Is Cena the GOAT?

[Bomberboyokay]

If it's not your cup of tea, and you're craving more "edginess", and you don't like the guy on top, why watch? There's all kinds of wrestling out there now, more accessible through the internet than ever. You're not limited to just WWE. Who has the time or inclination these days to watch any sort of entertainment they don't enjoy? There's so many options now.

Personally, I don't even actively watch WWE anymore, beyond the occasional highlight package or big angle or promo through their YouTube channel. The only orgs I actively follow and give money too right now are Combat Zone Wrestling and Game Changer Wrestling, which are a far cry from what WWE are putting out there right now (CZW has been one of WWE's top sources of new indy talent in recent years though). It's niche, it's "edgy", it's violent, it's adult, and it's largely insane and breaks many conventions of wrestling logic. That's what I want to see from wrestling right now, but probably not what many wrestling fans, or parents or children, or Jim Cornette or Dave Meltzer, want to watch.

I can count on my fingers the full length WWE shows I watched in the past year. And you brought "edginess" into the conservation.

Nevertheless, I understand why WWE present themselves and their top stars the way they do, and as I get older and smarter and understand the business and work and life more, my respect for Cena grows. It's one thing to be pushed consistently, but it's another to keep making the towns, making the appearances, keeping in pristine shape, with zero controversy or scandal outside the ring, year after year, for a decade-plus. The work rate and drive and focus of the man is inhuman. He's more than proven that he deserves to be the top guy in the industry based on that, even if his matches aren't technical clinics, or virgins living with their mum don't find him cool.

You're not getting smarter. If I recall correctly, you think the entire Daniel Bryan arc was scripted genius even though many WWE people have confirmed Vince McMahon is just an out of touch idiot forced into the situation by CM Punk quitting.

John Cena visiting hospitals doesn't make him the greatest wrestler of all time.

 

[Damon_3388]

I can count on my fingers the full length WWE shows I watched in the past year. And you brought "edginess" into the conservation.



You're not getting smarter. If I recall correctly, you think the entire Daniel Bryan arc was scripted genius even though many WWE people have confirmed Vince McMahon is just an out of touch idiot forced into the situation by CM Punk quitting.

John Cena visiting hospitals doesn't make him the greatest wrestler of all time.

So we disagree on some points. Great.

I'm just offering my opinion. It's not a battle of credibility or respect to me, and I'm certainly not keeping track of who said what about XYZ years ago.

 

[DaveyRS]

I can count on my fingers the full length WWE shows I watched in the past year. And you brought "edginess" into the conservation.



You're not getting smarter. If I recall correctly, you think the entire Daniel Bryan arc was scripted genius even though many WWE people have confirmed Vince McMahon is just an out of touch idiot forced into the situation by CM Punk quitting.

John Cena visiting hospitals doesn't make him the greatest wrestler of all time.

Nice melt... only a fool would think Cena isn’t at the very upper echelon of wrestlers

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Nice melt... only a fool would think Cena isn’t at the very upper echelon of wrestlers

What is it that puts him in that category?

 

[brutus76]

This is hard to measure. Can focus on drawing power, titles, mic skills, wrestling ability, style, influence etc etc etc.
Flair is The Man
Hogan changed wrestling
HBK best performer
Hitman best storyteller
Cena flagship for last 15 years

If you base it on 5 guys i had to watch over and over for the rest of my life it would be Flair, Steamboat, Hart, Jericho and Ultimo Dragon

But Cena the GOAT? Hell No.

 

[Rockstar6]

Stone Cold is the GOAT.

 

[L_W_P]

I'd rank him 3rd all time behind Flair (#1) and Hogan (#2)

Flair was the greatest champion in the NWA which was booked by committee. It wasn't just Vince calling the shots ala Hogan and Cena. Flair had to convince an entire panel of promoters that he could make them all money and they believe he could do it better than a whole hell of a alot of talented stars.

Hogan changed wrestling and made it mainstream. Hulkamania and the nWo both changed the landscape of what pro wrestling has become.

Cena is a throwback to Hogan but the fact is he has been carrying his share of the main events for the only major international promotion for over a decade now.

I'm happy to put him ahead of Austin, Rock etc. who had a more immediate impact but whose in ring main even runs lasted less than half the time.

Don't discount Cena's crossover appeal either. Dude is landing roles in decent films and is working his way up. Not sure he will get to Dwayne Johnson status but he is definitely famous outside WWE.

 

[Gorman2Geister]

Kurt Angle is the GOATiest GOAT that ever GOATed.

It's true. It's true.

PS Go to bed Vesty.

 

[Baird]

Okada is the G.O.A.T.

unironically this. he has more 5 or 6 star matches than the entire wwe itself, and he's only 30.

 

[The_Game_1981]

As top draw for the company you can't deny his longevity or his work ethic and is among the greats in that respect, his mic work is exceptional especially when he's actually giving his promos a bit of edge and not towing the i'm a white-bread babyface line that he normally does.

From the standpoint of most over wrestler of all time I'd argue you can't go past Stone Cold Steve Austin. He was the most popular wrestler during Wrestling's greatest era of competition in the Monday Night Wars and still gets a better crowd reaction than any active wrestler on the WWE roster.

From a technical standpoint he's solid and much better than he was 15 years ago but still can't touch the likes of Flair, Savage, Steamboat, Shawn Michaels, Triple H or more recently CM Punk and Daniel Bryan.