Where do you rank John Cena historically?

[TNC]

Cena has a long run on top but that alone is indicative of a weak era.

Cena stayed on top because there was no one else that could pick up the slack. In the 80s and Attitude Era you had several guys clawing at the top to grab that spot. Austin grabbed the spot as soon as Bret stepped away for a bit, Rock and Foley grabbed the spot as soon as Austin went away for a bit, Taker, HHH, Jericho and Angle were right on their heels.


Cena’s biggest threats for top spot were CM Punk who came 7 years into Cenas reign and Randy fukking Orton, a borderline racist and chronic fukk up who had everything handed to him even more than Cena and still managed to be an also-ran the bulk of his career.

 

[julesocean]

To be brutally honest, if you take away the big feuds he's had, and put in some mid-carders who never got those chances, but you know for a fact are a better performer and talent than Cena, I would not even put him in my top 100.

To me, his gimmicks have been very bland (and don't try to tell me thuganomics was great, just because it was better than his current shtick). His in-ring wrestling is very poor. His look actually is worse than a CAW from video games. He is great on the mic though. But that doesn't make up for everything else.

The company pushed him, and he did everything he could to honor WWE's commitment to him. He grinded media appearances, and built his celeb up, and he gets respect for that. BUT GRADING HIM AS A WRESTLER, I just don't enjoy him enough to be in my top 100 of ALL TIME.

 

[puppetmaster]

That's kinda what keeps him out of my top 10, he's worked opponents of every style and definitely has longevity, but his character didn't evolve much in the last decade, probably still cracks the top 20 all things considered

Yep.

It's that he was capable that makes it hard to not hold it against him. It's Vince's fault for keeping him on the "safe" path but still

for instance obviously I'm a Sting die hard but I can look back objectively and admit he didn't have a sustainable heel run in him once he became a top guy, the man/character was too noble

(sting was around 30 years in them southern rasslin terrories and there's no one stepping up saying he said or did horrible things to folks the way a lot of his peers do)

There's a certain "mean" switch Sting just wouldn't be able to trigger routinely if he had to like Ricky Steamboat

Cena has that gear, you can see it clear as day.

he angers audiences with smirks and subtleties. Imagine if he was able to be overt in riling up crowds.

Yes if he was allowed the same room to move on the mic as a heel that he has a a baby it would kill the Cena sucks chants and have him a babyface again within a year but he'd have been an all time great heel

 

[R=G]

Cena has a long run on top but that alone is indicative of a weak era.

Cena stayed on top because there was no one else that could pick up the slack. In the 80s and Attitude Era you had several guys clawing at the top to grab that spot. Austin grabbed the spot as soon as Bret stepped away for a bit, Rock and Foley grabbed the spot as soon as Austin went away for a bit, Taker, HHH, Jericho and Angle were right on their heels.


Cena’s biggest threats for top spot were CM Punk who came 7 years into Cenas reign and Randy fukking Orton, a borderline racist and chronic fukk up who had everything handed to him even more than Cena and still managed to be an also-ran the bulk of his career.

What do u think..u think he makes top 20?

 

[TNC]

What do u think..u think he makes top 20?

I'm willing to give him top 25, but I'd have to force it to put him anything above #18 personally.

Out of all "the guys" of the industry, he has the least amount of memorable moments, promos, matches and presence of anyone. Which is shocking because I can legitimately say I witnessed and was around for Cena's entire career. All his most memorable stuff had to do with him just being around while someone else (Rock, Punk, Edge, Bryan, etc.) stepped up for the memorable moment. Also all his best matches consist of "did you see how ______ carried him to a classic!" or "Cena has really improved!" instead of we trust this guy to put on a clinic every time.


I'd sort of describe Cena as utility guy that carried the load when no one else could, which deserves some respect, but not GOAT contention.

 

[R=G]

I'm willing to give him top 25, but I'd have to force it to put him anything above #18 personally.

Out of all "the guys" of the industry, he has the least amount of memorable moments, promos, matches and presence of anyone. Which is shocking because I can legitimately say I witnessed and was around for Cena's entire career. All his most memorable stuff had to do with him just being around while someone else (Rock, Punk, Edge, Bryan, etc.) stepped up for the memorable moment. Also all his best matches consist of "did you see how ______ carried him to a classic!" or "Cena has really improved!" instead of we trust this guy to put on a clinic every time.


I'd sort of describe Cena as utility guy that carried the load when no one else could, which deserves some respect, but not GOAT contention.

He's not bigger than life

 

[Dreamzeedream]

hogan of this era without the

He's a better in ring worker

 

[R=G]

He's a better in ring worker

Is he? Hogan has the bigger and more respected matches

 

[Dreamzeedream]

Is he? Hogan has the bigger and more respected matches[/QUOTE]


True. But you gotta look at the opponents Hogan faced vs the ones cena faced

 

[Kunty McPhuck]

True. But you gotta look at the opponents Hogan faced vs the ones cena faced

Hogan carrying Warrior > Any match in Cena's career.

 

[cartierhoe]

He's not in my personal top 10 but I think he is objectively atleast top 20. Guys are right about how his character never really grew after he left his rapper schtick. That hurts his chances of being one of the all time greats.


I still wonder where would Cena be today had Brock just decided to play ball, damn one of those things in wrestling we'll never know.

 

[Dreamzeedream]

Hogan carrying Warrior > Any match in Cena's career.

Nah. That's not better the cena&HBK matches

 

[Kunty McPhuck]

Nah. That's not better the cena&HBK matches

The Hoegan/Warrior had no right to be as good as it was, considered the people involved. Secondly it was seen as passing of the torch between the old and new guard at the time. Cena/Michaels wasn't even the most talked about match on WM23 card. Also it had no meaning to it apart from being another Cena win, as he already came in as Champ the exact same thing that happened the year before when he beat HHH. And the Raw match from London, an excellent TV match, better then Hoegan/Warrior, nope.

 

[Jmare007]

Austin
Hogan
Bruno
Rock

*blank*

Cena

I'm too lazy to make a fair assessment of hm in ring. All time he's probably top 50, only in WWE probably top 10.

 

[mrken12]

When people are saying top 10, do they mean top 10 to ever work for WWE?