John Cena's time at the top

[Dukelorange]

Not everyone in the WWE can be a star. In any business, you have a pyramid. Every story has a supporting cast. Granted, the WWE has dropped the ball on some cult favorites, I don't think Fandango is WWE Champ material.

But I think all the wrestlers need some rupee of backstory.

[Jazzy Foot]

Originally Posted by Dukelorange Not everyone in the WWE can be a star. In any business, you have a pyramid. Every story has a supporting cast. Granted, the WWE has dropped the ball on some cult favorites, I don't think Fandango is WWE Champ material. But I think all the wrestlers need some rupee of backstory.

The problem no matter how many storylines you give these guys (and girls) some of them just aren't any good and are not worthy of taking up air time on Raw, Smackdown or the PPVs.

It's one thing keeping a backlog of stars it's another giving them false hope in think they will eventually become a top draw when the reality is they won't.

Kofi Kingston was one of those guys and for a time it seemed like he would make the breakthrough with IC title reigns, Elimination Chamber appearances and notable Royal Rumble stints but he didn't.


Dolph Ziggler whilst I would never suggest ditching is another with whom I am not sure what exactly WWE want to do with him in the longrun. Will he get WWE title shots, will he win the WWE title one day? Whilst already established in his own right could he effectively step into Daniel Bryan's shoes should the latter have to call it a day due to injury etc?

How many times can WWE keep relying on part-times, retired superstars, The Rock etc coming back for a promo just to keep the fans entertained? Yes it's good to see these guys every now and then and the fans will always cheer for them but FFS their time has come and gone. Focus on what's here and now and push them.

Otherwise it's a case of "look you guys aren't that great but here's someone who is, The Rock and he's coming back tonight to get on the mic and show you all why you aren't in his league".

It honestly feels like the England fans (myself included) he keep going on about winning the world cup in 1966 despite never coming anywhere near as close since (except in 1990) and living in that bubble.

I honestly feel WWE themselves are still trapped in a bubble or have stagnated somewhat. A bit like how Bischoff and WCW tried over and over again to flog the dead NWO horse to the point it drove WCW out of business (in and amongst other factors).

[Rammsteinmad]

Originally Posted by Jazzy Foot The problem no matter how many storylines you give these guys (and girls) some of them just aren't any good and are not worthy of taking up air time on Raw, Smackdown or the PPVs. It's one thing keeping a backlog of stars it's another giving them false hope in think they will eventually become a top draw when the reality is they won't. Kofi Kingston was one of those guys and for a time it seemed like he would make the breakthrough with IC title reigns, Elimination Chamber appearances and notable Royal Rumble stints but he didn't. Dolph Ziggler whilst I would never suggest ditching is another with whom I am not sure what exactly WWE want to do with him in the longrun. Will he get WWE title shots, will he win the WWE title one day? Whilst already established in his own right could he effectively step into Daniel Bryan's shoes should the latter have to call it a day due to injury etc? How many times can WWE keep relying on part-times, retired superstars, The Rock etc coming back for a promo just to keep the fans entertained? Yes it's good to see these guys every now and then and the fans will always cheer for them but FFS their time has come and gone. Focus on what's here and now and push them. Otherwise it's a case of "look you guys aren't that great but here's someone who is, The Rock and he's coming back tonight to get on the mic and show you all why you aren't in his league". It honestly feels like the England fans (myself included) he keep going on about winning the world cup in 1966 despite never coming anywhere near as close since (except in 1990) and living in that bubble. I honestly feel WWE themselves are still trapped in a bubble or have stagnated somewhat. A bit like how Bischoff and WCW tried over and over again to flog the dead NWO horse to the point it drove WCW out of business (in and amongst other factors).

Pretty much been saying this for the last few years now. Would love to see a Wrestlemania where 86% of the card isn't taken up by the same handful of guys who've been taking up all the time for the last five/six years.

There's gonna be a day when WWE can't rely on Triple H, Undertaker, Sting, Lesnar, Rock etc... who's gonna be the mainstream names then? Dolph Ziggler? Cesaro? Barrett?

[Jazzy Foot]

Originally Posted by Rammsteinmad Pretty much been saying this for the last few years now. Would love to see a Wrestlemania where 86% of the card isn't taken up by the same handful of guys who've been taking up all the time for the last five/six years. There's gonna be a day when WWE can't rely on Triple H, Undertaker, Sting, Lesnar, Rock etc... who's gonna be the mainstream names then? Dolph Ziggler? Cesaro? Barrett?

I think that day has come. Triple H and Undertaker are as good as retired and will come out for the one match. The former I suspect will not make a huge deal out of retiring completely given his continuing on-screen and admin role whereas the latter probably will as once he hangs up his boots, Taker will appear infrequently on WWE programming I suspect.

I don't think Sting will, should or would want the same sort of retirement fanfare he'd have preferred to have done that in a still existent WCW i.e. somewhere he was literally part of the furniture. This feels very much like a big star playing a stint in Vegas or a visiting professor from Cambridge at Princeton post-retirement.


Checking their ages Barrett, Bryan, Ziggler, Amrbose, Wyatt, Rollins and Reigns are all in the same age bracket and Caesaro so pushing these guys would make sense.


Again The Rock won't formally retire, he essentially has done so but only comes back as and when WWE needs him.

Never been a huge Lesnar fan and that stems from my hatred towards him during his first stint in WWE, I always think of how terrible his match with Goldberg was at WM XX. And was not convinced of his commitment until he decided to retire from UFC/MMA and sign a long-term deal with WWE. Even still I never viewed him in the same bracket as the likes of The Rock, Stone Cold, HBK, Cena or even Foley and dare I say it the Undertaker and I am still hugely pissed off and angry it was decided for him to be the one to end the streak as this would have been perfect for Sting.


WWE's talent pool is nothing compared to 20 or even 10 years ago and as I said there may well not be any harm in showing certain individuals the exit door and bring the NXT ranks up to the main roster.


I also wouldn't suspect that if any of those released stars went to say TNA, that TNA would provide any level of competition besides could they afford all the talents?


The only individual I could see boosting TNA ratings would be Cena himself. He wouldn't have to change his name or persona as obviously John Cena is his real name and attention to detail, he owns the rights to his theme song (I believe?) so it would effectively just be a transition and would bring a number of fans.

However the likelihood of that ever happening is about as high as man landing on the sun.

[DAMN iNATOR]

Originally Posted by Jazzy Foot However the likelihood of that ever happening is about as high as man landing on the sun.

Yeah, but we all know how Cena just loves to overcome the odds!

[Ruien]

Originally Posted by Rammsteinmad Pretty much been saying this for the last few years now. Would love to see a Wrestlemania where 86% of the card isn't taken up by the same handful of guys who've been taking up all the time for the last five/six years. There's gonna be a day when WWE can't rely on Triple H, Undertaker, Sting, Lesnar, Rock etc... who's gonna be the mainstream names then? Dolph Ziggler? Cesaro? Barrett?

They are TRYING to make Bray Wyatt the next super natural type of guy. We all know Roman Reigns is the future of the WWE and Rollins seems to have a bright future in the WWE. It looks like the day is coming sooner than later that the guys they normally rely on won't be there and they are finally having other superstars grow.

[#1-norm-fan]

Originally Posted by Ruien They are TRYING to make Bray Wyatt the next super natural type of guy.

I kinda hope they aren't trying. If this is them trying, the future is very bleak. Take out John Cena and there's no match you can make using the full-time roster that is remotely ready to pack a stadium for WrestleMania. A couple years of setting the precedent that the new wave of guys, as they are now, are the face of WrestleMania and the aura that draws people to the "Super Bowl of wrestling" will dwindle really fucking fast.

[BigCrippyZ]

Originally Posted by #1-wwf-fan I kinda hope they aren't trying. If this is them trying, the future is very bleak. Take out John Cena and there's no match you can make using the full-time roster that is remotely ready to pack a stadium for WrestleMania. A couple years of setting the precedent that the new wave of guys, as they are now, are the face of WrestleMania and the aura that draws people to the "Super Bowl of wrestling" will dwindle really fucking fast.

Agreed. If this is them trying, then we (as fans) and they (as a company/business) are all fucked.

If that were to happen do you think Vince would be willing (ego-wise) to go back to having WM at smaller "big" venues like MSG instead of the huge stadiums they've been running WM in for years now?

[Rammsteinmad]

Originally Posted by #1-wwf-fan I kinda hope they aren't trying. If this is them trying, the future is very bleak. Take out John Cena and there's no match you can make using the full-time roster that is remotely ready to pack a stadium for WrestleMania. A couple years of setting the precedent that the new wave of guys, as they are now, are the face of WrestleMania and the aura that draws people to the "Super Bowl of wrestling" will dwindle really fucking fast.

This is why IMO it's a case of all-or-nothing.

All the big names that make Wrestlemania "special" fuck off the next night. Leaving the rest of the roster to pick up the scraps and scrape the company through the mud the rest of the year. This is partly why I believe nobody gives a fuck about so many guys on the roster. Besides inconsistent booking, and people being used one month, then being gone the next etc, ultimately, they all play second fiddle to the "part timers".

I don't know shit about running million-dollar companies, but I know what I like to see, and seeing as WWE was originally built on risks, now's the time to take another big one.

WWE has enough guys on the roster that are over, that can go in the ring, can put together a good enough promo, and ultimately can "deliver the goods". Rather than focusing on big-name part-timers and appealing to every demographic (R-Truth at Wrestlemania 31), WWE should focus on booking the absolute best card they can. Using todays roster. Have one match to bring in the superstar value, maybe Brock Lesnar vs. The Rock, and then have the rest of the matches using the top guys today.

The whole world is watching when it comes to Wrestlemania. With the right matches, fans will be entertained, the live audience will be entertained which will make for a great televised product. And the next night on Raw, anyone who did tune in to Wrestlemania and enjoyed it, won't be disappointed when they tune in the next night and Triple H, Undertaker, Lesnar, Rock etc are gone.

Remember, all the way from Wrestlemania 1 to the Attitude Era to even now, Wrestlemania always made itself with the top stars of the day. Triple H, The Rock, Undertaker have more than had their fair share of Wrestlemanias. I'm sick of seeing 80% of the biggest show of the year always going to the same handful of guys.