Pros and Cons of John Cena Winning World Title at WWE No Mercy 2016

John Cena will tie Ric Flair's all-time record of 16 world championships. Fans have known this for years, so the upcoming Triple Threat title match at WWE No Mercy 2016 on Sunday against AJ Styles and Dean Ambrose came as no great surprise.

The timing, however, did.

Cena was supposedly stepping aside to pursue projects outside of WWE. His crossover into the mainstream has been successful thus far, so there's potential for him to do more. But instead of leaving, he was thrust into this match.

Now he could take his place next to the name of perhaps the greatest of all time, "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair.

So while it's never been a matter of if, it's always been a matter of when. Will Cena's legend grow to epic proportions at No Mercy, or will he be left waiting for another shot at a later time? It's Cena's night to shine, and he will, but should he get the gold right now?

Fans are split on this, which has always been the case with Cena. But each side of this argument has valid points to make, and the debate will rage on until Sunday's pay-per-view. Depending on what happens, it may even continue after that as well.

The Pros

Cena deserves this.

There's a reason why he's been the top guy in WWE for more than 10 years; no one has worked harder than he has. No one has cared more or done more to earn a record of this distinction. Cena's time at the top has been longer than Hulk Hogan's and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's, so while fans may be quick to criticize him, no one can deny the truth.

Cena has given his all for the success of WWE.

That's why he should win at No Mercy. This may be the last time anyone even approaches Flair's record, and if that is the case, WWE should take advantage of it. The company has invested too much time and money into Cena to not see it through now. 

This also sets up WWE from a money standpoint.

Cena is still the top draw, and while Styles is one of the best in the business, he's not at Cena's level yet. If the company wants to increase ratings, putting the belt on Cena is the best way to do it. He is still the man in WWE, and the rest of the company has always followed his lead.

Until a talent can fill his shoes, that's the way it should be. He's a proven leader, and there's no better way to lead than by wearing the top prize.

This also gets Cena over the hump, which is good in the long run. The 16th world title will finally be his, and he can cross it off his to-do list. Once that happens, the time will come for WWE to begin looking at viable replacements for him as the top guy.

Cena would have done it all, and tying Flair's record would be the ultimate exclamation mark on his WWE career.

The Cons

So much for the New Era.

What happened to moving forward? What good did WWE accomplish by bringing in new talent, only to leave Cena in the top spot? For that matter, how can anyone ever replace him if they don't get the chance to prove themselves?

The problem here is that WWE appears to be using the New Era gimmick as nothing more than a way of introducing new stars and creating buzz around the product. If fans believe Cena is on the way out, it creates the impression of a more exciting show full of promise and possibilities.

Instead, fans are getting more of the same. 

Cena has earned the belt—that much is true. But at what cost to the hungry Superstars around him and to the fans who want something different? Is Cena's spot so important to Vince McMahon that he would not allow anyone else the chance to even compete for it?

Many could point to the product now versus when Cena was participating on a full-time basis on both Raw and SmackDown. The shows may indeed be more exciting, but the company may have hoped for better ratings. Maybe Cena's part-time status has something to do with that.

But evolution cannot happen overnight. 

WWE needs time to cultivate the younger talents and explore what they can do in the spotlight. Announcing Cena's departure does not mean another handpicked talent is ready to go right now; that person may or may not be ready.

Maybe that person isn't even in WWE right now.

But continuing to elevate Cena above all others is not the answer. He's a legend, but his time is drawing to a close. WWE must begin looking ahead, not because of a gimmick storyline, but because it's the right thing to do.

Without a bona fide top guy, the company will suffer. That is the model that's been used, and that's the way it should be when Cena's time is over. Maybe Flair's record should be left alone. Cena may have earned the achievement, but that does not mean he should capture it.

No matter what happens at No Mercy, Cena will deliver as he always does. He is accustomed to the bright lights and the main event stage; he might not be leaving either one any time soon.

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here.