4. Cena isn't as talented as a lot of the other guys. This is one of the most commonly misconstrued reasons, so allow me to emphasize something: this is not to say that Cena isn't talented, just that he is not as talented as some of the other guys. Yes, credit is due where credit is due, and John Cena is undoubtedly one of the best (if not the best) superstars of our generation, and any other for that matter. However, the fact remains that, both promo-wise and purely wrestling-wise, there are other guys in the company who are better than he is. Superstars such as Bray Wyatt, CM Punk, and Paul Heyman can outclass Cena on the mic (although, to be fair, the list of those who are better talkers than Cena isn't much longer than that), while a whole litany of superstars can outwrestle (though again, credit where credit is due, John Cena has contributed equally to more than his fair share of stellar matches, and his reputation as a bad worker is often overstated). The reason why this one ranks so low on the list is that John Cena is a world class superstar, and while he certainly is no Daniel Bryan, his in-ring skills often go underrated, and his promos, though often cheesy and pandering, can be among the best in the company on a good day.
3. Despite winning a ridiculously high percentage of his matches, Cena is always presented as the underdog. Let's approach this logically. Naturally, as a 15 time world champ, John Cena should be the favorite in just about every match he's in, correct? Well, according to WWE creative, that's wrong. According to them, Cena is best portrayed as a plucky underdog, someone who always (and boy, do I mean always) overcomes the odds and "never gives up". Frankly, not only has it been massively overdone by this point (see the rest of the list), but it's also almost insulting to the fans' intelligence.
2. Cena often goes over at the expense of young talent. For anyone who is not aware, let me briefly explain what the term "bury" means in a pro wrestling context. To "bury" someone means to beat someone in such a way that they are lowered in the eyes of the fans. Naturally, as WWE's top face, Cena gets a lot of wins. Inherently, there is nothing wrong with this. However, the problem arises with how Cena wins: the company is reluctant to ever let Cena look anything but strong. Therefore, whenever Cena feuds with a young, up-and-coming superstar, rather than giving them "the rub" (wrestling lingo for a win, or basically just for looking strong), the WWE's top face almost always ends up overcoming whatever various obstacles have been placed before him and coming out victorious. Not only does this get boring after a while, but it shows a lack of willingness by the WWE to put any measure of faith in young, up-and-coming stars who need an extra push like a victory over John Cena. For Pete's sake, Damien Sandow became the only man in history to lose his own Money in the Bank cash-in match, and it was to John Cena! Not only that, but Rusev and Bray Wyatt, two of the stars whom many expect will help carry WWE for the next decade, have also taken unnecessary losses to WWE's golden boy.
1. Cena the character is just plain old boring. Finally, we come to the main reason why a large portion of the WWE Universe cannot stand John Cena: simply put, his character is just way too boring. The company is called WWE: World Wrestling Entertainment. And while, yes, John Cena is a fantastic role model, and, quite frankly, an excellent human being, him portraying that character on TV is not fun to watch anymore. There's a reason why the wrestling world is overflowing with gimmicks: it makes performers so much more entertaining. Before Windham Rotunda became Bray Wyatt, he was just a slightly overweight guy who could move around pretty fast for his size. However, since he's transformed into a deranged cult leader, he's become quite possibly the most interesting thing going in the company today. Therefore, when you compare fascinating characters like him, or a man with the pure villainy of Kevin Owens, or the lovable everyman personality of Daniel Bryan, John Cena and his true-to-life character are just not relatable, and not entertaining. Not only that, however, but he has also essentially remained exactly the same for about 10 years now. This business is all about entertaining, and to do so, you have to be able to evolve, to change. John Cena has not done this, he has instead portrayed exactly the same, boring, unrelatable character for far too long now.
Overall, despite Cena's admirable real-life persona and his considerable skills in the ring and on the mic, many fans have turned on him over the years because he is not the most talented, Creative portrays him as the perennial underdog, he wins matches and feuds that others are in much more dire need of, and he has not evolved at all in 10 years. Thanks for reading!
Overall, despite Cena's admirable real-life persona and his considerable skills in the ring and on the mic, many fans have turned on him over the years because he is not the most talented, Creative portrays him as the perennial underdog, he wins matches and feuds that others are in much more dire need of, and he has not evolved at all in 10 years. Thanks for reading!
