Something Vince, HHH, Bischoff, Heyman and many others understood. Whether you love or hated the wrestler/character in the ring as long as they're getting a genuine reaction and get people tuning in every week your doing your job right.
Lol k, look at the viewership numbers. People didn't tune in. They tuned out. Those 'genuine reactions' were the last cries of hard working die hard wrestling fans on the way out the door. But hey, at least they packed the (camera side of) arenas
That's bullshit. When the Rock was getting that same treatment they turned him heel to match the audience reaction. Wrestling always has been, and always will be an extremely racist genre of entertainment.
Or….hear me out. They’re not there to see John Cena because there’s more than one guy on that roster. What an idiotic argument. Say I’m a big Randy Orton fan and he’s in a current feud that is really heated and I enjoy and WWE finally comes to my town in my local arena and I get a chance to see that Orton feud play out in person, am I gonna not go just because I hate John Cena? Of course not, I’m still gonna go, but not to see Cena. To say that the entire arena is there to specifically see Cena is quite a stretch.
@@docproc144 Many people still went specifically to see Cena. Kids liked Cena and parents would bring them to see Cena. Half the Stadium loved Cena. Was the Lead Merch Seller for years. Cena quite literally ran the company
Whether you booed him or you cheered him you still saw him. You know what the real Kiss of Death for a wrestler is? Apathy. When the fans consider his presence in the ring as a good time to hit the bathroom or the concession stand, that's when it's time for him to go.
@@TEAMRED305 buddy the chairman of WWE Vince and triple h said that cena is the greatest WWE superstar of all time. So we should respect their words as they know business more than us.❤
When it's all said and done.. no matter how pure we wrestling fans are about everything else.. John Cena will be the only marquee to do it for more than 10 years straight at that level. Honestly... people my age (30+) continued to watch wrestling because of the hustle, the loyalty and the respect. He is the GOAT among GOATs.
When I was a fan I liked Cena. What I did not like is SO MUCH Cena. Like Cena was here, Cena was there, Cena was fucking everywhere. I also really liked other stars, and they werent getting enough attention at all. Only when CM Punk started getting some attention is when things started to get interesting. But I was already on my way out then.
There is a difference between getting booed as a reaction to your heelwork and getting booed because you are boring. When Roman was a face for a long time he was booe'ed because he was just a generic forced fed superman for us... now he gets booed because he is a genuine heel that can at times make you mad (like when he attacked Sami Zayn). So no.. not all reactions are good
Used to be a diehard wrestling fan since the In your House days when under taker wore the purple gloves but I lost interest during the Super Cena colorful shirts era. The writing just became lazy and predictable. Moved to MMA and never looked back
Don't gimme that the old saying goes you don't know what's good until it's gone and now seen as a part-timer if people pretty much begging for him to come back people do stop being so wishy-washy and make up their mind😅
One thing Vince knew was how to get people to watch. John Cena was a character and a huge personality. He did his part so well! Kids wanted to be him. He always kept us watching
@@athletes6724not entirely True. Steph gave Cena his new rap gimmick. But that wasn't what pushed him to be the face of WWE. When Austin retired, Kurt was taking time out, brock and rock left the business. All the big faces were either moving out, injured or retired. Vince asked the locker room if anyone can take up the position as the next baby face. And when everyone was standing silently, Cena stood up and asked to put the trust on him. And Vince started to push Cena as the baby face. What you are talking about takes place when cena's initial gimmick was bad and could have been kicked out.
@@chuch541 no he isn't. Shawn and Bret almost killed the wwf being the top guys who didn't draw before Austin came along. You should have said Austin or Rock if you were praising the attitude era
@@StoneColdJohnnySins1 Shawn Michaels was 10 times the performer in the ring that John Cena was. And he didn’t need to kick you out of 20 finishing maneuvers to do it. Furthermore, Shawn Michaels never performed in front of half empty arena’s, John Cena has. And now I give the final nail in the coffin. Yes, Sean, Michaels and Bret Hart struggled domestically when it came to the television viewership because they had competition, direct competition. John Cena was the top guy of WWE for a decade plus we’re half the audience disappeared, and there was no direct competition. So the product was so bad people would rather not watch wrestling, then watch him…. and you’re going to tell me that he’s better than Shawn or Bret? Who the hell are you trying to impress because it sure as hell isn’t me.
As a teenager I always wanted his physique. He didn't look like a bodybuilder, he looked like a ripped football player and that's the first time I remembered having the realization I wanted the physique of a athlete more than anything. I had Wrestlemania 22 on dvd and the special features had John doing his training with Barbell Back Squats, Front Squats Split Squats, Glute Ham Raises, Deadlift variations, Benching variations, OHP, Rowing, Power Cleans, Snatches, and weighted Pull ups and Dips. Almost everything was a compound movement and I remember him saying he hated Curls and isolation bodybuilding exercises. I was blown away, I had no idea there was a way to lift that wasn't bodybuilding and a way to organize the body to train other than the bodybuilding body part Split. John was somewhat tall at 6'1, for a wrestler a average height. But he was more stocky in his build than shorter guys like Benoit. And more cut up! When Big Show says John had the most control over you than any other wrestler and you felt the safest because John was that strong, then you know John is a beast.
John Cena is everything that Hulk Hogan claims to be. John sold tickets, was the man, and treated the business and his coworkers with respect. Edit: For those claiming that I'm "discrediting Hogan", I'm not. I'm just pointing out that others, like John Cena have been able to help the business without stopping the push of other wrestlers, going into business for themselves, and just being aholes in general.
Hey bull shifter what in the hell are you talkin about everything Hulk Hogan claims to be? What planet are you from and how old are you if it wasn't for Hulk Hogan making WRESTLING what it is today !! he's sold tons of merchandise sold-out Arenas and there are more positive stories about him than negative!! Please get a clue before you post anything moronic!
Cena was the reason i became a wwe fan in the first place when i was still a teenager. Started watching around 2006-2007 when Cena was still loved by adults too. I was still a Cena after he changed but still missed the old Cena from 2004-2007.
If that was the case, how come the pipe in cheers and edit out the boos and confiscated signs? I’m sorry, but when you’re announces have to constantly do damage control for you every single week that means you suck at your job.
And unfortunately, the WWE has done an incredible job of brainwashing a lot of you because if you tell a lie long enough and if you tell it well enough, it becomes fact. The whole reaction thing didn’t become a thing until he didn’t get the right reaction. Why wasn’t getting booed more than cheered good enough for Hogan who is a much bigger star at his peak in pro wrestling than John ever was? Why wasn’t it good enough for the rock? Who at his peak was a much bigger star than John was? All of these guys that when the crowd changed on them, they changed as well. It’s like you guys just forgot lol
@@darthdesidus4361 Exactly. Cena buried a lot of the stars and now people just forget and moved on. Now he comes back to put over younger stars so that people can say "Ohh Cena is putting young stars over" when he should have been doing that a long time ago. I always consider Taker and Orton the ACTUALL prp wrestling GOATs. Never used back stage politics, loyal to the company, High of praise from ex- Wrestlers, always willing to put ober younger stars (Orton lost to Jinder ffs!), Never went to Hollywood unlike... Cena, Reigns are the GOATs that Vince wanted them to be. Taker and Orton are the true Pro-Wrestling greats.
When he was super cena in his prime you knew that cena would be the face of wrestling for decades to come, his promo skills were inspirational and unforgettable he always had some sort of charisma that made u want him to win. Even when he did get booed.
John cena, Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton and Jeff hardy all these dudes help me fall in love with wrestling when I was a kid John’s a god damn legend I miss his uncensored era but he’s more then a wrestler he’s a brand now so it’s understandable he plays that pg role
@@leonidashitler4972 This is a bit far fetched but they could of had Cena be the leader of the new nWo and he was plotting to take over WWE for months. I think a reinvented nWo would have worked but Vince Mcmahon asked Cena about turning heel and he always refused so blame Cena. The thing about Cena is he has never changed never reinvented his character same old boring Cena, just look at Chris Jericho he reinvents himself all the time to stay relevant and fresh.
Maybe but Cena was a huge draw with kids. There’s no way he’d do a turn for business when he knew his branding and where his merch sales were coming from. That would’ve crushed him and he was the perfect transition out of the Attitude/ Invasion/ RA era into the PG era.
Cena in my opinion is the greatest superstar of all time because he carried wrestling when wrestling was not as cool.. After Rock and Austin and particularly after Guerrero and Benoit,, Those were the two toughest times Vince faced and who was the man through all that!!
@@thechamp30 No one would say he doesn't deserve it. Cena said he doesn't want to knock Ric Flair off that #1 spot, though. Sharing the record, sure. He won't take it, though.
I think if John Turned heel with a new look or like an anti-hero change like Sting did, people would be interested. And if he could switch his finishers for something else too that would help. Sometimes you have to destroy and rebuild to usher in a new era of interest
I think that wont happen. Maybe because Kids see cena as their hero and It will sure break their hearts. I think he is the only wrestler that didnt switch sides.
If they went the Sting route they Cena would have to come back to WWE full time for Atleast 1 year to build up that story and give him a decent rivalry. But that’s not happening. Not unless Cena’s acting career implodes and forces him out of Hollywood or if TKO pulls some crap. Sting turning into Crow Sting and feuding with the NWO was one of the best bookings in wrestling history. It’s why you praise sting now. In fact WCW’s creative energy probably all went into that. Cause WCW kind of started to plummet after that.
The issue that marks had with John wasn't _John himself_ - no one can claim that he is anything less than a great guy outside of Kayfabe; go look at Make A Wish. They didn't like Creative pushing him over everybody else. John is very kid friendly in character; that's why kids and women (generally) cheered him, vs. men booing him. But everyone can agree that whether he drew cheers or heat, he did it organically. That was the main problem with Roman in '14 and '15. Creative tried to recreate Super!Cena with him, but Roman didn't get over by himself. SHIELD, yes, but not by himself. Not yet at that point.
Old legends tweak it his characters every now and then and evolved. e.g. How many times the Rock, Stone cold, Undertaker changed from Heel to Babyface to tweener? Cena was not bad, but his superhero character got static for way too long .
Just think he was the last one to be called up from OVW, and he was going to be released that same year around Christmas time! Now Cena is the biggest household name in history! Not just in wrestling but, also in Hollywood
@@p-star7678 im a cena fan ever since he came in so I just wanted to be realistic but I can say 100% stone cold is the best of all time when you heard that glass break shit was over
Who in the hell are you kicking out to put him in? Hogan Austin Rock Andre, Savage, Undertaker, Shawn, Bret, Triple H, Foley, Angle, Lesnar. I didn’t even get into Bruno or Bob Backlund or superstar Billy Graham. John was the face of the decline of WWE’s popularity. The rest of the guys I mentioned were at the precipice of when they were exploding, or the most popular brand in the entire world eclipse in all sports and entertainment.
What Triple H won’t bring up is the fact that when you’re the top baby face, you’re not supposed to get booed. Guys like the hitman guys like the rock guys like hulk hogan for god sake’s proved that. Because when they got the wrong reactions for their character they changed. Furthermore, the only reason WWE got away with not changing him was because they had no direct competition that was threatening enough for them to tighten the belt like they did in the 80s and the 90s.
Exactly. Man, I have day dreams of what a hrel Cena would have bene like and the amazing storyline it would have brought. The emotion, the rage, the tears... maybe a hero gone stray, or corrupted, etc. So many posibilities. Having kids cry because rhey dont understand why their hero turned bad... and in so, brinfing in a new hero that whiops him straight. Then have a Cena redemption arc. Nothing sells more thn a redemption arc, and Cena couldnt have thar... because the last time he was a heel, he was Doctor of Thuganamics in 2003 and wasnt the top at anything back then 🤷🏻♂️
@@Cursedmanplays4631 professional wrestling is not difficult to understand. And the easiest way to dispel them on this particular. Subject is this; if people were allowed to get sick and tired of hulk, everyone else that came after him is fair game because there’s been nobody other than Steve Austin on the rock that even touches how over hulk hogan was.
@@Cursedmanplays4631 John being a bad guy would’ve been major business for them. And here’s why, the people that the crowd were actually behind could’ve gotten their time John would’ve been getting the right reaction for his character and if done correctly, you would’ve had an atmosphere on that show were you wouldn’t know what was shoot and what was work.
He was positioned as the top guy for 10 years and during that 10 years half the audience disappeared. The people booing him were telling you, “we don’t like him”. They went ignored so they changed the channel and didn’t come back.
@@darthdesidus4361 really. I didn’t noticed. I was a kid though. I cheered for him. So I guess what they said isn’t true. It doesn’t make sense why they kept him there is the audience disappeared. The real reason is that they went PG.
Love him or hate him, Cena was the single biggest star WWE found in the modern Era. He transformed wrestling and because one of the best of all time for it.
Thus Is the issue with say Austin Theory. Whether he’s a ‘dastardly’ heel or not, nobody cares what he’s doing. Nobody’s reacting. Where as with say Dominic Mysterio, his character work has come so far that people hang on EVERYTHING he does, to the point of peoples booing drowning out what he’s trying to say.
Cena was literally a tweener. That being said I feel that turning him heel would have been the biggest thing in wrestling since the nwo. Biggest missed opportunity since the invasion imo.
Cena carried the WWE on his back for years. They don't have a guy like that anymore so it's no wonder WWE isnt a big as it used to be. Reigns was supposed to be that guy but unfortunately hes only good at being a heel. Cody doesnt have the widespread appeal Cena did. He's undersized and his promos come off as very scripted.
Vince got tired of listening to the audience so he decided to do it he pleased, and as a result less people watched the show. John Cena fans will never say that because it ruins there image of him. He was trash, and everyone knows it.
@@Herbert_Rudolf sadly, it doesn’t matter that you think that. Millions of domestic viewers decided they would rather not watch wrestling, then watch his lame act. And if he was not as bad as I making him out to be, he wouldn’t have been so widely rejected, no matter where they went. They would even go to his home town, and he would get booed out of the building because his character wasn’t relatable, nor was it interesting or compelling. Furthermore, if what I’m saying isn’t true why would they edit out negative reactions piping positive ones and confiscate signs at the arena’s? These are all things that have been documented because they happened.
Definitely. Whether people want to admit it or not, i think HHH understands the business better than just about anyone. He knows what works and what fills seats, and I believe he learned A LOT from Vince over the years (back when Vince knew what he was doing as well, these days maybe not so much)
regardless of what you thought of him, there was a reaction or chants all the time when he was out there, especially when he had a mic in his hand. Always give the man his flowers “you’ll miss me when im gone”
i get the hate for the character, and some of the backstage politicing he did in the middle of his career, but even he's reflected on some of the bad decisions he made and is empathetic about most of it, you cant give Hogan the same credit (which cena is often compared to, being the "hogan of his era"). regardless of all of it though, he's got a literal world record for granting more "make-a-wish"'s than anyone on the planet! makes you realize doing that for that many kids, he's not really a bad guy, but probably let some of his popularity get to his head a bit early on, which is understandable. he's a genuinely stand up guy nowadays, im glad to have seen his evolution as a person over the years.
@@lancebrown5163 So they was selling a couple of people merch and John cena merch but somehow they was pushing John merch more? So if the fans was spending their money on John cena merch instead of the couple of peoples merch it wasn’t because they wanted Cena merch, it was because it was forced?
To bad Roman can't do the same. When people boo him it's because they legit don't want to see him. He's lost more than half the views cena used to bring.
He packed arenas and sold more merchandise because Vince was hesitant about making big stars and pushing them to the moon after Brock walked out. The only two guys who outsold Cena were Punk and Zack Ryder. Vince pushed Punk. Ryder got over on his own and we all know what happened after that.
The people who didn't like Cena and wanted him gone were sometimes their own worst enemy...they'd PAY to boo him out of the building and thus kept filling WWE's coffers. Not always the smartest of people.
Yeah but if you look back on Cena's Era unless you was 10 you pretty much thought it was Awful. John Cena was the Champion of the People from late 2003- mid 2005 then got Drafted to RAW which first off looking back he should have been Drafted in 2006 Not 2005 but when he did get Drafted it was like something was Off about him and by around SummerSlam of that year. We knew what it was, he had Sold Out in the back and gone Corporate cause Now he was Vince's Boy, he didn't Fight the System like Stone Cold did for years which is a Big Reason he got Over like he did, No Cena was part of what was Now Wrong with WWE with it's Corporate Yes Men and the people had Nobody to really cheer on RAW so if you take away Our Champion we are gonna root against him even if it's for Heels. By WWE standards except Money, Cena Failed, he was Booed as a BabyFace I've seen guys get demoted for less, and he got the Heel Cheered cause of his Heat of Selling Out but yet Vince kept pushing him down Our Throats for 10 Years. Cause when The Chain Gang started booing him WWE started pushing him towards Kids and Casual Fans people who knew Jack about Wrestling and called them the C-Nation but it worked I guess but that whole Era if you was a Chain Gang Fan kinda left a Bad Taste in your Mouth.
I had stopped watching wrestling around 1999 and what i can say as fact these 3 gentlemen brought me back as a fan well 4 if you count The Rock but mainly Trips Cena and Austin!
stopped watching because of Super Cena. When you mostly bury everyone and know who's gonna win, it gets old real quick. Respect him great for WWE but don't miss those certain Super Cena years
That's the thing. When someone is super popular, of course there are going to be more haters as well. It's just the way it goes. Same with anything that is popular.
Cena sold more merch because of hats, wristbands, a custom spinner belt for him (U.S and WWE championship), a marketing team behind him cause multiple colors sold to kids (don’t like red? Here’s a green cena shirt), and a trademark on his birth name. Other than that yeah John cena is the highest seller in merchandise
The best generation ever😂 those rey vs cena kids on RU-vid doing the finishers are still exciting! No one can do cena better than him. Roman is story based but the hype will die down look at this smackdown and night of champions crowd! They began the overhauling and are looking for someone else to cheer for which is not good for any wrestler and could mean that all the Roman hype is pointless.
