Ok so let me set the record straight first before you all run away and never read any of my columns again…I’m not a ‘Cenaholic’ but I think the points I’m going to make in this column will be deemed as controversial and as frowned upon by a large portion of the internet wrestling community as declaring an addiction to the drink and my admission of actually enjoying Cena’s work lately makes me feel like I’m standing in the infamous circle and confessing a deeply guarded taboo.
I have gone on record many times stating how much I dislike Cena’s character and his ring work but I’m starting to be swayed by the WWE Champion’s recent outings and this is something that has gradually crept up on me since WrestleMania.
As the points I make are likely to be picked apart by some of the readers I will try to stick to facts as much as possible. Cena has been (somewhat indirectly) responsible for some of the hottest crowds at RAW events and pay-per-views this year and I personally think that great crowds make a match seem better than it sometimes is. Remember the New Year’s Revolution crowd? What about the WrestleMania audience during Cena’s match with Triple H? Who can forget the reaction Cena received at ECW One Night Stand? The irony is that the reaction Cena received at the aforementioned events would make you think he was one of the top heels in the history of the business when in reality he is a babyface with a lot of heat from the smarter section of the WWE fan base. Recently on RAW the crowd has been really into his matches and his interactions with Edge. While working with the Rated R Superstar, it has to be said – and this part is purely opinion – that Cena’s matches have been much crisper and have been story telling matches…an art that at times seems lost amongst many of the modern day wrestling fraternity.
My two favourite types of matches are, firstly, great chain wrestling matches like Finlay v Regal (at the Great American Bash, I think) or the kind of matches Angle and Benoit used to produce when they wrestled each other. Second to that I love to see a story being told in the ring…something that the four men mentioned above are also great at. Bret Hart was someone who could go to the ring and tell a great story simply by putting the right moves in the correct point of the match, Ric Flair in his prime was similar as were his fellow NWA Champions Dusty Rhodes and Harley Race and The Rock and Steve Austin were also great at it in my opinion. Some of the (few) guys still wrestling today in WWE who are capable of doing the same thing are Triple H and Shawn Michaels. Cena, against Triple H at Mania and particularly in his feud with Edge, has gone out and told stories in his matches. A large amount of credit must go the guys mentioned for telling the story with Cena but it isn’t ‘all them’; Cena has more than played his part.
The smart fans don’t like him for whatever reason and I have always agreed in the past but people need to forget about the fact he has a poor finisher or the fact that his character is largely based on the once successful 80s formula…something which I think Cena is evolving away from gradually. He may not have a move that fans pop for like the 619, the stunner, sweet chin music or the people’s elbow but his promo skills have improved since he stopped rapping, his catch phrases or used a lot less and I think his matches are telling stories which many of the more favoured wrestlers such as RVD, Sabu, etc don’t do. They base their matches on spot, spot, spot where Cena, along with Edge for most of 2006, have chose where and when to insert their key spots to maximise crowd reactions and illicit a response from the fans.
Whether you agree with me – doubtful – or whether you don’t, you might as well accept it because John Cena is going to be around in his current spot for a long, long time.
Fye-nally, I’ve got that confession off my chest and I feel much better for it…until you all slate me in your feedback!
fye@wrestle-zone.co.uk
