John Cena

John Cena once rejected a pitch from WWE Chairman Vince McMahon to act as a tweener who would be cheered in some locations and booed in others, per a former WWE creative writer.

On the We Watch Wrestling Podcast (h/t Dominic DeAngelo of Wrestle Zone), former WWE writer Matt McCarthy described the idea McMahon had for Cena, which was similar to what WWE did with Bret Hart in 1997:

"Vince kept trying to figure out how do we do like a Bret Hart thing? Where he's a heel in some places, but he's a babyface in the rest of the places.

“Cena was like, 'If I'm going heel, I want to go full heel,' and it did get close enough to the point where, and I'm sure he still has this gear, like Cena had gear made for the heel turn, you know? No longer the jorts."

Hart's 1997 character was something that had never really been done before or since in wrestling, as it saw him act as a big-time heel in the United States and a beloved babyface everywhere else in the world, including his beloved Canada.

It is unclear how WWE would have done something similar with Cena, but the 16-time world champion was apparently committed to going all-in either way rather than playing it down the middle.

McCarthy further discussed the heel gear Cena had made and explained why the heel turn never happened:

"I don't know what the gear was, but he had specific gear made ready and waiting and then obviously we know it never happened, and there was a point in the discussions where it was like, 'Well, the people who are gonna cheer him are going to continue to cheer him, and the people who are gonna boo him, are just gonna keep booing him.' So the thinking was, that's the most heelish thing he can do is to stay that white meat, smiling, pure babyface."

Even though a turn never happened, Cena essentially was a tweener for the final few years of his full-time run in WWE with a fairly equal amount of the fanbase both cheering and booing him.

A Cena heel turn likely would have been the biggest turn since Hulk Hogan became Hollywood Hogan in WCW in 1996, but refraining from doing so arguably made Cena's career even more special.

Aside from a brief run early in his time with WWE, Cena has never been heel, which is something very few wrestlers can say.

There is still time for a heel turn, but the remainder of Cena's wrestling career will likely be as a part-timer given his acting commitments in Hollywood, which doesn't provide WWE with much incentive to make the switch.

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Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

WWE Draft Reportedly Set for Late August, Early September

WWE is reportedly preparing to hold its next draft during the latter part of the summer.

According to Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Marc Middleton), the plan is for WWE to have the draft on the Aug. 30 episode of Raw and Sept. 3 episode of SmackDown.

As announced recently by WWE, the Aug. 30 Raw will occur at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, and the Sept. 3 SmackDown will be at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.

WWE has traditionally held a draft or Superstar shake-up shortly after WrestleMania in recent years, but with the COVID-19 pandemic derailing so many of WWE's plans, that wasn't the case last year.

Instead, WWE held last year's draft in October. Despite the fact it took place less than a year ago, it already feels past due for another one.

That is especially true on Raw, as many of the rivalries on the show feel played out, including the WWE Championship feud between Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre.

SummerSlam, which is arguably the biggest WWE pay-per-view of the year behind WrestleMania, is scheduled for Aug. 21, meaning the next draft will happen shortly after if the Aug. 30 and Sept. 3 dates hold true.

That would be an ideal time to reset things and potentially use the draft to call some Superstars up from NXT as well.

        

Eva Marie to Reportedly Team with Piper Niven on Raw

WWE is reportedly calling up a female Superstar from NXT to pair with Eva Marie when she makes her return to WWE on Raw.

According to Zarian (h/t Middleton), WWE is set to call up Piper Niven from NXT UK to work alongside Eva.

It was previously reported by WrestleVotes that WWE was considering Niven and NXT star Mercedes Martinez to act as Eva's "muscle" on the main roster.

Vignettes regarding Eva's WWE return and the start of her "Eva-lution" have been airing on Raw for the past several weeks, and on Monday's episode of Raw, Eva declared that she will be on the show next week.

Despite that, Zarian reported that he heard Eva isn't set to appear on Raw until the June 21 episode, which is the night after the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view.

Regardless of when Eva arrives, working with her is a potentially huge opportunity for Niven, who has done some great work as a babyface during her time in NXT UK.

Niven is also well known for her strong performance in the Mae Young Classic where she was among the most popular participants.

Teaming with Eva would likely require Niven to be a heel, but it would be a worthwhile endeavor for the Brit since all signs point toward Eva being a huge part of the red brand moving forward.

       

Nikki Bella Talks Thanking Cena in HOF Speech

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2MkTN1zvxI

Nikki Bella memorably thanked her ex-boyfriend, John Cena, during her WWE Hall of Fame induction speech in April, and she revealed why during an interview last week.

While speaking to ET's Deidre Behar (h/t Mona Khalifeh of ET Online), Nikki said the following about mentioning her former fiancée:

"I didn't think anything about it because when you're in those moments at the Hall of Fame, you really look at your career and you're like, 'Who was there? Who helped me along the way?' And so much of the time people will talk about themselves, and for me, I look at my career and I know that wasn't just because of me. It was Brie, it was the Bella Army, it was the producers, all the people that believed in me, and John was a big part of that.

"He really helped me be that fearless side and showed me a part of that world that I never saw before. I think just because you have breakups or whatever it may be, doesn't mean you can't thank those people and just truly be so grateful for the help that they had."

Bella and Cena had a highly publicized relationship from 2012 until their breakup in 2018. Fans got the opportunity to catch a behind-the-scenes glimpse of it on the E! reality series Total Divas and Total Bellas as well.

Cena proposed to Bella at WrestleMania 33 in 2017, but the marriage was called off and they went their separate ways.

Nikki has since married and had a child with Dancing with the Stars performer Artem Chigvintsev, while Cena married Shay Shariatzadeh last year.

Bella seemed to enjoy her greatest success in wrestling during her relationship with Cena, as she made significant improvements in the ring and went on to hold the Divas Championship for a record 301 days.

Getting to pick the brains of one of the biggest stars in WWE history on a daily basis likely played a role in Nikki's success, and she made sure to acknowledge it on one of the biggest nights of her career when she got inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame alongside her twin sister Brie.

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The recent rumors surrounding the return of John Cena to WWE as the company returns to fan-filled arenas on July 16, sparked by Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com, has prompted fans to imagine what a dream match between the 16-time world champ and universal champion Roman Reigns may look like.

While there is no denying the magnitude of that match and what it would mean for a SummerSlam pay-per-view that will rank among the most significant in recent memory just because of the return of a live audience, Cena can be better used to help elevate a different champion and enhance an entire brand at the same time.

     

Making Raw Great Again

Monotony and repetition have bred indifference on WWE Raw, a sentence that seems incredibly weird to type.

The red brand is the flagship of the company, its most historically significant and storied television property. It has been home to the most unforgettable moments in its long and illustrious history and was, at least in previous years, destination programming for fans.

Even if you didn't watch anything else pro wrestling-related, you tuned in to see what was happening on Raw.

That is not the case any longer. Despite tremendous efforts from Drew McIntyre as the new face of the brand, and an immensely talented supporting cast, the show is a shell of its former self. It needs a spark desperately and there is no better way to get fans to sit up and take notice than by bringing Cena back into the fold on Monday nights.

Instantly, what has felt very much like a missable show in recent months will carry some significance. 

Once one of the most polarizing stars in WWE, there is no denying the fact that Cena brought emotion and energy to whichever show he appeared on. He was the biggest star on the program and almost certainly would be again.

His interactions with McIntyre, Randy Orton, Braun Strowman, AJ Styles, The New Day and even Riddle would do a great deal to boost the relevancy of a brand very quickly being left in the dust by SmackDown, which is in the middle of its hottest streak in decades.

It is one interaction in particular that will not only elevate Raw but elevate the man at the top of it, leaving the show in better shape than it was prior to Cena's return. 

          

Making The All Mighty

Bobby Lashley is the WWE champion and has held up his end of the deal in that role. He is turning in some of the best performances of his entire career and has rediscovered his confidence as a performer after a rocky few years back with the company.

Imagine what working with Cena would do for his credibility, though. Picture what it would mean to Lashley as world champion to work with a pop culture phenomenon and Hollywood star; now, think about what it would mean for The All Mighty to beat him.

Lashley has gained momentum by defeating McIntyre and Strowman in recent title defenses, but it would be an entirely different boost to his legitimacy if he could see off Cena. Considering Raw needs someone besides McIntyre and Orton with some cred among longtime fans, that feels like the best option for the brand at this point.

And there is precedence for the match to happen.

In 2007, Cena defended the same title against Lashley at The Great American Bash. The loss at that event paved the way for The All Mighty's exit from the company for 11 years and could easily serve as the last demon the current champion has to exorcise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLDyfpAPK5Q

We have seen on SmackDown what happens when there is a credible heel champion. Reigns has been extraordinary and is helping to elevate talent around him as a result. WWE needs to get Lashley to that level, and working with Cena—and beating him to extend his reign—is the best way to make that happen.

SmackDown is already rich creatively and talent-wise, and Raw desperately needs the spark Cena provides to match that ahead of fans returning to arenas this summer. 

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe. 

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Cena's WWE Return Looking Increasingly Likely 

While WWE is yet to confirm John Cena is nearing his first action since WrestleMania 36, the tea leaves are certainly pointing in that direction. 

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer reported Cena could make an appearance at July 16's edition of SmackDown, the first event in WWE's upcoming live touring schedule.

Mike Johnson of PW Insider was not able to confirm any talks between WWE and Cena but did note the filming of Cena's Peacemaker series wraps up filming July 6. That would give him plenty of time to get back to the United States for SmackDown. (The HBO Max series is filming in Vancouver.)

However, a 10-day break isn't a ton of time off between jobs, and it's unclear if Cena's in ring condition. If it's just a one-off appearance to give the crowd a pop, then Cena would almost surely make a cameo. If WWE wants Cena to commit to an actual in-ring run, though, it may have to wait until he's fully ready to perform.

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Edge Taking Scheduled Time Off

When Edge made his return to WWE, it was widely reported he was contracted for five matches per year.

While the Rated R Superstar has been absent from WWE programming since losing to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 37, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful reported this is simply part of Edge's limited schedule (via Thomas Ross of Wrestling Rumors). 

Edge has competed in three matches during the 2021 calendar year (not including the Royal Rumble), defeating Randy Orton and Jey Uso before the Triple Threat match with Reigns and Daniel Bryan. An injury limited him to two one-on-one matches in 2020, so it stands to reason that he may pick up the slack with an additional few here and there over the course of his contract.

However, this is par for the expected course. Edge is a special attraction, and it's unlikely WWE is going to waste any more of his contracted matches without fan attendance.

Much like Cena, it's probably time to start the Edge watch in July.

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Keith Lee Not Released by WWE

Keith Lee has not competed in WWE since a win over Riddle on Feb. 8's edition of Raw, but his status remains shrouded in mystery. Lee has posted on social media several times in the last three months stating a desire to return to the ring, including last week tweeting "only time will tell" in response to a question.

The tight-lipped nature of Lee's absence led to some speculation he was being released, a rumor debunked by Sapp.

Mia Yim, Lee's fiancee, tweeted it's "nobody's business" regarding his return.

It's clear there is something personal behind the scenes that no one is discussing, and Lee has a right to privacy. Hopefully he'll find his way back to the ring sooner than later. 

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John Cena hasn't appeared on WWE programming since WrestleMania 36, but that could soon change with the company set to resume its touring schedule.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Ringside News) reported that WWE has been in talks with Cena regarding an appearance on the July 16 episode of SmackDown, its first regular event back in front of a live audience.

Cena's burgeoning acting career and COVID-19 restrictions have made it difficult for the 16-time world champion to appear since his loss to Bray Wyatt in a Firefly Fun House match.

Filming commitments in Vancouver for his HBO series, Peacemaker, caused Cena to miss WrestleMania for the first time since 2002. Strict restrictions on travel across the United States and Canadian border have been in place throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I really, really want to get back to WWE," Cena recently told Nick Harley of Den of Geek. "I really want audiences to get back to WWE.

"Heck! I’m with everybody I think around the world saying I just want the world to get back to normal, but these are interesting times, and I have a lot of interesting opportunities at my feet."

It's unclear what type of role Cena would have upon his return considering he would have to carve out time for a full-time run. While he almost certainly has at least one more title reign remaining in his career—securing a 17th championship seems like a given—it's anyone's guess when Cena's schedule would allow for that. 

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Legendary WWE performer John Cena has been focused on building up his Hollywood career as of late, but an eventual return to WWE remains on his mind.

In an interview with Den of Geek's Nick Harley, Cena said, "I do look forward to returning," when asked about his future in WWE.

Cena has not appeared on WWE programming since WrestleMania 36 last year when he lost to "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt in the unique and widely praised Firefly Funhouse match in front of no fans because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 44-year-old veteran did not compete in a single match in 2021, and he also wasn't part of WrestleMania 37 in any capacity because of his filming commitments for the upcoming HBO Max Peacemaker series.

Cena was the unquestioned face of WWE for many years, but the 16-time world champion's absence has allowed some other Superstars to emerge and stake a claim to that moniker, including Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre.

With regard to what Cena wants to do when he does return to WWE, he said: "It won't be about topping a Firefly Funhouse match. The first question I'll ask is, 'Why?' And the next question I'll ask is, 'Where do we go after that?' And if I get, 'I don't know' to both of them, that's cool because that means I can come up with my own thing."

It is fitting that Cena's longest WWE absence since debuting for the company in 2002 is ongoing since he relies so heavily on fan reaction.

Whether he is cheered or booed, Cena always finds a way to elicit strong emotions from the live crowd, and that is something that wouldn't have been possible over the past year during the COVID-19 pandemic—aside from the exception of WrestleMania 37.

With more events opening up across the United States and sports venues increasing their capacities in lockstep with people getting vaccinated, a return to touring may not be far off for WWE.

When that happens, WWE will likely want to pull out all the stops to give their fans the best show possible, and a Cena return would be the type of big moment WWE would benefit from.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

At the height of his career, John Cena hung around the WWE Championship picture like Spider-Man from a skyscraper. He was always there, a constant as WWE promoted him as the very best in his field.

As he transitioned to Hollywood, it created an opening (and desperation) for the company to promote someone else to that position; someone with credibility, in-ring ability and marketability.

That someone became Charlotte Flair.

And while you might be sick and tired of seeing The Queen hang around the women's title picture on whichever brand she calls home at the time, it is with good reason that she continues to thrive in championship scenarios.

    

Controversy Creates Cash

That frustration you feel whenever Flair is reintroduced to the title picture is the same emotion you likely felt whenever Cena exploded through the curtain, ready to set his sights on his latest world title.

That the WWE Universe jumps online and voices its frustration over The Queen's latest championship exploits is the very reason WWE continues to put her in that position.

The jeers that greeted Cena previously are not unlike the social media backlash to Flair's constant title opportunities. However, both are exactly what WWE is looking for from its top stars.

The product lives and breathes on the reaction from fans. While it may not always be what management expects or desires, it is far better to have them passionately invested in stars than to not care at all. Cena was blasted in arenas by thunderous choruses of boos from fans who viewed him as WWE's do-gooder golden boy.

Flair has earned the ire of the audience over the (completely false) perception that she has not earned her spot or the opportunities that have come with it.

Charlotte. She always has a title shot, a big match booked. She didn’t earn half of what she got. Is she good? Sure, do I think she’s 9 reigns of terror good? No.

With her they really ruined being a history maker for me 🤷🏾‍♀️

— Dormant Volcano (@__areese) September 17, 2019

So like can't you find something else for Charlotte to do ? Everytime she's around its always title shot right out the gate

— Mr.Deadly (@DeadlyXDreams) May 5, 2021

Always the same mate, Charlotte Flair title shot, hasn't been seen for months, let's give her a title shot, loses title, let's give her a title shot, it's always a title shot for her, where as everyone else pushing for a shot gets pushed back down again because of her

— 🫧 |𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙝𝙒𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙤𝙙| 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@WelshWestwood) May 5, 2021

Of course, nothing could be further from the truth.

Yes, her father, Ric Flair, is one of the most iconic wrestlers of all time and he certainly helped her get her foot in the door, but to suggest she hasn't earned everything she has achieved is ignorant of her ability and her in-ring output.

           

The Quality of Her Performance

For all of the "you can't wrestle" chants that greeted Cena early in his run atop WWE, he was one of the most consistently great in-ring performers of his era. He demonstrated an ability to work with wrestlers of different styles and abilities, all while delivering the quality of match demanded by a star of his caliber.

Like it or not, Flair consistently does the same.

Whether working with one of her fellow Four Horsewomen of NXT, stealing the show with Asuka on The Grandest Stage of Them All, or helping legitimize Carmella during her run as SmackDown women's champion, The Queen has repeatedly delivered when lights were brightest and the situation demanded it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adEhjzZRU9I

Some will point to Sasha Banks, Bayley or Becky Lynch as the measuring stick for women's wrestling in WWE, but it is difficult to argue against Flair, who has constantly delivered on the biggest stages—just as Cena did before her.

That reliability in big spots is a huge reason why WWE feels comfortable going back to Flair time and time again. She has the credibility of her family name, yes, but she has also earned her reputation as one of the very best in her field.

Just six years after being called up to the main roster, there is a strong argument to be made that she is among the greatest to ever lace a pair of boots for WWE, standing right alongside Trish Stratus, Bull Nakano, Lita and Molly Holly in that regard. 

No matter how overpushed or overexposed fans deem someone to be, if their work constantly backs up the creative support of the company, it is nearly impossible to argue against it.

With that said, there is one major issue with having a performer as good as a Cena or Flair.

          

It's Lonely at the Top

It took WWE a full decade to find someone who could one day supplant Cena as its top star. Even then, Roman Reigns wasn't ready for that position.

Cena had crafted such a legacy for himself as the undisputed guy in WWE that it made it extremely difficult for the company to find someone who would believably stand alongside and eventually replace him.

In Flair's case, it was a solid four years before WWE felt comfortable enough to pull the trigger on Lynch and present her on the level of Flair. Before that, it took a UFC Hall of Famer in Ronda Rousey to come through and be perceived as The Queen's equal.

Presenting a star of that magnitude, who always wins and is always a threat to lift any title they challenge for, is always problematic.

Suddenly, there are few who can measure up. It becomes difficult to create new stars because the shadow of the established looms large. And, as WWE has proved countless times over the years, it doesn't just hand out wins against industry giants like candy.

Hulk Hogan's loss to The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VI is such a big deal because people didn't beat Hogan. Cena's losses were treated as special because he was the living legend that he was. Though she's not a star the magnitude of those pop culture phenomenons, when people beat Flair in a high-profile match, it matters because it doesn't happen often. 

Yes, it's lonely at the top for Flair, if only because few can consistently touch her greatness. As was the case with Cena, when you have been involved in the title picture and excelled in that spot for so long, it is extremely difficult to come up with quality stories that do not somehow feel like a step down for the performer involved.

Someone will come along one day and knock her off her pedestal in the same way Reigns did to Cena but until that happens, The Queen will continue to stick around the title scene because she has earned the right and WWE trusts her in that position.

It is an opportunity afforded to the best and until she stops being that, Flair will reign.

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe. 

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Michael Tarver Blames Cena for Failed WWE Run

Michael Tarver wrestled with WWE from 2008 to 2011, most notably as a member of The Nexus. Tarver was exiled from the group in October 2010 after being attacked by John Cena and was never seen on television again before his 2011 release due to a groin injury. 

According to Tarver, Cena's dislike of him extended backstage. The now-retired wrestler appeared on the Talkin Sass podcast and blamed Cena for burying him. 

“It was Cena,” Tarver said. “I don’t have any heat with him now, I make jokes about it.  But there was a target on my back. I don’t know why he targeted me, but it is what it is. We ended up on good terms (but) I had to defend myself a lot.  Everyone was high on me, and then all the sudden they all turned on me.  People wouldn’t shake my hand—they wouldn’t even speak to me.”

While Cena's so-called "burial" of The Nexus has long been discussed in wrestling circles, it's fair to note that several former Nexus members went on to successful WWE careers. Wade Barrett became a five-time Intercontinental champion before retiring from in-ring action. Husky Harris (Bray Wyatt), Skip Sheffield (Ryback) and Michael McGillicutty (Curtis Axel) were all repackaged and had various levels of success. Even Heath Slater, Darren Young, Justin Gabriel and David Otunga stuck with the company for a significant period after the Nexus disbanded.

Tarver and Mason Ryan were the only two Nexus members to not have some level of WWE success. While Cena may have played a part in Tarver's "burial," it's probably unfair to characterize him as being at fault.

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Andrade vs. Omega Coming to AAA

Andrade will soon be in a ring facing Kenny Omega—just not in AEW as many fans hoped. The recently released superstar appeared at AAA's Rey de Reys event over the weekend and issued a challenge to Omega for the AAA championship.

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Ringside News) said the match has been in the makings for some time.

“I don’t know if it’s official, but I have known about this match since the day Andrade was released. When he did that interview where he said that he wanted to face Kenny Omega. He said that because that match was there," Meltzer said.

Andrade has been competing in Mexican promotions since his WWE release but is yet to make his stateside comeback. It's possible that a match with Omega could be a precursor to Andrade finding himself on AEW or Impact television.

Given Andrade's in-ring talent and charisma, it's only a matter of time before he winds up in one of those two companies. For now, fans will have to tune into AAA's TripleMania event if they want their Andrade-Omega dream match.

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Jericho Talks Up Blood & Guts

Chris Jericho spoke to Wrestling Observer Radio about the upcoming Blood & Guts match, calling it "AEW's version of a War Games" while also making it clear the company plans to differentiate itself. 

“It’s the first time we’ve ever seen this. Again, it’s not a true and blue WarGames either. The apparatus is different just because of the way and configuration of Daily’s Place, you’ve never seen an apparatus like this.”

“There are some differences to it. So, Blood & Guts really is its own version. It’s not WWE’s version of WarGames. It’s not Dusty’s version of WarGames. It’s AEW’s version of a WarGames. That’s why it’s called Blood & Guts, it’s got a different name to it.

“I like that. I like that it has to be different, not just because we don’t own the copyright for WarGames, because we are actually making this a little bit different from what you’re used to. So, I think it’s one of those one. It’s a destination match. We’ve already sold more tickets than any pandemic show, just for interest on that.”

AEW had plans for Blood & Guts last year but postponed them amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With better planning and arguably an even better storyline with The Pinnacle and The Inner Circle, the Blood & Guts event is shaping up to be one of the most unique in AEW history.

It will be interesting to see how AEW pulls it off and whether the match lives up to the hype of the build.