If the fans ever turned on Cena

[Guest JMA]

Recently, several people have been expressing concern that the fans will turn on Cena. Some even want the fans to turn on him. While I myself don't see the fans turning on Cena in the near future, I do think that it's worth discussing.

 

If this hypothetical situation did occur, what would WWE do? What current faces on RAW could replace Cena as the number one face on the show? I can't really think of anyone. Let's take a look at the major players on RAW and see if they could be that number one face:

 

1: HBK is a heel now, so scratch him out.

2: Benjamin is being jobbed out.

3: Hardy isn't being booked right.

4: RVD is injured.

5: Triple H sucks as a face.

6: Jericho is a heel.

7: Eugene is a joke character.

8: Hogan is only in WWE for limited periods.

9: Kane is MIA, and can't be a number one face.

10: Big Show can't carry the show.

 

Any ideas on how WWE could fix this situation if it ever occured?

[Guest]

With current faces, they have absolutely no one to replace him. There are a few guys they could turn, but that wasn't your question.

[TheFranchise 0]

Kurt turning face would be sufficient.

[Guest JMA]

Kurt turning face would be sufficient.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not saying that you're wrong, but Kurt isn't a current face.

[Downhome 0]

It wouldn't be anything to worry about. There are plenty of guys who could be face, and have a more extended face run on top than Cena.

 

Not to mention that Cena is NOT the kind of face who can hold the title for a long period of time. As many have stated before, he's more of a contender that chases the title, than a long term champ.

 

Someone like Kurt, now there is a long time face champ. It booked the right way, I could even see Edge as a long time face champ.

 

The point is that it's nothing to worry about.

[Guest JMA]

It wouldn't be anything to worry about. There are plenty of guys who could be face, and have a more extended face run on top than Cena.

 

Not to mention that Cena is NOT the kind of face who can hold the title for a long period of time. As many have stated before, he's more of a contender that chases the title, than a long term champ.

 

Someone like Kurt, now there is a long time face champ. It booked the right way, I could even see Edge as a long time face champ.

 

The point is that it's nothing to worry about.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Turning someone is always a risk, however. That's why I asked which current RAW face could pick up the ball and run with it. And if Cena did fail, all of the money spent promoting him will go to waste. WWE clearly wants him to be a long-running top face--they have an investment in him.

[Just John 0]

A month ago, it could've been Shelton, but now you'd pretty much have to turn someone. Hulk Hogan is too old, and there aren't any faces even close to the ME. Is the Big Show the #3 face on Raw?

[I like Forums 0]

Have Shelton finally break the Masterlock and get a DECISIVE victory over Masters. Then just build from there.

[Guest JMA]

A month ago, it could've been Shelton, but now you'd pretty much have to turn someone. Hulk Hogan is too old, and there aren't any faces even close to the ME. Is the Big Show the #3 face on Raw?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sadly, I think you're right. I don't think there is a face on RAW who could be the number one face if Cena failed. It's kind of depressing.

[Downhome 0]

Turning someone is always a risk, however. That's why I asked which current RAW face could pick up the ball and run with it. And if Cena did fail, all of the money spent promoting him will go to waste. WWE clearly wants him to be a long-running top face--they have an investment in him.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Well if you really want to know what would happen, you have to mention turning guys. If you want to pretend that you can't turn anyone, that's cool also, but it's not realistic or anything, which is why I mentioned the turns.

 

Cena can be a long-running top face, I do not question that. I simply do not feel that he is a long-term champ. He's far better as a guy who is gunning for the title, not holding it.

 

You are just making it sound like WWE would end if Cena failed as a long-term champ (which I think is happening, and will continue to happen), and that's just not true.

[Guest JMA]

Well if you really want to know what would happen, you have to mention turning guys. If you want to pretend that you can't turn anyone, that's cool also, but it's not realistic or anything, which is why I mentioned the turns.

I wasn't trying to pretend that you couldn't turn anyone. But we don't know who WWE would turn or if it would be successful, thus I asked the question of "which current face could replace Cena." So far, there doesn't seem to be any real strong faces on RAW who could do it (which is pretty sad).

 

Cena can be a long-running top face, I do not question that. I simply do not feel that he is a long-term champ. He's far better as a guy who is gunning for the title, not holding it.

I don't really have a strong opinion on that.

 

You are just making it sound like WWE would end if Cena failed as a long-term champ (which I think is happening, and will continue to happen), and that's just not true.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's not my intent at all. Whether Cena succeeds or fails doesn't affect me in the least. I'm interested in how it affects WWE--that's all.

[Jericholic82 0]

Why does everyone think Cena is better at chasing the title than being the champ? I mean we have only seen him really chase the title for the month before mania, and he has had only 2 defenses on ppv so far. I havent seen enough yet to make that decision. I think he is over enough to justify being the top (his marketabilty is huge, especially with the customized belt and "the champ is here" catchphrase among other things.) I know The IWC hates babyfaces but I don't mind Cena that much. At least his current world title feud is interesting and heated (and may turn out a decent match at summerslam if Jericho is on top of his game) unlike the Batista/JBL feud, which is boring and has to resort to a no rules stip to make it wtachable (yknow with weapons and blood and all)

[fisticuffs 0]

When are they gonna merge the brands? The way things are now is getting ridiculous.

[Guest JMA]

When are they gonna merge the brands? The way things are now is getting ridiculous.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can't say that I'd be upset if they were merged. We have no more tag division on either show and a serious lack of strong face characters on RAW. Maybe the brands will merge back again when Smackdown!'s contract is up with UPN.

[Guest Fook]

Besides Cena, Raw is weak on the face side.

 

If RVD's back, he could fill Cena's spot.

 

Give Benjamin some strong, decisive wins and he could be a main eventer. The fans just need a reason to get behind the guy.

 

Hardy is going to be tied up with Edge and Lita for a while. And besides, his reactions the last couple of weeks haven't exactly been lighting the world on fire.

 

Big Show is the type of guy who can literally be a jobber one month and a main eventer the next (hell, it's happened!). However, he's hasn't really been used since he was drafted except to come out and glare at Masters in a menacing manner.

[LivingLegendGaryColeman 0]

Luckily we don't have to worry about it, because a lot of people forgot to mention one of the currently highest pushed faces.... Big Vis.

[Guest JMA]

Luckily we don't have to worry about it, because a lot of people forgot to mention one of the currently highest pushed faces.... Big Vis.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's too bad that he actually has to wrestle at times.

[cabbageboy 0]

Viscera just jobbed to Rob Conway, safe to say he isn't getting a main event type push.

 

I'm confused, are we considering RVD a current Raw face? I mean he's on the Raw roster right now but is hurt, so he's technically not on the show yet. I said a while back that if Cena's heat dwindles RVD is really the only logical face to go with unless you wanna turn someone.

 

If we're just talking guys currently active....there isn't anyone really. Angle has been booked as such a jobber this year that he wouldn't get cheered. In fact Angle's character is a real anomaly: He's too smarmy to be an effective face and doesn't ever seem sincere in the role, and yet as a heel he's too much of a joker to be taken seriously.

 

Shelton has shown no real signs of being over of late and has been jobbing to Masters to boot.

 

Michaels or HHH turning face again would lead to the same stale shit we've had for years.

 

Basically the only two over faces late in the year on Raw seem like Cena and RVD, though who knows what they'll do with Flair or HHH.

[Guest JMA]

When exactly will RVD be cleared to wrestle? I don't think he has too long to go before he can come back.

[iggymcfly 0]

The thing is that if the fans did turn on Cena, they'd turn on him in a feud by cheering a heel that he was facing. If that does happen, the way to do it is just go with the double turn and let the cheered heel become the top face.

 

I'd say that at this point, the only guys capable of making the crowd react in that manner are HBK, Angle, and maybe HHH. Actually, if HBK kept the cool edge that he has as a heel, I could see him being a much more effective face than he was in his previous run.

 

However, logically, there's no way that the WWE can take the belt off of Cena right now, unless it's just a quick fluke run and the heel jobs it right back. Until RVD's healthy and built up for a few months in the midcard, there just aren't any other faces capable of main eventing a PPV on Raw right now.

[zyn081 0]

I know The IWC hates babyfaces. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Why is this so?

 

When are they gonna merge the brands? The way things are now is getting ridiculous.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Im all for the split. Always have been. BUT now its really thin.

 

The thing is that if the fans did turn on Cena, they'd turn on him in a feud by cheering a heel that he was facing. If that does happen, the way to do it is just go with the double turn and let the cheered heel become the top face.

 

I'd say that at this point, the only guys capable of making the crowd react in that manner are HBK, Angle, and maybe HHH. Actually, if HBK kept the cool edge that he has as a heel, I could see him being a much more effective face than he was in his previous run.

 

However, logically, there's no way that the WWE can take the belt off of Cena right now, unless it's just a quick fluke run and the heel jobs it right back. Until RVD's healthy and built up for a few months in the midcard, there just aren't any other faces capable of main eventing a PPV on Raw right now.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You took your medication iggy? You made sense up there.

[cabbageboy 0]

It depends really. I actually think Jericho as badly booked as he's been will get some support at SS. Not to the point where the crowd turns on him but maybe a few cheers and a few boos for Cena. Angle will get even more cheers than Jericho, even though he too has been horribly booked. It almost seems like they are deliberately tanking Cena's opponents so that they don't get more over than him.

[Jericho2000Mark 0]

If Cena gets outcheered by RVD, the only thing RVD will be headlining is Heat, until his heat dies down a little. They have gone four years blatantly ignoring his crowd reactions, why would they stop now? WWE has a history of burying anybody who they didn't plan on getting over.

 

Ditto for Jericho.

[zyn081 0]

WWE has a history of burying anybody who they didn't plan on getting over.

 

Ditto for Jericho

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

And MNM.

[Jericholic82 0]

I know The IWC hates babyfaces. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Why is this so?

 

I was being a bit sarcastic. But what I mean is a lot of smarks tend to like wrestlers when they are heels, but hate them when they turn face and are cheered by the marks. Cena had a lo tmore net support during his heel run in 2003, with less complaints about his "workrate".

 

Whether we like him or not, he's over with the majority of the crowd and actually "draws" money through merchandising.

[Guest JMA]

I think a reason a lot of smarks like heels better is because once they turn face their characters are toned down or heavily altered to get the crowd to cheer for them more. Many times this has the opposite effect, with the fans turning on the newly face characters.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

I think a reason a lot of smarks like heels better is because once they turn face their characters are toned down or heavily altered to get the crowd to cheer for them more. Many times this has the opposite effect, with the fans turning on the newly face characters.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ironically, this applies to Cena. As soon as he officially turned babyface, his raps turned into lame comedy, and were nothing like they were when he was a heel, which was one of the things that got him over.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

I wouldn't worry about the fans forcing Cena to become heel. He was better that way anyway so they'd just go back to liking him again.

[zyn081 0]

I think a reason a lot of smarks like heels better is because once they turn face their characters are toned down or heavily altered to get the crowd to cheer for them more. Many times this has the opposite effect, with the fans turning on the newly face characters.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ironically, this applies to Cena. As soon as he officially turned babyface, his raps turned into lame comedy, and were nothing like they were when he was a heel, which was one of the things that got him over.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Thats very true and makes perfect sense. Thanks.

[Silence 0]

I think a reason a lot of smarks like heels better is because once they turn face their characters are toned down or heavily altered to get the crowd to cheer for them more.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Exactly. It's just really sad that this has still been going on since Stone Cold and The Rock first started the trend, The Rock especially.

 

I remember the criticisms we and other smarks gave The Rock for a while (saying the same damn lines every week, limited to 5 or 6 moves almost every match, etc.). Then the marks turned on him in 2002 because even they knew he was stale by then because of WWE taking away what got The Rock over in the first place a few years before as a heel.