John Cena's Win over Brock Lesnar Was Stroke of Genius

Slowly but surely, the WWE is bringing back the stars of old in a measured and sensible manner, and that continues, with John Cena as the perfect vehicle for that end. 

On Sunday, Brock Lesnar met Cena as the main event for WWE Extreme Rules, and it proved to live up to the billing in more ways than one. Lesnar showed an ability to dole out punishment, as well as take a great deal. He was the favorite coming in, but the loser heading out. 

The real winner is the WWE, which now houses one more strong wrestler who can command the affection or disdain of millions. The key is not to create a winner, but a wrestler that fans will buy into, and that is Lesnar once again. 

The match may have taken its toll on Cena physically, but it served to show that the polarizing face is the perfect manner in which to bring back the time-tested favorites. It worked with The Rock, and it will surely work with Lesnar.

The latest stint showed that Lesnar could take a pummeling, but it also proved that Lesnar was human and not some unbeatable beast who would waltz right back into the WWE. 

It's almost formulaic: If you are looking to break back into the WWE, chances are that you will run right through John Cena, and it's right to think so. Cena continues to welcome boos and buzz more than any wrestler in the business, making it easy to judge the crowd's response to the elder statesman. 

Lesnar will now move onto another rivalry, but not after being put to the test by Cena, opening up an eventual rematch that will have far more gravity assigned to it. 

The WWE is working Cena overtime, but it is beginning to pay off in droves. 

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