Breaking Down John Cena's Role in WWE Ushering in New Era

For the cornerstones of WWE's new era, John Cena will be the bridge they must travel on to arrive on center stage. The question moving forward, though, is whether that bridge will be sturdy or shaky, whether these grapplers will make it across or tumble off the side midway. 

History has seen rising stars go into a tailspin after tangling with Cena. But collisions with the marquee wrestler can and should be a means to catapult the likes of AJ Styles and others.

On Monday's Raw, Cena returned to the flagship show for the first time in months, his surgically repaired shoulder now healed. In an impassioned promo he said that while all the new faces on the roster are looking to take his spot, the future will have to go through him:

That is more than just typical wrestling trash talk. There is truth to that statement.

From Rusev to Bray Wyatt, Seth Rollins to Ryback, there has been a long line of on-the-rise wrestlers battling Cena as part of their attempted ascent up the WWE ladder. He has been the gatekeeper to WWE's top tier. In that capacity, Cena has been a boost for some and a blockade for others.

And now with WWE marketing a shift into a new era, that role will only become more pronounced.

Fans saw that right away as Styles confronted Cena in the midst of his speech on Monday night. It looked as if The Phenomenal One was just there to show respect to the former champ, but he instead pounced on Cena with the help of Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson.

With that, a rivalry between a man who has been with the company for just under five months and its longtime top dog is underway. 

It didn't take long for the rumblings from fans to begin, but as Pro Wrestling Report co-host David Herro pointed out, facing Cena elevates Styles:

Cena remains WWE's measuring stick. Regardless of whether he is champion or not, his star power and storied career make facing him feel like a marquee showdown. To be placed opposite him is an indication that a wrestler has reached a lofty spot on the WWE hierarchy, at least temporarily.

Apollo Crews battling Sheamus will be beneficial, but should he take on Cena down the road, it will bring added spotlight.

Should The Vaudevillains or Enzo Amore or Tyler Breeze step up to Cena, the perception around them would suddenly change. Midcarders don't get that kind of opportunity. And so Cena acts as an indicator as to who WWE is most high on.   

Feuding with him is automatically a high-profile affair. 

As newer names continue to take over, Cena will help introduce them. He will serve as an opponent over whom a victory is invaluable. Ask Kevin Owens, who quickly made an imprint by upsetting Cena in his first WWE match last year.

The trouble is, WWE has often chosen to highlight Cena over his foe, having the babyface act more like a brick wall than a springboard. Rusev's career trajectory pointed downward post-Cena, going from beast to comedy act. Wyatt's threats were harder to take seriously after he and his crew looked so hapless against the leader of the Cenation.

It's that history that has fans already worried about Styles' future. Vaughn Johnson of Philly.com wrote, "We all know what this probably means and that is Cena systematically tearing a part The Club and defeating Styles in probably multiple matches to show that he can overcome the odds yet again."

Rusev succumbed to a fate much like that one. So did The Wyatt Family. Their wins were quickly forgotten, muffled under the images of Cena's triumphs. 

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Having Styles fail to topple Cena or later having Crews and others play his victims does the new era no favors. Being on the same stage as Cena still has weight, but being booked to be on a level below him defeats the purpose. 

To truly harness Cena's star power, WWE must decide who it truly believes will be key to this unfolding era and have them step over Cena on their way to the mountaintop. If the company has pegged Styles, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns as its cornerstones, those men need to outdo what Rusev and others did against Cena in the past.

As Ric Flair famously said, "To be the man, you got to beat the man."

WWE can make made men out of Styles and company. As much as winning titles creates momentum for Superstars, there is little that has the power of knocking off a legend.

Before Cena exits the squared circle for Hollywood, he will create career moments for others, ushering in the new era flat on his back.