John Cena Must Take Loss vs. Rusev at WWE Payback 2015

Over the last several months, John Cena has helped bring validity back to the United States Championship, but it’s about time he helped the future of the company by putting Rusev over at the 2015 edition of WWE’s Payback.

Rusev needs the victory desperately.

After stealing the victory at WWE Fastlane before WrestleMania, Rusev has lost back-to-back pay-per-view matches to Cena, and another loss would have fans questioning his viability as a champion.

There was a time when the unpinned and unsubmitted Rusev was considered one of the top heels in the company, but a third loss in a row would stifle all of the momentum he had built. Add in the possibility of losing Lana, and there are serious questions about why the WWE is seemingly sabotaging the budding star.

And it’s not like Cena needs the win or the U.S. title. It was great having him in the midcard and helping bring prestige back to a secondary title, but it is shocking that he hasn’t been put back in the main event scene yet.

If Cena takes the loss, he would have no choice but to enter the world championship scene.

Cena and WWE have been planting the seeds of doubt in the storyline that he will lose a stipulation bout that he has become king, an “I Quit” match. With the caveat that the loser will not get a rematch, the stage has been set for Rusev to be banished to obscurity or Rusev to steal the victory in dirty fashion.

As for the ideal booking situation at Payback, the teased tension between Lana and Rusev should all be revealed as a ruse. After Rusev beats Cena in a dominant fashion and forcing him to pass out in the Accolade, Lana can call for edited audio of Cena saying “I Quit” over the PA system.

It would be a fun callback to the 1999 match between Mankind and The Rock and would give Rusev a much deserved victory. The Russian sympathizer holding the United States Championship again would give him major heat and casting Cena aside would make him look very strong.

Rusev needs the win at Payback, and if Cena really does care about WWE as much as he says he does, he must take the loss in order to maintain Rusev’s status as a top star.

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