WWE Elimination Chamber: What John Cena Must Do to Build Up to WrestleMania

John Cena's feud with Kane is coming to an end this Sunday at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, but there are still a few things that he must do in order to kick start the build-up for his WrestleMania match with The Rock. 

Kane's whole reason for being right now is to get Cena to embrace the hate. While there have been a few moments where it looks like the Doctor of Thuganomics is on the verge of actually being a tough guy instead of the happy-go-lucky, cheesy catchphrase star that he has been for the last six years, he ultimately reverts back to what the male audience hates about him. 

But that is not a bad thing. While it does not light everyone's world on fire, there is something to be said for someone who sticks to their principles under any circumstance. 

This Sunday, instead of having Cena run amok on Kane and have him do his best Luke Skywalker impression by walking over to the dark side, he should beat Kane the way he defeated Umaga at the 2007 Royal Rumble. 

That was a brutal match with both wrestlers showing their mean streaks. Cena prevailed by using the ring ropes to choke out Umaga with an STF. After he won, he did his usual shtick with the smiling and celebrating with the children. 

It is a perfect setup for his feud with The Rock. WWE looks to be setting up this match as a way to divide the audience in half, with Rock and Cena being edgy babyfaces that everyone wants to cheer on.

That strategy is not going to work for so many reasons. The two biggest ones are that Rock is wrestling in his hometown, and it is his first singles match in WWE since 2003. It is going to be a hostile environment for Cena no matter what. 

Why not keep the aspects of Cena's character that do work—his appeal to children and women—by giving him the chance to do the "wrong" thing against Kane but having him walk away from that because he believes in who he is and what he does?

The whole point of Cena's feud with The Rock is his hatred of how hypocritical Rock has been about how much he loves the business. As idiotic as that sounds since Rock got a better job making more money with less physical stress, there is a way to salvage it. 

Don't try to change Cena's personality just because you want to try to get a split crowd reaction. It is simple, logical and smart booking. The fans will eat it up, and the anticipation will grow each week until the match is so big it does better business for WrestleMania than any match in the history of the company. 

Cena will win his match with Kane on Sunday, but he won't do what Kane wants him to. He will keep his strong convictions intact as he prepares for The Rock's return. 

Check back for more on the WWE as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s Wrestling Page to get your fill of the WWE. For more WWE talk, check out Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics you just can’t miss.

Follow @adamwells1985

Listen to internet radio with RingRustRadio on Blog Talk Radio