Where do you rank John Cena historically?

[dbp]

In terms of impact/legacy, I'll definitely saw top 4 or 5. Probably a lock for #4 after the big 3.

The thing with John is... I feel like he has the track record of being a draw for a long ass period, but he's missing those historic moments and top calibre matches.

Rock and Austin were much better workers than Hogan, but at least Hogan had the Andre bodyslam, the NWO turn, the match with Rock.... these iconic moments in wrestling.

What does Cena really have like that? He doesn't have an Austin 3:16 moment, passed out in the sharpshooter 5 star match moment.

He's always been missing that in my view. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Roman Brady]

In terms of impact/legacy, I'll definitely saw top 4 or 5. Probably a lock for #4 after the big 3.

The thing with John is... I feel like he has the track record of being a draw for a long ass period, but he's missing those historic moments and top calibre matches.

Rock and Austin were much better workers than Hogan, but at least Hogan had the Andre bodyslam, the NWO turn, the match with Rock.... these iconic moments in wrestling.

What does Cena really have like that? He doesn't have an Austin 3:16 moment, passed out in the sharpshooter 5 star match moment.

He's always been missing that in my view. Correct me if I'm wrong.

To play devils advocate probably f-uing big show like he was a sack of potatoes. And that pop he got that one royal rumble where he was suppose to be injured irl but made an unannounced entry

 

[mannyrs13]

At first I was thinking maybe 6-10, but then as I read thru more names kept popping up. I don't know if he'll even crack the top 30. I didn't experience his whole run but from what I've seen, he seems to wrestle the same style of match every time and has repetitive promo skills. What hurt him was the need to push him as the top guy without him having the natural charisma to seize it. He seems like he tries too hard. A heel run would've helped him out atleast to switch things up. Feel like he's just been coasting.

 

[LiveFromLondon]

No one carried the biggest wrestling company in the entire world for as long as he did, or even NEARLY as long as he did.

We're talking like 12 years as main event, drawing fans, selling merch, putting on great matches.

In that way he was more important than Hogan, Austin or anyone else EVER.

But his impact was not as big as guys like Hogan, Austin, as while they didn't do it as long, they grew the product bigger.

Cena carried the company for a decade +, he helped build the Netowork era

Discounting his match quality, it's hard to argue against him as a top 10 guy all time. An absurdly long reign on top, with multiple record breaking years.

For comparison sake, here are the amount of televised matches after winning the title the first time that Hogan, Austin, and Rock had as leaders of the company:

Steve Austin: 158
Hulk Hogan: 212
The Rock: 320

John Cena has 557. While working a more demanding style, working more house shows, doing more media appearances and charity work than any talent in any company. Literally the most Make A Wish wishes granted of ANYONE in the history of the charity. John Cena has more matches in just WWE than Steve Austin and The Rock have COMBINED for their entire careers. He also has more matches than Hogan's 30+ year career. In 17 years. And for 12 of those 17, he was the undisputed top guy of WWE, leading to a few years bigger than what Hogan, Austin, or Rock did.

He's for sure on WWE's Mount Rushmore.

Most balanced well written posts

 

[LiveFromLondon]

if we're going to fairly access Cena

 

[Wacky D]

I see that the people who have cena in their top 5 or top 15 are marks making generic WWE-brainwashed lists.

and they prolly grew up on cena. lol.

 

[Rarely-Wrong Liggins]

The fact that he was able to survive and thrive in such a watered down era makes him one of the GOATs. Steve Austin, the Rock, HBK, Jake the Snake, Bret Hart, Randy Savage etc would not have existed in this era. They could not exist in this era. Ultimately what could they become with such a filter and an increasingly senile Vince? Most of the top tier benefited from being in a certain era. This has been one of the worst eras and Cena managed to work through it. If you notice, most main event wrestlers don't expand their characters if they are of a certain alignment, heel or face. The most notable exception Chris Jericho. The biggest opportunity for a character change is a heel turn/face turn. Cena was never allowed to be a heel again so what could he really do? His character was locked in to sell merch and pander to children.

 

[Roman Brady]

The fact that he was able to survive and thrive in such a watered down era makes him one of the GOATs. Steve Austin, the Rock, HBK, Jake the Snake, Bret Hart, Randy Savage etc would not have existed in this era. They could not exist in this era. Ultimately what could they become with such a filter and an increasingly senile Vince? Most of the top tier benefited from being in a certain era. This has been one of the worst eras and Cena managed to work through it. If you notice, most main event wrestlers don't expand their characters if they are of a certain alignment, heel or face. The most notable exception Chris Jericho. The biggest opportunity for a character change is a heel turn/face turn. Cena was never allowed to be a heel again so what could he really do? His character was locked in to sell merch and pander to children.

 

[R=G]

Lol. If he was truly great, he would of done what Rock, Austin, and Goldberg did. Draw money. He was pushed as if he did. Lol. And everything suffered for it.

 

[R=G]

I see that the people who have cena in their top 5 or top 15 are marks making generic WWE-brainwashed lists.

and they prolly grew up on cena. lol.

Some maniac said hes Mount Rushmore with Austin, Hogan, and Flair. Something like that Over Rock..a man who saved Monday Night Raw time and time again. Over Andre...the WM 3 icon himself. Over Randy Savage..the all time best performer Cena is above them all

Cena blew up on the Rock's show...how can he ever be an equal? He's not even seen as better than Angle all time yet alone Rock or Eddie Guerrero.

 

[Rarely-Wrong Liggins]

Lol. If he was truly great, he would of done what Rock, Austin, and Goldberg did. Draw money. He was pushed as if he did. Lol. And everything suffered for it.

They were part of the biggest boom in wrestling history. Which started because WCW and later WWE moved away from the hokey programming that was prevalent in the early 90s in both promotions. Had those three come up in this era we'd still have "Ringmaster" Steve Austin, "Blue Chipper" Rocky Miavia and Issac Yankem DDS, well, maybe not him but Kane would just be a random monster heel going by the name Abadede Slocumb.

 

[R=G]

They were part of the biggest boom in wrestling history. Which started because WCW and later WWE moved away from the hokey programming that was prevalent in the early 90s in both promotions. Had those three come up in this era we'd still have "Ringmaster" Steve Austin, "Blue Chipper" Rocky Miavia and Issac Yankem DDS, well, maybe not him but Kane would just be a random monster heel going by the name Abadede Slocumb.

The biggest boom in wrestling came because fans cheered anti heroes big time by the 96-98 era. Goldberg had the Tyson thing going..Austin was ULTRA entertaining..the Nwo were winners..Sting was the REAL LONE WOLF..and the Rock was the villain everyone loved to hate ala Dr. Doom. That's being transcendent. Being legendary. Cena doesn't have that in him. It was believed in 04 and 05, under the rapper gimmick, that he might have had those type of energies to him but he's way too complacent and tows the line too much. The Austin podcast after fans turned on his match with Blandy at Rumble 2014..this guy sounded like sociopath. He could not answer why the fans shytted on his match and cheered for Bryan and for the Divas and all of that's. Just another sorry weak Republican trying to keep his name on top and spinning when he can't comprehend how things are played out.

 

[dbp]

Lol. If he was truly great, he would of done what Rock, Austin, and Goldberg did. Draw money. He was pushed as if he did. Lol. And everything suffered for it.

Yup this is true. Also begs the question, what's more impressive? A better peak, but shorter career? Or a longer 'good' career but crappier peak?

Goldberg and Austin were hot as can be, but their runs were pretty short compared to Cena. Rock's was longer but still short compared to Cena.

 

[reigun]

Mix up your c and s, brehs

 

[Wacky D]

Yup this is true. Also begs the question, what's more impressive? A better peak, but shorter career? Or a longer 'good' career but crappier peak?

Goldberg and Austin were hot as can be, but their runs were pretty short compared to Cena. Rock's was longer but still short compared to Cena.

wrestling isn't a sport where you stick around longer than you have to, if you have other opportunities on the table.
these guys could've did a lot more if they wanted, but Goldberg & rock didn't have to. Austin got hurt.
if cena, reached their level, he prolly would be part-time at this point himself.

secondly, most of cena's run is dependent on the WWE pushing him to the moon. dude is the most rejected superstar ever, altho roman reigns is coming for that title.
to even compare cena with those guys is laughable.

Some maniac said hes Mount Rushmore with Austin, Hogan, and Flair. Something like that Over Rock..a man who saved Monday Night Raw time and time again. Over Andre...the WM 3 icon himself. Over Randy Savage..the all time best performer Cena is above them all

Cena blew up on the Rock's show...how can he ever be an equal? He's not even seen as better than Angle all time yet alone Rock or Eddie Guerrero.

i think most of the people going hard for cena, got into wrestling in the mid-2000s or later, and most of them prolly just watched the WWE on top of that.