The problem with John Cena

[Guest saturnmark4life]

He sucks. Naw, i jest, the main thing that bugs me is that he's being booked as only able to beat people with a fluke. If they're gonna push the guy as one of the next stars he can't just keep doing that. At least sting had a few trademark moves to beat people with. i've no doubt he can roll off a few effing moves that could be credible finishers if he's on wwe tv, so get him some. Mind you, billy and chuck have approximately 2 moves between them...

[Guest Incandenza]

My main problem with John Cena is that he's a very bland, generic wrestler. The guy performs what he does well enough, but his moveset is too vanilla. He may improve in time, but right now he's a Nagata lock away from being the next Val Venis.

[Guest El Psycho Diablo]

He's been in the WWE how long now, less than two months?

 

If they can't figure out characters for people that have BEEN THERE for years, why are you suprised that somebody new dosen't have one?

 

Give it time.

[Guest Insane Bump Machine]

My main problem with John Cena is that he's a very bland, generic wrestler. The guy performs what he does well enough, but his moveset is too vanilla. He may improve in time, but right now he's a Nagata lock away from being the next Val Venis.

see also: Orton, Randy

[Guest Incandenza]

My main problem with John Cena is that he's a very bland, generic wrestler. The guy performs what he does well enough, but his moveset is too vanilla. He may improve in time, but right now he's a Nagata lock away from being the next Val Venis.

see also: Orton, Randy

This isn't saying much, but at least Randy Orton has that huge flying crossbody to make him stand out. What does Cena have? A powerbomb variation? Feh, Venis has a powerbomb variation, too.

[Guest Kibagami]

Cena had some cool stuff in UPW with his Prototype gimmick- lots of suplex and powerbomb variations...I think one of them was a really bizarre suplex to side slam to a powerbomb. It's just a matter of getting him comfortable with a microphone and giving him a better finisher than a frickin' roll-up...

 

S.

[Guest Spaceman Spiff]

Cena had some cool stuff in UPW with his Prototype gimmick- lots of suplex and powerbomb variations...I think one of them was a really bizarre suplex to side slam to a powerbomb. It's just a matter of getting him comfortable with a microphone and giving him a better finisher than a frickin' roll-up...

 

S.

It's too bad that we'll most likely never get to see those in a WWE ring.

[Guest PlatypusFool]

Well now he's having to WORK THE WWE STYLE BY GAWD, no good moves for him.

 

The guy performs what he does well enough, but his moveset is too vanilla. He may improve in time, but right now he's a Nagata lock away from being the next Val Venis.

 

See also, Storm, Lance...

 

... If Storm didn't have the anti-american gimmick he'd be just as fucked as Cena or Orton.

[Guest Kibagami]

This is true. I mean, if we're going to job Jericho down to hell and back, we don't want to waste valuable TRANSITION moves on it, much less something of FINISHER quality. Let's schoolboy him from now 'till Summerslam. Lord knows we've got to get Maven heat from SOMEWHERE.

 

S.

[Guest Brian]

Dude, Venis is awesome when you let him go.

[Guest alfdogg]

Cena's dropkick owns, and he is more over than what you hear on TV. I was in Indianapolis for SD, so I know this. His "only winning by fluke" line is because the WWE doesn't have the nuts to job anyone decisively (i.e. TEST) without letting them have their heat back immediately after.

[Guest Just call me Dan]

He should find decent attire while he's at it. Truly Vanilla.

[Guest bob_barron]

The problem with him is-

THE GAY SLAP OF DEATH

[Guest RicFlairGlory]

Cena's dropkick owns, and he is more over than what you hear on TV. I was in Indianapolis for SD, so I know this. His "only winning by fluke" line is because the WWE doesn't have the nuts to job anyone decisively (i.e. TEST) without letting them have their heat back immediately after.

*gasps* they're editing his pops to make them WEAKER?

 

For a guy getting a push, thats a fucking shock

[Guest Incandenza]

As long as Cena gets heat--that which still escapes Brock Lesnar--I do not object to his being pushed. I just find him to be very boring.

[Guest Shaved Bear]

he should go with the route of being a stand-up comedian

 

wait that would be retarted

[Guest The Son of Sting]

He works better as a heel, watch his tag team with Rico from OVW. They should have been put them on TV as a team. Orton should have the spot Cena has.

[Guest cabbageboy]

The guy needs a gimmick of some sort. Right now he is just the rookie Cena. Bah. Give the guy some facepaint (somewhat like Sting, but not a total ripoff), call him the Prototype again, and give him a finisher. He'll be over.

[Guest Spaceman Spiff]

He works better as a heel, watch his tag team with Rico from OVW. They should have been put them on TV as a team. Orton should have the spot Cena has.

If *anyone* embodies the vanilla/bland label, it's Orton (at least w/ what he's shown on WWE TV). I've seen nothing special out of him yet.

[Guest Spicy McHaggis]

The guy needs a gimmick of some sort. Right now he is just the rookie Cena. Bah. Give the guy some facepaint (somewhat like Sting, but not a total ripoff), call him the Prototype again, and give him a finisher. He'll be over.

I never understood the logic that facepaint and a catchy name somehow give a wrestler a better chance at getting over. Give him time.

[Guest Insane Clown Dan]

I never understood the logic that facepaint and a catchy name somehow give a wrestler a better chance at getting over. Give him time.

Yes, well wouldn't it add to his character by making him more than just a rookie, as someone said? The ol' look-changing trick may not work for older wrestlers who are proven duds, but it might help people get more into Cena's character.

[Guest Incandenza]

I wouldn't object to throwing a little face paint onto Cena. It hasn't been done in awhile, and it would get him the hell away from the lame-o "rookie" gimmick that friggin' Maven was doing before the injury. The face paint wouldn't necessarily work on its own, but it would help Cena stand out, and that is something he desperately needs to do.

[Guest RicFlairGlory]

the Prototype was a great gimmick....

 

I wish Vince would realize even cartoon characters are great once a Wrestler becomes bigger than the gimmick.

 

Hunter Hearst Helmsley was a cartoon gimmick

"The Undertaker" was a cartoon gimmick

 

Its still not "Doink the Clown," but Prototype could get over

[Guest Insane Clown Dan]

Hmm... people start watching the shows when cool, unpredictable characters pop up on TV, and stop watching when the dull fighters enter the ring.

 

Yet, Vince thinks that his current audience only likes the blander, more "skilled" wrestlers (other skills than in-ring are just as important, mind you). And does this clearly when the ratings show the exact opposite logic.

 

The WWF is blind.

[Guest Spicy McHaggis]

(other skills than in-ring are just as important, mind you)

are you sure you're on the right board? That's all most of these people care about.

[Guest Insane Clown Dan]

But they'll never get beyond the people on this board, and the people on this board will eventually have to get tired of the same old degrading act over and over again.

 

And I'm on the wrong board... so this isn't the SmartMarks???

[Guest The Son of Sting]

They need to stop calling him a rookie. A little face paint might brighten him up a bit and make him stand out more. I agree they should call him John "Prototype" Cena.

[Guest RicFlairGlory]

the people on this board will eventually have to get tired of the same old degrading act over and over again.

In-Ring skill is the "same old degrading act over and over again?"

 

You've GOT to be kidding me...

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

Give him time?

 

IT'S THE FUCKING WWF! This is the big leagues, this is the ONLY LEAGUE, there are SO MANY BETTER wrestlers out there, ones with actual personality and can do more than a fuckin hiptoss, why should we give this time? Jesus Christ, they're a multi-million dollar corporation and people are treating it like a fuckin baby. Isn't Mcmahon a genius? Doesn't he have a crack team of writers who should be able to come up with something better than bitch-slapping,-poster-boy-for-ruthless-agression-John-"I'm-From-Boston"-Cena?

 

And they aren't even playin the Rookie gimmick right! If he's a hot-shot rookie then he should be winning commandingly, if he is the 'gosh-gee-thanks-for-the-handshake-taker' rookie, then he should be losing matches and LEARNING from his mistakes and IMPROVING. But hey, this kid impresses Michael Cole so who am I to say anything?

[Guest Insane Clown Dan]

the people on this board will eventually have to get tired of the same old degrading act over and over again.

In-Ring skill is the "same old degrading act over and over again?"

 

You've GOT to be kidding me...

Again, you are twisting my words. I mean that becoming ENTIRELY reliant on it could be a downfall... there should be an emphasis on being a skilled wrestler, but being one with no personality whatsoever does make people, including a lot of smarks, tune out.

 

And yes, if the same kind of thing (with little variation... this is the WWE) is presented over and over again, people will become tired of it no matter how much they loved it at first.