and it’s more than likely that John Cena has feuded with them at some point. Not only has he feuded with them, but he has overcome them all, scoring at leats one major victory over them. The list of characters Cena has battled with over the years in incredibly long and includes superstars such as Batista, The Great Khali, Randy Orton, Edge, The Miz, and JBL, among others. He even had a short rivalry with Kevin Federline! Only in his most recent rivalry, against The Rock, has Cena failed to overcome the odds and defeat his challenger. That being said, it seems like the WWE is throwing its star player to the wolves these days. We are only in April and already he has been confronted with three major wrestlers: Kane, The Rock, and, most recently, Brock Lesnar, all of which have given him a run for his money unlike any other. So why would the WWE take a man that has brought so much success to the company and basically shove him in front of a moving bus? Well, there are a three legitimate reasons.

Though Cena has been such a positive influence on the WWE and WWE Universe alike, too much of a good thing eventually becomes tiring. Year after year we’ve seen Cena hogging the main event spotlight and, more often than not, doing nothing but winning. It was almost predictable at times watching his matches because you just knew he was going to win. Now it is perhaps time for Cena to be on the other end of the spectrum. Maybe it is now time for Cena to pass the torch to the next iconic superstar.

If John Cena is nearing a heel turn, which I am inclined to favor, then perhaps these series of unprecedented obstacles for Cena is a part of a slow path to villainy. As each impossible force reaches out to attack him, he may gradually become angrier and angrier which in turn will alter his personality completely. Since John Cena has been the “Superman” of the WWE for so long, a sudden change in character would not be realistic. He has to slowly give in to hatred and resentment for the fans in order to become a significant heel, and these rivalries with individuals that break him down is a way to do it. That being said, we may be on a path to see the reemergence of the arrogant, cocky "Dr. of Thuganomics".

The third reason I believe this series of events is good is similar to my first reason. By stacking the odds against Cena, his loyal fans are getting behind him more than ever. More than that, some members of the WWE Universe, including myself, are developing a newfound respect for John. That’s not to say I didn’t respect Cena before, but after his dedication to the WWE fans and the whole entity of the WWE itself, combined with the integrity he consistently shows (such as honorably admitting defeat by The Rock), has made me say hey, maybe Cena has hogged the spotlight and has been overused, but unlike his most recent rivals (Rock and Lesnar) he has stayed with the company and remained loyal to the fans and nature of the business for many years. Even though I am stoked to see Brock Lesnar back in the WWE, I feel like I have to favor John Cena simply because of his ethics and loyalty. So, in a nutshell, this sudden black cloud over Cena’s career has brought him more respect and more fans.

Any way you look at it, John Cena is and always will be one of the biggest names in professional wrestling. He has revolutionized the industry in ways that no other superstar ever has with fans, other wrestlers, and his support of the US military. For that you just have to respect him whether you love him or hate him. So, whether he becomes a heel or soon fizzles away, he has firmly established his place among the immortals and is a surefire Hall of Famer. Just remember the three words: "Hustle, Loyalty, Respect".