Analysing Cena's Feuds Since WM XXI
Aug 27, 2014 7:22:31 GMT -5
Sumbody Gon' Get Dey Kneelift, Bub (BLM), and 6 more like this
Post by joediego on Aug 27, 2014 7:22:31 GMT -5
Cena became the face of the WWE a few months after WMXXI when Vince decided it was Cena and NOT Batista that he wanted to lead the company.
Let's analyse his feuds since then and see who was elevated and who was hurt:
JBL - defeated him in a slow and pedestrian under-card match to win the title at WMXXII; defeated him much more emphatically at the Judgement Day 'I Quit' headline match to cement Cena's status.
The feud achieved what it set out to do, making a new babyface champion look strong.
Cena was then moved to Raw.
Chris Jericho - Was chosen as Cena's first feud after he moved to the Raw brand, a silly mistake because Jericho is very popular amongst the fanbase, in contrast to JBL. The easy manner of Cena's victories against a top-line veteran sowed the seeds for the mixed reactions which were never part of the plan.
Kurt Angle - Learning nothing from the Jericho feud, Cena was thrown up against another favourite, and comprehensively smashed him whilst showing no weakness. The WWE is ignoring the Hulk Hogan babyface playbook of "Make the heel look like a million dollars in the build-up, win the feud." The modus operandi seems to be "Make the heel look weak and stupid in the build-up, win the feud."
Edge - Much more successful because Cena actually lost, albeit after defeating 5 men in an Elimination Chamber match; tellingly the fans went beserk when Edge cashed in and beat him. In the space of 8 months Cena had gone from being an over-babyface dethroning JBL to a disliked, overpushed babyface that the fans wanted to see a villainous Edge beat. The feud was engaging because Cena actually lost part of it, although he won his title back resoundingly at the Royal Rumble, ending the feud earlier than many would have wanted (a lot of people wanted Cena vs Edge at WMXXII). Edge was then inserted into the HHH feud at Backlash, and was squashed.
HHH - HHH usurped the Edge program in order to tap-out to Cena in the main event of the biggest PPV of the year. This was the WWE saying "We've heard that you don't like Cena, but we're not changing him, you've got to put up with him." JR on commentary at Mania talked of the 'traditional Chicago wrestling crowd', acknowledging that the babyface was being booed by a majority. It took Hogan 8 years to get to that point, Cena did it in 1. They then combined the HHH and Edge feuds to put Cena over even more.
RVD - The first opponent Cena faced where they didn't attempt to heel him up - they knew that nobody would boo RVD at ONS so what was the point. Cena was allowed to interact with the baying hordes; it made for an enjoyable spectacle.
Sabu - A misguided way to fill time and push the new ECW fed, Cena dispatched him on PPV in 6 minutes.
Edge - The continuation of the feud after interventions from HHH, RVD and Sabu; it was one of Cena's most successful feuds because Edge was a great villain, they had really strong matches, and Cena actually lost and showed a bit of weakness. It certainly elevated Edge; he's the first man (arguably RVD) that John Cena, face of the company, elevated by feuding with him.
Umaga - This is what Cena as champion should have been all about. After ruining his first year, which changed the fan reaction to him, they booked him excellently vs Edge and Umaga, making stars of his opponents in the process. Contrast how Cena won the feud vs Umaga to how he won the feud vs Wyatt.
HBK - This is back to the legends putting Cena over. The message is clear: It's been two years, we're still crazy about this guy. At this point, after an excellent 2006 for Cena, you couldn't argue with them.
The Great Khali - This is a case of a well-executed feud with the wrong person. Khali is not good enough to be in WWE full-stop, and what he's doing in a top-level feud I don't know. The execution was good - they covered his limitations, and Cena treated him like a monster.
Bobby Lashley - Another example of a good execution to a feud, Cena made Lashley look good whilst beating him, the problem was (like Khali) that Lashley was nowhere near good enough to be treated like this. Cena however, performed well.
Randy Orton - This feud should have been a lot better, two experienced young stars clashing for the first time. The booking was textbook, with Orton heelishly attacking Cena's Dad after Cena got the better of him at Summerslam. Cena then got DQed in the rematch for taking his anger out and breaking the rules, before the feud could be furthered Cena was injured. It definitely could have gone places, and Cena did elevate Orton. 2005 was awful, but '06-'07 were really good years for Cena as champ.
Cena returned by winning the Rumble (the crowd in MSG were hot for him, it shows what a break from TV can do for an over-exposed wrestler) and logically he went back into it with the now-champ Orton, cashing-in early in order to get his hands on him. This lead to Cena playing third wheel in the HHH vs Orton feud when Orton won at 'Mania in a triple threat, then HHH won at Backlash in a 4-way with JBL also included.
JBL (#2)
JBL became the first person (arguably HHH did it 2 months earlier, but it wasn't a solo feud) that Cena feuded with on a second completely separate occasion. Almost unheard of, Cena opened the show vs JBL on the undercard at Judgement Day, which was billed lower than Orton vs HHH, Edge vs Taker and HBK vs Y2J. An easy victory for Cena, the outcome never in doubt given tha the had always emerged triumphany over JBL, he then beat him to make up the numbers at One Night Stand in a first blood match. Complete filler. After amonth hiatus where he face HHH, Cena again continued with this undercard feud and actually lost a 'NYC Parking Lot Brawl' at the GAB.
HHH (#2)
Cena was moved back into the title picture for a one-off match at Night of Champions, he started a run of defeats for Cena on PPV.
Batista
A big babyface vs babyface encounter at Summerslam, which lead to Cena's 3rd PPV loss in a row, and also injury. The feud did what it said on the tin.
Jericho (#2)
2008 was Cena's lowest profile year, he spent most of his time out of the headline matches. Returning from his injury, they fed Jericho ti him for the second time, and again Cena destroyed him in back to back PPVs. Why didn't they follow the formula for his other feuds?
JBL (#3)
End this NOW. Cena renews the never-ending JBL rivalry, getting his win back from the Parking Lot, the only time JBL even slightly got the better of him. The JBL '08-09 feuds are a great example of the paydays that a well-admired by management wrestler like JBL can get for himself.
Edge #2 and The Big Show
Following on from JBL, The Big Show has also demonstrated that he can get big undeserved paydays. After missing out at WMXXII, the WWE had the perfect opportunity to do John Cena vs Edge SINGLES at WMXXV. Instead they put the tiresome Big Show into the feud, and Cena came off pretty bad in the build-up, again as a comedic third wheel when he should have been the focal point vs Edge. They go on to have their one-on-one at Backlash, and Big Show screws Cena. Cena then gets revenge at Judgement Day and Extreme Rules. Terrible booking inserting The Big Show in.
The Miz
A 5 minute squash at 'The Bash' because Cena had nothing better to do. No harm done, it's not like they would ever try to do this feud at a bigger PPV, it's not exactly a Wrestlemania quality match! (Oh....wait).
Randy Orton (#2)
Cena faced Orton and HHH in a triple threat for the title, Orton won, and then they faced off solo for the second time at Summerslam, this time playing second fiddle to the exciting Punk vs Hardy feud. Now Cena and Orton were the tired veterans, in a feud already past its sell-by-date. Orton pinned Cena for the second successive PPV, Cena then made Orton say I Quit, then Orton beat Cena in a HITC, then Cena beat Orton in a 1 hour Iron Man. 5 PPVS in a ROW, 4 PPV single matches in a row. People don't like the series, but at least Cena in '08 and '09 wasn't squashing people left, right and centre. He was vulnerable and beatable, and because of tha the was far more engaging.
HHH and HBK
Cena beat DX in yet another triple threat at Survivor Series in an encounter that didn't even feel like a proper feud, it was just thrown together.
Sheamus
Woah slow down there. Way too much too soon for Sheamus, but he got the better of Cena in a tables match which lent him a degree of credibility. Cena had to wait until Elimination Chamber to get his revenge.
Batista (#2)
A proper feud against a heel Batista, this felt big and special as these two were the new generation brought through at WMXXI. Batista won an impromptu Money-In-The-Bank cash-in that wasn't really a cash-in but felt like it after Cena has won the Chamber, Cena then won the feud at Wrestlemania and retired Batista at Extreme Rules and Over the Limit. Well done, and well executed, this feud returned Cena to the top of the (kayfabe) company after 2 years in the (relative) wilderness, and it didn't matter that Cena won 3-0 becaise Batista was leaving, he didn't need safeguarding.
Sheamus (#2)
Cena again feuded wit pushed-too-soon heel Sheamus in a 4-way match also featuring veteran Cena opponents Edge and Orton. Sheamus again won the title from Cena when Nexus interfered, and he won the rematch in a steel cage when Nexus again interfered, setting-up th ebig summer feud.
Nexus
This is the point when the booking of Cena all went wrong. Edge and Y2J, because they have no worries for their careers and nothing to lose have spoken on record about how Cena used his influence backstage to squash Nexus and in particular Barrett. It's textbook booking that Nexus should win the big team match at Summerslam, they didn't. The feud continued until December, when Cena won once and for all, but the momentum was lost. Overbooked, and very silly.
The Miz (#2)
Cena returned to the title picture for 2010 by winning the Chamber for the 2nd successive year, he then ostensibly feuded with MITB casher-inner and sneaky heel The Miz, but was really embarking ona 2-year feud with The Rock that overshadowed everything else. The Miz was destroyed and never recovered, but it was not necessarily Cena's fault alone. Cena then got inserted into Miz and Morrison's feud to win the title, and finished the Miz and Riley off for good a month later in 'I Quit'.
R-Truth
Running out of ideas and opponents for Super-Cena, the WWE built up an enjoyable paranoid heel R-Truth for Cena to squash in a one-month deal.
CM-Punk
Cena then played second fiddle in a CM Punk vs Vince McMahon feud, having the finest match of his career at Money in the Bank 2011, one of the greatest wrestling PPVs of all time. The key to this 'feud's' siccess was that it didn't really involve Cena.
Alberto Del Rio
This is the first feud where Cena absolutely buried his opponent from start to finish in classic Cena fashion. Even against Nexus he lost and showed a bit of weakness, the problem was he destroyed them at the start so they had already lost credibility. Del Rio had been built up to be a superstar in a year, and Cena ridiculed him, accusing him of being boring. Remember that Cena was feeling a lot of pressure from Punk at this point, Punk was a legitimate superstar that was getting uncomfortably close to Cena's spot, so what began now was a campaign by Cena to reassert dominance by squashing his opponents and making sure that he was almost always the final match on PPVs.
The Awesome Truth
Cena teamed up with The Rock to defeat the Awesome Truth, in order to get big buyrates and build the Wrestlemania showdown with The Rock. Good booking, the Miz and R-Truth weren't meant to be portrayed as equals.
Kane
Awful, awful feud that again showcased Cena's worst side, hurting Kane (who had returned as a monster - Cena squashed him) and Cena's supposed friend Zack Ryder who was at the peak of his career. Ryder was portrayed as puny and babyface Cena stole his girlfriend behind his back. This was the end of Kane's crediblity, he has never recovered.
The Rock
This was a 2 year feud that dominated the company, made Cena look stupid and tremendously uncool, which everyone knew but it damaged him that it was being acknowledged, but delivered tremendous buyrates. It was at the expense of their full-time talent and prevented new faces coming through, leading to the eventual absence of one of their biggest names, but it worked. Cena didn't need to put the Rock over, he already was, just like Cena didn't need to put Batista over in 2010. If you want big showdown matches, Cena's your man, but from 2010 onwards he's unable and unwilling to put new names over.
Brock Lesnar
Facing an already over opponent, Cena didn't need to do any work getting an established name over. Disgracefully Cena changed the script, and even though he was being given a pinfall victory over a returning monster, he refused to sell th ebeating after the match and popped right up. Self-serving, horrible behaviour. Why doesn't anyone mention incidents like this?
John Laurinitis
Terrible. Usurped CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan.
The Big Show (#2)
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
CM Punk (#2)
Cena and creative pulled the trigger on turning Punk, finally ending the threat to the #1 babyface spot. Cena won MITB and then cashed in at Raw 1000 creating an angle where Punk turned heel. Lost to Punk and Big Show in yet another needless Triple Threat at Summerslam. Drew to Punk in a singles at NOC before getting injured and then having to figure out how to snuff out a new threat to his position, Ryback.
Dolph Ziggler
Entered into a feud with Ziggler and AJ for Ziggler's briefcase, Cena again showed his gigolo side in interactions with AJ who betrayed him. This is Cena's best feud against an unestablished wrestler since 2007.
At this point Cena wins the Rumble, and they don't have anything for him to do whilst he's waiting to beat the Rock at XXIX, so they insert him into a Shield six man.
Ryback
In a crazy 1-2 punch they destroy Ryback by having him lose to Mark Henry in a mtch tha the just had to win at Mania, and then they turn him heel the next night. A federation interested in promoting their young talent would have had Ryback cleanly beat Henry, then have Henry come out the next night and stage his retirement-attack-Cena angle which would lead to a 1-2 PPV deal vs Cena, and then you move a babyface Ryback into the picture. Instead, Ryback is neutered. Cena ends him for 2, 3, 4, 5 years, however long it is until we eventually hear "Feed Me More" play again and the crowd goes ape.
Mark Henry
A one-shot deal that should have been done the other way around, Cenawinslol. Contrast how unselfish Orton was against Henry, with how Cena was.
Daniel Bryan
In an absolute carbon copy of the CM Punk feud 2 years earlier, Cena plays third wheel to a Daniel Bryan vs The Authority feud, losing clean to his brother-in-law and then coming out the next night and telling everyone how injured he was. Again, this worked so well because Bryan wasn't feuding with Cena.
Alberto Del Rio (#2)
A returning from injury Cena squashes him even worse than the last time, ending him for good.
Randy Orton (#3)
WWE rushes the unification angle, and chooses two gus that have been around for over 10 years to do it. Tired and lame, the fans completely reject the feud, turning against it at the Rumble.
Bray Wyatt
After making up the numbers in the Chamber, Cena feuds with Wyatt who cost him at Rumble and EC. A textbook example of how to not elevate and up and comer, Cena badly hurts the future of Wyatt. Compare and contrast with Hulk Hogan vs The Undertaker.
Let's analyse his feuds since then and see who was elevated and who was hurt:
JBL - defeated him in a slow and pedestrian under-card match to win the title at WMXXII; defeated him much more emphatically at the Judgement Day 'I Quit' headline match to cement Cena's status.
The feud achieved what it set out to do, making a new babyface champion look strong.
Cena was then moved to Raw.
Chris Jericho - Was chosen as Cena's first feud after he moved to the Raw brand, a silly mistake because Jericho is very popular amongst the fanbase, in contrast to JBL. The easy manner of Cena's victories against a top-line veteran sowed the seeds for the mixed reactions which were never part of the plan.
Kurt Angle - Learning nothing from the Jericho feud, Cena was thrown up against another favourite, and comprehensively smashed him whilst showing no weakness. The WWE is ignoring the Hulk Hogan babyface playbook of "Make the heel look like a million dollars in the build-up, win the feud." The modus operandi seems to be "Make the heel look weak and stupid in the build-up, win the feud."
Edge - Much more successful because Cena actually lost, albeit after defeating 5 men in an Elimination Chamber match; tellingly the fans went beserk when Edge cashed in and beat him. In the space of 8 months Cena had gone from being an over-babyface dethroning JBL to a disliked, overpushed babyface that the fans wanted to see a villainous Edge beat. The feud was engaging because Cena actually lost part of it, although he won his title back resoundingly at the Royal Rumble, ending the feud earlier than many would have wanted (a lot of people wanted Cena vs Edge at WMXXII). Edge was then inserted into the HHH feud at Backlash, and was squashed.
HHH - HHH usurped the Edge program in order to tap-out to Cena in the main event of the biggest PPV of the year. This was the WWE saying "We've heard that you don't like Cena, but we're not changing him, you've got to put up with him." JR on commentary at Mania talked of the 'traditional Chicago wrestling crowd', acknowledging that the babyface was being booed by a majority. It took Hogan 8 years to get to that point, Cena did it in 1. They then combined the HHH and Edge feuds to put Cena over even more.
RVD - The first opponent Cena faced where they didn't attempt to heel him up - they knew that nobody would boo RVD at ONS so what was the point. Cena was allowed to interact with the baying hordes; it made for an enjoyable spectacle.
Sabu - A misguided way to fill time and push the new ECW fed, Cena dispatched him on PPV in 6 minutes.
Edge - The continuation of the feud after interventions from HHH, RVD and Sabu; it was one of Cena's most successful feuds because Edge was a great villain, they had really strong matches, and Cena actually lost and showed a bit of weakness. It certainly elevated Edge; he's the first man (arguably RVD) that John Cena, face of the company, elevated by feuding with him.
Umaga - This is what Cena as champion should have been all about. After ruining his first year, which changed the fan reaction to him, they booked him excellently vs Edge and Umaga, making stars of his opponents in the process. Contrast how Cena won the feud vs Umaga to how he won the feud vs Wyatt.
HBK - This is back to the legends putting Cena over. The message is clear: It's been two years, we're still crazy about this guy. At this point, after an excellent 2006 for Cena, you couldn't argue with them.
The Great Khali - This is a case of a well-executed feud with the wrong person. Khali is not good enough to be in WWE full-stop, and what he's doing in a top-level feud I don't know. The execution was good - they covered his limitations, and Cena treated him like a monster.
Bobby Lashley - Another example of a good execution to a feud, Cena made Lashley look good whilst beating him, the problem was (like Khali) that Lashley was nowhere near good enough to be treated like this. Cena however, performed well.
Randy Orton - This feud should have been a lot better, two experienced young stars clashing for the first time. The booking was textbook, with Orton heelishly attacking Cena's Dad after Cena got the better of him at Summerslam. Cena then got DQed in the rematch for taking his anger out and breaking the rules, before the feud could be furthered Cena was injured. It definitely could have gone places, and Cena did elevate Orton. 2005 was awful, but '06-'07 were really good years for Cena as champ.
Cena returned by winning the Rumble (the crowd in MSG were hot for him, it shows what a break from TV can do for an over-exposed wrestler) and logically he went back into it with the now-champ Orton, cashing-in early in order to get his hands on him. This lead to Cena playing third wheel in the HHH vs Orton feud when Orton won at 'Mania in a triple threat, then HHH won at Backlash in a 4-way with JBL also included.
JBL (#2)
JBL became the first person (arguably HHH did it 2 months earlier, but it wasn't a solo feud) that Cena feuded with on a second completely separate occasion. Almost unheard of, Cena opened the show vs JBL on the undercard at Judgement Day, which was billed lower than Orton vs HHH, Edge vs Taker and HBK vs Y2J. An easy victory for Cena, the outcome never in doubt given tha the had always emerged triumphany over JBL, he then beat him to make up the numbers at One Night Stand in a first blood match. Complete filler. After amonth hiatus where he face HHH, Cena again continued with this undercard feud and actually lost a 'NYC Parking Lot Brawl' at the GAB.
HHH (#2)
Cena was moved back into the title picture for a one-off match at Night of Champions, he started a run of defeats for Cena on PPV.
Batista
A big babyface vs babyface encounter at Summerslam, which lead to Cena's 3rd PPV loss in a row, and also injury. The feud did what it said on the tin.
Jericho (#2)
2008 was Cena's lowest profile year, he spent most of his time out of the headline matches. Returning from his injury, they fed Jericho ti him for the second time, and again Cena destroyed him in back to back PPVs. Why didn't they follow the formula for his other feuds?
JBL (#3)
End this NOW. Cena renews the never-ending JBL rivalry, getting his win back from the Parking Lot, the only time JBL even slightly got the better of him. The JBL '08-09 feuds are a great example of the paydays that a well-admired by management wrestler like JBL can get for himself.
Edge #2 and The Big Show
Following on from JBL, The Big Show has also demonstrated that he can get big undeserved paydays. After missing out at WMXXII, the WWE had the perfect opportunity to do John Cena vs Edge SINGLES at WMXXV. Instead they put the tiresome Big Show into the feud, and Cena came off pretty bad in the build-up, again as a comedic third wheel when he should have been the focal point vs Edge. They go on to have their one-on-one at Backlash, and Big Show screws Cena. Cena then gets revenge at Judgement Day and Extreme Rules. Terrible booking inserting The Big Show in.
The Miz
A 5 minute squash at 'The Bash' because Cena had nothing better to do. No harm done, it's not like they would ever try to do this feud at a bigger PPV, it's not exactly a Wrestlemania quality match! (Oh....wait).
Randy Orton (#2)
Cena faced Orton and HHH in a triple threat for the title, Orton won, and then they faced off solo for the second time at Summerslam, this time playing second fiddle to the exciting Punk vs Hardy feud. Now Cena and Orton were the tired veterans, in a feud already past its sell-by-date. Orton pinned Cena for the second successive PPV, Cena then made Orton say I Quit, then Orton beat Cena in a HITC, then Cena beat Orton in a 1 hour Iron Man. 5 PPVS in a ROW, 4 PPV single matches in a row. People don't like the series, but at least Cena in '08 and '09 wasn't squashing people left, right and centre. He was vulnerable and beatable, and because of tha the was far more engaging.
HHH and HBK
Cena beat DX in yet another triple threat at Survivor Series in an encounter that didn't even feel like a proper feud, it was just thrown together.
Sheamus
Woah slow down there. Way too much too soon for Sheamus, but he got the better of Cena in a tables match which lent him a degree of credibility. Cena had to wait until Elimination Chamber to get his revenge.
Batista (#2)
A proper feud against a heel Batista, this felt big and special as these two were the new generation brought through at WMXXI. Batista won an impromptu Money-In-The-Bank cash-in that wasn't really a cash-in but felt like it after Cena has won the Chamber, Cena then won the feud at Wrestlemania and retired Batista at Extreme Rules and Over the Limit. Well done, and well executed, this feud returned Cena to the top of the (kayfabe) company after 2 years in the (relative) wilderness, and it didn't matter that Cena won 3-0 becaise Batista was leaving, he didn't need safeguarding.
Sheamus (#2)
Cena again feuded wit pushed-too-soon heel Sheamus in a 4-way match also featuring veteran Cena opponents Edge and Orton. Sheamus again won the title from Cena when Nexus interfered, and he won the rematch in a steel cage when Nexus again interfered, setting-up th ebig summer feud.
Nexus
This is the point when the booking of Cena all went wrong. Edge and Y2J, because they have no worries for their careers and nothing to lose have spoken on record about how Cena used his influence backstage to squash Nexus and in particular Barrett. It's textbook booking that Nexus should win the big team match at Summerslam, they didn't. The feud continued until December, when Cena won once and for all, but the momentum was lost. Overbooked, and very silly.
The Miz (#2)
Cena returned to the title picture for 2010 by winning the Chamber for the 2nd successive year, he then ostensibly feuded with MITB casher-inner and sneaky heel The Miz, but was really embarking ona 2-year feud with The Rock that overshadowed everything else. The Miz was destroyed and never recovered, but it was not necessarily Cena's fault alone. Cena then got inserted into Miz and Morrison's feud to win the title, and finished the Miz and Riley off for good a month later in 'I Quit'.
R-Truth
Running out of ideas and opponents for Super-Cena, the WWE built up an enjoyable paranoid heel R-Truth for Cena to squash in a one-month deal.
CM-Punk
Cena then played second fiddle in a CM Punk vs Vince McMahon feud, having the finest match of his career at Money in the Bank 2011, one of the greatest wrestling PPVs of all time. The key to this 'feud's' siccess was that it didn't really involve Cena.
Alberto Del Rio
This is the first feud where Cena absolutely buried his opponent from start to finish in classic Cena fashion. Even against Nexus he lost and showed a bit of weakness, the problem was he destroyed them at the start so they had already lost credibility. Del Rio had been built up to be a superstar in a year, and Cena ridiculed him, accusing him of being boring. Remember that Cena was feeling a lot of pressure from Punk at this point, Punk was a legitimate superstar that was getting uncomfortably close to Cena's spot, so what began now was a campaign by Cena to reassert dominance by squashing his opponents and making sure that he was almost always the final match on PPVs.
The Awesome Truth
Cena teamed up with The Rock to defeat the Awesome Truth, in order to get big buyrates and build the Wrestlemania showdown with The Rock. Good booking, the Miz and R-Truth weren't meant to be portrayed as equals.
Kane
Awful, awful feud that again showcased Cena's worst side, hurting Kane (who had returned as a monster - Cena squashed him) and Cena's supposed friend Zack Ryder who was at the peak of his career. Ryder was portrayed as puny and babyface Cena stole his girlfriend behind his back. This was the end of Kane's crediblity, he has never recovered.
The Rock
This was a 2 year feud that dominated the company, made Cena look stupid and tremendously uncool, which everyone knew but it damaged him that it was being acknowledged, but delivered tremendous buyrates. It was at the expense of their full-time talent and prevented new faces coming through, leading to the eventual absence of one of their biggest names, but it worked. Cena didn't need to put the Rock over, he already was, just like Cena didn't need to put Batista over in 2010. If you want big showdown matches, Cena's your man, but from 2010 onwards he's unable and unwilling to put new names over.
Brock Lesnar
Facing an already over opponent, Cena didn't need to do any work getting an established name over. Disgracefully Cena changed the script, and even though he was being given a pinfall victory over a returning monster, he refused to sell th ebeating after the match and popped right up. Self-serving, horrible behaviour. Why doesn't anyone mention incidents like this?
John Laurinitis
Terrible. Usurped CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan.
The Big Show (#2)
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
CM Punk (#2)
Cena and creative pulled the trigger on turning Punk, finally ending the threat to the #1 babyface spot. Cena won MITB and then cashed in at Raw 1000 creating an angle where Punk turned heel. Lost to Punk and Big Show in yet another needless Triple Threat at Summerslam. Drew to Punk in a singles at NOC before getting injured and then having to figure out how to snuff out a new threat to his position, Ryback.
Dolph Ziggler
Entered into a feud with Ziggler and AJ for Ziggler's briefcase, Cena again showed his gigolo side in interactions with AJ who betrayed him. This is Cena's best feud against an unestablished wrestler since 2007.
At this point Cena wins the Rumble, and they don't have anything for him to do whilst he's waiting to beat the Rock at XXIX, so they insert him into a Shield six man.
Ryback
In a crazy 1-2 punch they destroy Ryback by having him lose to Mark Henry in a mtch tha the just had to win at Mania, and then they turn him heel the next night. A federation interested in promoting their young talent would have had Ryback cleanly beat Henry, then have Henry come out the next night and stage his retirement-attack-Cena angle which would lead to a 1-2 PPV deal vs Cena, and then you move a babyface Ryback into the picture. Instead, Ryback is neutered. Cena ends him for 2, 3, 4, 5 years, however long it is until we eventually hear "Feed Me More" play again and the crowd goes ape.
Mark Henry
A one-shot deal that should have been done the other way around, Cenawinslol. Contrast how unselfish Orton was against Henry, with how Cena was.
Daniel Bryan
In an absolute carbon copy of the CM Punk feud 2 years earlier, Cena plays third wheel to a Daniel Bryan vs The Authority feud, losing clean to his brother-in-law and then coming out the next night and telling everyone how injured he was. Again, this worked so well because Bryan wasn't feuding with Cena.
Alberto Del Rio (#2)
A returning from injury Cena squashes him even worse than the last time, ending him for good.
Randy Orton (#3)
WWE rushes the unification angle, and chooses two gus that have been around for over 10 years to do it. Tired and lame, the fans completely reject the feud, turning against it at the Rumble.
Bray Wyatt
After making up the numbers in the Chamber, Cena feuds with Wyatt who cost him at Rumble and EC. A textbook example of how to not elevate and up and comer, Cena badly hurts the future of Wyatt. Compare and contrast with Hulk Hogan vs The Undertaker.