WWE WrestleMania 41 is just a few days away, and the match set to headline night 2 will see (arguably) the greatest of all time, John Cena, lock horns with The American Nightmare and current WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes. This year’s Elimination Chamber PLE saw the 16-time world champion do the unthinkable when he cheap-shotted Rhodes and aligned himself with The Final Boss, The Rock. Since then, Cena has been serenaded with chants of “John Cena sucks” every time he’s made a WWE appearance.
As hard as it might be to believe for those of us who grew up during the 2000s and 2010s, the once-beloved superhero who encouraged kids to show hustle, loyalty, respect, and never quit has now flipped the script. In his final year as an active wrestler, John Cena has become WWE’s ultimate villain.
Alas, the guy who used to be a role model for the masses will now saunter into the Showcase of Immortals as a bitter, broken, and vengeful vet, motivated by exacting what can only be assumed as his own perceived form of justice. Nowadays, Cena claims the WWE universe has done nothing but “steal” and “take” from him during his 20-plus-year tenure.
At this year’s WrestleMania, John Cena has the opportunity to take something from the WWE fans: the prestigious WWE Championship. Will he walk out of WrestleMania 41 as the record-setting 17th world champion?
Read this article to find out why it might not be such a bad thing if he does.
John Cena Gets To Pass The Torch
Whether you love him or hate him, John Cena has held the title of the face of WWE for many years. You probably won’t hear anyone call him the greatest technical wrestler of all time but, when it comes to cutting promos or ripping someone on the mic, Big Match John is second to no one.
It’s that impeccable timing and delivery mixed with an unrivaled amount of charisma that makes him one of the greats. Safe to say that same charisma has made it a lot easier for Cena to cross over into Hollywood.
You’d be hard-pressed nowadays to find someone who hasn’t seen John Cena on a McDonald’s commercial, heard a voiceover, or saw a feature film with him in it. While it might get tiring to tune into SmackDown week after week and not be graced with the presence of one of the world titleholders, Cena being MIA every other week as WWE Champion may force the company to put the spotlight on a popular up-and-coming star.
A star who could eventually defeat Cena for the title and solidify said WWE Superstar as a pretty big deal.
WrestleMania 41 Massive Media Attention and Crossover Appeal
For anyone who may not know, WrestleMania 41 is not scheduled to be the event in which John Cena has his last match. That won’t come until December of this year.
That said, there’s no bigger stage for WWE than WrestleMania. If WWE wants to capitalize on Cena’s newfound heat with the fans, their grandest stage would make for the perfect setting.
Conclusion
So, will John Cena make history at WrestleMania 41? Only time will tell. It’s no secret that Cena’s peak days are long behind him, and his title as the face of WWE now belongs to WWE Superstars like Cody Rhodes.
Still, this doesn’t mean his newfound foe doesn’t have a few tricks up his sleeve. Remember, this isn’t the John Cena we know and have grown to respect. The American Nightmare is facing a bitter and desperate man in dire need of a history-making 17th title win.
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