WWE: Why John Cena Should Lose to The Rock at WrestleMania 28

Picture this scenario at the conclusion of WrestleMania 28:

John Cena elbows out of the Rock Bottom and surprises The Rock with a surprise Attitude Adjustment for the one, two and three.

Now, envision this:

The Rock, who kips up just as Cena is about to deliver the Five-Knuckle Shuffle, devastates his arch-rival with an out-of-nowhere Rock Bottom for the victory.

From a logical standpoint, which seems more likely?

If you answered scenario No. 2, you're probably correct.

No matter how many obstacles Cena has overcome, how many stripes he's earned, or how hard he's worked, WrestleMania 28 has to be The Rock's night of triumph.

Because if Cena were to defeat one of the driving forces of the Attitude Era, The Rock, in a bout with so much at stake so soon, a majority of the 25-34 crowd just may leave in droves.

Once the depression kicks in—knowing that their wants and desires have little influence over WWE programming—they will cease to see the point of sticking around as fans.

That demographic, like any other, needs to be catered to, heard and heeded. They need to know that one of their favorites, like The Rock, is just as great today as he was a decade ago.

On April 1, The Rock should win for the very fans he fights for—the ones who have been subjected to, and tolerated, Cena's stale "Fruity Pebbles" act for the last several years.

And although Cena would be the loser on that night, it would be the very best thing to happen to him. Simply put, he would have much more to gain in the long run.

Primarily, if the WWE's mission is to ensure that the fan base eventually accepts Cena, then he must not vanquish The Rock at Sun Life Stadium.

In fact, the jeers will only get louder, the disrespect will loom larger and the rejection will grow sturdier.

It's time for Cena, the "Superman," to shed the cape and become the vulnerable Clark Kent.

Next, by becoming less dominant and more vulnerable, older fans will be able to relate to Cena more.

Let's face it: Nobody likes to see one man reign supreme in the face of every challenge like it never even fazed him.

In Cena's case, this is even more pronounced because viewers have resented the blatant coercion by the WWE to embrace him a la previous company flagbearers like Triple H, Steve Austin, Bret Hart and, of course, The Rock.

By portraying Cena in a more human light, the audience will be able to identify with him as an individual who also happens to be a larger-than-life superstar.

People who fail, but keep persisting, resonate with us more as opposed to the ones who are the image of perfection throughout their lives (Dolph Ziggler notwithstanding).

Moreover, a loss would potentially spur a much-needed change in Cena's played-out character.

In actuality, there are several roads that this could lead.

For instance, it could force Cena to reassess his confidence and place in the WWE universe, which could even lead to a storyline where he quits on himself.

On the other hand, it could lead to him finally turning his back on the fans and becoming a very transparent figurehead for corporate goons like John Laurinaitis (not that he wasn't already one to the observers who have seen through the manipulative tactics surrounding his character).

Lastly, John Cena, if he were to lose at WrestleMania 28, could always win a rematch down the line.

It could transpire at SummerSlam 2012 in Los Angeles or perhaps at WrestleMania 29 in New Jersey.

When he does eventually best The Rock, though, Cena will have hopefully earned the respect and admiration of the fans, if not their audible approval.

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