The Pressure Chamber
Hulk Hogan versus the Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania 6 presented a divide that only Hogan recognized heading into the event. Like the internment camps that held Japanese Americans during World War II, the championship that Warrior walked away with that night was a vehicle of injustice to its victims; they just did not know it at the time.
Heading into that match the Ultimate Warrior was the man. While my voice still is not the same since the countless hours I spent mimicking the Warrior, it was well worth it. The rope shaking, ripped muscles and make up were mimicked on playgrounds, at the time, more than the poses that have made Hulk Hogan famous. Instead of saying our prayers and eating our vitamins, the former Hulkamaniacs’ new source of power came when we tied rubber bands around our biceps to mimic the man with the blue championship belt to match our blood starved arms. A legend in the making he was called.
And only one man saw through the hype that was, to declare that this man was not in the business for the long haul. According to his biography, Hogan vehemently debated the idea of dropping the title to the Warrior. While Hulk was perceived as selfish and an egotistical maniac, he was onto something.
To be quite frank, what the fan wants is not always what is best for the fan.
Hulkamania was never the same after that defeat and the Ultimate Warrior was less than a consummate champion. The Ultimate Warrior’s title run was the first in many events that led the then WWF into a downward spiral. The pressure chamber crushed the Warrior; maybe all the way into an undiagnosed mental illness.
Enter John Cena.
While the weight of the world* may rest on another’s shoulders, the hopes and dreams of wrestling aficionados everywhere rests on his. The two previous WWE champions had good but not great runs. Eddie Guerrero felt the pressure in his championship run so much, that it was speculated that the demons that derailed his career earlier would resurface. JBL’s extended run was filled with moments that, many would say, would cross the line in a world that measures political correctness by the millisecond. But even with the seriousness that Eddie approached his run with and the lack of good judgment demonstrated by Bradshaw, little doubt was erased about the fact that Smackdown is nothing more than the water-boy on the varsity football team.
With the huge following Cena has obtained his rise is eerily similar to that of the Ultimate Warrior’s. With no Hogan in his way, the path has been cleared for John to clearly establish himself as a real player. But with his ascension to the throne over established draws like Kurt Angle, Booker T and Big Show the pressure is greater than even the champion may care to admit. Vince McMahon has invested heavily in the young star. The movie deal, CD release (which Cena claims earns only the WWE money, not himself), and championship run are all signs of confidence from the man upstairs but even that may not be enough.
John Cena has done little to distinguish himself as a great wrestler. While his mic skills are well established, his ability to entertain as a wrestler in the ring is comparable to GW Bush’s ability to speak polysyllabic words. Justification of this statement is in evident in the form of the answer to this question, “What John Cena match have you watched do you consider unforgettable?”
Exactly.
While this is not to evoke pessimistic feelings as to Cena’s future progression, fact is fact. How many times does Cena expect to draw a reaction from the crowd by pumping up his sneakers? Is he aware that the Harlem Shake, an urban dance favorite, which he uses in his Five Knuckle Shuffle is no longer “in style?”
All of the legendary champions have been able to create moments in the ring that will NEVER be forgotten. Hogan had his slam of Andre. Austin has his defeat of the Rock at Wrestlemania 15. HBK has the Screw Job as his eternal claim to fame. While Cena has the support of the fans in the live audience his legacy and the legitimacy of the WWE hang in the balance s we wait to see if he too can create a moment that the immortals must possess to become legendary. If that’s not pressure, you tell me what is.
Random Thoughts
How many bikini contests is Dawn Marie going to lose before she actually defeats Torrie?
Is it me or is anyone else expecting a Latino Superstar to come through the curtain when you hear Cena’s new entrance music?
Who makes the entrance music for Christian? With music like that it makes my uncoordinated ass want to shake.
* Read Will Hernandez’ Straight Out of NYC: Weight of the World in the column spotlight at thewrestlingvoice.com
