Debunking the Myth: Cena Sucks

Before you read this, I ask you to put down your hatorade and sip on the cool refreshing straw of Factopia. This is an unbiased look at the man known as John Cena.

"Cena Sucks," "If Cena Wins We Riot" and plain old boos reign down every time John Cena enters an arena. But is it justified? The facts say no.

John Cena is hated by a large number of fans that has Jared thinking Cena's in bizarro world. Is he face? Is he heel? His role is undefined, yet not in a tweener Stone Cold kind of way.

His fans are mostly segmented in age group, something wrestling has never seen before. Younger kids are eating him up like Frosted Flakes with extra sugar, while the more mature audience can't seem to stand the man. But why?

97 percent of Cena's hate come because he's jammed down our throat. And that's understandable. But at the same time, who isn't?

Edge has been world champ nine frickin' times in three years. He drops the belt as quickly as he's won it and is in every major SmackDown storyline, yet he's loved.

He should be hated for his short title runs and diminishing the belt's worth, yet they spin him as the ultimate opportunist and he's golden.

Over the last six months, maybe longer, Randy Orton and his Legacy has dominated Raw airwaves. Every backstage segment, match, or interview seems to be centered around him.

They even came up with a disease for his sudden rage, only to have Orton come out months later and say it wasn't the disease, he knew all along what he was doing. And again he's loved.

John Cena, on the other hand, comes out and shows the crowd some love, and he is booed out of the building by a handful of fans. What's up with that?

The fact is John Cena doesn't suck. Actually far from it. He's a wrestling promoter's dream come true and should be the man fans love to cheer.

More importantly, don't let the minority fool you. John Cena is highly popular.

John Cena is one of the most requested Wish Givers for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which includes actors, athletes and musicians. These are requests coming from kids with life-threatening diseases.

They have one wish and one chance to meet anyone on the planet and a good number of them are requesting Cena. Not Edge, not Triple H, and not the Undertaker. Cena.

Out of the WWE's roster, Cena does the biggest endorsement deals. He has Gold's Gym, Subway and Gilette all under his belt. Major sponsors obviously are aware of his drawing power.

And speaking of drawing power, Cena has starred in more WWE solely produced films than any other wrestler on the roster. Granted, compared to Hollywood standards they were bombs. But The Champ has out sold the rest of his co-workers.

The Marine destroyed the rest of the WWE DVD flicks, as it raked in $30 million compared to the See No Evil ($16 million), The Condemned ($22 million) and Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia ($4 million).

And if you take a look at Cena's merchandise sales, they are all far higher than anyone else in the ring.

So clearly Cena is more popular than most other Superstars as more people pay to see him and buy his stuff, so where's the problem?

Many people chant "Cena can't wrestle." That might be the biggest crock of them all. "He only has three moves," some might say. Bologna once again.

Cena has just as big of a move list as any other performer in the WWE. The throwback, attitude adjuster, five knuckle shuffle, blue thunder pin/killswitch and STF just to name a few.

What do your favorite superstars that you consider a great worker have? HBK has an atomic drop, sweet chin music, elbow and body slam. That's not a whole lot more than Cena.

Triple H, the cerebral assasin, has the pedigree, running knee, running clothes line, spine buster.

I could keep going on and on, but you get the point. What separates a great worker from a good or even average wrestler is the ability to put their opponent over.

That's why we love HBK, Ric Flair, and Mr. Perfect. They make their opponent look like a million bucks. And although Cena isn't any of the before mentioned, he's still one heck of a worker.

Cena has fans on their feet, whether they're booing or cheering, they're off their butts one way or another. He can tell a story in the ring and sell nicely in the ring. Flat out, he's a solid to above average wrestler.

In fact, Cena's story isn't an unfamiliar one, as it mirrors a young Rocky Miavia. 

Rocky debuted at Survivor Series in 1996. Less than three months later he was the Intercontinental champ. And not long after his tremendous push fans were hating him.

Yet he was able to go on to become one of the industry's biggest stars and most recognizable names. He sold T-shirts, main-evented and became a movie star. Not unlike John Cena.

But unlike Cena, Rocky got the chance to vent his frustrations. Instead of keeping him the smiling, autograph signing, t-shirt throwing into the crowd baby face; Rocky flipped and became one of the most disrespectful heels.

And in the same breath he was able to gain respect from the fans as the heavy push was easier to swallow since he was a heel.

Cena hasn't had the opportunity to say screw you to the fans. Why? Because he's still so over with a majority of fans, if Vince turned him heel he could lose a bundle in merchandise and movie sales. It's just not smart business wise to do so.

So although it would help his character's image, it's just not smart to do so.

Sure Vince pushes him to the max, but wouldn't you? Every wrestler has a ticking clock on them, you've got to get what you can when you can.

How is it Cena's fault for going out there whenever his number is called? Would you turn down the money and the exposure if it were granted to you? Absolutely not.

When it's all said and done, and the night before Wrestlemania comes in a decade or so, it's guaranteed John Cena will have a spot at the podium.

Cena will go down as one of the greatest wrestlers ever, not by my generation, but the next. He's their Hulk Hogan. He's their Rock.

The man can wrestle, sell t-shirts and put the butts in the seats. The champ is absolutely here and Cena Sucks is a myth... to the majority.

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